Vince Brough and his dogs, Libby (on the left) and Utah.

Vince Brough adopted a tree in Kent Park in 2011. He visits the park twice each day with his two rescue dogs, Libby and Utah, so watering a tree there seemed like a natural, easy thing to do and a good way to help the environment.

Talking to Vince about protecting the environment is like preaching to the choir. Vince, who lives in an old farmhouse (circa 1914) in Marple Township, has spent the past 20 years transforming his property into an environmentally friendly home. Over the years he replaced most of the grass with plantings of trees, shrubs, and perennials. He installed raised beds where he grows vegetables. He removed a lot of the old asphalt driveway and eventually plans to replace what is left with gravel, which will reduce run-off from rainwater. While Vince believes that all of the things he has done at his home have benefitted the environment, he feels that his most important contribution has been his commitment to being a vegetarian, a practice that conserves water and energy and protects vital ecosystems.

Vince is concerned about the “serious erosion problem in Kent Park”. The water run-off is eroding the hillside on one side of the park and the stream’s banks are washing away. He said, “The harmful effects of erosion are obvious even to a casual observer.”

When Vince is not working, gardening, or walking his dogs in Kent Park, he is in his workshop with his woodworking tools. His kitchen cabinets attest to his superb skill; each pair (bottom and top) is made from a single slice of wood from a walnut tree.