| Audubon’s Bird Habitat in Baltimore |
Audubon’s Baltimore team is gearing up for the spring installation of new and improved migratory bird habitat in Lakeland Park, located in southwest Baltimore. In collaboration with Baltimore City Recreation & Parks, Audubon is working to improve stopover habitat, increase community access to nature, expand the cooling benefits of healthy trees, and reduce runoff to the Chesapeake Bay. This is the first project under our new community forest initiative.
Our program model calls for close collaboration with local partners and input from park neighbors. At Lakeland Park, Audubon is working with UMBC’s program at the Lakeland Community & STEAM Center, the Lakeland Community Association, and Lakeland Elementary/Middle School, as well as nearby residents to co-design a 5-acre biodiverse forest habitat filled with more native species and fewer invasive vines. We will also create a walking trail, add benches for resting, and design educational signage to welcome visitors in English and Spanish. Since kicking off the project, Audubon’s Baltimore team has participated in community meetings, local events, and organized design sessions with neighbors and partners. We are excited for the spring planting and grateful for the City’s commitment to ongoing maintenance.
Following the community forestry efforts in Lakeland, we look forward to making similar improvements to more Baltimore parks, replicating this project across the city in other public parks. Our work is designed to increase healthy migratory bird habitat in the city while improving community green spaces and increasing neighborhood cooling benefits provided by trees. To date, our funding partners for the community forest initiative include Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the France-Merrick Foundation, and the Baltimore Community Foundation. |
|
|
|
|
