PATHWAYS PROFILE
Community Ecology Institute... ...continued from page 34
environmental building that uses 66% less energy and 33% less water than a structure built only to current code. Having accessible, indoor classrooms, rest rooms, meeting areas, and offices for year-round use in all weather will be transformative for CEI’s work; getting to this point has been a significant effort and investment. We are cur - rently pursuing grants for a second phase of the project, which will functionally and aesthetically enhance the building’s connectivity with the rest of the farm and support the installation of renewable energy features that will meet CEI’s net zero energy goal for Freetown Farm. Our Latest Venture: Stewards for The Green Farmacy Gar- den At the beginning of 2022, CEI began receiving a flurry of emails and phone calls about the fact that the Maryland University of Integrated Health (MUIH) was selling the Green Farmacy Garden in Fulton. Peo - ple were concerned that this one-of-a-kind seed and plant sanctuary and ethnobotanical teaching garden might be lost to private owner- ship or land development. They wanted to know if CEI could “do a Freetown Farm’’ to protect the gardens and enhance their accessibility to the Howard County community and beyond. The Green Farmacy Garden (GFG) is a unique teaching garden based on the work of world-renowned ethnobotanist Dr. James A. Duke (1929–2017), who curated more than 300 plant species tradi - tionally used and/or researched for their medicinal properties. The four terraced garden beds are organized by the medicinal properties each of the plants contains, as described in Dr. Duke’s bestselling book, The Green Pharmacy (Rodale, 1997). The gorgeous six-acre property includes a residence, myriad rare plants, two streams, two ponds, a meadow, outdoor gathering and teaching areas, and a beau- tiful patch of established forest with walking trails — all home to boun- teous wildlife. The Duke family arranged for their property to be transferred to the MUIH when they passed, with an obligation to protect the gardens at least through August 2025. When MUIH put the property on the market in 2021, they were hoping for a non-profit buyer with an in - terest in protecting the Dukes’ legacy gardens for the long term. With incredibly generous financial support committed from both Howard County and the State of Maryland, CEI was able to purchase the GFG in December of 2022, doubling our land holdings with this acquisition just 5 miles southwest of CEI’s Freetown Farm location. Stewarding this property for social and ecological benefits is in full alignment with our mission to cultivate communities where people and nature thrive together. To paraphrase Dr. Duke, having access to a garden is a great way to accomplish five things useful for enhancing health: 1. exercise, 2. fresh air, 3. relaxation, 4. sunshine (not too much now) and 5. communion with nature. To ensure we fully honor the legacy of the Dukes and the history of the GFG, CEI has established an Advisory Council to help guide this transition. CEI turned seven at the start of 2023 and our journey thus far has been wild and wonderful. We are so proud of and grateful for the com- munity of which we are part and excited for how we will continue to grow and flourish together. If you are not familiar with CEI and our work, we invite you to get to know more about us at www.communi- tyecologyinstitute.org. Dr. Chiara D’Amore is the Founder and Executive Director of the Community Ecology Institute. She holds a PhD in Sustainability Ed - ucation and M.S. in Environmental Science and Engineering. She worked as an environmental consultant for over 15 years serving clients such as the United Nations, U.S. Environmental Protection
CEI is the new steward of the Green Farmacy Garden, the legacy of world-re- nowned ethnobotanist Dr. James A. Duke.
Agency and served as adjunct faculty teaching courses related to climate change, civic ecology, experiential education, and research design. As a mother, educator, community-builder, activist, artist, writer, and scholar, she is dedicated to helping people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds to lead happier, healthier, more connected and sustainable lives. www.chiaradamore.com
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PATHWAYS—Spring 23—39
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