Help our environment
We are building and maintaining pollinator gardens, restoring riparian corridors, and exploring accessible vegetable gardening.
Look for opportunities for people with I/DD to help now!​
Replace invasives
Check back later on our experiment using mulch to control invasives.
Make Meadowitos
Together with
Our first efforts to involve Margot in environmental stewardship in the fall of 2022 centered on the Meadowito initiative. First launched by Kennett Library, Meadowitos are small pollinator gardens installed in more urban settings.
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We worked with Meadowitos to identify a potential site at the Kennett Area YMCA This 600 sq ft area also happened to often stay wet after rainstorms because it trapped some of the run-off from the parking lot on its way into the East Branch of the Red Clay Creek. So we hoped our meadowito might function as a rain garden, and help limit damaging downstream flooding.
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​Margot worked with her aide from school once or twice a week for an hour at a time (weather permitting). She helped to lay down a layer of cardboard and then another of mulch (see mulching magic). Slowly but surely, Margot prepared most of the site - in fact, the section she mulched stayed weed free for longer, compared to the section mulched by non-disabled volunteers! These other volunteers then planted plugs, plants, and bushes in the prepared area, which have since thrived!
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This past spring, we doubled the size of the bed with the help of volunteers as part of a community event. Margot played a much smaller role this time, but participated with the group carrying mulch to the site. We tried other plantings this time, to decrease the amount of maintenance. We were excited to added Paw Paw trees and hope to enjoys their fruits perhaps in 5-8 years.
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Nurture new native plants and trees
One of the ways that parks and preserves help to keep our streams healthy is by creating riparian buffers around stream corridors. Trees and other plants help to control invasives and stabilize the soil to limit run-off and control streambank erosion. ​​One such project was completed in 2022 in Anson B. Nixon Park, with the help of Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. It included the planting of hundreds of trees along the stream.
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​Stroud Water Research Center has demonstrated how mulching can have significant impacts on survival rates of newly planted trees. The challenge in this - as in every project - is how to maintain newly planted trees. Margot loves being out in nature, and so she is happy to apply a little mulching magic!
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Together with
So each week, whenever the weather is not too hot or cold or wet, we flag trees and bushes where the mower does not reach (we avoid sections with more than a 15-20% grade that Margot would find difficult to navigate). We check for poison ivy, and then weed whack a ring about 2 1/2' around each tree, also clearing a narrow path to it if needed. We also make sure we are stocked with cleaned cardboard cut into pieces no more than 18x24" big
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On the day of mulching, we gather up the cardboard needed, and load up 6-12 milk crates of mulch - Margot's job is to load the crates on to the cart or bike to bring to the trees. We lay the cardboard down in an 18-24" radius around the tree, taking care not to leave any gaps.
Margot's job is to bring the crates to the tree, tip them over, and then bring the empty crates back to stack on the bike or cart. We rake the mulch out, making sure to pull the mulch away from the trunk. Each crate is about .8 cu ft, and so 3 crates will provide about a 4" layer around each tree.
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Accessible gardening
We are exploring how to involve Margot in growing fruits and vegetables. Part of this centers on the garden designed to work for her (and, as it turns out, us too!), detailed in this post.
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What is accessible to her? 2-4' wide gravel paths that are easy to walk, 2-4' wide raised beds (made with concrete pavers and blocks) that are easier to reach in to, and trellises that easy to harvest from
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What is comfortable for her? Shade from trellised vines and cloth, and a place to sit
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What is functional? Plants that can be readily grown, than can be easily harvested, that can be ground for Margot's tube feeding, and that are needed by families served by our food cupboard. This includes squash, potatoes, spinach, kale.. the list goes on!
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What lowers maintenance? Animal proofing, self-watering, and magic mulching
What can Margot do? Right now, just move materials in and fruits and veggies out, but we will be exploring ways that she also help harvest and clean fruits and veggies. Read more here. ​
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