Planting Community and Habitat

The Lower Shore Land Trust’s Yards for Creation initiative continues to grow literally through vibrant meadow and tree plantings that bring beauty, habitat, and connection to our communities. Two recent projects, one at Park Seventh-day Adventist Church in Salisbury and another at The Delmarva Free School, highlight the deep impact that native landscapes can have when paired with community care.

Park 7th Day Adventist Church Meadow. PC: Brooke Orr

At Park Seventh-day Adventist Church, the meadow has quickly become a source of pride and joy. On December 8, 2024, about 30 volunteers and church members gathered alongside LSLT staff to plant trees and establish a pollinator meadow. Since then, Pastor Greg shared the congregations' results:

"We have enjoyed watching the pollinator meadow explode with colorful blossoms. Many members and folks from the community who drive on Highway 50 East often comment on how it has beautified our property. No doubt, the bees and butterflies that have been attracted have also benefitted our adjacent vegetable garden. "

The experience also provided hands-on learning for the church’s Pathfinder Club, a youth program similar to Scouts. With support from LSLT’s Beth Sheppard and Brooke Orr, the young people learned how to plant trees and understand their ecological value. Pastor Greg emphasized that from the very beginning, the collaboration has been a joy for the congregation and the wider community.

At The Delmarva Free School, the new meadow and native tree installation carry profound meaning for its recovery community. On September 6th, the school hosted an event in the heart of their meadow, which founder Kelly McMullen described as a moment of deep symbolism:

Beth Sheppard, Princess Eleanor, Kelly McMullen, and Brooke Orr holding recently received signage for The Delmarva Free School. PC: Frank Deuter

"Our meadow and native tree installation are more than a habitat restoration project-they've become living symbols of renewal, resilience, and connection within our recovery community, and increasingly, for folks in the larger community. ... It reminds us that growth is not fast or flashy. It can be dirty, takes root slowly, requires care, and flourishes best when supported by a community that believes in the possibility of transformation."

Together, these meadows embody the groundwork of Yards for Creation: to transform lawns and open spaces into thriving habitats that support pollinators, wildlife, and people. Whether it’s a congregation watching wildflowers bloom or a recovery community finding strength among nature, these projects show that conservation is as much about people as it is about the land.

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