Mount Moriah Cemetary Work Day- 10/15/16- Cian Grourke

What We Did

On the Mount Moriah Cemetery Work Day, sponsored by the Friends of Mount Moriah with the help of the TU Office of Sustainability, we worked from 9:30 am  until 2 pm. We took the bus from the bus station on N 12th Street on campus at 9 am. From there the bus took us to the entrance of Mount Moriah Cemetery. We walked from the entrance to the Circle of Saint John, where the Masons are buried. We arrived at 9:30 and walked to the Circle of Saint John where the Masons are buried. We listened to Kate and other members of the Friends of Mount Moriah about the history of the cemetery and what we were to do for the day. We worked, took a break around 12, and then worked straight until 2.We removed the dead brush/vegetation from the family plot we were assigned to. We clipped, raked, and put the brush in trucks to be taken away. We then planted two holly bushes next to the Moore-Kelly headstone. I worked with Mark Saucedo, Pierce Apgar, Effi Booth, and Veronyca Rodriguez.

Course Concepts in Action

At Mount Moriah Cemetery, I saw the push of urbanization. The cemetery provides a landmark for what was once considered remote wilderness in 1855 (when the cemetery was created), but now is surrounded by an urban community. This shows a physical representation for the increasing population, urbanization, and spread of the Philadelphia grid system. We could see vacant lots and sparsely populated areas which were once booming, due to the move of industry from the city in the mid-20th century. The invasive species and shrubbery which we removed from our plot was sprayed by chemicals to kill them. This was done through integrated vector management (IVM) of direct spraying for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ecological soundness (most importantly). I could observe Aldo Leopold’s “The Land Ethic” in that humans are intimately involved in the environment. It is seen through the change of vegetation in the cemetery due to human activity (removal of trees and the ground shifting due to headstones) and also the way the vegetation took over  large majority of the cemetery. When planting the holly tree, we had hand-on experience with root structures and made sure we left enough room for them.

• What expectations did you have about your urban greening stewardship experience?

• I expected to fulfill everything we accomplished, though my vision of what the cemetery would look like was much different. I thought there would be more buildings and diverse fencing and architectural points. I did not expect the area to be so covered with trees and brush, although I knew it was abandoned.

• How does this project or agency address community needs?

• This project gives an open and public space to residents of Kingsessing and surrounding areas for recreational purposes. It also allows for visitors to better visualize point of historic interest and for them to become more inquisitive about historical places such as Mount Moriah.

• How did your understanding of the community change as a result of your participation?

• My understanding of community changed when I had a conversation with Paulette on our way to get plastic water jugs from her car. She spoke about her life and where she worked before she retired. When I asked her how she got involved with the Friends of Mount Moriah, she responded that her husband is buried at the cemetery. It was great to think that after her husband's death she can now find a community at the cemetery as well as be near her husband and beautify his final resting space.