Fall 2006

XTERRA Parks & People 5K Scramble

On Sunday, October 29, 2006 runners blazed a trail through Druid Hill Park in the first annual XTERRA Parks & People Scramble. Nissan XTERRA partnered with us to bring this national race to Baltimore. Some participants wore creative costumes to celebrate the Halloween holiday and to add a twist to the normal 5K race.

Following the race there was live music from Shane Hines, festivities for runners and their families including a “mystery Halloween box” for children, continental breakfast, a raffle of goodies from local businesses and free Starbuck’s coffee.

Many thanks to Sheehy Nissan for their gold medal sponsorship and their participation in this exciting event. In addition, thanks to Hayles and Howe Ornamental Plasters for their bronze medal sponsorship, Starbuck’s Coffee Company and Sam’s Bagels for their donations, and much appreciation for all of the local Hampden businesses that donated gifts that were raffled off following the race.

We wish to thank all of the sponsors, runners and volunteers that supported us on Sunday, October 29, 2006 at the XTERRA Parks & People Scramble.

Autumn is With Us All Year Round

Now that the leaves have all changed from green to red, yellow or orange, consider the scientific process and all of the work it takes to create such vibrant, beautiful colors. These colors are actually hiding underneath the green, or chlorophyll, until it’s time to change.

Basically, when the climate starts to change, trees slowly stop producing chlorophyll, which then gets backed up in the veins of the leaves. Once chlorophyll stops circulating, each leaf allows the other dormant chemicals to shine through. We eat these chemicals in our favorite fruits and vegetables everyday; carotemoid that enables leaves to turn bright yellow and orange is also responsible for the color in carrots, squash, bananas, and corn. Deep purples and reds are illuminated by compounds called anthocyanins, which are commonly found in strawberries, cranberries, apples, and cherries.

In order for the process to complete itself, a combination of crisp, cool nights and clear, sun-filled days is essential. Our climate here in the Northeast produces some of the most astonishingly boastful displays of fall leaves, while parts of Europe and most of the West Coast experience too much rain and too many clouds to see the beautiful show.

Autumn is the best time to plant trees that are known for their high levels of pigmentation. Maple trees are great for a variety of colors. Sugar maples tend to show orange and reds, while a black maple’s leaves will turn yellow. For deep purples and reds, plant a dogwood tree. Oak trees are also known for having dark reds and brown leaves in the fall.

Regardless of whether you wish to plant trees or simply enjoy them, this fall it was hard to miss the leaves’ last attempt at beauty before laying down for winter.

What is Rain Water Harvesting and Why is it So Important?

Whenever it rains in our area, much of the water doesn’t fall onto soil and go naturally into the ground water system; instead rain that falls into urban, dense environments finds streets, sidewalks and parking lots- impervious surfaces- and ends up in our storm drains. Rain in the storm drains isn’t filtered or treated before it goes into our waterways, so all the litter and chemicals on our roads is picked up by storm water and carried straight to the Chesapeake Bay.

Rain harvesting is simply collecting the rain water that falls onto your house or garage and reusing it to water the plants and trees in your yard or neighborhood. By collecting rain you not only have a source of water for your garden, but you are helping to prevent flooding in our city and pollution from reaching our Bay.

Rain barrels have been popping up in backyards in Baltimore for years. And by creating your own rain barrel, you could reduce your daily consumption of water by nearly half, while preventing storm surges from disrupting estuaries and local streams. High levels of water, gushing all at once, can damage habitats that depend on pools of water or slower currents.

Rain barrels are a simple and cost effective way to collect rain, and they can be made at home with a large plastic drum or even a garbage can. One of the simplest systems is made by connecting a barrel to your downspout with a flexible pipe; a spigot is attached low on the barrel and an overflow drain directs any extra water to a safe location away from the foundation of your house.

• Use a tight-fitting, light blocking lid to keep children and animals out of the water and impede the development of algae and mosquitoes.
• Monitor the system to be certain that intake and overflows are not blocked.
• Water collected and stored in this manner is not safe for drinking.

By investing in a rain barrel, you are really protecting our natural resources and water supplies for generations to come.

The Parks & People Foundation, along with community members and volunteers, is offering an opportunity to not only assemble your own rain barrel, but a chance to decorate it your own way as well. Join us for the rain barrel workshop on November 30, 2006 at the historic Stieff Silver Building in Hampden. Herring Run Watershed Association and Parks & People staff will be on hand to help in the construction and decoration of the rain barrels while providing assistance and information on how important it truly is to conserve water. The cost is $30, which includes the price of materials and paint!

Check out these amazing artistic rain barrels on Kentucky’s Bluegrass Pride website!

Fun and Interesting Facts about Water:

• A leak of one drop per second wastes 2,400 gallons of water per year!

• Typically, at least 50% of water consumed by households is used outdoors.

• If all of the world’s water was poured onto the United States, it would be nine miles deep.

Home Depot Corporate Month of Service

On September 28, 2006, approximately 200 volunteers turned out for the Home Depot Corporate Day of Service, part of the month long initiative to involve community members, employees, and volunteers in beautifying some of Baltimore’s underserved neighborhoods.

Teams were distributed between five sites around the Franklin Square community focusing on creating an outdoor environmental classroom for the children of Franklin Square Elementary School, repairing and rejuvenating vacant lots in the community, cleaning up the neighborhood park and square.

Volunteers created several rain gardens on vacant lots, planted 19 new trees and refurbished park benches, lamp posts, and trash cans in Franklin Square park. Home Depot employees worked tirelessly to finish every project while remaining in high spirits with immeasurable enthusiasm.

A very special thank you to our friends at BVU’s Volunteer Central for helping to make this day possible and to the hundreds of Home Depot employees who helped us achieve our mission of working to enhance the health and beauty of our communities and our parks.
 

Parks & People Foundation Welcomes New Staff

Both the Great Parks, Clean Streams, and Green Communities division and the Development department have recently expanded.

Kristin Currie has joined the development team as the new development assistant.

Erin Shutt is completing her Americorp year of service as our volunteer coordinator.

Mary Washington, formerly with Baltimore City Housing, is now the Assistant Director for the division responsible for the development of the Park & Natural Resource Leadership Institute.

Kari Smith has been promoted to Assistant Director for the Community Greening Stewardship Program.

Chrissa Carlson and former intern Abby Cocke are both newly appointed community organizers for the Partnership for Parks program.

Former intern Angela Smith is now the Gwynns Falls Trail Council Program Coordinator.

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) graduate C. Ryan Patterson is completing his year of service as the first Community Arts intern working on the Gwynns Falls Trail and other projects.

Maisie Hughes is a current student at Morgan State University and is our Landscape Architect intern.

Johns Hopkins undergraduate student Iris Chan is an intern for the Urban Resources Initiative (URI).

We are so happy to welcome our new staff members whose work will help to improve this great city!