By Annie Rohrs, co-chair, Grant Committee
On August 15, grants were awarded to seven recipients of the CT Hort Cares civic grants program. The winners were chosen out of a group of 22 applicants from all over the state. Here are the winning projects:
- Community Composting Project at Boulder Knoll Community Farm, Cheshire – $250
The grant will allow the Friends of Boulder Knoll to begin the construction of a Solar-Powered Aerobic 3-Bin Compost Facility. Theproject’s purpose is two-fold: 1) Produce compost to improve soil health on the community farm and beyond, and 2) Educate the broader community about sustainable solutions for solid waste disposal and composting’s benefits. The project will be a workshop in sustainability and the “art and science” of gardening. - New Hartford Land Trust – Replanting Mugwort Hill, New Hartford – $225
The project will re-plant ‘Mugwort Hill’ at NHLT’s Alfred Sabolcik Preserve with native plantings, replacing the invasive mugwort that had been there. This will deliver a number of benefits, including promoting visitors’ enjoyment as the site is beautified; understanding of the importance of native plants for wildlife; and knowledge of techniques for mitigating invasives. - Creating a Meadow on Meadow Street, Bristol – $500
The project at Immanuel Lutheran School aims to transform unused school grounds along Meadow Street into a vibrant native plant meadow. This hands-on learning space will teach students about biodiversity, native plants, and sustainable gardening and will foster plant appreciation through horticultural knowledge. The goal is to beautify the school’s downtown location, enhancing connections with the community through a new green space for community members to enjoy. - Camp Harkness Butterfly Education Station & Enclosure, Waterford – $500
This project, which will be built in one of the gardens at Camp Harkness, supports immersive learning in an accessible way that follows ADA state accessibility standards. The project will act as a learning center for campers and Camp Harkness members and visitors, complete with an ADA tabletop garden butterfly education station planted to support the visibility and hands on learning of all stages of raising butterflies. Every mobility level will have access to the project. - Garden Beds Revitalization Project at Annie Fisher Montessori Magnet School, Hartford – $275
It is the school’s goal to ensure that each elementary classroom has its own garden bed and includes gardening as part of the daily work of students. The project will begin in August, with the help of parent volunteers to set up the beds. Teachers and students will provide upkeep of plants, while studying the way plants change in the seasons. Any vegetables grown will be distributed to families, neighborhood residents or Hands on Hartford. - Empowering Homeless Youth with Gardening Skills, Stamford – $500
The grant will support the Bartlett Arboretum’s collaborative program with Inspirica. The purpose of the project is to connect homeless children in Stamford, CT, to nature by teaching them how to grow their own food. Through weekly hands-on gardening activities, children learn practical skills, develop resilience, and gain a sense of empowerment. All produce grown is provided to Inspirica families, addressing food insecurity. - South Windsor Invasive Plant Identification Trail, South Windsor – $250
The South Windsor Invasive Plant Working Group (SWIPWG) is an ad hoc volunteer group with the mission of educating the public in the identification and control of non-native invasive plants and the environmental benefits of replacement with native alternatives. The grant will be used to purchase native shrubs and perennials to place along the Invasive Plant ID Trail and the on-going replanting of the understory of this 4-5 acre Open Space situated directly behind the South Windsor Town Hall. - The next round of grant applications will be accepted from February 15 through April 15, 2025, with grants awarded on May 1, 2025.