Hello! My name is Meredith (she/her) and I am thrilled to be joining the CCAN community as the Invasive Vines Program Manager.

My relationship with nature began in the wild forests and rocky coastlines of rural Maine, where I spent my childhood exploring. I moved to DC in 2015 to study Public Health at George Washington University, where I also had my first taste of service learning in local parks.

Studying public health while doing volunteer work in urban green spaces helped me see the fundamental connection between the two. I quickly learned that in DC, both parks and public health tell a story of inequality. It shocked me to learn that we can predict expected health outcomes in DC simply on geography alone. Which side of the Anacostia River you live on may literally add a decade or more to your life expectancy. And in these same areas where residents have worse health outcomes, we also see underfunded and underutilized public parks.

After graduating from GW, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. With the Student Conservation Association, I brought groups of high school students to complete conservation projects both in Rock Creek Park in NW DC and National Capital Parks-East (NACE) in SE DC. Both parks are rich in biodiversity and provide much needed sanctity from the city with their trails, picnic areas, and recreation spaces. However, the difference in management and upkeep of these two green spaces could not be more stark. In Rock Creek, you will see residents enjoying miles of well-maintained hiker/biker trails and pristinely mowed picnic areas. Meanwhile, NACE parks in SE DC often feel like a jungle of neglect, with trails made impassable by erosion and overgrowth, trash littering the ground, and entire swaths of forest overtaken by invasive species. This makes sense when you consider that Rock Creek Park receives over five times the funding per acre. (Additionally, the National Mall receives 80 times more funding for its 146 acres than NACE parks does for its 8,000 acres).

Despite the challenges and frustrations, my work in these parks has been incredibly rewarding. It’s not just about maintaining green spaces; it’s about empowering people. For many of our young people, hands-on service to the land is a much needed way to take action in what sometimes feels like a powerless fight against the climate crisis. It inspires me to see young people who may engage in this work primarily to fulfill a volunteer requirement and emerge with a sense of community, passion, and gratitude for the ability to spend time outdoors.

In my time working in DC parks, I have built trails, planted trees, installed countless erosion control structures, and even constructed a boardwalk or two. However, there has been no project that is both rewarding and low-maintenance like invasive species removal. It’s a tangible, hands-on way to make a noticeable difference in a short time and a great way to build community around outdoor work. We may not be able to fix the systemic issues that have gotten us to this point in the climate crisis, but we can all go outside and tackle those invasive vines one by one. And in the face of massive biodiversity loss at a global level, it is more necessary than ever.

I am thrilled to kick off this new chapter with CCAN, reigniting this volunteer program and working towards making every green space accessible and thriving. Every vine pulled is a step towards a greener, more equitable world. Let’s get to work!

Click HERE to learn more about CCAN’s efforts to save trees from invasive vines. If you’re interested in getting involved, email meredith@chesapeakeclimate.org

 

Funding for this project is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with Casey Trees. 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.