Land Bank Releases ‘Greening Guide’ to Advance Use of Native Plants, Trees in Landscaping Projects
To encourage the development of green spaces with native plants and trees, the Mahoning County Land Bank today released “Greening Practices for Native Ecosystems,” a 165-page guide for landowners, landscapers and policy makers.
Authored by Danielle Lewis, a land use consultant and Youngstown State University faculty member, the greening guide provides detailed advice on the selection, placement, layout and management of 92 species of trees, shrubs and smaller plants, all based on where they’ll be planted.
“This exhaustive guide is a gift to the community to mark the 10th anniversary of the Land Bank’s establishment,” said Debora Flora, executive director of the Land Bank. “Along with Danielle and the organizations that supported this project, we’re distributing the guide to promote the use of native plants in greening opportunities, including those that arise when once-unproductive land is put to better use.”
The Land Bank and its local partners have focused more effort in recent years on using native plants and trees to develop parks and other green spaces on properties the Land Bank acquires, often through foreclosures for unpaid taxes.
Native plants and trees generally require less time and expense to maintain, and their greater durability supports local birds and other wildlife, as well as better stormwater management.
“Native species also take up carbon dioxide and pollution and are beneficial for our overall health,” added Lewis, who works with the Land Bank and other government and nonprofit clients on greening projects.
The greening guide will be distributed to local organizations that work with the Land Bank and shared with members of the Ohio Land Bank Association, a statewide organization of county land banks.
The guide is also available for download at the 10-Year Anniversary section of the Land Bank’s website at mahoninglandbank.com.
In addition to the Land Bank, supporters of the guide include representatives of YSU, Ohio State University, Cleveland Natural History Museum, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, North Eastern Ohio Native Plant Society, Missouri Botanical Gardens and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The guide was edited by Joe Mannino and Joseph Dudley.
The Mahoning County Land Bank is a nonprofit community improvement corporation dedicated to acquiring vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent properties and making them productive again. The land bank assists local governments in assembling land for future projects and collaborates with civic, religious and nonprofit organizations to create new green spaces and community gardens.
Check out local news coverage at the links below:
Business Journal: Land Bank Releases ‘Greening Guide’ to Local Plants
Mahoning Matters: Land Bank Releases ‘Greening Guide’ to Advance Use of Native Plants and Trees