Manish Hirapara’s Post

🌳 A Green Revolution in West End 🌿 We are excited to share our latest project that's set to transform the West End into a vibrant urban food forest! This initiative is part of the City’s Neighborhood Partnership Grant program and reflects our commitment to sustainable urban development. Nestled in the Sulger subdivision, at 340 E. Busby Drive and 345 Sheila Lane, our urban food forest will grow on two City-owned lots. We’re rolling out this project in three phases: 1. Fencing: The first step is establishing a secure perimeter, and we’re making great progress. 2. Planning & Planting: Our efforts here are centered around rainwater harvesting, ecological balance, and planting diverse plant species. 3. Signage & Maintenance: We’ll install educational signage and have a solid plan for ongoing care. Echoing Hope Ranch, a Hereford-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has generously committed to maintaining the food forest for a decade. Together, we’re united in the mission to rejuvenate the Earth by implementing regenerative food systems! #JoinTheConversation Your input is invaluable to us. We invite you to a community meeting to discuss this exciting project: 📅 Saturday, March 2 ⏰ 10 a.m. 📍 Sierra Vista Food Co-op Let’s come together to cultivate not just a food forest, but a legacy of community and environmental well-being! #UrbanAgriculture #Sustainability #CommunityEngagement #FoodForest #ReapGoodness

Cooperative living might look idyllic on paper, but intentional communities aren’t easy to sustain. It takes a hardy soul to weather all the monetary struggles, power imbalances, compromises with neighbors, and other complications that come with choosing this lifestyle. According to Diana Leafe Christian’s book, Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities, 90 percent of all ecovillages and off-grid communes are destined for early collapse. So how has Red Earth Farms, a 76-acre collective in the rolling hills of northeast Missouri, been going strong since 2005? Part of the answer comes down to elbow room. https://lnkd.in/g4BSxr3q

Board Spotlight: Rodney Swink WakeUP is excited to welcome Rodney Swink to our Board of Directors. Rodney is an NC State graduate with a BA in Economics and Masters in Landscape Architecture. He enjoys teaching, eating good food, and gardening and watching wildlife in his backyard. Rodney has lived in Wake County for over 50 years and continues to live and invest here because it is “a dynamic place with lots to do (and to be done)." Why is WakeUP's work important for the Triangle? Growing as fast as we are, we need an organization to help citizens understand the choices that are being made and how to influence those choices. People want smart growth but do not always know what that is or how to achieve it and WakeUP can be a voice for that and a source of valuable information. What is the connection between affordable housing, transportation, and land use on our future? It's clear that how we use land in Wake County - for housing, commerce, infrastructure, recreation, growth of any kind - is critical to our quality of life. We will grow. How we grow is the question. We can grow in a way that protects places we value, including the housing that is already affordable, and not diminish the desire of others to be here. The connection is planning; we must plan ahead for growth while also managing what is currently underway. What makes you hopeful about Wake County in the future? People are attracted here for many reasons and I believe long-timers and newcomers alike want to protect what makes this area special so I am hopeful that people will support the planning needed to protect as we grow. What ways do you hope to inspire Wake County residents to be engaged in our future? We need to stress the positive outcomes derived from working together, recognizing differences, but finding common ground on which to build our future. #wakeupwakecounty #boardspotlight #wakecounty #thrivingcommunities #beapartofthesolution #sustainablegrowth #urbandevelopment #growwithus #climatechange #landuse #affordablehousing #equity #environment

We are thrilled to share a glimpse into our new initiative: "the earth connects us all ", a groundbreaking program by Noocity that goes beyond just installing vegetable gardens. This initiative aims to bring the benefits of gardening to where it's needed most: schools, elderly homes, and social impact institutions, supported by socially responsible companies. Noocity gardens are more than just places to grow food. They are bonds within the community, spaces of empathy and healing, where we are all equal, connected by the earth that sustains us. These are places where the simple magic of planting a seed can blossom into a deep sense of belonging and well-being. We believe in the power of gardens as therapeutic spaces, where every plant grown sows hope and promotes mental and physical health. 🌿💖 We invite you to learn more about this exciting project and to be inspired by the transformative potential of urban gardens. Watch our video and join us on this journey to cultivate not just food, but also stronger, united communities. Watch the video! Together, we can make a difference, one green space at a time. 💚 #Noocity #UrbanGardening #Community #Sustainability #UrbanAgriculture

🌳 2,500 Volunteers Help Cardiff's Urban Forest Grow🌳 We've just experienced one of the wettest winters on record, but that hasn't deterred 2500 volunteers supporting our Coed Caerdydd project, planting an incredible 30,000 trees in just six months. Established in 2021 as part of Cardiff Council's One Planet Cardiff response to the climate emergency, the Coed Caerdydd project has gone from strength to strength resulting in the planting of 80,000 new trees across 280 different sites in Cardiff. From parks and open spaces to schools and community sites, the impact of this initiative is evident across the city. This season, our focus on street trees has intensified, with over 200 large new street trees planted in areas with low or no tree canopy cover. The benefits of this project extend far beyond environmental considerations; it fosters a sense of community engagement and empowerment. The dedication of our volunteers is commendable. Over 10,000 hours have been volunteered since the project's inception, showcasing the power of collective action in addressing environmental challenges. But our work doesn't stop with tree planting; there are plenty of opportunities to get involved throughout the year. Whether it's assisting in the tree nursery or becoming a Tree Guardian to ensure the newly planted trees thrive, there's a role for everyone in this initiative. If you're interested in joining us or have suggestions for new planting sites, reach out to us at coedcaerdyddproject@cardiff.gov.uk. #CoedCaerdydd #UrbanForest #CommunityEngagement #ClimateAction

Yesterday's ministerial announcement highlights the urgent need to address the vulnerability of mature trees. In response, it is crucial to intensify our efforts in promoting and implementing innovative urban forest projects. These will actively contribute to the protection and expansion of the urban canopy and ensure our communities are safeguarded from the impacts of urban heat. It is important to note: promoting these initiatives should go hand in hand with invaluable advocacy for the protection of existing mature canopy. #urbanforest #sustainabilityinitiatives #ProtectOurCanopy #urbanhealth #urbangreening Carbon Positive Australia

"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"

Each year in the United States, urban tree cover decreases by an estimated 36 million trees, or 175,000 acres. For perspective, New York City’s Central Park contains about 18,000 trees, meaning the U.S. loses 2,000 times the number of trees in Central Park each year to factors like urban development, industry, climate change impacts, and lack of tree maintenance. In 2021, tree equity studies confirmed that socially and economically disadvantaged communities are more likely to experience the negative effects of urban tree loss. On average, communities with high levels of poverty have approximately 41 percent fewer trees than their wealthier counterparts. To help combat this inequity, nonprofit environmental advocacy organization Faith in Place was awarded $1.99 million by the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program to increase urban tree canopies in the Great Lakes region. These funds will allow Faith in Place to facilitate tree planning and workforce development projects at faith institutions and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged communities throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. A million thanks to Rev. Brian Sauder for sitting down with me to talk about tree equity and environmental justice for this article for Healing Our Waters - Great Lakes Coalition. #treeequity #treeplaning #environmentalworkforcedevelopment #freelacewriter #greatlakesregion #climateimpacts #urbantreeloss #environmentaljournalism

Excellent interview with Natural England , Chair Tony Juniper CBE in the The Guardian He says: “What we need to be doing is thinking more about how we can accommodate high quality nature within and around residential developments, not only in order to meet nature targets, but also in order to promote social wellbeing…” 🌳   He adds that: “England could end up with better quality greenbelt – that might have more houses on it…”   It is encouraging to hear Mr Juniper discuss how new housing and enhanced green spaces can go together, benefiting both social wellbeing and nature, as well as meeting the demand for more homes.   Core to the development of Welborne Garden Village, are extensive integrated green spaces and tree-planting which will be accessible to the community and increase biodiversity.   50 per cent of Welborne will incorporate green space – from gardens and allotments to community orchards, woodland, formal parks, and natural open space.    Read the full Guardian article here:  https://lnkd.in/ekb9r2Vy   #GreenBelt #NatureConservation #Sustainability

Field visits like these are where my passion for agribusiness and community development truly comes to life. Meeting smallholder farmers, hearing their success stories, and witnessing the positive changes in their lives inspire me to continue advocating for sustainable practices that empower communities. It's not just about cultivating crops—it's about cultivating hope, resilience, and a brighter future for all. Every success story fuels my commitment to driving impactful change in the agricultural sector. #Agribusiness #CommunityDevelopment #SustainableAgriculture