links for 2009-03-09

"Our primary function is to build community," said Kelly Quirke, 50, the organization's executive director. "We're not just running around sticking trees in the ground."

Go to "work," then "competitions," then "Farmadelphia."

Sites that use Flash and don't provide direct links are so irritating.

"The pavilions were designed to be a “prosthesis” around which social activities, biological growth, and architectural edifice could grow. The pavilions would begin their life as nodes for activity within the new urban centres. Then, over time, as the surrounding context developed and grew, the pavilions would loose their character as node and instead become voids within the urban fabric. The structures will eventually be deconstructed and recycled."

"Urban forests are trees for people! They are dynamic ecosystems that provide environmental services such as clean air and water. Trees cool cities and save energy; improve air quality; strengthen quality of place and local economies; reduce storm water runoff; improve social connections; complement smart growth; and create walkable communities. Learn more about this critical resource and what the Forest Service is doing to protect it."

KEIKI (baby plants) is a community-oriented program combining aspects of urban gardening and digital technologies to spawn more intimate connections between communities and nature. This project involves electronically monitoring scattered keiki gardens and how well they are cared for by members of their local community. Real-time plant data is tracked with smart sensors and visualized in online and offline public spaces to provide an understanding on how nature and technology can inspire and sustain both small and large-scale community networks.