Summer Programs Support Youth Service-Learning in Brockton

Green Team 2023 at D.W. Field Park in Brockton. Photo by Jerry Monkman/EcoPhotography.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

In 2019, Wildlands Trust formalized our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with a statement: 

Wildlands Trust is committed to protecting land and providing access to nature for the people of our region, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We will approach our work with complete respect for the cultures and perspectives of the communities we serve as we endeavor to connect and inspire all people to care about the natural world and the future of our planet.  

We started this work long before 2019. As our service region has expanded, so too have our efforts to live out our DEI values. In the city of Brockton, Wildlands’ quest to connect more people with the benefits of nature dates back to 2011, when we acquired Brockton Audubon Preserve. One of 26 Gateway Cities in Massachusetts facing “stubborn social and economic challenges,” Brockton is one of the largest Environmental Justice communities in the state based on race, income, and language. After decades of development pressures superseding open space needs, land protection alone can no longer restore environmental justice in Brockton. Additionally, community outreach and education must help rebuild the city's connection with nature. 

Wildlands continues that effort this summer with two paid service-learning programs for Brockton-area high school students, one old and one new. Both programs are intentionally designed to empower all Brockton-area youth to explore and advance their careers in the environmental field. 

“Brockton has long been overlooked and underserved by conservation organizations and agencies,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. “Giving youth opportunities to learn about conservation, make a local impact, build their résumés, and earn a fair wage for their work is only the beginning of our obligation to Environmental Justice communities across our region.” 

Green Team 2023 at D.W. Field Park in Brockton. Photo by Jerry Monkman/EcoPhotography.

Green Team continues for its third summer in Brockton and eighth summer overall. Over eight five-hour days in July and August, crewmembers will work to improve D.W. Field Park, the largest and most beloved open space in Brockton and Avon. Co-led by Manomet, Green Team is funded by the D.W. Field Park Initiative, Wildlands’ collaborative effort to revitalize the urban park for people and planet. 

New this summer is Climate Crew, an opportunity for Brockton-area teens to build environmental education into the local school curriculum. Over six workdays, Climate Crew members will help plan and construct an outdoor classroom at Hancock Elementary School, enabling younger students to explore nature and learn about climate resiliency. The program, funded by the LSP Association, supports Brockton Kids Lead the Way, a NOAA-funded initiative by Manomet and Wildlands to foster city students’ connection to nature.

“We’re excited to bring Green Team back to D.W. Field Park and kick off Climate Crew,” said Programming Coordinator Max Phelps. “Green Team is a great way for the Brockton community to make immediate improvements to the park during the longer-term D.W. Field Park Initiative. And through Climate Crew, teens will give back to younger generations by creating a designated space for kids to learn outdoors.”

Green Team 2023 helped build the outdoor classroom at the Manthala George, Jr. Global Studies School as part of Brockton Kids Lead the Way.

Program participants receive a stipend of $70 per workday. Crewmembers are encouraged to attend a camp-out at Wildlands' Stewardship Training Center in Plymouth on July 26, with transportation provided. 

To apply, visit wildlandstrust.org/brockton-summer. For questions, contact Programming Coordinator Max Phelps at mphelps@wildlandstrust.org. 

Improving Walkability at D.W. Field Park

By Maddie Luongo

Maddie Luongo is a senior at Wheaton College. This summer, she served as an intern with Wildlands Trust, assisting Green Team Brockton with various stewardship projects and organizing our 50th anniversary raffles. 

Green Team crewmembers with Iolando Spinola (center) of WalkMassachusetts.

On August 15, members of the 2023 Green Team participated in a walking audit of D.W. Field Park in Brockton. A walking audit is an assessment of the accessibility and walkability of an outdoor space, and for somewhere with as much foot traffic as D.W. Field Park, it is an integral step in the restoration planning process. 

The audit was conducted by Iolando Spinola of WalkMassachusetts, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make walking safer and easier for people in all types of outdoor spaces. Having grown up in Brockton, Spinola was personally familiar with D.W. Field Park and its amenities. Spinola instructed the Green Team by assigning crewmembers specific tasks, such as assessing the condition of the roads and walkways, counting benches, and evaluating park signage. Despite the rainy day, the Green Team was attentive to their tasks, photographing potential problem areas in the park and discussing their findings with each other. 

Iolando Spinola of WalkMassachusetts leads the Green Team in a walking audit of D.W. Field Park.

One of the keys to a successful walk audit is the people conducting it. As residents of Brockton, the Green Team was familiar with the area and, through this paid summer service-learning program, had already worked on other projects in D.W. Field Park. The walk audit gave the kids an opportunity to view the park through a new and more inclusive lens, attuning them to some of the park’s finer details. This skill can serve crewmembers well in many of their future endeavors. 

Spinola spoke highly of the walk audit as a whole, but also of the Green Team members specifically. “I thought the walking audit was a great way to get a sense of the accessibility and overall walkability of D.W. Field Park,” he said. “The park has a lot to offer, but there are also some areas that could be improved. For example, the sidewalks are uneven in some places, the entrance of the park could be redesigned to ensure pedestrians are safe, and there could be more wayfinding signs to improve the user experience of the paths and park. The park also lacks some basic amenities, such as accessible restrooms, drinking fountains, and bike racks. I loved that the Green Team youth group was working to improve the park throughout the summer and took part in our walk audit. They are super inspiring and had great insights on how to improve the park.” 

As part of the walking audit, Green Team members measured vehicle speed along a roadway in D.W. Field Park.

When pursuing sustainable development, accessibility is crucial to consider. Accessibility and sustainability are intertwined in important ways that few people consider unless they directly apply to them. “Accessibility is important to sustainable development because it ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities and background, can participate fully in society and in our public spaces,” Spinola said. “When people are able to access the same opportunities, services, and resources, it creates a more equitable and inclusive society. Our public spaces are richer and more enjoyable when we can all fully live and utilize them. Sustainable development is about creating a better future for everyone, and accessibility is about ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities to participate in that future. When we design our communities and infrastructure with accessibility in mind, we make them more sustainable for everyone.” 

The D.W. Field Park Initiative is working to create these equal opportunities in Brockton, so that all residents of Brockton can easily access the amenities of D.W. Field Park. It takes projects such as those the Green Team worked on this summer to bring these ideas to fruition, and it is vital that young Brockton residents lend their voices and visions to this effort.  

Green Team members walk down a damp path at D.W. Field Park.

On a personal note, watching Green Team members participate in the improvement of their city was deeply motivating. It even inspired me to conduct similar projects on my college campus. I am incredibly grateful to these dedicated youth for their hard work, and I can’t wait to see how future Green Team projects advance the sustainable mindset in D.W. Field Park and beyond. 

Thank you to Maddie for her many contributions to Wildlands this summer. To learn more about the D.W. Field Park Initiative, visit wildlandstrust.org/dwfieldpark. To learn more about Green Team, visit wildlandstrust.org/green-team. 

Brockton High School Competes at Massachusetts Envirothon

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Brockton High School Envirothon team at the 2023 Massachusetts Envirothon.

On Thursday, May 25, nine Brockton High School students put their natural resources knowledge to the (hands-on, collaborative) test at the 2023 Massachusetts Envirothon. Congratulations to all the students for making their Brockton and Wildlands Trust communities proud! 

Twenty-five teams representing 18 high schools across the state converged on Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge for this year’s competition. Each team was tested in five environmental areas: Forest, Wildlife, Water, Soil, and Current Issue. This year’s current issue, Climate Change in our Community, called on each team to present about the climate stressors facing their own neighborhoods, and potential ways to reduce and adapt to them. Across two teams, the Brockton students proposed interdisciplinary solutions to rival the multifaceted climate impacts in their city. One team highlighted the potential for green roofs to address flooding risk, food insecurity, and even human conflicts with Canada Geese. The other focused on improving the gateway city’s access to local, sustainably sourced food.  

Brockton High School students present about local climate impacts and solutions at the Envirothon.

Prior to the day’s events, two key figures in the Massachusetts natural resources sector addressed the students in attendance. “You are the next generation of leaders in our community,” said Brian Arrigo, commissioner of the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation. Rebecca Tepper, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, added, “The one thing you can do [about climate change] is work in this field.” 

Wildlands Trust has coached and sponsored the Brockton High School Envirothon team since 2015. Rachel Bruce, Wildlands’ Director of Special Projects, coaches the team alongside Brockton High School biology teacher Melissa Kelly and Manomet education manager Clare Cunningham.  

Wildlands was particularly well represented at this year’s competition, as our president, Karen Grey, also served as a judge! 

Congratulations again to the Brockton High School students on an impressive showing, including a fifth-place finish in Forestry! Additional kudos to the graduating seniors, who can now proudly say they measured water quality, estimated tree height, tested soil in a five-foot hole, and identified insect species—all on the day of their senior prom! 

To learn more about Wildlands Trust’s Brockton High School Envirothon initiative, visit wildlandstrust.org/envirothon. 

Click through the slideshow below to see more photos from the 2023 competition.

D.W. Field Park Survey Closing Soon

The D.W. Field Park community survey will close at the end of February. If you visit the park or live in Brockton, Avon, or the surrounding area, please take 5 – 10 minutes to complete our survey!  

Patrick Quinn, Presidents of the D.W. Field Park Association nonprofit, assists Wildlands in promoting the community survey to park users.

Wildlands Trust is leading the D.W. Field Park Initiative to revitalize the park for people and planet. In close partnership with the City of Brockton Department of Parks and Recreation, we are bringing experts and community members together to create a master plan that will address ecology, infrastructure, recreation, and education throughout this 700-acre city park.  

The results from this community survey will be used to better understand current park usage and inform development of improvement projects. Project partners will use this data and other public input gathered throughout the process to create a master plan that reflects the wants and needs of the community this park serves. The survey is being conducted by the Old Colony Planning Council on behalf of Wildlands Trust and can be taken in five languages. All responses are completely confidential.  

Learn more and sign up for targeted emails about the D.W. Field Park Initiative: