This summer, Acton residents are joining together in the first annual Community Read, part of a program called “Stories Connect Us.” The book for this summer’s read is The Intersectional Environmentalist, by Leah Thomas. The author examines the intersection of environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and makes the case that saving the planet requires uplifting the voices of all kinds of people.
On July 12, a Community Read group walked the Acton Arboretum, observing and discussing themes from the book under the guidance of Acton Conservation Assistant Bettina Abe. The Arboretum strives to make experiences in nature accessible and welcoming to a wide range of visitors, including those who use wheelchairs, are visually impaired, those of limited means, and those who are far from their native lands. Even Acton residents who had been to the Arboretum many times before noticed new things when looking at the natural and built environment through the lens of intersectionality.
Guide Abe described the Arboretum as “wheelchair-friendly although not 100% ADA [Americans with Disability Act] compliant.” Many of the paths have the hard surface and gentle gradient needed for easy wheelchair access. Signage directs wheelchair users away from those paths where the landscape is too steep or bumpy. Many of the picnic tables are designed so that wheelchair users can roll right up to the table without bumping into benches or table legs. A website maintained by the Friends of the Acton Arboretum details the length, gradient, surface texture, and availability of benches along the main trails, so that wheelchair users and their companions can plan a safe visit.
Abe pointed out that—in contrast to many botanical gardens of comparable beauty—the Acton Arboretum is free of charge.
Midway through the tour, the group entered the China Trail Garden. In this space, many of the plants are native to Asia, including gingko, Japanese maple, and rhododendron. The landscape architect, Hongbing Tang, worked with local botanists and Acton’s Chinese and Chinese-American community to select plants that would flourish in Acton’s climate and would help first generation Acton residents feel at home. The China Trail Garden won a jury special recognition from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, who praised it for “comprehensive and diverse community engagement” and “cultural … significance.”
One of the last stops on the tour was the Fragrance Garden. In this secluded space, the garden staff and volunteers have planted lilacs, peonies, azaleas and other plants notable for either their scent or texture. This area allows visually impaired visitors to experience the natural world through touch and smell, and invites all visitors to pay more attention to these sometimes under-appreciated senses.
The 2023 summer community read of The Intersectional Environmentalist is a collaboration among the Acton libraries, Friends of the Acton Arboretum, and the Town of Acton’s offices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Conservation, and Sustainability. Upcoming events include a Book Discussion on July 26, 6:30-8:00, a talk about the Climate Crisis & Massachusetts with an MIT climatologist (date to be determined), and a visit with the book’s author Leah Thomas, on August 18, from 3:00-4:00pm. The remaining events are all at the Acton Memorial Library. For more information about the Acton Arboretum, visit https://actonarboretum.org, and for more information about The Intersectional Environmentalist, visit https://www.intersectionalenvironmentalist.com.