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Sustain B'more
March 2021 | Issue 10
Celebrating Women's History
Dear Baltimore Office of Sustainability Friends,

Spring is just around the corner and signs of growth are everywhere. Check out our list of 'Local Opportunities' below to find great ways to get outdoors, take an environmental class, or give something back to your neighborhood. March is also Women's History Month, with a theme of "Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced." If you would like to learn about the roles women have played in history -- like Rachel Carson, Henrietta Lacks, or Harriet Tubman -- visit the National Women's History Museum website and browse their biographies or check out these books on famous women from Maryland. 
 
And don't forget to honor Baltimore's newest 'valiant woman' -- Gwynnda the Good Wheel of the West -- the fourth and largest Trash Wheel that will be installed next month at the mouth of the Gwynns Falls. Part of the Healthy Harbor Initiative from the Waterfront Partnership, Gwynnda will feature 72 solar panels, a grappling arm for larger items, and even a crown and magic wand. Welcome to the City, Gwynnda!
 
We also wanted to make sure that everyone knew that the Sustainability Commission held a joint briefing with the Planning Commission earlier this month on March 11th, where the Department of Public Works shared updates on their Less Waste, Better Baltimore Plan and their new recycling bin program. You can watch the Livestream here.

To warm and sunny days ahead,
Baltimore Office of Sustainability Staff
Community Spotlight
Lisa Ferretto, Sustainability Commissioner. Photo c/o WOW article.
Lisa Ferretto - Sustainability Commissioner
Sustainability Commissioner, architect, and Hord Coplan Macht's Director of Sustainability Lisa M. Ferretto has been featured by The WOW (Women of the World) Foundation in a piece highlighting women across the globe who are leading efforts to combat climate change. She was selected as one of ten women across the world. Congratulations Lisa!

'"In architecture, we also need to connect the dots - from race to place, people to planet, COVID to climate. We cannot solve one crisis to inform the other, but need to respond simultaneously with a road to recovery, prevention and resilience."' - Lisa Ferretto, AIA, LEED BD+C, WELL AP, EcoDistricts, GGP
Yorell Tuck, Director of Operations at Stillmeadow and longtime SW Baltimore resident, in the PeacePark. Photo c/o Baltimore Sun.
Stillmeadow Community Fellowship
The Baltimore Sun just published a front-page article featuring the inspirational work of one of our office's Community Resiliency Hub Partners, Stillmeadow Community Fellowship! The Church is working with a team of partners to become a green oasis in their flood-prone neighborhood in SW Baltimore. One of their biggest undertakings is transforming an overgrown forest into a PeacePark that promotes healing for both neighbors and nature.

"The Stillmeadow PeaceProject could be a model for neighborhoods here and around the country... as majority Black communities reckon with the environmental damage of policies like segregation and redlining that left them with more pollutants and less tree cover. According to the Forest Service, the presence and health of forests in cities is key to the resilience of communities and ecosystems."

Their work is a great example of what is possible when community, government, and academia work together - with the community at the helm.
You don’t have to be a climate scientist or city planner to help improve the sustainability and resilience of Baltimore. Everyone has a story to tell about making Baltimore a stronger, fairer, and safer place for all of us. We’ve been collecting stories on our website, and we invite you to share yours with us by posting on social media with the hashtag #EveryStoryCounts and/or by emailing us.
Office Happenings
Playground Construction to Commence at Racheal Wilson Memorial Park
After 13 years of dedicated work by the community, the playground at Racheal Wilson Memorial Park (a Baltimore Green Network pilot project) is scheduled to be constructed starting next month. This park has been the vision of the Boyd-Booth community and the Wilson family since the tragic death of Firefighter Wilson, who became the first female firefighter in Maryland to die when she was mortally injured at this location. 

Thanks to the Wilson family's advocacy, the playground's funding is coming from Program Open Space, and fencing around the park will be supported by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Community Legacy Funds. Check out the park at 145 S. Calverton!

For questions or comments, please contact Kimberly.Knox@baltimorecity.gov.
The soon-to-be site of the playground at Rachael Wilson Memorial Park. Photo c/o BoS Staff.
Floodplain Management Code Revision Hearing on April 6th
The Baltimore City Council, through its Economic and Community Development Committee, will hear the City Council Bill 21-0040 Floodplain Management Code Revision on April 6th, 2021 at 2 pm. Visit here for more information.

It is also worth noting that in two weeks it will be Maryland's Flood Awareness Month. The City of Baltimore is working with the state and others to promote "Know Your Risk, Reduce Your Risk, Insure Your Risk" throughout the month of April. Keep an eye on our office Facebook Page every Thursday to learn some great tips on flood-risk reduction. Remember -- anywhere it rains, it can flood!

For questions or comments, please contact Bruna.Attila@baltimorecity.gov.
Messaging on minimizing flood risk. Graphic c/o Michael Baker International and Maryland Department of the Environment.
Sustainability Highlights
Photo c/o Black Yield Institute.
Community Control of Land Report
On March 11th, the Black Yield Institute and the Farm Alliance of Baltimore released a report entitled Community Control of Land: The People’s Demands for Land Reparations in Baltimore. The report was based on a series of eleven community conversations in fall 2020 that included approximately 100 participants, mostly from Baltimore but also including experts from Oakland, DC, Philadelphia, and Detroit.

The report includes demands around land transfer and control, legal and policy structures to support and protect community land control from predatory capitalism, and flexibility in terms of how community control of land works from neighborhood to neighborhood. The release of the report was preceded the night before by an hour-long public meeting that reviewed the process and demands in detail. You can find a recording of the meeting, a summary of the report, and the full report here.
Snapshot of a Complete Street sketch in the Manual.
City Adopts Its First Complete Streets Manual
This past Monday, the City adopted the Complete Streets Manual, fulfilling a requirement of the 2018 Complete Streets Ordinance. In a press release, Mayor Brandon Scott said, “The Complete Streets Manual influences the way we plan and design our transportation infrastructure to promote equity and safety for people walking, biking, and using transit... We are committed to providing a transportation system that accommodates all users to increase the quality of life, safety, accessibility, and mobility for the residents of Baltimore City.”

A 'Complete Street' is a street that is designed to enable safe use and multi-modal mobility for users of all ages and abilities. The Baltimore City Department of Transportation worked to finalize the manual with input from the Complete Streets Advisory Committee, diverse community groups, and the broader public.
What We Are Reading
Books + Articles our Staff are Reading
Kristal Hansley is the Founder and CEO of WeSolar, a Baltimore-based company that "aims to reduce monthly energy costs for its Baltimore customers, most of whom are Black and low-income, by at least 25%."

The Falcon Thief -- Joshua Hammer
"Meet the 'Pablo Escobar of the falcon egg trade.'" This fascinating book follows the illegal poaching of falcon eggs for lucrative international sales. Hammer provides a thrilling read with mystery, intrigue, and facts about these incredible birds of prey. Click the link to learn more from a New York Times synopsis.

"The biggest green organizations say they care about diversity but are still overwhelmingly white? That’s an intersectional environmental issue. Your local college has a recycling program but doesn’t teach environmental justice in the classroom? That’s an IE issue too. Low-income communities and people of color are more likely to be exposed to polluted air, soil, and water? Check, check, check."
Local Opportunities
Events + Volunteering
  • Herring Run Nursery Opening Day - Thursday, March 18th. Herring Run Nursery is now open! Shop at Herring Run Nursery Thursdays - Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm, rain or shine, for a wide variety of native plant species. Visit the link to sign up for an appointment and learn about the nursery's COVID guidelines. Appointments are required to maintain social distancing for staff, volunteers, and customers.

  • Gwynns Falls Parkway Clean Up - Saturday, March 20th from 9:30 am - 1 pm at 3008 Gwynns Falls Parkway (Corner of Gwynns Falls Parkway and Longwood Street). Come out to help clean up the historic Gwynns Falls Parkway which connects Druid Hill Park and Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park. Volunteers will be provided with supplies, including trash pickers, bags, vests, and donuts.

  • Baltimore City Hearing on Sewage Back-Ups - Wednesday, March 24th at 10 am. In order to push for a stronger and quicker response from the City, Blue Water Baltimore is gathering residents’ written and oral testimony at this hearing on sewage backups. You can join the virtual hearing at the link.

  • Baltimore Green Space Medicinal Gardens 101 Workshop Series - Wednesday, March 24th from 6 - 7:30 pm. Baltimore Green Space and Master Gardners are offering a workshop series on medicinal plants and gardening. This is the third workshop in the series. See the link above for more information about the workshop sessions and how to register.

  • The Many Lives of Trash: Where does it come from? Where does it go? - Thursday, March 25th from 6 - 7:30 pm. 'Combating Toxic Injustices: Grassroots Solutions for Healthy Communities' is a storytelling series to understand environmental injustice in Baltimore, the rich history of grassroots organizing, and solutions built by the community for the community. This panel discussion will be centered around the complexities of the Baltimore region’s waste management, the impacts of waste incineration on local communities, the current state of recycling, and how to move the region towards a zero-waste system. The last 30 mins will be set aside for audience Q & A.

  • Cab Calloway Legends Park Cleanup - March 27th from 9 - 11 am.  This park named after international jazz entertainer, Cab Calloway, is in the middle of historic West Baltimore. Volunteers will be meeting in front of Druid Heights CDC's building at 2140 McCulloh Street.

  • FACTUALITY | National Fair Housing Month - Thursday, April 1st from Noon - 1:30 pm (on sale starting March 15th, $25). FACTUALITY is a facilitated dialogue, crash course, and interactive experience that simulates structural inequality in America. ​Participants assume the identities of characters, encountering a series of fact-based advantages & limitations based on the intersection of their race, class, gender, faith, sexual orientation, age, and ability.

  • Project Clean Stream Kick-Off - Friday, April 2nd. Every year, tens of thousands of volunteers come together to pick up trash from local streams, creeks, rivers, parks, and neighborhoods as part of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Project Clean Stream! The Gwynns Falls Parkway Clean-Up above is one such event. The Alliance provides supplies for cleanups anywhere in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Follow the link above to learn more about how it works, find a cleanup in your area, or register a cleanup in your neighborhood.

 
  • Weed Warriors Spring 2021 Certification Class Series - Multiple classes and dates in April and May. Weed Warriors is a city-wide program focused on restoring Baltimore's urban forest through the removal of invasive plant species by environmental stewards. Certified Weed Warriors are volunteers and advocates permitted to work in parks and remove invasive vegetation without the supervision of park employees. Use the link above for class dates, times, and registration. Classes will include a combination of live webinars and outdoor field experience workshops, with a limited number of participants and masks required.

  • TreeKeepers Spring 2021 Certification Classes - Multiple classes and dates in March and April. The Baltimore TreeKeepers is a city-wide tree stewardship program coordinated by TreeBaltimore. It is FREE and open to anyone interested in Baltimore’s trees. Through this training, residents can become tree advocates and share the responsibility to plant and care for trees in their neighborhood and throughout the City. TreeKeepers includes several levels and types of classes, ranging from educational presentations to hands-on training that teaches residents to care for their trees and environment. Class registration: TK101, TK102, TK201, TK201 Field Training.
Funding + Jobs
  • Community Engagement Mini-Grants: The Chesapeake Bay Trust Community Engagement Mini-Grant provides up to $5,000 to non-profits, community associations, faith-based organizations, and others that lead activities such as tree plantings, rain garden installation, stream cleanups, and other projects to enhance communities and improve natural resources. Requests are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are expended.

  • The RAY Diversity Fellowship: This fellowship for recent graduates is a two-year (1- year with 1-year renewal), full-time position with partner conservation and clean energy organizations with the goal of increasing and facilitating environmentally-related career pathways for emerging leaders of color. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through March 28th.

  • Say YES! (Youth Environmental Stewards) Program Youth Engagement Grant: BMORE Beautiful’s Say YES! Program is a youth engagement grant that supports neighborhood organizations and non-profits by funding opportunities for youth to engage in activities that directly impact the aesthetic and connectivity of the neighborhood. Organizations will be selected to participate in Say YES! Youth Engagement Program through a competitive application process. Interested organizations must be a registered 501c3 OR have a fiscal sponsor in order to apply. Visit the link above for more information on how to apply. The deadline is March 31st.



  • National Coastal Resilience Fund: This National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Request for Proposals (RFP) is for projects that support the planning, design, and restoration of natural and nature-based solutions. Priority areas are Community Capacity Building and Planning, Site Assessment and Preliminary Design, Final Design and Permitting, and Restoration and Monitoring. Eligible applicants include non-profit, governmental, educational, or commercial (for-profit) organizations. The pre-proposal due date is Wednesday, April 7th by 11:59 pm. Full proposal invitations are due mid-May and full proposals (by invite only) are due Wednesday, June 23rd by 11:59 pm.
Turtle Tip of the Month
Photo c/o thebalance.com.
Planning for Spring Plantings
As spring approaches and we plan for the upcoming planting season, remember not to plant shrubs and larger vegetation right next to your home's foundation. Native shrubs and trees do a great job beautifying yards and soaking up heavy rains, but when planted too close to foundation walls, they can redirect rainwater into your basement... and that's never a good thing!
 
When planting your garden, also consider the location of the water and sewer connections that service your house. It is important to avoid planting trees near the connections as root systems can damage the service pipes.
 
To learn more about planning where to plant shrubs and trees at home, check out this post by the Expert Home Report. You can also contact our friends at TreeBaltimore (treebmore@gmail.com) with questions or check out their social media @treebaltimore to find out about future tree giveaways! 
We Love Feedback

Tell us what you want to hear! Do you have ideas on newsletter content? Or would you like to nominate an organization or person to be featured? Email us at sustainability@baltimorecity.gov.
Our Mission

The Office of Sustainability develops and advocates for programs and policies that improve Baltimore's long-term environmental, social, and economic viability.
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417 E Fayette St, 8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Editor-in-Chief: Aubrey Germ, Climate and Resilience Planner

Newsletter Contributors: Bruna Attila, Coastal Resources Planner + Acting Floodplain Manager; Abby Cocke, Environmental Planner; Amy Gilder-Busatti, Environmental Planner; Kim Knox, Green Network Coordinator; Lisa McNeilly, Sustainability Director; Anika Richter, Youth Sustainability Coordinator; Lauryn Countess, Communications Intern; Sara Kaiser, Baltimore Public Allies Fellow; Brianne Martin, STATS Intern