If you frequent Downtown Lawrence and East Lawrence, you may notice some buzzing chainsaws this week. We know that sound can be a bit alarming, especially for us "treehuggers!" We've got good news to share...
We’re beyond thrilled to announce to the community that, in partnership with Midco (
@midcogobeyond ), Native Lands Restoration Collaborative will be leading the construction of a new all-native park at 7th & New Hampshire in Downtown Lawrence! We’re deeply grateful for Midco’s trust and shared belief in the importance of human relationships with native ecosystems.
Over the next several months, traveling through this busy downtown intersection will treat you to a rare sight — the transition of a parking lot to a healthy ecosystem. All of the partners on the project will be local organizations and artisans! We'll be collaborating with Lawrence Arborists (
@lawrence_arborists ) and SpyderArt Constructors (
@spyderart_constructs ) to remove the non-native trees and asphalt over the next few weeks!
Thoughtfully designed in collaboration with Sur Landscape Architecture (
@surlandscapearchitecture ), the park will include an ADA-accessible native flagstone path installed by beloved local stonemason Karl Ramberg (
@karl_ramberg ), delightful surprises from stone carver Laura Ramberg (
@laurarambergart ), ephemeral prairie trails, a community gathering space, and rain garden filtration. With educational labeling throughout, this space will invite learning, nourishment, play, rest, and reflection along the Lawrence Loop. Stay tuned for a ribbon-cutting this fall and upcoming opportunities to help steward this space together!
Our gratitude to the Lawrence Arborist team for kicking the project off today! They're removing the non-native trees from the site and doing what they can to honor the individuals removed. Some of the mulch will be delivered to Native Lands headquarters to help us produce more native plants! And we'll collaborate to use some of the wood in the park 💚
#NativeParks
#PrairiePower
#CommunityStrength