On Saturday, April 28, the City of Greenbelt held its annual Earth Day celebration at Buddy Attick Park. It was a volunteer workday, with 21 members of the local community helping Public Works employees establish a new food forest next to the park’s playground. Mayor Emmett Jordan and Councilmembers Judith Davis, Leta Mach, Silke Pope and Edward Putens opened the ceremonies with an official proclamation of Greenbelt’s Earth Day.
Licensed landscape architect Kendra Hyson from the Neighborhood Design Center demonstrated to everyone, including members of Greenbelt Girl Scout Troop #27, how to properly plant and mulch a tree. That tree, a serviceberry, and 67 other plants, including blueberry bushes, wild columbine, bee balm, viburnum and milkweed, were planted by volunteers. All are native species to this region. Some produce edible fruits, such as blueberry, and all will provide food for local bees, butterflies and birds.
Food forests are permanently established areas of edible plants designed to mimic a natural, diverse ecosystem by planting a variety of plants. This ensures a diversity of biological niches, allowing more plants to be grown in one place without too much competition. Food forests can be great educational tools to communities as well, allowing people to get a hands-on experience with nature. On Earth Day, this food forest was even furnished with benches from reclaimed trees, creating a space to rest or host future events.
Maryam El-Amin is a Chesapeake Conservation Corps member and intern with the Greenbelt Department of Public Works.