Formated May June Insights

Nourishing Neighbors, Enriching Community

A food forest takes shape in Miami

Tucked amid the vibrant energy and culture of Miami, you will find the Brownsville neighborhood. This community is home to approximately 17,000 residents, most of whom live with food insecurity daily. In this primarily Black and Hispanic neighborhood, the average household income is almost 30% below the poverty line, and access to fresh produce is practically nonexistent.

Brownsville is what is known as a food desert, lacking access to traditional supermarkets. And unfortunately, food deserts are alarmingly common. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 24 million Americans live in areas with limited or no access to grocery stores that offer fresh produce.

Like so many food deserts, Brownsville was left with little hope … until the community came together and grew it.

Growing a bountiful green space

One way to battle food insecurity is by creating green spaces where people can come together and grow their own food. It’s a unique opportunity for neighbors to ease their hunger, connect to the land, and nurture relationships —

an opportunity that has been brought to life in Brownsville with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation.

The Brownsville Community Garden project came about from a desire to empower residents through urban farming. Dr. Enid Pinkney, a local legend and community activist, donated a quarter-acre lot behind her home to become a place of security and belonging. “I am very happy that people have come to work on the land,” said Dr. Pinkney. “This is a teaching experience; it’s a learning experience; it’s a building history experience.”

From planning, to funding, to digging up soil and planting trees, the Brownsville Community Garden was brought to life through the commitment of local organizations, generous volunteers, and engaged residents. The day the garden was installed, 45 fruit trees and a variety of vegetables were planted.

The Brownsville Community Garden has brought neighbors together. They work the land, kneeling side by side, hands in the dirt, sharing cultures, experiences, and soon, food. Gone is a bit of the insecurity; a bit of the uncertainty; a bit of the injustice.

Brownsville residents planted 45 fruit trees to help ease food insecurity in their neighborhood.

Interconnected Critters

In this issue of Arbor Day, we gave you a glimpse into our ongoing effort to restore longleaf pine forests across the Southeast. Here’s a deeper look at the interconnected species of this ecosystem, which together, make up one of the richest habitats in North America.

Gopher Tortoises

These gentle and unassuming creatures are so important that they have their own Florida holiday — April 10, Gopher Tortoise Day — and serve as the state reptile of Georgia.

Gopher tortoises are prehistoric, having been around for an astounding 60 million years. They dig impressive burrows beneath the pines, an average of 6 feet deep and 15 feet long, which they then share with snakes, skunks, rabbits, mice, and all sorts of insects. Altogether, more than 350 species rely on these burrows for protection and survival.

Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers

Red-cockaded woodpeckers are largely black and white, with males displaying a small, red “cockade” on the side of their head. Like the gopher tortoise, they are also a keystone species — creating cavities in mature pine trees that are later used by fellow birds and squirrels for shelter.

Of the estimated 1.5 million birds once found throughout the region, only 15,000 remain.

Frosted Flatwoods Salamanders

Frosted flatwoods salamanders are a tiny member of the longleaf ecosystem, measuring in at roughly 5 inches long. They are named for the silvery, netlike patterns on their back.

These salamanders feast on insects in the forest, and they also serve as important prey for larger animals.

According to the Amphibian Foundation, flatwoods salamanders have suffered a 90% reduction in population since 2000, placing them at imminent risk of extinction.

Fox Squirrels

Fox squirrels are the largest squirrel species in North America. They are also commonly found in longleaf pine forests. Their above-average size allows them to crack open and eat the seeds of longleaf pine cones, which can grow up to a foot long.

Along with feasting on seeds, the fox squirrel also eats fungi, which then passes through their digestive system and helps provide nutrients to the surrounding trees.

Wetland and Aquatic

Research Center

Meet Our Team

Brie Frickenstein, Program Coordinator, Reforestation

What do you love about your work at the Arbor Day Foundation?

The thing I love most about my job is seeing our work in action. I love getting to build relationships with new and existing planting partners, understanding the needs of their area, why they plant, and the positive changes they are making by planting trees.

How did you develop a connection with trees?

I remember having a mulberry tree as a child that our family would pick berries from to make jam. It was something my mom used to do with her mother and then did with me. Now, as an adult, I have a mulberry tree in my front yard. My neighbors love picking the berries, which has helped us get to know each other!

What is your favorite tree?

I have always been drawn to weeping willow trees. There were some at a nearby park that I would climb or read under as a child. I spent a lot of time under those trees as a kid. Not only do they provide a lot of shade, they’re also whimsical; it’s beautiful and peaceful to listen to the wind blowing through their leaves. A weeping willow was also the first tree I ever planted!

Thank You for Your Commitment to Trees

In this year’s Tree Drive campaign, we asked some of you to represent your state and help us plant trees where they are needed most. Trees to slow climate change, to clean our water, to help remove pollutants from the air. Trees that provide the very necessities of life.

We called on you to stand up for the planet. And you answered.

more than 910,000 trees more than 25,000 supporters

From California to New Jersey and Montana to Texas, donors and supporters across the United States are stepping up to ensure trees are planted to benefit future generations.

Because of your generosity, we are able to put shovels in the ground … to reverse the trend of tree loss in America and around the world. Because of you, we can plant a greener tomorrow for everyone.