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 March 16, 2010
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America in Bloom
Planting Pride in Your Community |
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Photo Credit
Westfield, New Jersey
2009 Participating Community, Special Mention for Floral Displays |
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America in Bloom Contest Participation Up
America in Bloom continues to spread across the United States, participation in this year's AIB contest has grown 12 percent over last year. While pleased with the increased number of cities participating, we are also excited to welcome eight first-time participants.
Cities will be evaluated this summer on their efforts in floral displays, landscaped areas, urban forestry, turf and groundcover areas, environmental awareness, tidiness, heritage preservation, and community involvement. Each city will receive a written report detailing the efforts made in each of the eight criteria and offer solutions for improved performance and enhanced beautification.
See what cities are participating. |
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Green Communities Act Introduced to U.S. Senate
The Green Communities Act creates a new program through the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. The program will encourage public-private partnership by contracting with 5 nationally recognized non-profit organizations that will provide technical assistance to 80 municipalities across the United States.
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Avatar - Not Just for Sci-Fi Geeks, Plant Geeks Enjoy Too!
The film "Avatar" takes viewers to a fictional moon, where the plants glow, shoot poison leaf tips, and communicate. None of this fits exactly with our definition of "plant," but one botanist has pieced together an ecological backstory for how plants may have evolved on this strange world.
"There's a balance of familiar and fanciful," says Jodie Holt, a plant physiologist from the University of California, Riverside and botany consultant for the flick. "I think if the organisms had been too bizarre, viewers would have dismissed them as unreal." Read more.
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Horticulture Industry Supports AIB Fundraisers
Many people inquire how America in Bloom receives its funding. Unfortunately, money doesn't fall from the sky or grow on trees. Funding comes from many sources: stewards, grants, sponsors, and other donations. Members of OFA - an Association of Horticulture Professionals, are actively involved in America in Bloom and use their annual event, the OFA Short Course, to promote and fundraise for AIB.
This year's fundraisers include a $5,000 cash prize raffle and an ice hockey game. Last year these events generated more than $35,000 in funding for America in Bloom.
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IMPACT!
By Marvin Miller, AIB President
Someone recently asked me about the impact America in Bloom really has when a city only participates in the contest one time. He further challenged me about impact, noting the 20-something total cities in the contest over each of the last few years.
I proceeded to challenge his thinking by relating the story of Warwick, New York, a city that participated in the very first year of AIB contest in 2002 but has not participated since. We contacted an AIB friend in Warwick to ask why. Here's what they had to say. |
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March is the Month of the Great American Cleanup
Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup takes place annually from March 1 through May 31 and involves an estimated 3 million volunteers. Last year these hardworking volunteers donated more than 5.2 million hours to clean, beautify, and improve more than 32,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond. Join a cleanup effort near you. |
| Connect with America in Bloom |
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Have a story to share? We would love to hear from you! Tell us about AIB activities in your
community, or let us know about a community you have visited that
should get involved with AIB. E-mail your story to Laura Kunkle, LKunkle@ofa.org.
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