In the years following World War II, thousands of Lumbee Indians migrated from rural Robeson County, North Carolina to the then-booming industrial city of Baltimore seeking economic opportunity. Many of these Lumbee newcomers settled in the Baltimore neighborhoods of Upper Fells Point and Washington Hill -- an area that soon became affectionately known among its residents as "the reservation." In its mid-twentieth century heyday, "the reservation" was home to between 2,000 and 7,000 Lumbee residents and members of other tribal nations, as well as many American Indian-owned restaurants, businesses, and other community institutions. In more recent decades, much of the American Indian population has moved out into the counties surrounding Baltimore City, and former community landmarks have been transformed by Urban Renewal, development, and other urban shifts.

While some former landmarks may have physically disappeared, they persist in community memory. Dr. Ashley Minner Jones -- a community artist, folklorist, lifelong Baltimorean, and member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina -- has led efforts to preserve American Indian history and living heritage in Baltimore. In 2016, she began developing a walking tour of "the reservation," and has since, with collaborators, made a website, phone app, and print guide for the walking tour for public use. 60+ sites have been mapped, including enduring institutions like the Baltimore American Indian Center, and others that no longer exist, like the original site of the East Baltimore Church of God (which ultimately relocated to Greek Town and is now known as Charm City Ministries). In addition to the walking tour, Ashley's art and scholarship, much of which is centered around telling the individual, familial, and community stories of the Lumbee, celebrates "the beauty of everyday people." You can learn more about Ashley's work here and about the Baltimore Reservation Project here.

Throughout the fall, the Office of Sustainability sponsored three 2-hour climate change communication trainings for over 50 City of Baltimore employees to help them learn how to effectively talk about this sometimes “touchy” conservation issue and to more confidently integrate climate change communication into their work and agencies. The trainings were led by National Aquarium staff members who are experts at climate change communication. The Aquarium uses a nationally recognized, solutions-based communication method around climate change created by the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI). Participants learned how to deliver important climate change information when interfacing with the public, their social networks, and in building coalitions. This will help city employees improve their own interpretive practice and increase the impact of the City's climate resiliency work by helping others understand that we all play in building a healthier, safer, and more resilient city for everyone. This training took place to support the Office of Sustainability's broader climate literacy goals to help improve climate literacy amongst the city's workforce.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy and partner organizations, along with the Department of Planning, are part of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition and are leading an effort to finish the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network. This plan will connect over 75 neighborhoods to downtown, institutions, cultural amenities, and outdoor resources through a 35-mile network of bikeable and walkable urban trails. The completed network aims to improve health and wellness through safe and active transportation methods and connect over 75 of the city’s diverse neighborhoods to downtown. There are also several environmental benefits including providing habitat for species, expanded tree canopy, stormwater management support, and reducing the urban heat island effect. Only 10 more miles are needed to complete this exciting project!

In September, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation received a $300,000 Kim Lamphier Bikeways grant from the State of Maryland to advance design to 100% for the Boston Street segment of the Greenway Trails Network. This process is expected to begin in 2024. The Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition also recently completed a series of bike rides to celebrate the existing trails in Baltimore and promote the development of new trails. The last ride for 2023 was on November 4th but they are planning another “year of rides” starting in March 2024.

Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) -- The White House

"To equip Americans with the best available science and understanding of climate change impacts in the United States, President Biden is today announcing the release of NCA5. NCA5, which assesses changes in the climate, its national and regional impacts, and options for reducing present and future risk, indicates that not only is every region of the country already experiencing the impacts of climate change, but ambitious climate action is underway in every region as well...The NCA5 shows a decline in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions even as population and GDP have grown."

No matter how you celebrate during the upcoming holiday season, there are lots of opportunities to make simple changes to celebrate in a more sustainable way! For those who use candles to celebrate Hanukkah, beeswax tapers are a great option. These candles are slow burning and have a natural source: bees! Many are made from wax the bees no longer need or use after the honey harvesting season. For many, a Christmas or New Year tree is a part of the celebration. If you prefer a real tree or an artificial one, there are entire guides that exist to help you make sustainable decisions. Some options include potted trees that can be planted after the celebration ends. For some families, this is another way to add one more tradition to keep the festivities going! Another option is to create an alternative tree that can be made out of natural materials or books members of the family love. Pinterest is a great resource to look for inspiration. If you opt for a cut tree, use Local Harvest to find organic tree farms near you. This ensures your tree is free from pesticides known to contaminate groundwater and harm wildlife during decomposition. At the end of the holiday season and throughout the month of January, the Baltimore Department of Public Works offers curbside tree collection and tree drop-off programs to ensure your tree gets recycled! Lastly, if you prefer an artificial tree, try to find one made in the US under fair labor conditions. When the time comes to dispose of the tree, check with local charities, shelters, and churches to see if they could reuse the old tree as options to recycle artificial trees are limited.