Exploring Ecological Linkages Between Urban and Rural Communities (NA-99-0409)

A project to develop collaborative partnerships with urban and rural agencies/community groups in the watersheds of the Puget Sound and the Chesapeake Bay.

American Forests and the Communities Committee of the Seventh American Forest Congress developed pilot projects in the Seattle and Baltimore areas to explore ecological, social, and economic linkages between urban and rural communities. Through these two-year pilot efforts, the national partners have: 1) forged collaborative partnerships with local nonprofit groups and agencies; 2) helped local partners identify shared objectives and actions; 3) provided seed money and helped implement actions; 4) connected local groups to each other and national networks; 5) assisted in efforts to raise additional financial and technical support for pilot project activities; and 6) disseminated information to broader audiences through publications and presentations. Both pilot projects are focusing on building local capacity for ecosystem restoration through education, skill-training, and increased investment. In Seattle, partner organizations have formed `Greenway Connections' to protect and restore urban and rural forests along the 1-90 corridor through

>education and field training opportunities for youth from diverse and underserved communities. In Baltimore, partners are building a workforce in inner-city neighborhoods capable of restoring vacant and contaminated land through a restoration job training initiative, a high school education program, and efforts to increase public and private sector investment in green infrastructure restoration projects.

Attachments

Click here to download the final report and supporting documents.