Greater Newark Conservancy - Our Accomplishments

Our Urban Accomplishments

The Greater Newark Conservancy has been an environmental nonprofit organization ahead of its time since its inception. While mainstream environmental organizations defined the movement by saving our remaining open spaces, ancient forests and endangered species, the Greater Newark Conservancy was working to save the environment in Newark. At the time, many asked what could possible be left of the environment in Newark that could be worth saving? The Greater Newark Conservancy realized,however, that humanity's future lay in educating and empowering our urban disadvantaged and in saving our cities.

The Greater Newark Conservancy started with a small job-training program. In the summer of 1987, thirty youths were recruited to do some carpentry projects and landscape work in Newark's Founders' Park and City Hall. Shortly thereafter, the Conservancy began its Community Greening Program when it helped with its community garden and sidewalk barrel plantings. One year later we launched an education program when we developed our Living Laboratory, a program that helps schools develop their own gardens. We also trained teachers to use the program to meet a myriad of curricula. When we observed the excitement of both children and teachers as they learned new things in new ways, we knew we were making a difference and we wanted to do more.

The Greater Newark Community Looks To The Conservancy for More Programs and Services:

Since 1987, the Greater Newark Conservancy's programs have grown by ? 1987, we worked with 30 students. In 1999, our staff taught 5,000 students and trained 324 teachers which, in turn, reached an additional 25,000 children. Now citizens, public officials and parents call the Conservancy asking for more programs for the schools; more programs for their children; after-school programs; more teacher training programs, more job training programs, greater leadership training in environmental justice; greater community outreach that results in healthier communities; and more community gardening programs that results in greater production.

The need for the Conservancy has never been greater. Newark's educational, economic, and environmental conditions are among the nations most challenging: 37% of Newark's population lives below the poverty line with 13.7% being unemployed. Between 1996 and 1998, Newark saw a 33.3% increase in the identification of waste sites containing toxic substances from the Disease ? Statistics show that in 1997 64.8% of Newark's Eleventh Graders failed the ? proficiency tests. Newark has almost 4,000 vacant lots standing as eyesores and magnets for illegal activity. Recently, Newark was ranked as having the highest childhood lead poisoning. In 1998, New Jersey reported 2,071 cases of elevated lead blood levels in children. 64.5% of these were in Essex County with 31.7% in Newark alone.

However, Newark is in the midst of a Renaissance and the Greater Newark Conservancy s an intimate part of that movement. Across the expanse of the city we have turned 77 vacant lots green, working with over 1,000 families actively re-greening their communities. In more than 40 schools we have inspired children and teachers as they learn about their City in new and different ways. Children once turned off are turned on. Through our outreach initiatives, communities rally and speak out for environmental change, aggressively pursuing cleanups and fighting against ? open spaces and access to their treasured riverfront.

Despite our many accomplishments, much remains to be done. To respond to the needs of the community, the Greater Newark Conservancy has embarked upon an ambitious project . . . to build a green oasis for learning; an oasis where children learn about the natural environment, about their world ad beyond. It is called the Greater Newark Conservancy's Urban Environmental and Ecological Center.