July 20, 2021
Yolima Carr
Hola, when I was asked to write a blog about my point of view on my experience in conservation, restoration and training I was a little hesitant about it. See I am from Bogota, Colombia. We Latinas can go on and on about a subject we are passionate about.
I was introduced to the natural flora and fauna of Colombia when I was 3 years old, growing up in ‘la finca’ a farm outside the city, where my father grew fruit trees. He knew about composting, and never used any chemicals but worked with mother nature. After I obtained my degree in Horticulture from Colombia, I moved to Zaragoza, Spain where I learned and worked in the green houses and public parks where they use the grape skins as a natural ‘mulch’ and again did not use any pesticides but worked with mother nature.
In Virginia, we are very lucky to have plenty of rain, acres of tree canopy, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and the ocean. Sounds to me like a perfect place, right? Well I believe it can be if we work with mother nature instead of against it – if we respect the rivers that provide us fish and recreation, and the land that sustains our habitat.
I have been very lucky to work in many restoration and conservation projects and have learned so much from each one of them. As a Horticulturist at the Norfolk Zoo I spent time growing the native grasses, shrubs, and trees to provide a ‘natural’ African habitat for the rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Creating this environment was a challenge. We worked with the soil, adding natural elements like kelp instead of harmful chemicals that could impact the animals.
Yolima leading a Spanish course for landscape professionals at the 2010 Mid-atlantic Horticulture short course.
Being part of the team that designed and installed the first living shoreline at the Hermitage Museum in Hampton roads was incredible. We experienced hurricanes, high tides, and learned that working with mother nature was key for the survival of the plants and marsh grasses. We built rain gardens with native pollinator plants that will tolerate brackish water from the Lafayette River and run off water from the parking lot. We created berms and buffers to slow down the runoff from the adjacent lawn filtering sediments, before entering the marsh and to protect the beds and the property from the high tides.
Yolima joined Bay Environmental, Elizabeth River Project and Lafayette Wetlands Partnership during the living shoreline installation at the Hermitage Museum in 2006.
I am now the Conservation Landscape Curator for the Elizabeth River Project where it is my job to protect, conserve and cultivate the natural resources of Paradise Creek Nature Park.
Our staff, interns and volunteers have invested countless hours restoring this 40 acre park. Maintaining invasive species like Privet, English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, and Johnson grass to make room for planting native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers to enhance the biodiversity of the park’s ecosystem and nourish the soil. All this work contributes to keeping Paradise Creek and the Elizabeth River healthy.
I recently obtained the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional level 1 and level 2 certifications and am now sharing this knowledge with the youth through our Youth Conservation Intern program. These interns come to the park in partnership with the Hampton Roads Workforce in order to work, learn, earn a stipend and their CBLP-Associate certificate. These youth become horticulturists during the 8-week summer program. Paradise Creek Nature Park has all the necessary best management practices for these interns to observe and learn from so they can build the green job skills needed if they would like to follow this career.
Yolima and Larry Lapell pause their restoration work for a photo with the 2019 Youth Interns at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
I also lead programs related to the park restoration process, building habitat, native plants, edible gardening, observing nature, and more. We are always educating people of all ages and backgrounds on how we can do better in our own backyards.
This spring at Paradise Creek Nature Park we saw hawks, young and mature bald eagles and osprey. A bird expert that offers tours at the park told us these beautiful birds of prey are back to the creek and the river because there is food and shelter for them. The 11 acres of restored wetlands in our park is providing habitat for them.
Yolima leading Youth Conservation Interns through converting a ditch into a functional freshwater wetland, installing native Hibiscus and Blue Flag Iris at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
Today, I am still shocked that more people do not work with mother nature. It seems like we work against our own resources when we should be learning from them. We cannot change the patterns of the natural world and should strive to mimic nature in our restoration and conservation efforts.
Have you ever walked through the forest? The pine needles provide a perfect carpet of pine straw. Underneath the straw the soil is full of life. Between the roots of the trees the fungi work the soil food web. Fungi decompose the organic matter of the leaves, break down decayed material and feed the roots and millions of beneficial organisms. It is a total circle with each component (tree, soil, fungi, insects, animals) helping the others without human intervention, yet they alone accomplish perfect work, called nature.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished – Lao Tzu.
July 20, 2021
Yolima Carr
Hola, when I was asked to write a blog about my point of view on my experience in conservation, restoration and training I was a little hesitant about it. See I am from Bogota, Colombia. We Latinas can go on and on about a subject we are passionate about.
I was introduced to the natural flora and fauna of Colombia when I was 3 years old, growing up in ‘la finca’ a farm outside the city, where my father grew fruit trees. He knew about composting, and never used any chemicals but worked with mother nature. After I obtained my degree in Horticulture from Colombia, I moved to Zaragoza, Spain where I learned and worked in the green houses and public parks where they use the grape skins as a natural ‘mulch’ and again did not use any pesticides but worked with mother nature.
In Virginia, we are very lucky to have plenty of rain, acres of tree canopy, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and the ocean. Sounds to me like a perfect place, right? Well I believe it can be if we work with mother nature instead of against it – if we respect the rivers that provide us fish and recreation, and the land that sustains our habitat.
I have been very lucky to work in many restoration and conservation projects and have learned so much from each one of them. As a Horticulturist at the Norfolk Zoo I spent time growing the native grasses, shrubs, and trees to provide a ‘natural’ African habitat for the rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Creating this environment was a challenge. We worked with the soil, adding natural elements like kelp instead of harmful chemicals that could impact the animals.
Yolima leading a Spanish course for landscape professionals at the 2010 Mid-atlantic Horticulture short course.
Being part of the team that designed and installed the first living shoreline at the Hermitage Museum in Hampton roads was incredible. We experienced hurricanes, high tides, and learned that working with mother nature was key for the survival of the plants and marsh grasses. We built rain gardens with native pollinator plants that will tolerate brackish water from the Lafayette River and run off water from the parking lot. We created berms and buffers to slow down the runoff from the adjacent lawn filtering sediments, before entering the marsh and to protect the beds and the property from the high tides.
Yolima joined Bay Environmental, Elizabeth River Project and Lafayette Wetlands Partnership during the living shoreline installation at the Hermitage Museum in 2006.
I am now the Conservation Landscape Curator for the Elizabeth River Project where it is my job to protect, conserve and cultivate the natural resources of Paradise Creek Nature Park.
Our staff, interns and volunteers have invested countless hours restoring this 40 acre park. Maintaining invasive species like Privet, English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, and Johnson grass to make room for planting native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers to enhance the biodiversity of the park’s ecosystem and nourish the soil. All this work contributes to keeping Paradise Creek and the Elizabeth River healthy.
I recently obtained the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional level 1 and level 2 certifications and am now sharing this knowledge with the youth through our Youth Conservation Intern program. These interns come to the park in partnership with the Hampton Roads Workforce in order to work, learn, earn a stipend and their CBLP-Associate certificate. These youth become horticulturists during the 8-week summer program. Paradise Creek Nature Park has all the necessary best management practices for these interns to observe and learn from so they can build the green job skills needed if they would like to follow this career.
Yolima and Larry Lapell pause their restoration work for a photo with the 2019 Youth Interns at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
I also lead programs related to the park restoration process, building habitat, native plants, edible gardening, observing nature, and more. We are always educating people of all ages and backgrounds on how we can do better in our own backyards.
This spring at Paradise Creek Nature Park we saw hawks, young and mature bald eagles and osprey. A bird expert that offers tours at the park told us these beautiful birds of prey are back to the creek and the river because there is food and shelter for them. The 11 acres of restored wetlands in our park is providing habitat for them.
Yolima leading Youth Conservation Interns through converting a ditch into a functional freshwater wetland, installing native Hibiscus and Blue Flag Iris at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
Today, I am still shocked that more people do not work with mother nature. It seems like we work against our own resources when we should be learning from them. We cannot change the patterns of the natural world and should strive to mimic nature in our restoration and conservation efforts.
Have you ever walked through the forest? The pine needles provide a perfect carpet of pine straw. Underneath the straw the soil is full of life. Between the roots of the trees the fungi work the soil food web. Fungi decompose the organic matter of the leaves, break down decayed material and feed the roots and millions of beneficial organisms. It is a total circle with each component (tree, soil, fungi, insects, animals) helping the others without human intervention, yet they alone accomplish perfect work, called nature.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished – Lao Tzu.
Yolima Carr, Conservation Landscaping Curator
Yolima is a horticulturist and landscape curator with over 25 years of experience working in garden design, wetlands restoration, and conservation of habitat with emphasis in the use of native plants. Yolima received her Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Bogota, Colombia and her
Associate’s in Public Gardens from the School of Gardening in Zaragoza, Spain. Since moving from Spain to Norfolk in 1993, Yolima has been with the Norfolk Botanical Garden, the Virginia Zoological Park, the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, and now the Elizabeth River Project. Yolima can be reached here.
