UMD Alum Hails Guilford Woods' "Vital Role" at Campus Rally

October 17, 2021

Maryland Sierra Club Chapter Coordinator Laurel Imlay speaks at the October 15 "Save Guilford Woods" Rally at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her remarks follow.

My name is Laurel Imlay, I work for the Sierra Club as the MD Chapter Coordinator and graduated from the University of Maryland with a biochem degree. Sierra Club was founded in 1892 focused on conservation and exploration of California's Sierra Nevada mountains but now has chapters in every state and Puerto Rico, working for climate solutions and to ensure everyone has access to a healthy environment.

Every natural area has its own intrinsic value for green infrastructure, life-giving properties, producing oxygen, clean water, cool air, the interwoven fabric of lifeforms - of plants, animals, birds, insects, and people.

Important for Guilford Woods is its location. Right by campus, a 10 minute walk from the student union, 15 acres of trees, a stream, wildlife. People walk through it every day, get solace from it, kids play in it. It actually cools the air and filters water that is going to go into the Anacostia and the Chesapeake Bay. It reduces floods downstream.

Imagine its potential as a retreat, for mental health, walkable access to campus, trainings on stream monitoring, a living lab for scientific experiments on land stewardship or maintaining a correct balance of deer, walking trails through forest. Right here! Guilford Woods is both a symbol of the choice points, where we as a society of human beings decide that we want to live, acknowledge that to live we need to save nature, and then we DO it. And, it is the actual embodiment of its value and its potential value which would be lost with its destruction. Sierra Club is a proponent of smart infill development, transit oriented development, changed development patterns so rich and poor, people of all types live together to the benefit of all - including access to nature. With the Purple Line's northern segment being built, it is especially important to preemptively retain and protect access to nature.

We need more housing, and we need to protect our open spaces. The best minds in Sierra Club have developed our "urban infill" guidance to help us thread this needle. And what does it say? The guidance says that it is critical to protect our urban green spaces, especially those near transit, as that makes them accessible to transit riders.

We have gotten so far away from being a sustainable human culture that has grown and developed with a place so the environment and the people can both thrive. We are so out of balance. We are part of a culture of extraction of resources and of people. The developers list of alien invasive plants contained native species like greenbriar. What a travesty. They cannot care for or understand the value of this land. Guilford Woods is not a suitable place for more housing.

This campus, this president, this city, this county, this state, needs to start saving our planet NOW. To recognize the true value both economic and existential of every choice we make, every intact forest we cut down, every stream and wetlands we destroy.

The true value of this natural area far outweighs the proposed development. Don’t sell our public land at a pittance to be destroyed by development. Guilford Woods serves a vital role for the campus and community, and it could be even more with the right investment.

Sierra Club is committed to help support efforts to identify better locations, to support policies that allow us to build on the developed space we have.

As a proud, powerful institution of higher learning, if this 1950’s style development proposal could get this far, this is an indication UMD needs to rethink its planning model for the climate catastrophe that we are in. UMD needs to use the people and talent and resources it has to: "Think Globally. Act Locally."

ACT NOW TO PROTECT GUILFORD WOODS!

For additional information:

* Latest op ed - Opinion | The University of Maryland rightly paused its plan to clear an urban forest – The Washington Post
* Latest news - After Opposition, UMD Will Pause Development of Guilford Woods – Maryland Matters