Home » More About BBG » Pressroom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2009
CONTACT
Kate Blumm: 718-623-7241, kateblumm@bbg.org
The Greenest Blocks in Brooklyn Are in Lefferts Gardens and Boerum Hill!
Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 2008 Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest Winners Announced!
First-Time Winner in Residential Category
PHOTOS (left to right): The 2009 residential first place winner, Lincoln Road between Bedford and Rogers Avenues; the 2009 commercial first place winner, Atlantic Avenue between Bond and Nevins Streets. Photos courtesy BBG.
View List of All 2009 Winners
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK—AUGUST 5, 2009—The winning blocks for the 15th annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest were heralded today at a press conference on the first-place residential block: Lincoln Road between Bedford and Rogers Avenues. Also present were representatives of the winning commercial block: Atlantic Avenue (south side) between Bond and Nevins Streets. The annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest is a lively competition among thousands of borough residents committed to beautifying their neighborhoods and making Brooklyn greener.
The contest is managed by GreenBridge, the community environmental horticulture program of Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG), in cooperation with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. The Independence Community Foundation continues its historic sponsorship of the competition. BBG president Scot Medbury, Mr. Markowitz, and Independence Community Foundation executive director Marilyn Gelber were on hand to congratulate the winners in the residential and commercial categories.
Each year, residential and commercial blocks compete for the coveted Greenest Block in Brooklyn title. The contest encourages members of block associations and merchants' associations to work together to beautify their blocks with window boxes, container plantings, front gardens, storefront greenery, street tree beds, and other greening activities.
This year's winning residential block, Lincoln Road between Bedford and Rogers Avenues in Lefferts Gardens, has been selected not only for its gorgeous horticulture but also for its citizens' cooperation and conservation work. The block is very large, with approximately 80 homes, and achieved over 80 percent participation by residents. The block association formed a "green team" to help identify needs, organize gardening work, and most importantly, model good gardening practices at their own homes. According to Tolonda Tolbert, president of the block association, the example set by a few residents inspired others to inquire about greening their property and was supported by cooperative efforts like a seed exchange, neighbor-to-neighbor gifting of window boxes, and more. Many residents who have lived on the block for 30 or 40 years trained newer neighbors—like Ms. Tolbert—on good gardening practices, and they in turn recruited their children. This multigenerational effort has resulted in a beautiful, vibrant block for all to enjoy.
Lincoln Road also distinguished itself with its abundance of curbside gardens. These narrow gardens replace the pavement between the sidewalk and the street with colorful, rainwater-absorbing planted beds. It is an excellent model of environmental sustainability for other Brooklyn blocks dominated by concrete and asphalt.
BBG's GreenBridge offers programs and events year-round to encourage borough residents in greening efforts. Tapping into the growing interest in locally grown food and greener lifestyle, in early spring GreenBridge offers for sale salad and herb window-box kits, in addition to decorative-plant kits. GreenBridge also offers free street gardening clinics to block associations and neighborhood groups throughout the spring and fall. And every March, GreenBridge produces Making Brooklyn Bloom, a free daylong conference on urban gardening.
Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest Achievements
Since its inception in 1995, the Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest has encouraged greening activities in over 1,400 Brooklyn blocks, from Bay Ridge and Boerum Hill to East New York, Clinton Hill, and Crown Heights. Community involvement has grown exponentially over the past 15 years—from 50 blocks in the first year to over 250 blocks this year. An estimated 500,000 residents have participated in this borough-wide beautification and greening effort since 1995.
The Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest has helped revive block associations and inspired the creation of new organizations around common issues and interests. In many of the borough's neighborhoods, where participation in the contest continues to grow, this kind of community building plays a critical, unique role.
"How green is Brooklyn's garden? All the contestants in the Greenest Block contest—15 years and counting—prove that Brooklyn's gardens—and stoops, planters, window boxes, and tree beds—are the greenest! No matter whether your Brooklyn block wins, places, or shows, by sowing the seeds for neighborhood beautification, everyone's a winner!" said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "During this annual greenest thumb competition, that famous Brooklyn attitude really bears fruit, and fabulous flora, bucolic blocks, and a cleaner, greener environment are prizes everyone can enjoy. When Brooklynites take pride in growing green, all of Brooklyn thrives."
"Independence Community Foundation is particularly proud to be the founding sponsor of the Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest," said executive director Marilyn Gelber. "In this competition, the people of Brooklyn win. Not only are the contest's 260 residential blocks beautifully planted, they are also safe, cohesive, and friendly—in brief, great places to call home. It is wonderful for us to see that at age 15, this neighborly competition is more vibrant than ever."
"Through programs like the Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest, BBG's GreenBridge truly acts as the bridge between the diverse neighborhoods of Brooklyn and the expertise and knowledge of Brooklyn Botanic Garden," said Scot Medbury, president of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. "Each entrant—a block association, a community garden, an individual with a beautiful window box—testifies that borough residents can learn, from GreenBridge and from each other, the many ways we can ensure the stewardship of Brooklyn and beyond."
There is no cost to enter the contest. Blocks are judged based on a variety of criteria, including color and total visual effect, citizen participation, variety and suitability of plants, soil condition, use of mulch, street tree and tree bed care, and other good horticultural practices. A panel of more than 30 judges, which includes professional horticulturists from Brooklyn Botanic Garden and other NYC greening organizations, visit each entering block from mid-June throughout July—rain or shine.
First prize is a $300 check for each top residential and commercial block winner. All other finalists receive cash prizes ranging from $100 to $200. Best Window Box, Greenest Storefront, Best Street Tree Beds, and Best Community Garden Streetscape winners receive cash prizes or gardening tools, and all participants are awarded a recognition certificate. Contest participants attending the fall recognition ceremony also receive a gift bag of fall bulbs and a certificate of recognition for their participation.
For a full list of winners and more information about the contest, visit bbg.org/greenbridge.