What We've Done So Far...
Our small team is barely two years old, but already we have accomplished a number of things we and our city can be proud of. Below are the highlights. If these sound like worthy efforts to you and you feel you might like to help us do more, email us at portgreenteam@gmail.com. The more folks who join us, the more we can accomplish!
February 2022: Formed the Port Green Team and won approval for our organization from City Council on February 8, 2022.
June 2022: Applied for and won an Environmental Stewardship Grant from Atlantic City Electric through the Sustainable Communities Grant Program to increase local interest in native plants and to install a native plants garden in Bowen Park.
June 2022: Planted (and have continued to steward) a “Salem Oak” in Bowen Park, part of a New Jersey Forestry Project.
​
November 2022: Partnered with Egg Harbor City Green Team and helped run a paper-shredding event in EHC for citizens of both municipalities.
September 2022 and continuing: Selected the site for the Bowen Park Native Plant Garden, prepared the site, designed the plantings, purchased the plants with our grant money, installed, mulched, and caged the plants (against deer browse) – and have continued to maintain those shrubs, trees, and perennials.
October 2022: Formed the Port Green Team Creative Team.
​
Fall 2022 - Fall 2023: The Creative Team worked on the 2024 Port Republic Through the Year Calendar, soliciting and eventually drawing contributions for more than forty local photographers. Our Creative Team members designed its format, arranged and monitored its printing, and helped to sell it. (See December 2023 below).
January 2023: Launched our Port Green Team website on-line.
March 2023: Presented two films at Port School (and ran two evenings of follow-up discussions) for any interested local residents: “Nature’s Best Hope” and “Twelve Tenacious Invasives of the Galloway Township Area.”
April 2023: Partnered with Egg Harbor City’s Green Team on a Drug-Take- Back Event.
April 2023: Applied for and won a Sustainable Jersey Grant from the PSEG Foundation for Green Team Support and a Creative Mural Project.
April. 2023: Helped to organize and to run the 1st Annual Port Republic Earth Day Celebration.
April 2023- October 2023: Worked with Port School and local artist Kathy English and teacher Danielle Ricci to create the Community Mural Project on Bowen Park, eventually drawn and painted by forty 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students. The mural was officially unveiled to students, teachers, school staff, teachers, parents, grandparents, residents, and others on October 31, 2023.
December 2023: Sold out all copies of our first annual Port Green Team calendar, raising money for future Green Team initiatives.
January 2024: Helped initiate the new Mayors Wellness Campaign, with first walk on January 6, 2024.
January 2024: Earned a resolution of continuing approval from Port Republic City Council.
February 2024: Applied for Bronze Certification recognition from Sustainable Jersey for our team’s and our city’s sustainability efforts.
