Celebrate World Water Day, Recognizing Local Sustainability Leaders this Women's History Month, Job Openings, Funding Opportunities, and more! | |
Dear Baltimore Office of Sustainability Friends,
Tuesday, March 19th was the first official day of Spring! In Baltimore, we can expect temperatures to rise and trees and flowers to bloom. It is also a great start to the warmer gardening season. Short season produce is typically best planted in March before temperatures get too high. Produce to plant in your garden at this time include buttercrunch lettuce, broccoli, and radishes. You can also start several types of seedlings indoors now and transfer to your outdoor garden in late spring with steady, higher temperatures. These include jalapenos, okra, green beans, and cucumbers. Give it a try this Spring!
March is also Women’s History Month. In this issue, we will spotlight a local female leader in sustainability, and share events that will help you celebrate the women who have and who are making history in Baltimore and beyond.
Happy Reading!
Baltimore Office of Sustainability Staff
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Spotlight on Women in Sustainability: Katie Lautar, Executive Director Baltimore Green Space | |
Katie Lautar, Executive Director of Baltimore Green Space
Photo c/o Baltimore Green Space
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Born and raised in Baltimore, Katie Lautar got involved with land protection because of her love of Baltimore, nature, and communities.
“I really believe that the efforts and legacy of community leaders utilizing and caring for green spaces is the heart and soul of what holds communities together. Baltimore City itself is a leader in conservation, particularly those neighborhood leaders conserving green spaces for their communities. It is something that should be uplifted across the City.”
Baltimore Green Space is Baltimore’s environmental land trust that promotes vibrant neighborhoods and a healthy environment through land preservation, research, and community advocacy. It has protected over 62 acres of community-led gardens, pocket parks, and forests since its founding in 2007 with a total of 20 different green spaces.
After seven years as Program Director of Baltimore Green Space, Katie became the organization’s Executive Director in 2019. Since then, she has grown the staff from 1.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees to six FTE with two new employees joining this spring. This growth has increased the organization's capacity for land protection, research and community engagement.
She has more than 16 years of experience in community organizing, designing non-profit programs, and creating educational programs. She directed youth development and education programs at Strong City Baltimore and is a founder of the 2640 Cooperative. She serves on the Maryland State Green Space Equity Program's Advisory Board and recently, she was accepted into the Wentworth Leadership Program for land trust leaders. This diverse experience helps fuel her perspective of Baltimore Green Space as an intersection of environmental and community health.
"When the green space leaders of the spaces Baltimore Green Space protects, were asked what motivates them to maintain their green spaces the overarching priority was community building.”
When asked what she would most like people to know about her work, she mentioned that Baltimore has over 800 community-managed green spaces and 2,000 forest patches, and that the care and protection for that land provided by communities is critical for the City’s sustainability and vibrancy. These spaces are mostly located in neighborhoods within the “Black Butterfly” making protecting these spaces important to advancing equity in Baltimore.
People can come together to protect and care for these spaces, and there is support from organizations like Baltimore Green Space. In fact, community engagement helped to launch some of the organization’s key programs, such as their research and work on urban forest patches. Prior to their focus on forest patches, they were largely overlooked and now they are on the forefront of urban conservation thinking, with the U.S. Forest Service and national research projects now visiting Baltimore to study them and apply their conservation techniques in other areas.
Baltimore is fortunate to have many remarkable woman leaders focused on the environment and sustainability. The Baltimore Office of Sustainability team tips their hat to Katie and her peers for all of the work they do to make our City more sustainable.
You can learn more about Baltimore Green Space by visiting their website.
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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, safer, and more equitable place. 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. | | |
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Office of Sustainability Seeks a Reimagine Middle Branch Program Manager
The Baltimore City Office of Sustainability is recruiting for a Reimagine Middle Branch Program Manager (Grant Services Specialist III) to significantly enhance service delivery within the Reimagine Middle Branch capital projects, funded by a Casino Local Impact Grant.
Reimagine Middle Branch (RMB) is a collaborative, community-led example of equitable neighborhood development anchored by environmental justice and urban sustainability values. The initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership between the City of Baltimore and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP), Parks & People, South Baltimore 7 Coalition (SB7), federal and state agencies, a variety of other local organizations and informed by 1,000+ community members. The Program Manager will facilitate collaboration among these stakeholders to develop a realistic pipeline of capital projects and tasks related to their implementation, which will demonstrate proactive progress toward implementing the RMB Plan. They will facilitate the implementation of capital environmental projects in South Baltimore, such as the Gwynn's Falls Trash Wheel which removes marine debris from the Middle Branch, restoring 25 acres of wetlands, enhancing climate resiliency and flood prevention, a brownfield mitigation project at Ridgley’s Cove, an extension of the city’s trail network, enhancing pedestrian safety, public parks, and neighborhood aesthetics through public art.
To apply, visit this link.
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Apply to be a Food Waste Climate Corps Fellow in Baltimore | |
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Baltimore City’s Office of Sustainability and the City’s Department of Public Works are seeking 3 Climate Corps Fellows who will support the food waste reduction efforts outlined in the city's 2018 Food Waste Recovery Strategy and 2023 Solid Waste Management Plan.
The 10-month fellowships will be supported under the State of Maryland’s Climate Corps Fellowship, under the Department of Service and Civic Innovation (DSCI) Maryland Service Year Option. The full list of benefits for the participation in Maryland Service Year include:
- $6,000 awarded to all Fellows at the completion of the 10-month service commitment
- The opportunity to gain meaningful work experience in the fields of environmental sustainability, local governance and climate mitigation of adaptation
- Ongoing professional and personal development
- Mentorship support, career coaching and job seeking assistance throughout the Fellowship, and upon completion of your year of service.
See the position description here.
To apply for this opportunity, please send your cover letter and resume – with subject line “Food Waste Associated for Climate Corps Fellowship” - to Ava Richardson at ava.richardson@baltimorecity.gov by April 12th 2024.
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Office of Sustainability Team Member Speaks with CNBC about Land Subsidence | Coastal Planner, Grace Hansen, was recently interviewed about a new study on land subsidence across the east coast. Grace spoke to CNBC’s Senior Climate Correspondent, Diana Olick, on how the study impacts Baltimore City. You can find the interview here. | |
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Sustainability Highlights | | |
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World Water Day, held on March 22nd every year since 1993, World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is a day to take action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The theme for 2024 will be ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’. Click here to learn more or access materials to raise awareness for World Water Day in social media.
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Call for Earth Day, Week or Month Events | |
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Is your organization or community hosting an event or activity in celebration of Earth Day/Week/Month in April? Would you like to have the information shared with our newsletter subscribers?
The Office of Sustainability plans to include a round-up of Baltimore-focused Earth Day (Week/Month) happenings in our next newsletter, which will be distributed in mid-April. If you have something you would like us to share, please email the details to sustainability@baltimorecity.gov by April 5th.
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Books + Articles our Staff are Reading | | |
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DPW’s Spring GROW Center Events – Various dates and locations, April – May. The GROW Center (Green Resources & Outreach for Watersheds) is a program of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) that functions as a resource hub and connector with the goal of building community capacity to implement greening, stormwater management, waste reduction, and beautification projects. DPW’s Fall GROW Center season will feature five pop-up events and five free workshops.
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Real Food Farm Community Volunteer Opportunities - Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at various times and locations. Real Food Farm has opportunities available for volunteers to assist with hands-on farm projects and packing and delivering produce boxes for the Affordable Produce Delivery Program.
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Weed Warriors Volunteer Events - Various dates and locations. Help restore our urban forest through the removal of invasive plants. See the link for registration and details.
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Blue Water Baltimore Tree Planting Events – Various dates and locations throughout March and April. Join Blue Water Baltimore’s staff to plant trees in various neighborhoods around Baltimore. Novice volunteers and expert TreeKeepers alike are welcome to attend.
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Wild Edibles: Foraging for Early Spring Plants with Nick Spero – Sunday, March 24th from 9am-12pm at Herring Run Park. Discover locally found plants that can add flavor to your cooking and apply that know-how to your own backyard. The group will be on the lookout for early springtime plants such as garlic mustard, poke, wild garlic, and perilla. They will discuss collection methods and how to prepare our findings for optimal taste and nutrition. The course is $48 for non-members and $35 for Natural History Society of Maryland members.
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Squish and Saw – Recycling the Common and Not So Common – Thursday, March 28th from 9:30am-12:30pm at the Central Acceptance Facility in Cockeysville and Camp Small. There’s recycling that we all know: cans, glass, and paper. But how do you recycle the uncommon, like a tree? Here’s your chance to see the technology that goes into recycling at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Cockeysville and the Camp Small wood lot and sawmill in Baltimore. The course is $15/$10 for non-members (adults/children) and $10/$5 for members (adult/children).
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General Volunteer Orientation with the Cylburn Arboretum – Wednesday, April 3rd from 1-2pm. All CAF volunteers are required to attend the one-hour general volunteer orientation before volunteering at Cylburn. At this orientation, you will receive details on next steps for volunteering in the specific area of interest.
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4th Annual Baltimore Plant Swap - Saturday, April 6th from 2-4pm in Rutter’s Mill Park in Bolton Hill. Let’s gather for a free, fun afternoon to swap plants, cuttings, seeds, & garden supplies! Bring something from your houseplants or garden, take something new home. It's a fun way to spruce up your greenery and meet friends new and existing at the start of spring. Drop by any time 2pm-4pm. The event is free, with your RSVP requested at https://baltimoreplantswap.wixsite.com/2024 or https://fb.me/e/1R7JPZ2Na.
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Atlantic White Cedar Tree Planting & Maintenance - Saturday, April 6th from 9am – 2pm at Nassawango Creek Preserve. Join the National Aquarium’s Conservation team—in partnership with The Nature Conservancy—to plant Atlantic white cedar trees, a vulnerable species, and help perform site maintenance at Nassawango Creek Preserve. This 15-square-mile preserve on Maryland’s Eastern Shore includes wetland and upland habitat and is home to 60 species of migratory birds and various rare plant species. This planting is part of an ongoing restoration effort through the National Aquarium's Atlantic White Cedar Program.
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Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA – Saturday, April 20th from 8:30am – 4pm at the National Aquarium. Educators of grades 6-12 are invited to join a NOAA Ocean Exploration facilitator for this day-long professional development program. Delve into the reasons for deep sea exploration as well as the technologies required to conduct research in this challenging environment. The day will be filled with hands-on activities, discussions and walk-throughs of additional online ocean education resources perfect for making this subject tangible in your classrooms. Registration is required by April 6, 2024, and space is limited.
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Vermicomposting Workshop at The Urban Oasis – Monday, April 22nd from 4:30-5:30pm at the Urban Oasis. The hands-on workshop will cover the benefits of vermicompost, the setup and steps to creating successful compost, and how to treat common problems that might arise. This event is part of DPW’s Spring 2024 GROW Center collaborations.
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City Nature Challenge 2024 and iNaturalist – A Primer with Bill Curtis – Wednesday, April 24th from 7-8:30pm. City Nature Challenge (CNC), the Super Bowl of bioblitzes, is just around the corner. CNC is an annual friendly competition between cities across the globe to find and document plants and wildlife over a four-day period (April 26-29 this year) using the iNaturalist app. The Natural History Society of Maryland would like to make sure you are ready for this bioblitz! Download iNaturalist and join them for an evening presentation on the CNC and learn how to use the app with National Park Ranger, Bill Curtis.
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City Nature Challenge - Friday, April 26th through Monday, April 29th throughout Baltimore City. The City Nature Challenge is a collaborative effort involving cities all over the world to identify as many wildlife species as possible in their urban setting over a 4-day period using the iNaturalist platform. The National Aquarium is the regional coordinator for the City Nature Challenge for the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, and they are inviting Baltimoreans to participate in this exciting challenge.
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Fix It Fair with Station North Tool Library – Saturday, April 27th from 10am-2pm at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Branch. Fix-It Fair is a free event hosted by the Station North Tool Library and open to the public. At Fix-It Fair, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make common repairs on clothes, furniture, electronics, bikes, etc. Experienced volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields, will be on-site to assist people with their repairs.
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Job Opportunities: Baltimore City Government – City government has many job openings available, including several roles that involve coordination with the Office of Sustainability – Reimagine Middle Branch Program Manager and Community Development Grants Specialist with the Department of Planning; Chief of Forestry, Operations Officer II/Forestry Plans & Inspections, Education Naturalist, Forest Preschool Director, and Forest Preschool Teacher with the Department of Recreation and Parks; Plans Review and Inspection Section Chief and Engineer II with the Department of Public Works; Deputy Director with the Environmental Control Board; Deputy Director of Preparedness and Administration with the Office of Emergency Management; and Deputy Director for Complete Streets with the Department of Transportation.
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YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program – Deadline: March 22nd. The Baltimore YouthWorks program is accepting applications from Baltimore City youth ages 14-21 for a 5-week program from July 8th through August 9th. The program is also recruiting businesses, non-profits, and government organizations to hire or host youth through the program.
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Creating Leadership and Professional Development through Extension Internships –Deadline: March 29th. The University of Maryland Extension (UME) is seeking undergraduate student applicants interested in careers in agriculture. Multiple students will be selected for this ten-week full-time internship, which includes a competitive salary and opportunities to interact with agricultural leaders.
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Grit Fund Information Sessions – March 28th & April 11th. Learn how to apply for the Grit Fund grants, given to Baltimore doers, artists, and makers. The deadline to apply is April 15th.
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Say YES! Youth Engagement Grant – Deadline: March 29th. 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 impact the aesthetic and connectivity of the neighborhood.
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Urban Agriculture & Innovative Production Grant – Deadline: April 9th. This grant will support the efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, schools, and other stakeholders in areas where access to fresh foods is limited or unavailable, to accelerate existing and emerging models of urban and/or innovative agricultural practices that serve multiple farmers or gardeners.
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South Baltimore Gateway Partnership Clean and Green Grants – Deadline: Rolling until funds are exhausted. This program funds projects providing education, training, capital investments, trash removal, or waste reduction through environmental sustainability non-profit organizations and community groups within the SGBP District.
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Maryland Clean Energy Rebate Program – Deadline: Rolling until funds are exhausted. The State of Maryland provides Clean Energy Rebates to businesses and nonprofits that install clean energy systems, including solar PV, water heating or geothermal heating and cooling.
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Try Vegan Foods during Maryland Vegan Restaurant Month | |
Studies show that a vegan diet can reduce waste waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and destruction of habitat.
March is a great time to increase the of plant based meals you eat for the planet and for your enjoyment because it is Vegan Restaurant Month in Maryland. Restaurants across the Greater Baltimore region are offering plant-based specials so you may try an array of different foods while supporting local businesses.
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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.
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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
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Newsletter Contributors: Joanna Birch, Floodplain Manager; Amy Gilder-Busatti, Sustainability Manager; Maleik Grier, Community and Youth Engagement Fellow; Grace Hansen, Coastal Planner; Ava Richardson, Sustainability Director; Valerie Rupp, Climate and Resilience Program Manager; Rachel Whiteheart, Environmental Planner | | | | |
