Berlin Growing Green with New Community Campaign

Berlin – A program designed to highlight the town of Berlin as a model community for environmental protection and conservation is ready to go after receiving funding from a philanthropic group.

Grow Berlin Green (GBG) is a three-year campaign to encourage Berlin residents, businesses and government officials to connect the community to conservation. Toward that effort, GBG recently received $125,000 from the Town Creek Foundation, a private, philanthropic organization dedicated to a sustainable environment.

The campaign is being managed by a coalition of the Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT), Lower Shore Land Trust and Maryland Coastal Bays Program, but it will be driven by community education, empowerment and action, said Steve Farr, development director for ACT and the project director of GBG.

“We are thrilled that Town Creek Foundation has made such a significant investment in the Grow Berlin Green campaign,” Farr said. “Now we can focus on reaching out to the community to build a movement for positive change in our town. The funding is key, but the energy and commitment of our neighbors is what will really fuel this effort.”

The campaign will include events and activities designed to involve citizens, business owners and government officials to better build a foundation for citizen and policymaker participation. A community information meeting held in February attracted a standing room only crowd at Berlin Town Hall where citizens offered numerous ideas and suggestions for programs and activities.

The goals of GBG include improving understanding, engagement and activism among citizens and policymakers, increasing conservation efforts, improving natural resources management, reducing waste and increasing recycling

GBG is planning its formal public launch to coincide with the Berlin Spring Celebration on April 11th. In addition to hosting an information and kids activity booth at the event, GBG is organizing a community ditch cleanup for that morning and plans to install a number of rain barrels along Main Street to promote water conservation and stormwater runoff prevention.

To learn more about Grow Berlin Green, including opportunities to get involved, please contact Steve Farr at 410-629-1538 or email growberlingreen@hotmail.com. The Grow Berlin website at www.growberlingreen.org should also be up and running soon.

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