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Pelham Public Library and School Organic Landscape Demonstration Project

Project Details

Year: 2011
Location: Pelham
Project Manager: Adam Novitt, Library Director
Partners: Pelham Elementary School, Pioneer Valley Organic Lawn Care, Friends of the Pelham Library, Northeast Organic Farmers Association, Food Forest Farm

Overview

Project team members installed an organic lawn at the Pelham Public Library in an area between a main parking lot, school and the library to demonstrate to residents that beautiful lawns are possible without pesticides. 

Results

The demonstrations consisted of three workshops.  Two workshops were held, one with Johnathan Bates and the other with Navid Hatfield, on organic landscaping and permaculture design.  Both were attended by enthusiastic audiences.  The other workshop created the organic lawn and landscaped area, which will function as a waiting and relaxation area for the library and as a demonstration area for what is possible with chemical free landscaping.  In the process, they have created a strong relationship with the town DPW, which maintains the grounds and the Elementary school with they are adjacent to in order to utilize and maintain this area. This project has held to educate the DPW and grounds crew at the school about simple practices that can help a lawn thrive with much less care and chemicals than other lawns might need.  The organic lawn care demonstration area will serve the public for many years to come.   



This page updated Wednesday November 02 2011