By Navya Pandit
The College Park City Council voted to purchase a vacant property and develop it for educational and recreational purposes on Feb. 24.
The property, located at 9315 Davidson St., will cost the city $230,000 and give University of Maryland students a space to gain experiential learning opportunities in environmental studies, wildlife biology, ecology and other STEM fields.
“It may not help the average College Park resident, but it will definitely benefit the UMD environmental science majors,” said Fatmatta M’Bai, a freshman bioengineering major.
“It’s important they have a space dedicated to their studies, as many other schools and majors have spots dedicated to their field of study, so I think it’s good.”
The city also plans to use the green space for recreation through walkways, nature observation and environmental education programs. In doing so, they will make the space more accessible to the public and utilize its full potential.
“While UMD does a pretty good job of having green spaces, I definitely feel like it could benefit from a few more green spaces,” said Brynn Currier, a junior environmental science and public policy major and student program assistant for Terp to Terp, an on-campus reuse store.
“It could help with the urban island heat effect, especially in the summertime, because there is a lot of pavement.”
However, Currier also noted that “while a green space would definitely be very beneficial, I feel like maybe there could be more functional things that you could do with it, like more [parking spaces].”
The space also promises to be environmentally beneficial, helping to eliminate invasive species, increase native trees and include educational signs about plants. It also promises to help reduce air and noise pollution and hopes that its surrounding greenery will promote greater mental well-being for residents.
“Everyone likes being outdoors. It’s good for endangered species and the general environment. I think it’s also good to just get some clean air,” said Alyssa Courtney, a freshman psychology and public health major.
Furthermore, the urban forest will help address a longstanding concern for College Park residents: stormwater runoff, by helping trees reduce the volume and speed of runoff, which tends to damage drainage systems.
A majority of the project’s funding will come from Program Open Space, a grant program administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and some from the city’s general fund.
While the city continues to develop a proper timeline and plan to carry out this initiative, for many, it promises to be an educational and environmentally conscious space, helping to revitalize what was once deserted.
Featured Image: The College Park City Hall on March 4. Photo by Paige Trendell.