Stillmeadow Community Projects Inc

COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS, URBAN FORREST RESTORATION AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LEARNING CENTER, AND COMMUNITY HEATH AND FOOD ASSISTANCE

USDA GRANT (20-JV)ACTIVITIES FOR THIS PROJECT FALL INTO THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: 1) REFORESTATION; 2) DEVELOPMENT OF HEALING FOREST TO OFFER PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS; AND 3) YOUTH AND ADULT NATURE AND STEWARDSHIP ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAMS. THE RESEARCH PLOTS AND TRAILS HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED. IN 2022, STILLMEADOW HOSTED 397 VOLUNTEERS, WHO LOGGED 2,029.5 VOLUNTEER HOURS. IN ADDITION TO THE VOLUNTEERS, MAINTENANCE OF THE FOREST WAS PERFORMED BY 3 INTERNS, WHO WERE HIRED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022 AS FOREST TECHNICIANS. ONE OF THE INTERNS CONTINUED TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE FALL OF 2022. THROUGH THE STILLMEADOW PEACEPARK LEARNING CENTER, OUR NATURE-BASED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND THE BALTIMORE FOREST SCHOOL, OUR SATURDAY YOUTH NATURE PROGRAM, STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN FOREST STEWARDSHIP BY REMOVING TRASH AND MULCHING TRAILS. IN 2022, OVER 50 STUDENTS FROM BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY PARTICIPATED IN THESE STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES.

USDA, FORREST SEVICE PEACE PARK COOP 22-CS -RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN SPACES SUCH AS THESE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS WELL AS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND RESILIENCE.---THESE URBAN WOODLANDS WERE ECOLOGICALLY DEGRADED, WITH DEAD ASH TREES THAT HAD SUCCUMBED TO EMERALD ASH BORER AND INVASIVE VINES THAT CHOKED THE NATIVE TREES. AFTER CLEANING UP THE SITE AND REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES, NORTHERN RESEARCH STATION SCIENTISTS WORKED WITH AREA RESIDENTS AND CHURCH MEMBERS TO PLANT NATIVE TREES LIKE OAKS, SWEET GUM, AND MAGNOLIAS. USDA FOREST SERVICE

LEARNING CENTER -LIBRARIES WITHOUT BORDERS--TO COVER PROGRAM COORDINATOR SALARY FOR STILLMEADOW PEACEPARK LEARNING CENTER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMLAUNCHED STILLMEADOW PEACEPARK LEARNING CENTER ON 2/22/22; A TOTAL OF 12 LEARNING CENTER STUDENTS TUTORED AND ASSISTED WITH HOMEWORK; 3 STUDENTS WERE FAILING MULTIPLE CLASSES BUT PASSED ALL CLASSES BY YEARS END; 1 FOURTH GRADE STUDENT FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNED TO READ ON A 2ND GRADE LEVEL BY THE END OF 2022 (PRIOR TO ATTENDING THE LEARNING CENTER, THE STUDENT STRUGGLED TO IDENTIFY LETTERS IN THE ENGLISH ALPHABET); STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN DAILY NATURE WALKS, HELPED TO REMOVE 43 BAGS OF TRASH FROM THE PEACEPARK, STREAM, AND FREDERICK AVE; 10 ADULTS TRAINED IN BASIC COMPUTER AND INTERNET SKILLS