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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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