The recently installed MLK Trail, Inez Williams Park, MLK Median and Miller Park community orchards were symbolically unveiled with the celebration of the new Palmetto Park orchard location, bringing the total Brunswick Community Orchards to twelve.
Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has secured grants and donations for a "patchwork of edible orchards" across the City of Brunswick. Citrus groves (oranges and grapefruits) are planted in heavily pedestrian traveled public spaces, and when mature, the resulting fruit is available for passersby to enjoy a healthy snack.
Community partner Coastal Greenery sources, secures, installs and fertilizes the citrus trees while City of Brunswick public works staff waters them. The five most recent orchards are made possible by a Georgia Tree Council ReLeaf grant and join previous installations at Howard Coffin Park walking track, Ringel Park, Abe Brown Park, Perry Park, Goodyear Park, David Griffin Park and Orange Park. Map links to all twelve orchard sites can be found at KGIB.ORG (click HERE) and the City of Brunswick’s website. Project partners for the latest five orchards include City of Brunswick, Georgia Tree Council, Coastal Greenery, Inc, Forward Brunswick and the Brunswick Downtown development Authority.
“Once again, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has made a tangible contribution to the quality of life in our community,” said Michele Seals, Forward Brunswick board member and chair of the Liberty Brunswick Project. “These five orchards are important components of the Liberty Brunswick Project, which will commemorate the economic and cultural impacts of the Liberty Shipyard in Brunswick during World War II. The value of Keep Golden Isles Beautiful’s partnership with Forward Brunswick on this project cannot be overstated. This truly is worthy of celebration.”
“KGIB is extremely grateful to the Georgia Tree Council and local community partners for these latest orchard installations,” echoed Keep Golden Isles Beautiful executive director Lea King-Badyna. “We are excited to watch the orchards grow and become nutritious offerings in the City of Brunswick.”
(Pictured L-R): Brunswick City Commissioner Julie Martin; Georgia Forestry Commission’s Robert Seamans Jr; Coastal Greenery’s Jamie Solis, Justin Hersey, Michael Stalvey; Keep Golden Isles Beautiful’s Jim Jacobs, Lea King-Badyna; Brunswick Downtown Development Authority’s Courtney Prince, Jennifer Krouse, Mathew Hill, Whitney Herndon, Lisa Jordan; Forward Brunswick’s Erin Granados.