Chesapeake Arboretum adding color with Grant
Keep Virginia Beautiful is awarding “30 Grants In 30 Days” in April and May 2012. The Chesapeake Arboretum has been awarded a $750 grant in the Beautification and Community Greening Category. The KVB 30 in 30 grant program focuses greater resources and attention on organizations and individual localities throughout the Commonwealth and how they are addressing the issues of litter prevention, recycling, waste reduction, beautification and education.
KVB provided the opportunity for government, non-profit and/or service organizations in Virginia to apply for one of thirty grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 in three different categories: Beautification, Litter Prevention, and Recycling. These grants are made possible by KVB partners – Capital One, Waste Management and Lowe’s.
The Chesapeake Arboretum currently boasts approximately 47 acres of urban forest highlighted by 3 specialty trails — including the Native Woodland Garden area, which was dedicated on April 2, 2011 to the memory of their late President, Jean Marie Eagler. This Native Woodland Garden Area needs colorful enhancement to reach its full potential and they seek to install more showy native woodland flowers, shrubs and vines. Volunteers from the Chesapeake Master Gardeners and the Virginia Native Plant Society (among many other volunteers) stand ready to install these plant materials as it becomes available to them. Most of the current stock has been donated, but there are many species and varieties that would make the Native Woodland Garden Area truly stand-out. While the Native Woodland Garden Area is already popular with visitors “as is”, we expect the enhancements to provide not only much-improved aesthetic appeal, but also expanded opportunities for educational outreach as a demonstration area with eco-friendly educational signage along the 3 trails.
The mission at Keep Virginia Beautiful is to engage and unite Virginians to improve our natural and scenic environment through 5 impact areas: Litter Prevention, Waste Reduction, Recycling, Beautification, and Environmental Education.