EnviroCollab guides community-led environmental projects and hired me for signage design services. For Springfield Woods, a site honoring Black leadership and ecological preservation, they sought signage that reflected community values and history. A steering committee ensured the designs respected the forest’s legacy and environmental significance.
This collaboration began with an on-site mapping session, where the steering committee provided input on sign locations and content needs. Attendees shared endearing stories of their first days weeding the garden, their childhood games in the forest, and even their radical organizing to prevent a local college from paving over the land for dorms. Using these insights, three signage concepts were developed to handle historical tributes, community stories, and ecological information.
Over multiple review and iteration phases, a total of 13 signs were finalized signage: honoring Butch Berry’s life and work, featuring Black leaders such as Mabel Smith and Cab Calloway, and uplifting the ecological importance of the forest. Steering committee workshops and community presentations ensured that each sign was historically and ecologically accurate, visually cohesive, and ready for fabrication.
By facilitating workshops and integrating feedback at each stage, EnviroCollab ensured shared ownership of the outcome. Community members and visitors alike now benefit from informative, visually appealing signage that both honors Black leadership legacies and promotes environmental stewardship among the next generation.