Abstract Nathan Harrington discusses pivotal experiences in his childhood and young adulthood that motivated him to found the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy. He recounts his parent’s careers and the serendipitous conditions that lead to his birth. Being the youngest of many siblings, Nathan describes lots of time spent alone with his parents, and with his Mom in particular. Noting his Mother’s untimely and tragic passing in 2012, Nathan recalls special moments they shared and the lasting impact of her...

Abstract

The forests in Ward 8 lack many of the features we expect of public parks and are sometimes seen as impassible. However, many older residents speak of how they once explored the woods, or of catching crayfish. Some even trapped small mammals. Some built fortresses or played tag among creaking tree trunks. This project collected the memories of Ward 8's people, its wild spaces and hiking trails.