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A Green Summer's Work By JAN KRUSE CONTRIBUTING WRITER September 14, 2009 12:00 AM DARTMOUTH — Three dozen strong, they were dubbed the Green Brigade, and this summer they discovered a newfound respect for the environment. The New Bedford teens spent seven weeks in a jobs program offered by NorthStar Learning Centers, a New Bedford-based minority nonprofit organization, and Massachusetts Audubon's Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in South Dartmouth. They divided their time working at Allens Pond and creating the Sacred Green Space and the State Street Community Garden from vacant lots in low-income New Bedford neighborhoods. Funding for the program came from the federal government's stimulus money through a grant awarded to NorthStar Learning Centers and Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, another New Bedford youth-serving agency. "The green approach is what interested us in funding this project," said Jean C. Fox of the Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board. "At-risk youth are not normally exposed to information on conservation. ... These young people now have a greater understanding of sustainability, conservation and community service (and) will reap the benefits for years to come." The teens worked 25 hours per week, earning $8 per hour. In New Bedford, they transformed a vacant lot with knee-high grass and litter into the Sacred Green Space, a welcoming green oasis for their community, complete with a cobblestone path, trees, shrubs and flowers. On State Street, with assistance from the city, they developed a community garden where they are growing vegetables and flowers in raised beds. At Allens Pond, they worked alongside NorthStar and Mass. Audubon staff and volunteers, installing boardwalks and steppingstones, and removing more than 300 pounds of the invasive plants brown knapweed and Canada thistle (taken to SEMASS in Rochester to be reprocessed and used as a source for electricity). They also learned about composting, butterfly gardens and freshwater insects. "This project was a first step to help acquaint these young adults with outdoor life, nature and ecology science, and we planted the seed to encourage them to have a sense of belonging in nature," said Allens Pond Director Gina Purtell. "For our part, we need urban youth of different cultures to be part of the conservation equation here to build a core group of adults who will come back with their children to help sustain Allens Pond over time." Jason Perry, a NorthStar case manager, said: "It's gotten all of us out of our comfort zone. The youth we're serving come from low-income families, and I think historically the people who take advantage of what Mass. Audubon has to offer are typically middle and upper class; so it's been a mutual learning experience and helped to break down stereotypes." NorthStar Executive Director Maria Rosario said: "Gina and her staff and volunteers taught our young people to be ecologically sensitive and ... the youths got a glimpse of the possibility of participating in the green economy and a reason for them to stay in school and expand their horizons." Added Laura Johnson, president of Mass. Audubon: "We really appreciated the opportunity to work with NorthStar as partner and we applaud them for recognizing the importance of connecting urban teens with the environment. ... We all have so much to learn from each other." As for the Green Brigade members themselves, one 15-year-old participant wrote: "When I first went to Allens Pond, I didn't know what I was going to do. ... The people at Mass. Audubon opened up my eyes to what great animals we have on this earth, and they also taught me how to recycle and keep my environment clean." ..... As seen in the Standard-Times on 09/14/09 227 Union Street, Suite 206, New Bedford, MA 02740-5946 PH 508.979.1504 • FAX 508.979.5680 E-mail: Webmaster@gnbwib.org |