The Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District has honored UNC Charlotte Urban Institute Associate Director Mary Newsom and the institute’s “KEEPING WATCH on WATER: City of Creeks” project with its Urban Conservation Award.
The Soil and Water Conservation District is a local organization that works with residents, agencies and business owners to plan and direct programs for the conservation and development of natural resources.
Newsom was presented with the award at the district’s annual awards banquet in May, where she was the keynote speaker. Also honored, with the Distinguished Service Award, was recently retired city arborist Don McSween.
Newsom was honored for both her work on the City of Creeks project as well as her writings on environmental topics. Newsom was an editorial board member and columnist at the Charlotte Observer from 1994 to 2011, when she joined the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. She directs the institute’s online publications and developed its PlanCharlotte.org website, launched in 2012.
KEEPING WATCH is a three-year collaboration between the institute and the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture, using art, history, science and community engagement to highlight environmental topics in Charlotte. City of Creeks is the second year of the initiative. Year One focused on plastics and recycling. Year three will focus on trees and their role in air quality.
The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute is a community outreach and applied research institute, founded in 1969.