2014 Love Your Block
On Saturday, October 18, volunteers for Baton Rouge Green expanded the urban orchard and public green space originally planted last spring in North Baton Rouge. The orchard is on the site of the old Hollywood Elementary School, now a new neighborhood called Urban Gardens that has been developed by UREC (Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation), at 5655 Breckenridge Avenue.
Water Tupelo, Bald Cypress, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Little Gem Magnolia, Dahoon Holly, native hibiscus, apple, peach and pear trees will be added to the mix as well as blackberry, blueberry and native mulberry bushes. Over 25 trees were added at this years Neighborwoods event with volunteers from the community as well as from the neighborhood.
The objective was to encourage residents to make use of the diverse fresh produce offered at this orchard. The lack of easy access to grocery stress that offer fresh produce, contributes to obesity and diabetes as people opt for fast foods and pre-packaged snacks that are easy to locate. Through this project, we hope to encourage neighborhoods to begin planting fruit trees and shrubs that provide healthy snacks for the community.