CURes partnered with The Nature Conservancy’s Baltimore Program to examine how art-based engagement, targeted science communication, and partnership with BIPOC residents and local community groups may help increase urban forestry participation and outcomes. This 3-year project was funded by the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program to support Maryland’s 5 Million Trees initiative, which requires 500,000 trees (10%) to be planted in urban and underserved areas by 2031.
In Phase 1 of the project, we joined local community events and employed a short, spoken word poem and animated video, “To The Jungles That Be” by Baltimore poet Kondwani Fidel, as a vehicle to ask Baltimore residents about their truths, frustrations, memories, and dreams around urban trees and nature in their city. We then used qualitative analysis and creative methods to compile, synthesize and share out the stories and perspectives of Baltimoreans related to urban forestry.
In Phase 2, we conducted outreach and engagement to invite residents to two community design workshops, in partnership with the Baltimore Studio for Research and Design (SCRD) and Woman of Color Outdoors (WoCO). Residents worked with landscape designers to create plans for trees in their neighborhoods and connected with Maryland funders. The team provided technical assistance for participants to apply for urban forestry grants.
The final phase involves evaluating the process and producing final deliverables. This includes interviewing local leaders and workshop participants about their experience with the program and workshops. All results and materials will be packaged into a toolkit for state funding agencies and supporting organizations to use beyond the project’s end.
