2012 SPACE Grant,  $1500

The vegetation in the King Neighborhood Facility parking lot was in rough shape. Dominated by ever-expanding English ivy and blackberries, the rats and racoons had taken up residency in this overgrown parking strip. Garbage dumping was also a problem. Neighbor Diego Gioseffi, however, envisioned a better future for this frequently visited neighborhood hub, also used for a seasonal farmer’s market. He organized a community supported effort to evict the rodents and plant native shrubs and tress that would attract beneficial wildlife, provide shade, and prevent runoff into the adjacent parking lot.

During three work parties, over 120 volunteers ripped out the ivy and blackberries and installed roughly 65 new native trees and shrubs. Diego reports that it will take a few years to fully remove the invasive weeds, but neighbors immediately started complemented the improvements. One neighbor was so inspired that he took the effort into his own yard, removing ivy and replacing it with a vegetable garden. Sometimes all it takes is a single neighbor with a vision to transform the community.