Community Projects:
The PLANT Program works with local neighborhood and creek groups to promote community landscaping/naturescaping through workshops and neighborhood compost demonstration sites. PLANT also offers landscaping/naturescaping assistance to residential, business and public projects.
Continuing Education
PLANT provides CMS teacher technical training for composting, beneficial wildlife habitat and invasive plants. We also provide materials for composting displays.
Certification:
CEU's with the science curriculum development coordinators for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.
Habitat:
Butterfly and bird gardening at these facilities: Parks and Recreation Department Nature Centers and at education museums and centers; Discovery Place-The Nature Museum; McGill Rose Garden.
Master Composters
(MCPLANT)- A grant was obtained from the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Division of Pollution Prevention and Assistance to pilot a new program called MCPLANT (Master Composters). The goal is to expand the PLANT program by graduating 25 Master Composters per year. All volunteers complete a twelve-week training course and volunteer 40 hours towards various projects.
Community Gardens:
PLANT is partnering with The Cornelius Community Garden Program at Robbins Park Community Garden and the Urban Ministries Community Garden.
Commercial compost bins at reduced-prices to target composting residential food waste and yardwaste (leaves).
Vermicomposting educational workshops for using red wriggler worms for food waste composting.
Beneficial insect...Dragon fly.
Reclaiming Shamrock Park through invasive plant removal by the South West Piedmont Weed Team.
After removing invasive plants at Selwyn Elementary, bloodroot (a native) makes a comeback!!
Downsizing lawns and adding native plants.
Changing the way people think about food waste...worm composting classes.
Reclaiming Shamrock Park by Naturescaping with compost, mulch and native plants.
Residential naturescaping...changing the look of Charlotte, one home at a time.
