Wetlands Watch Receives EPA Grant to Increase Resilience In Historic Hampton Neighborhood
HAMPTON, VA—Wetlands Watch, in partnership with the City of Hampton, is pleased to announce the Aberdeen Gardens Community Resilience Implementation Strategy, a transformative initiative funded by a $20 million Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant. This project will confront climate-related challenges, support the neighborhood’s long history of community cooperation, and strengthen local ties through environmental education, green infrastructure improvements, and workforce development.
Established in the 1930s during the New Deal era, Aberdeen Gardens is a testament to African American resilience, ingenuity, and cultural pride. Conceived by Black architects, constructed by Black builders, and designed for Black residents, it offered generous home lots where families could grow their own food and maintain a measure of independence. Over the decades, residents have built a legacy rooted in collaboration, intergenerational knowledge-sharing, and a strong community identity. Today, even as it faces the urgent challenges of flooding, urban heat islands, and pollution, Aberdeen Gardens remains a vital cultural touchstone—one where neighbors have long banded together to support one another, celebrate their heritage, and invest in a healthier, more sustainable future.
The project is designed to empower Aberdeen Gardens residents by providing them with the necessary tools, training, and resources to improve the environment and overall quality of life. Through hands-on environmental education and the implementation of green infrastructure projects, the program will reduce flood risks, enhance air and water quality, and promote a culture of environmental stewardship. At the same time, workforce training and certifications offered through the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) program will help residents create pathways to careers in sustainability, expanding economic opportunities and helping ensure long-term resilience for the community.
The effort stems from over a decade of collaboration with Virginia’s academic institutions. “This EPA award builds on our long-standing partnerships with Hampton University, Old Dominion University, and Virginia Tech,” said Mary-Carson Stiff, Executive Director of Wetlands Watch. “Thanks to their students—who, through our Collaboratory program, viewed Aberdeen Gardens as a living classroom—we have a strong foundation of practical, community-informed solutions. Now we can implement many of these ideas to strengthen resilience for generations to come.”
Wetlands Watch believes that collaboration with community partners is central to the project’s success. “By prioritizing the perspectives of Aberdeen Gardens’ residents and working closely with groups like the Greater Aberdeen Community Coalition, the Aberdeen Gardens Historic and Civic Association, and the Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum, we ensure that our efforts remain truly community-centered,” said Jelani Sparrow of Wetlands Watch. “We look forward to continuing this work with our community partners and the City of Hampton.”
The Aberdeen Gardens Community Resilience Implementation Strategy will rely on ongoing engagement with residents through public workshops and regular community meetings. By listening to residents’ priorities, offering scholarships to encourage broad participation in training programs, and adopting local hiring practices, Wetlands Watch and the City of Hampton are ensuring that this initiative not only addresses immediate environmental needs, but also fosters a lasting legacy of empowerment, cultural continuity, and resilience.
For more details about our earlier efforts, please refer to the Aberdeen Gardens Community Resilience Action Plan (2023). For more details about the EPA grant, please see the City of Hampton Press Release. For updates on the Aberdeen Gardens Community Resilience Implementation Strategy and ways to get involved, visit www.wetlandswatch.org or email Jelani Sparrrow at jelani.sparrow@wetlandswatch.org.
About Wetlands Watch
Wetlands Watch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Norfolk, Virginia. Our mission is to enhance natural resilience, bolster community adaptation efforts, and protect and restore wetlands throughout Virginia. We advance climate adaptation by working collaboratively with a wide variety of stakeholders, and by implementing solution-focused strategies that unify and connect.