OUR PHILOSOPHY

farm Preservation & Agricultural Knowledge

There is little agricultural land left in eastern Howard County, especially in Columbia. Preserving this six-acre organic farm is a worthwhile endeavor in its own right! Our commitment is:

• Offering space for community non-profit organizations to have community gardens for the populations they serve
• Growing produce to be donated to the food bank and to be sold through Community Supported Agriculture
• Offering courses for students, adults, and professional groups related to organic food production and best practices in small-scale sustainable agriculture

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Environmental Sustainability & Climate action

Howard County is the first county in the nation to formally accept the United States Climate Alliance's Natural and Working Lands Challenge, which calls on jurisdictions to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration. The Community Ecology Center will be uniquely positioned to help area residents explore how they can be part of the solution.

We demonstrate and offer educational programming related to:

• Conservation landscapes such as rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and food forests
• Reducing waste through "refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle" approaches, including composting and a "repair café"
• Energy and water efficiency, including rain barrels, energy efficient construction, renewable energy
• Sequestering carbon in the soil and through planting of native trees

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Roots & Wings

Columbia Families in Nature

Nature-Based Experiential Education 

The Community Ecology Institute's mission centers around helping people develop strong connections with the natural environment because research shows how important such experiences are for people's well-being, the generation of knowledge that makes a difference, and the cultivation of a life-long environmental ethic. Our award-winning Columbia Families in Nature program will take root on the farm as will our Roots & Wings Learning Community. We will also develop robust and meaningful programming for local public school students with the ultimate goal to have every student in the county visit the farm every year.

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