Near West Side Partners will be hosting its first Near West Side Arbor Fest at the Potawatomi Wgema Campus (3215 W. State St.) on Saturday, June 4, at 11 a.m. Arbor Fest is an opportunity for community members to connect and learn about sustainability with free native plants, gardening workshops, resources, food and music. This is an inclusive and family-friendly event.
Arbor Fest is a direct initiative of the Green and Renewing Near West Side project. In the summer of 2021, Near West Side Partners hosted a three-day Appreciative Inquiry Summit to explore action for a brighter future for the Near West Side. The Green and Renewing Near West Side pursuit is one of five resulting projects of the summit. This endeavor aims to address and measure environmental impact while integrating native plant species to promote safety and wellbeing. One goal of the Green and Renewing Near West Side project includes establishing pride and responsibility among businesses, landlords and residents.
Marquette, located in the Avenues West neighborhood of Milwaukee’s Near West Side, is one of five anchor institutions that founded Near West Side Partners, Inc., a non-profit organization. Near West Side Partners strives to make the Near West Side neighborhood a safe and vibrant place to work, live, play and stay.
Arbor Fest is supported by several partners. Members of the Girl Scouts of America will be in attendance to share information about the organization’s mission to plant five million trees as well as members of the Urban Ecology Center to share their knowledge of sustainable landscaping. David J. Frank has supported the event with four species of native plants that will be given away. Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful has additionally donated 50 red oak trees.
Join members of the community to network, learn and promote a sustainable Near West Side.