Although just a freshman in AGNR’s Environmental Science and Policy program, Maryland native Esther Bonney has already had some huge moments of triumph in her life, but perhaps the biggest is starting and directing her own non profit, Nurture Natives, which provides residents with ready-to-plant trees and guidebooks for native plantings.
Nurture Natives was born out of Bonney’s award-winning 4-H project as a high school student in Charles County, Md. Her motivation and dedication to promoting community-driven conservation are direct outcomes of her time in 4-H, where she was empowered to find her purpose.
“I joined 4-H at a very difficult time in my life when I felt like I didn’t have any direction or sense of purpose, and 4-H gave that to me,” said Bonney, who tragically lost her older brother in 2019. “4-H gave me a support system, it gave me a voice, and I want that for every youth.”
Bonney, whose experiences with the Charles County 4-H Pollinator Ambassador club under 4-H educator Amy Lang and St. Mary’s Master Gardener Marlene Smith, helped her not only find a path forward, but also led to a 2024 President’s Environmental Youth Award, as well as opportunities like becoming a 4-H Youth In Action winner. As a spokesperson for 4-H at a national level, Bonney will participate in national events, and plans to use that platform to engage other youth in service-oriented and community outreach.
The freshman, who is an accomplished violinist amongst her many other talents, has also been accepted into UMD’s Accelerator Fellowship under the Do Good Institute which will allow her to take the next steps in establishing a regional and national chapter framework for Nurture Natives, establish a board of directors that includes a faction of youth members, and publish the curriculum she has built around native plants and community conservation.
“I’m sure that we can use biodiversity restoration to empower youth because horticulture is such an accessible way to get involved in climate action. Anyone can plant a seed and see they are making a difference,” Bonney said.
But in the end, it is all about giving the next generation a major stake in building a sustainable tomorrow. As Bonney says “It’s important to foster intergenerational connections within our communities-it helps youth find purpose, especially in light of our own mental health and biodiversity crises. We all have a hero inside of us.”
by Laura Wormuth
