Birds Bring Economic Vitality to Cities, New Study Finds

Many Oregon Hill residents love having birds in the neighborhood and recognize how lucky we are that we get a lot bird traffic due to nearby James River Park and Hollywood Cemetery, which serve as havens for wildlife and important stops for bird migrations.

A new study published last month in the journal Urban Ecosystems tries to determine what economic value residents in two comparable cities place on having birds in their backyards and parks.

From an article on the study:

“This paper shows that our interactions with birds actually have a pretty high economic return to the community where you live,” said John Marzluff, a University of Washington professor of environmental and forest sciences and the paper’s co-author. “We know that having a livable, green community that attracts birds also increases the value of homes in that area. This paper shows there’s an economic service birds are providing.”

It’s something to consider as development pressures and increased riverfront activity come to bear. There is a lot at stake.

Renegade Market Tomorrow

From Byrd House Market’s blog:

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2015 is shaping up to be a great market season

WELCOME TO OUR NEW AND RETURNING VENDORS, MUSICIANS, NONPROFITS, STORYTELLERS, FRIENDS, SHOPPERS AND VOLUNTEERS!
I am looking forward to the bounties of spring like everyone else. Eggs with clear whites and golden yolks, Asparagus tender and tall, Salad greens and sprouts tossed with the lightest of vinaigrettes, Strawberries and herbs, flowers and soft yet hearty warm breads, mushrooms bursting with savory good tones sauteed in whole butter or olive oil with chopped garlic, a dash of salt and sprinkled with chives… and make one more stew, a big one-pot treasure of the farmer’s best crops and high quality meat or poultry that feeds four for 3 meals. It is all about the food, isn’t it.

MAY 5 = OPENING DAY!

AND EVERY RENEGADE MARKET DAY TIL THEN IS THE BEST KIND OF PREVIEW!

Please Don’t Forget, Vendor Applicants!!
Please accept this quick, firm reminder that your application is not complete unless the Application Fee has been received. Make your check payable to “WBCH” then Mail or Deliver it to

WBCH
224 S. Cherry St.
Richmond, VA 23220
ATTN: BHM App

“the ‘Real World,’ only with a twist,”

The Times Dispatch has a story on the Grace-on-the-Hill program at St. Andrew’s Church, entitled “College graduates join to enrich outreach in Episcopal mission effort”.

Excerpt:

The “Grace” in Grace-on-the-Hill is part tribute to Arents. But it’s also part tribute to “grace,” as in the work of God.
While the church is now more a destination than a neighborhood hub — most Sundays, the pews are filled with people who had to drive in — Bailey said St. Andrew’s still has an obligation to lift up its community, both immediate in Oregon Hill and spread across Richmond.
It also has an obligation to lift up the people who come to help.
That’s where Fado and the five others come in. For 10 months, stretching across a traditional school year, they call Oregon Hill home but spread out in the day to help the community.
Fado and James Post work at Anna Julia Cooper, an Episcopal school across the street from public housing in the East End.
Patrick Keyser walks a few doors down the street and works in the St. Andrew’s office.
Kate McPherson works at St. Andrew’s School, next to the church and still loosely affiliated with it.
Melissa Eadie works in the mission office at the diocesan office on West Franklin Street.
And Stephanie McCullough works at the Blue Sky Fund, which provides outdoor programs to children from the city.
The six also work in the church, perform community service in Oregon Hill and, one day a week, operate a laundry ministry for the homeless.
“It’s been a good experience so far,” said Keyser, a 22-year-old from the town of Burgess, on the Northern Neck. “It hasn’t been perfect, but what is?”
“I’d say it’s been real meaningful, being able to really dig in and make an impact,” McCullough said. “That none of us is from here, and that we may all go somewhere else later in our lives, I don’t think that matters. In this moment, this is right.”

To learn more on the Grace-on-the-Hill program, click here.

WRIC Story On St. Andrew’s Farm to School Program

WRIC recently featured a story on St. Andrew’s School’s Farm To School program.

Excerpt:

What will happen if students eat only fresh, local foods in school? Will their grades improve? Will absences go down? It is a study going on at Richmond’s St. Andrew’s School, and the kids are eating it up!

There is excitement in the lunch line. Today’s menu is another great one: burgers made with beef and beet, plus plenty of produce.

“I like how at the salad bar we can have eggs and cucumbers and sometimes tomatoes,” says fifth grade student Joshua Bush.

This program is built on a partnership with a purpose. Chefs from Edible Education cook and serve up fresh food brought in by Field of Dreams Farm. About 90% is grown nearby. At the beginning of the year, nurses checked each student’s weight, height and general health. Now they are following them to see how this fresh food is fuel for the classroom.

“When you’re eating healthy, you’re able to pay attention, stay focused,” says Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter, the St. Andrew’s Head of School.

Neighbor Creates ‘Sanctuary’ to Help Formerly Incarcerated Citizens

Congratulations to Pine Street neighbor Liz Canfield!

She is featured on this WTVR report: VCU professor creates ‘Sanctuary’ to help formerly incarcerated residents ease back into society

Excerpts:

Virginia Commonwealth University and the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office have teamed up to provide formerly incarcerated Richmond-area residents and their families a place to learn, create, and transition back into society. Sanctuary, which opened March 30 at 101 W. Broad Street, will provide GED tutoring, job preparation and resources, resume building, and creative expression through art for members re-entering the community.

Sanctuary co-founder Dr. Liz Canfield is an assistant professor at VCU in the College of Humanities and Sciences’ Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies.

“We wanted to build a safe place on the outside where people can go when they got out,” she explained.

Sanctuary is an extension of Open-Minds, a program Canfield co-directs with VCU English professor Dr. David Coogan. Open-Minds provides dual enrollment classes for VCU students and incarcerated people at the Richmond City Jail.

OHNA Letter

Earlier this month, the following letter was sent to VCU, City, State officials, as well as the media in response to an earlier real estate transaction:

Dear Dr. Rao,

The members of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) were concerned to hear that in November 2014, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) acquired a property at 9 West Cary Street, outside of VCU’s Master Plan boundary. In response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Act, VCU confirmed that the property at 9 West Cary Street is not within VCU’s Master Plan boundary and that VCU did not inform its neighbors that it was purchasing property outside of its Master Plan boundary.

While this property at 9 West Cary Street is not within the Oregon Hill Historic District, we object to the University acquiring property outside of its Master Plan boundary. This land acquisition is counter to the Management Agreement between VCU and the Commonwealth of Virginia that states that capital projects must be “consistent with the University’s published Master Plan.” The fact that VCU chooses to disregard its own Master Plan alarms the surrounding communities.

OHNA voted at its February 24, 2015 meeting to formally request that VCU adhere to its Master Plan boundary when acquiring property in the future. We would also remind you of the promise made by former VCU President Eugene Trani that the University will not expand south of Cary Street into the Oregon Hill Historic District.

VCU’s neighbors rely on the commitment made by the University to adhere to its Master Plan boundary when purchasing property. This assurance is essential for removing speculation and inspiring a sense of trust between VCU and its neighbors.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hancock
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
President

Inaugural Support Virginia Green Tourism Oyster Roast & Festival

From the VGTA website:

Join the Virginia Green Travel Alliance (VGTA) on March 28th at Historic Tredegar for its inaugural Support Virginia Green Tourism Oyster Roast & Festival! The event features sustainably-harvested Virginia oysters, non-oyster dishes, and Virginia wines and brews – all from VIRGINIA GREEN Restaurants, Wineries and Breweries.

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VCU Shares Photo Collection On Flickr

An excerpt from today’s press release:

RICHMOND, Va. (March 25, 2015) — VCU Libraries has been named as the 100th institution to take part in Flickr’s The Commons, an online project that seeks to share hidden treasures from the world’s public photography archives.

As part of The Commons, VCU Libraries’ digital special and archival image collections that have no known copyright restrictions will be discoverable through the photo-sharing website Flickr, as well as through search tools that pull public domain images without known copyright restrictions for use and reuse.

“It’s significant,” said Lauren Work, digital collections librarian. “VCU Libraries will be joining an international group of institutions with the goal to increase public access to image collections that have no known copyright restrictions, which connects directly to our educational mission.”

Joining The Commons will greatly increase the discoverability and potential use of VCU Libraries’ image collections. It will also allow the public to share their knowledge of the images, potentially enriching the collections with comments and tags.

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