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Encouraging Exploration

November 6, 2017

Awbury Arboretum

By Aliyah Abraham

Arboretum Intern

I arrived at the​ ​Awbury​ ​Arboretum in​ ​September​ ​2016​ ​to​ ​begin​ ​work​ ​as​ ​marketing​ ​intern​.​ ​I lacked​ ​experience​ ​with​ ​both​ ​nature​ ​and​ ​horticulture; as​ ​someone​ ​who was​ ​raised​ ​in​ ​Philadelphia​, ​I​ ​spent​ ​a​ ​large​ ​amount​ ​my​ ​time​ ​on​ ​concrete​ ​sidewalks​ ​and​ ​asphalt roads.​ ​During​ ​my​ ​childhood​ ​I​ ​would​ ​drive​ ​past​ ​Awbury​ ​en​ ​route​ ​to​ ​basketball​ ​games​ ​at​ ​Mallory Recreation​ ​Center,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​never​ ​explored​ ​Awbury.

On my ​first day,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​taken​ ​aback​ ​when​ ​I​ ​realized​ ​that​ ​this​ ​oasis​ ​existed.​ To​ ​say​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was genuinely​ ​surprised​ ​would​ ​be​ ​an​ ​understatement.​ ​I​ ​could​ ​not​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​Philadelphia​ ​has​ ​this large​ ​space which so​ ​many​ ​residents​ ​were​ ​unaware​ ​of.​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​word​ ​out,​ ​to​ ​get people​ ​to​ ​come​ ​to​ ​Awbury​ ​and​ ​see​ ​the​ ​great​ ​things​ ​that​ ​the​ ​arboretum​ ​offers.​ ​In​ ​my​ first ​few​ ​months there, every day​ ​that​ ​I​ ​came​ ​to​ ​work​ ​I​ ​would​ ​see​ ​something​ ​different.​ ​Whether​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a​ ​homeschool class​ ​participating​ ​in​ ​an​ ​activity​ ​outside,​ ​a​ ​new​ ​artist​ ​gallery​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Cope​ ​House,​ ​or​ ​exploring​ ​a new​ ​part​ ​of​ ​Awbury, ​there​ ​was​ ​always​ ​something​ ​new.

I​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​my​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​knowledge​ ​with​ ​horticulture ​has​ ​indirectly​ ​benefited​ ​Awbury​ ​and​ ​has brought​ ​in​ ​a​ ​new​ ​audience,​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​our​ ​long​-​time​ ​supporters.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​now​ ​getting​ ​people to​ ​come​ ​and​ ​explore,​ ​sometimes​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time.​ ​

Philadelphia​ ​has​ ​so​ ​many​ ​outdoor​ ​spaces, and​ ​sometimes​ ​these​ ​are​ ​not​ ​utilized​ ​simply​ because​ ​the​ ​public​ ​is unaware of them.​ ​Overall,​ ​in​ ​America​ ​we​ ​are​ ​moving​ ​away​ ​from​ ​the​ ​era​ ​of​ ​children​ ​sitting​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of ​televisions towards one in which kids are​ ​more​ ​active​ ​outside,​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​nature.​ ​Here​ ​at​ ​Awbury​ ​we​ ​have​ ​made​ ​it​ ​a mission​ ​to​ ​educate​ ​people​ ​that​ the arboretum is an inviting space, a space​ ​for​ ​people​ ​to​ ​come​ ​and explore. ​I​ ​am​ ​definitely​ ​glad​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a part​ ​of​ ​that.

Project Type: Conservation, Recreation | Region: Southeast

Project Overview

Keystone Investment: $1.15 million
Local Funds Leveraged: $1.7 million
Project Leader: Natural Lands Trust
County: Philadelphia

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This site was developed by WeConservePA in partnership with the Pennsylvania Recreation
and Park Society
and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (Environmental Stewardship Fund).

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