Peace Garden Project
Genesis
Our labyrinth is an amazing asset. Workers come to take a lunch break, families come to relax, writer groups congregate and dance troupes practice, drum circles arise on the full moon, and police offers relax in the shade. The labyrinth has achieved the goal of providing a respite for the valley.
Peace
The Peace Pole provided a theme connected deeply to our values and the struggle for Peace.
Ideas for the Peace Garden?
The picnic area and labyrinth need to be connected across the dry creek. This is the area of our largest population of desert iguanas – what can we do to help them? One of the most amazing art pieces on the grounds is nearby – we can integrate it into the Desert Canyon garden. And we can integrate the retention swale into a demonstration Desert Dry Wash Garden.
Outreach
The Labyrinth and picnic tables have become very popular with locals. Very frequently we see a family or group at the tables for lunch. Can we enhance that? With our goal to better serve families, how can we use this space? How can it increase connections to other organizations? How can it help introduce UUCOD to a wider community?
Demonstration Gardens and Nature Trail
With this large area we can create three demonstration gardens of several different native plant communities: Desert Canyon, Desert Dry Wash, and Creosote Scrub.
Within a half mile of the church 12 different species of lizards and 50 species of birds have been observed. If we build a diverse habitat they will come. This is particularly important with climate change as many of the native species will benefit from just a touch of extra water and care. As well, the areas surround the church will eventually be developed so we can provide a refuge. Adding diverse desert plantings can both make the area more beautiful and increase habitat.
Next Steps
The Peace Garden is a nascent idea for Phase 2 of the Sacred Grounds Initiative. It needs a couple of people to set a vision, develop a plan, get Board approval, solicit donations and drive implementation.