Community Support Services - Summit County’s Post

Farmland Commons decommodify land, put it in the power and control of communities, and ensure regenerative, chemical-free food production agriculture, while giving farmers, stewards, and ranchers, secure, affordable, long-term tenure to farmland without the hurdles or barriers of market leases or mortgages. The Farmland Commons supports food sovereignty and community control by providing communities, schools, organizations, businesses, and aligned farms with the financial and legal resources to acquire and hold farmland, and by advancing a democratic model of land governance that places control of the land in the hands of communities and small farmers. This work is combatting corporate land grabbing and the loss of farmland to development by permanently removing land from the marketplace. Through the Farmland Commons, farmland is accessible to all, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. Through this work, we are acknowledging and aiming to address the specific injustices inflicted on communities that historically have been displaced and excluded from land access. The Farmland Commons can be used to repair historical injustice and inequities in land ownership through expanding community land ownership and the Commons into communities otherwise barred from access to farmland. 👉🏽 The Farmland Commons is a new way to protect, transition, and hold farmland, and we are just getting started. Images by @keyatama #FarmlandCommons #decommodification #landaccess #landtrust #equity #farmland #regenerativeagriculture

In their article in today's Guardian (Trigger-happy councils mowing down our spring flowers? There’s a better way to do things.) Phineas Harper writes that "Systemic problems need systemic solutions. As a campaign to persuade individual homeowners to change how they garden, No Mow May is a charming but inherently limited initiative. However, as a tool to persuade not just individuals but public authorities to rethink their out-of-date intensive mowing and poison-spraying regimes, it can make a real impact on nature recovery in the UK." My local council (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) have just introduced an initiative to encourage community stewardship of verges. My application is already in to take responsibility for the patch outside my house. 😀 It isn't a systemic solution but it's certainly a good start in returning agency to local residents. https://lnkd.in/e8_8CWPh #biodiversity #NoMowMay Simon Werner

📢 GRANTS FOR FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS TO PLANT TREES Calling all farmers and landowners – could you be part of the project to plant a community forest in Derbyshire? Grants are available for farmers and other landowners along the eastern and southern fringes of Derbyshire with space available to plant trees as part of the county’s Heartwood Community Forest. Derbyshire County Council is leading the project to create the community forest funded by the England’s Community Forests Trees for Climate fund. The fund, which is part of the Government’s Nature for Climate programme, offers one of the most competitive grant schemes for tree planting available today. Grants can be used to support a range of different woodland options from small-scale tree planting and low-density tree planting to large multi-use woodlands extending more than 5ha. Landowners can apply for grant funding to cover the cost of: · Tree planting to create new woodland · associated infrastructure such as fencing and gates · on-going maintenance to ensure new woodlands thrive. They will also receive expert and impartial advice and support from the county council to guide them through planning, funding and planting. To apply: https://lnkd.in/dWrwi6kg Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest is one of 15 England’s Community Forests which are located in and around large towns and cities, providing urban, economic and social regeneration, championing green infrastructure and creating high-quality environments for millions of people. Trees will be planted on pockets of available land stretching over a geographic area of approximately 289 square miles within communities along the eastern border of the county and areas in the south of the county including: · Amber Valley - Alfreton, Somercotes, Heanor, Ripley, Codnor. · North East Derbyshire – Aston, Clay Cross, Dronfield, Eckington and Killamarsh, Sutton, Wingerworth, Shirland. · Bolsover – Barlborough, Clowne, Bolsover, Shirebrook, Pleasley, South Normanton, Pinxton, Tibshelf, Glapwell. · Chesterfield - Birdholme, Boythorpe, Brampton, Brimington, Chesterfield, Loundsley Green and Newbold, Staveley, Whittington. · Erewash - Breadsall, West Hallam, Breaston, Horsley, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Sandiacre. · South Derbyshire - Etwall and Repton, Hilton, Melbourne, Sawley. · Derby. The project aims to plant 300,000 trees on publicly accessible land by March 2025, supporting the county council’s ambition to help facilitate the planting of a million trees by 2030. The community forest will be established in three phases with the third phase centred around establishing a new Community Forest Charitable Trust from April 2025 onwards to manage and maintain it in the future. #Derbyshire #trees #sustainability #climatechange

#ICYMI: Last week Mayor London Breed and interim Public Works Director Carla Short announced that San Francisco has been awarded $12 million in federal grant funding to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, create green jobs and improve access to nature in the City – representing the largest single award among California recipients to grow urban tree canopies under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The funding, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, is part of more than $1 billion in competitive grants awarded to expand urban tree canopies across the nation, particularly in low-income communities that bear the brunt of pollution from industry and vehicle emissions and have the smallest number of trees. “This funding will help us strengthen our urban canopy, particularly in neighborhoods like the Bayview-Hunters Point, the Tenderloin and South of Market, which lack the benefits that street trees can bring,” Breed said. “I want to thank President Biden and our federal partners for investing in a greener future. Soon, the Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry will plant and work together with neighbors and nonprofit partners to advance the health of our communities for generations to come.” Communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations are receiving funding, covered by the Justice40 Initiative and made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, passed last year.    “These investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in announcing the grant recipients. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies.”   The benefits of street trees in an urban environment are well documented – not only do they make neighborhoods more inviting, but they manage stormwater, reduce air pollution, improve human health, cool homes and streets, provide wildlife habitat and calm traffic.    “We are thrilled to be selected in this highly competitive grant process,” said Short, the Public Works Interim Director and a certified arborist. “We have the infrastructure in place and professional tree crews and nonprofit partners ready to get to work planting and caring for the new street trees in communities that need them the most.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gW-KsR7p USDA U.S. Forest Service #SFPublicWorks #LoveOurCity #Grant #ClimateChange #Climate #Sustainability #Trees #GreenJobs #Environment #Forestry

If you think the verge is simply another place to garden, read this article. Could verge gardens become "wedge issues" in election campaigns? One big difference is that in the UK, councils maintain the entire pavements and they are paved almost everywhere, whereas in Australia with our low-density suburbs, verges are more often grass with occasional paving and the residents mow the grass in front of their property. If anything, that resident involvement makes the politics of verge gardening in Australia even more complicated. Conflict can mean residents versus each other and all the other users of the space - with council policies to try to keep the lid on things. Some residents like to see their verge gardens as a form of protest or activism - guerrilla gardening, urban food growing movements and rewilding. That's why we can get such spectacular and emotional disputes. But that potential for conflict is also why the verges are a great place to practice advocacy skills and build relationships across silos and political divides to bring the changes we need. It's the perfect place and activity for building collaborations to green our streets and cities. Advocacy and building collaborations are at the heart of The Shady Lanes Project which is why we could include Nundah Community Enterprises Co-operative to provide supported employment as part of an "environmental" project. It's why we can hand over a sustainable ongoing project to a local community group as the funding ends. And it's why we've got bi-partisan support for this community project. Most of all, it's why this can scale - outwards, not upwards - as the loose network of participants branch out with more localised projects based on the learnings of the pilot project.

Fall is here! If you're wondering how to compost your leaf litter, check out this course from the Institute of Local Self Reliance! #compost #composting #course

Rural Business-Cooperative Service Notices Publication Date: 2/13/2024 Each of the participating covered programs has a different established deadline for receipt of applications. Please refer to the RD website or the appropriate covered program's Federal Register Notice for application deadline information. Request for Application: Strategic Economic and Community Development Program for Fiscal Year 2024 FedRegDoc#:2024-02782 FRDoc@89 FR 10026 (4 pgs) Agency/Docket No. RBS-23-BUSINESS-0025 AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD or Agency) is seeking applications for the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) priority, as reauthorized by section 6401 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) for projects that support multi-jurisdictional & multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. In fiscal year (FY) 2024, the covered RD programs will implement SECD by reserving loan and/or grant funds from the appropriations of the programs covered by this funding priority. This notice describes the requirements by which the RD programs will consider projects eligible for the covered programs' reserved appropriated funds and the information needed to submit an application. This NOSA is being issued prior to passage of a final appropriations act for FY 2024 to allow potential applicants time to submit applications for financial assistance under the covered programs and to give the RD programs time to process applications. Information on estimated FY 24 funding amounts can be found under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, section B. Federal Award Information of this notice. https://lnkd.in/er36FiFG

"Thrilled to share my recent volunteer journey with Farm Patch, where we bridged community needs and sustainable farming. Over the last few months, my incredible team and I dove deep into understanding the local Asian community's preferences, bringing fresh, tailored produce directly to their tables. We got our hands dirty in the garden, fine-tuned the store's appeal, and launched a feedback loop that echoes the community's voice. This experience was more than just volunteer work; it was a lesson in the power of community engagement, data-driven decision making, and sustainable practices. #VolunteerWork #CommunityEngagement #SustainableFarming #DataDrivenDecisions"

Fun fact (or just a fact): Western Palm Beach County supplies over 50% of the fresh vegetables sold on the East Coast during the winter months. What does it take to make that happen? A LOT. It requires an entire ecosystem of support to keep those farms running. Farm workers, of course, but also employees of restaurants, grocery stores, and other retail establishments that contribute to a thriving community. Included in that ecosystem is affordable housing. Hence the importance of Habitat for Humanity. On a recent tour, organized by Kevin Elwell, CPA, Chair of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County, I got to witness just how crucial Habitat’s efforts are locally, nationally, and globally. The need for affordable housing in critical sectors like agriculture also highlights a broader issue: the essential role of innovation in creating equitable communities. Through technological advancements and creative problem-solving, we can address complex challenges like housing affordability—thereby supporting the backbone of our economy. A perfect representation of innovation + impact’s influence in our communities. #SustainableAgriculture #AffordableHousing #InnovationImpact

When we talk about CLTs, many people automatically think of affordable housing projects - but in reality 42% of CLTs also own and manage other types of community assets, including workspaces, pubs, shops, event spaces and energy schemes. Today though, we are proud to launch this research report that we commissioned from Shared Assets that spotlights CLTs that steward land for farming and nature- like Middle Marches Community Land Trust, Ore Community Land Trust and Wyre Community Land Trust. This report looks at the groups that are using the CLT model, as well as why some groups aren't using it, and where the gaps and opportunities are to share resources and rally together for policy change. Read the report, authored by Graciela Romero-Vasquez on behalf of Shared Assets here: https://lnkd.in/d9VANhjg Read our CEO, Tom Chance's commentary and context about this report here: https://lnkd.in/dZ9n69WZ This builds on our recently released manifesto, which includes policy recommendations that would support CLTs stewarding land Policy 9: Reviewing funding and policies for nature restoration projects to support community ownership. Policy 10: Setting up Land Commissions for England and Wales Read the manifesto here: https://lnkd.in/dKpJYEiN