Happy new year!

Like many nonprofits, NeighborSpace operates on a fiscal year that runs July through June. This month, NeighborSpace staff and board members took stock of progress made in the past year and drafted a work plan for the coming year.

More details will be provided in NeighborSpace’s Annual Report, which will be mailed to members in September, but here is a sneak peek of the organization’s FY25 accomplishments and its plans for FY26. If you would like to receive the Annual Report but are not yet a member, you can donate here.

In FY25, NeighborSpace worked with National Park Service experts and a dedicated group of stakeholders to lay the foundation for a Strategic Conservation Plan. We will build on this work in FY26 by soliciting additional stakeholder input and drafting the final Plan. Although NeighborSpace didn’t add any new properties to its portfolio last year, there is one easement in the pipeline that we are currently working to protect together with Maryland Environmental Trust.

NeighborSpace completed a large and varied number of restoration and stewardship projects in the past year, including the installation of a large pollinator garden at Graystone Community Open Space, planting of more than 100 trees at multiple sites, the installation of an edible forest at Adelaide Bentley Park, professional and volunteer invasive removal in three riparian forest buffers, meadow restoration at Ridgely Manor Park, and of course the continued maintenance of all parks. We also hosted two sessions of our new Neighbors for Native Plants course, many educational and hands-on stewardship events, and put on NeighborSpace’s first live music series with partners! These initiatives will all be offered again in FY26.

During the legislative session, NeighborSpace increased its advocacy for land conservation funding and policy, engaging with both state and federal legislators. We will continue to speak up together with colleagues for a greener, cleaner future in urban Baltimore County and beyond.

NeighborSpace is effective because of its network of donors, volunteers, partners and supporters. Thank you – for telling your friends and family about NeighborSpace, for volunteering with us, for supporting us financially. I hope you share my excitement for what lies ahead and that you’ll join us for a program or project in FY26!