Grounded Strategies

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: L23AS00255FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOALS TEXT: THE PROPOSAL CLEARLY STATES THE PROJECT NEED AND RELEVANCE BY PROVIDING STRATEGIES TO BENEFIT AND UPLIFT MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF HIGH-QUALITY GREEN SPACES. REACHING THESE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES CAN INCREASE AN APPRECIATION OF NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES ON PUBLIC LANDS AND EVEN POTENTIALLY INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF BLM EMPLOYEES. THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES, PROCEDURES AND DETAILS TO ENHANCE PROJECT SUCCESS INCLUDING PUBLIC OUTREACH, SITE SELECTION, ACCESS AND DESIGN, CAPACITY BUILDING AND PROJECT INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE.GOALS ESTIMATED TIMELINES: A) ESTABLISH MICRO-MEADOWS TO IMPROVE NATIVE PLANT BIODIVERSITY IN URBAN SETTINGS B) EDUCATE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS ON SEED COLLECTION AND SAVING, AND PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES C) IMPROVE POLLINATION SERVICES FOR NEARBY URBAN AGRICULTURAL ENDEAVORS D) AUGMENT PROVISIONING SERVICES FOR SPECIES CONSERVATION CONCERN IDENTIFIED IN THE PENNSYLVANIA WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (2015-2025) MEASURES: (MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN NUMBER OF EDUCATION SESSIONS DELIVERED 12 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EDUCATION SESSIONS 5 PER SESSION NUMBER OF MEADOW SITES INSTALLED 2 NUMBER OF SPECIES ADDED PER SITE 20 SQUARE FOOTAGE OF LAWN AND BARREN GROUND CONVERTED TO MEADOW COVER 400 POUNDS OF BIOCHAR INCORPORATED INTO PROJECT SITES 1,200 POUNDS OF WILDFLOWER SEED APPLIED TO COMMUNITY-SERVING PROJECTS 50 NUMBER OF COMMUNITY CENTERED MAINTENANCE ADVISORY MEETINGS HELD 25 PRE- AND POST- PROJECT RESIDENT GREENSPACE SATISFACTION SURVEYS 2

GROUNDED STRATEGIES WILL USE A VACANT LOT IN THE ALLENTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD OF PITTSBURGH AS A SITE FOR A NEW LOW-COST METHOD FOR REDUCING THE TOXICITY OF LEAD. BASED ON SOIL SAMPLING, THE LOT HAS VERY HIGH LEAD LEVELS. FIVE RESIDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED AS AMBASSADORS TO CHAMPION THE PROJECT IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH FOUR EDUCATION SESSIONS RESIDENTS WILL BE TAUGHT HOW TO REDUCE THEIR EXPOSURE, HELP BUILD A LEAD ABATEMENT APPARATUS AND LEARN OTHER LOW-COST LEAD ABATEMENT STRATEGIES BY APPLYING SOIL AMENDMENTS AND PLANTINGS ACROSS THE ENTIRE VACANT LOT.