Frostburg State University’s Grow it Local Greenhouse Project Recognized

On Feb. 5, Frostburg State University’s Grow it Local Greenhouse Project was acknowledged by Maryland’s Sustainable Growth Commission for its outstanding leadership, community planning, and conservation. During the second annual awards ceremony held by the Commission, FSU was one of eight awards recipients.

The FSU Grows team, with effort and hard work, is in the process of converting a strip mine into a greenhouse complex. This project is supported entirely by renewable resources. This means the plants are watered at large by rainwater collected through a solar-heat drip irrigation system. These systems have pumps that are powered by solar cells used out of recycled old highway signs, which were donated by the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Frostburg Grows is a partner of the Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council that aims at practicing sustainability for wildlife and preservation of the land around the Frostburg community.

FSU President Jonathan Gibralter is pleased with the program and delighted to say that this project is another way Frostburg is fulfilling its promise to provide students with more professional development opportunities.

In an article on FSU’s website, Gibralter remarked, “I’m proud of our University and our partner organizations for making progress on this important project, which is completely off the grid and is giving our students firsthand learning experiences to study restoration and participate in activities that support sustainability.”

In order to insure the community is aware of how to maintain green life, Frostburg Grows has provided workshops. In these workshops, the community can learn how to build and run tree nurseries along with high tunnel greenhouses.

In addition, the Frostburg Grows workshops provide local growers an insight on the best way to grow local fruits and vegetables in a greenhouse environment. This technique is then used to show growers how to extend their growing seasons and how to make a better profit off their land.

According to site manager of the project Nathan Bennett, the program’s success is a result of great team members.

“The level of adaptability and drive the members and volunteers have shown regarding trying to construct something literally out of nothing,” Bennett said. He emphasized how all the areas the team worked on were at some point in time landfills, abandoned parking lots, or coal mines.

During this project, Frostburg Grows hopes to accomplish many eco-friendly actions. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Potomac River basin flooding, and acid mine drainage. They would also like to re-establish natural forested habitat on strip-mined lands, create employment opportunities on site through a training facility, reduce food insecurity, provide local healthy food, and mainly serve as a model for Appalachia.

Main contributors to the project include Paul Kayzak, Maryland Department of Natural Resources representative and the founder of the program; Joseph Hoffman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at FSU; Dr. Dan Fiscus, FSU Sustainability liaison and FSU professor; Nathan Bennett, site manager; and Corey Armstrong, project coordinator. Additional contributors include Willie Lantz, University of Maryland; Louise Potter, AmeriCorps member; Alex Williams, former AmeriCorps member; and finally Craig Hartsock, president of Western Maryland Resource Conservation & Development Council.

Featured Image:  Frostburg Grows has required a wide partnership to succeed. Some key players are, from left, Willie Lantz, University of Maryland Extension; FSU student Nathan Bennett, site manager; Dr. Dan Fiscus, FSU Sustainability liaison; AmeriCorps member Louise Potter; project coordinator Corey Armstrong; Paul Kayzak, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the originator of the project; Craig Hartsock, president of Western Maryland Resource Conservation & Development Council; former AmeriCorps member Alex Williams; Dr. Joseph Hoffman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. (Frostburg State University)