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Plans arewere in the works to develop 9 acres of forest known as the Wooded Hillock at the University of Maryland, destroying hundreds of trees, a habitat for native plants and animals, a living classroom, and a critical piece of the Anacostia watershed. But this has now changed.
As part of the East Campus Redevelopment Initiative, the Hillock iswas the site for new University Facility Services parking lots, storage sheds, and office building. Instead of constructing these facilities on areas already paved, the University hashad decided, without any input from residents, to clear-cut some of its last forested areas. But this has now changed.
Thanks to the dedicated and concerted efforts of students, faculty, staff, politicians, environmental groups, residents, and other members of the community, the Hillock has been preserved for the time being. However, it is up to all of us to continue to make our voices heard, ensuring that not just the Hillock but other threatened wilderness spaces remain intact. For their own sake, and for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations.
Last Updated: January 28, 2010
Hillock SAVED!
What a long, strange trip its been. After over a year of struggling with the administration to reconsider their hypocritical and wholly backwards decision to develop the largest remaining contiguous forest on campus, change has been effected. The facilities being displaced by East Campus will be moved to the Washington Post plant, which the university will purchase for $12 million pending approval from the Maryland Board of Public Works.
Map showing Hillock (green) and Washington Post Plant (blue). Google Maps, 2010.
This is, of course, a very practical victory. In addition to its value as the "outdoor classroom", where classes regularly go to learn about soil, plants, birds, and fungi, the Hillock provides crucial habitat and stormwater retention and filtration. The Hillock is also a symbolic victory. It shows that, when enough concerned individuals speak up, we have the power to challenge and change policies, decisions and laws which are unwise, unfair, bigoted, greedy, or shortsighted. Instead of bulldozing trees to accommodate our "growth", we are instead retrofitting a facility which was once used to process trees into a medium for our daily news. It is my hope that this momentum will carry on to address other cases where habitat is carelessly and brutally torn apart to meet our short-term needs and shortsighted interests. For example, the practice of mountaintop removal in the Appalachians to reach coal seams.
But there is more. The Hillock, and places like the Hillock, are some of the few remaining places where we can truely begin to connect to our world. Allow me to explain.
Last night, I watched an episode from Carl Sagan's 1980 TV series "Cosmos". In this particular episode, Sagan describes how the Greek philosopher Plato supressed the process of scientific experimentation and observation, and sought to create a sharp division between the mind and the natural world. It was this rejection of nature, Sagan claims, which plunged the western world into the long, dark Age. It wasn't until the Enlightenment that we were once again ready to reforge the connection between mind, body, and the world in which we live.
Today, I see another sort of artificial division forming between ourselves and our world. Ironically, this division is arising from the very tools that are supposed to help us connect to one another. I was riding the Metro the other day, and noticed that more than half the people on the train were wired into an iPod or other such device. They had effectively shut themselves off, oblivious to the world and people around them.
Television screens blare at us everywhere now - in our homes, workplaces, at the doctor, even in the lobby of Hornbake library. Smartphones allow us to carry this further, accessing information and communication channels on the train, outside, even in the bathroom. You might think that this constant stream of news and information would keep us better connected to our world. It seems like a logical conclusion. But there is a problem, which is that the human mind can only handle a few variables at once.
When we start to overload ourselves with information, our minds begin to spread thin, giving less attention to individual events, occurences, and people. We hear about the horrors going on in Haiti and Africa, the tragedies in the Middle East, and the injustices endemic to our own nation. But how many people really connect to what is going on? These are things that, if we could observe them directly and immersively, would surely bring each and every one of us to our knees crying for salvation.
Yet we continue to go about business as usual, burning coal ripped from the Appalachian womb to power our iPhones made from minerals extracted by slaves in the Congo. We burn gasoline in our cars, made from oil bought from Saudi dictators who believe that women can be property, and we expel the byproducts into an already toxic atmosphere. Our vast communication network has enabled us to know these things, but not to feel these things.
If you haven't gotten the chance yet, go up into the Hillock alone some time. Leave your phone and laptop behind, and just observe. Take a notebook if you are especially inclined. Rather than Googling the behaviors of the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, simply observe its behavior. You can look it up and compare the scientific data with your own observations later, at home. In this way we can directly connect our minds to the world around us. Having done this, Plato's division begins to fall apart and we can avert another Dark Age.
New Site Design
I have updated and reorganized savethehillock.com to better reflect the various perspectives. Items such as the bird survey and plant survey are given more prominence in the navigation bar, under "Hillock Ecology".
Hillock in the Diamondback
This article in the Diamondback does a very good job explaining the current situation: "Wooded Hillock’s status uncertain." Diamondback Online.
Hillock in the Washington Post
Article in the Washington Post on the Hillock by columnist Robert McCartney! "U-Md. shouldn't sacrifice ideals during hard times." The Washington Post. Post columnist Robert McCartney visited the Hillock on Thursday. In this article, he summarizes the major objections to development and points out how flimsy the adminstration's replies are, such as the supposed "net gain for sustainability" and the alleged lack of other options.
Deal-breaker with East Campus Developers
The University has ended its contract with Foulger-Pratt/Argo to build East Campus in one go. Instead, East Campus will be built "piece-by-piece", and development is likely to proceed sooner with the Hillock as the first "piece" to be developed. There isn't much time left but we can still stop this! Contact us to find out how you can help!
Read the articles:
"Downturn stalls U-Md.'s plans for upscale East Campus district." The Washington Post.
"Developer pulls out of East Campus project." Diamondback Online.
SGA Passes Second Hillock Bill
The SGA unanimously passed a bill supporting a complete moratorium on development of the Hillock. This is the second bill passed by the SGA concerning the Hillock.
University of Maryland SGA: A Resolution Supporting a Moratorium on the Development of the Wooded Hillock (F 09-10-25 B).
Senate Executive Committee Meets, Discusses Hillock
The Senate Executive Committee met on Thursday, October 29th from 3-5PM, with the Hillock as the biggest agenda item. Concerned students and faculty filled the seats at the back of the room but were not allowed to speak. A small ad-hoc committee with an extremely vague charge was appointed, and excluded anyone who had submitted letters expressing concern about development for the sake of "neutrality". Unfortunately, the people who wrote these letters are those with the most expertise on the scientific and educational value of the Hillock. A motion to place a moratorium on development until the committee finished its report was defeated.
So, the situation is currently as follows:
a) The bulldozing could theoretically begin before the ad hoc committee makes its views known and gives its report.
b) The committee can't consist of anyone who is actually in support of the hillock (given that someone submitted a letter), BUT
c) Nothing is stopping someone who is AGAINST the hillock from being on the committee?
d) The Senate Affairs Committee's recommendations are currently unknown aka there's no transparency.
Official Memo from Students Completed!
The official memo is complete! This is a document intended to represent student, faculty, and community opposition to development of the Hillock. The decision-making process is criticised and hypocrisy with regard to several of the University's guiding documents is highlighted. Our demands for measures to protect the forest are formally stated.