We caught up with our friends at the Wylde Center – one of Hands On Atlanta’s long-standing nonprofit partners doing incredible work in the environmental space for nearly 25 years. We got the inside scoop from Matty Garrett, Wylde Center Greenspace Director, who fills us in on what it takes to operate five greenspaces in four different local neighborhoods, and to keep them open year-round for the community’s benefit. These natural spaces are crucial to the Atlanta landscape, offering a safe haven for natural species and a place for families to convene and to learn… and they rely on Hands On Atlanta volunteers daily.

Sign up here to volunteer + support the nearest greenspace or nature center to you.

Claire, Hands On Atlanta: What’s the story on the Wylde Center? When did you all become established, and why? What was the first greenspace, and how did you get to five?

Matty, Wylde Center: Back in the late 90’s, some Oakhurst residents had a veggie garden that was often trampled unintentionally by the neighborhood kids playing. So, they decided to teach the kids about gardening – and how not to trample plants, as well – and the idea just grew and grew. Today, it is a full blown nursery. Next, the Edgewood Community Learning Garden was established with the support of some local pediatricians. Hawk Hollow was the third addition, a greenspace that preserves native plants along the streambed, and the Sugar Creek greenspace followed. Lastly, Mulberry Fields was created – which is another greenspace embedded in a residential neighborhood between homes, with chickens, goats and garden beds. Now we also partner with Atlanta Public Schools’ rotator building for schools under repairs, next door to the Edgewood greenspace – there’s a teaching garden there, where classrooms of students learn. All spaces arose very naturally, based on interest and need.

Claire: Greenspaces like this, take hundreds of people – volunteers, mostly, right? – to maintain, on a regular basis. So, what do the volunteers actually do to support the greenspaces? Does it shift throughout the year?

Matty: Yes. We tend to see an uptick in needs and volunteerism in spring and fall, for our plant sales. And the summer is always busy too, but with kids being out of school, we usually have some extra help. Younger kids need a chaperone to serve, but teenagers can serve on their own. We love it, we want them to learn about plants and growing food and preserving natural spaces – that’s how the next generation gets to enjoy our natural environment. It’s fun work, and you learn while you’re there. Kids may not love pulling weeds, but it’s worth it when they later get to feed the chickens, so there’s a balance.

Claire: What’s the impact of having so many volunteers? What happens if you don’t have enough? What kind of differences do volunteers make in the greenspaces?

Wylde Center: You can’t put a price on volunteer service… Well, you can, but you don’t have the budget for it. Especially when you’re committed to using sustainable agricultural methods to work with nature, which are way better for the environment but are far more labor intensive. Maintaining the greenspaces, and having them serve as place for families and kids to learn, takes a lot of energy. Trying to keep up with the weeding and mulching in the summer is a lot. We need your help! We’re not after your wallet, but your hands, your back and your knees.

Claire: Many of the Wylde Center greenspaces produce food and plants that community members can buy and then grow for themselves, right?

Matty: Yes! In Mid-April, we have our plant sale and fesitval! We’ll have summer veggies and fruit trees for sale. And we always need volunteers to support regular plant sales and work in the nursery – right now, we’ve got spring veggies and perennials and herbs, and volunteers are the ones who help us get them out to community members. The plant sales are year-round at Oakhurst, there’s always plants or seeds available. We start all of our seeds, they’re uppotted three times before being sold and we’re constantly stocked. It’s a lot to keep up with. Many of our spaces also support their local communities by sharing the harvest with neighbors in need.

Claire: And outside of working in the nursery and supporting the plant sales, how can volunteers help out in the 5 greenspaces?

Matty: Mulberry Fields uses regular volunteers – this is a fun space, with the goats and the chickens. Volunteers are also needed regularly at the Oakhurst Community Garden, Edgewood Community Learning Garden, and Hawk Hollow Garden.