Sofonie Dala’s Green Sunday: A Journey of Hands, Hearts, and Habitat

It was a lovely Sunday, calm and bright, the kind that invites reflection and soft footsteps through green places. For Sofonie Dala, the day began at home, where the air hummed gently with the possibilities of rest. But by afternoon, her heart was stirred by something more—community, purpose, and nature. That call led her to join St. Nicks Volunteering Team and the Friends of Scarcroft, two groups rooted in environmental care and the enrichment of urban green corridors.

Their mission was focused and practical: to restore and maintain the grassland habitats surrounding Clement Hall and Scarcroft Green. The work, though humble in tools, was rich in ecological intent. Sofonie and her team rolled up their sleeves, armed with loppers and sturdy gloves, and began cutting back dense brambles that had crept into the grassland like silent invaders. These thorny shrubs, if left unchecked, would crowd out native grasses and wildflowers, disrupting the delicate balance of this biodiverse patch.

Brambles are important in certain ecosystems, offering food and shelter to wildlife, but in urban grasslands, they can become overdominant, particularly when natural grazing or fire regimes are absent. The team carefully dug them out by the roots—a method both precise and sustainable—to allow sunlight to reach smaller plants struggling underneath. With each cut and dig, the air smelled of damp earth and green life reclaiming space.

Not far off, the Friends of Scarcroft were also busy, carving clarity through shaded pathways by clearing overgrown trails. Their work was not just about access but about connectivity—linking people to nature and each other.

After finishing their tasks at Clement Hall, the volunteers made their way to Scarcroft Green, a tranquil spot where urban trees stand tall and storied. Here, they turned their attention to the orchard edges, collecting apples that had scattered across the grass, a sweet, natural harvest left mostly to bees and birds. The apples were ripe and fragrant—some tucked in baskets, others admired for their wild symmetry.

But amid the apple gathering, a small scientific discovery emerged: the curious sight of Scroppinels—a term the group coined for unfamiliar fungi appearing in clusters around the base of a white bean tree. Intrigued, they crouched down, inspecting the fruiting bodies: not directly parasitic, but opportunistically thriving in the organic detritus below the tree. A fascinating example of mycelial networks responding to the complex chemistry of tree roots, though the fungus itself appeared ecologically independent of the host.

This tiny moment of observation underscored a larger truth: urban green spaces are living laboratories, full of interactions and surprises, where volunteers become citizen scientists, learning as they serve.

Children were among the volunteers that day, their laughter ringing under leafy canopies, their hands muddy, eyes bright. Their presence was perhaps the most beautiful element of all, reminding everyone that environmental action is also education in its purest form.

As the sun dipped low and tools were cleaned, a sense of shared accomplishment lingered. This wasn’t just a day of volunteering. It was a day of climate action, sustainable land management, and intergenerational cooperation.

This local initiative touched upon multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 13: Climate Action, by restoring habitats that support carbon sequestration.
SDG 15: Life on Land, through biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, by enhancing public green spaces.
SDG 4: Quality Education, as children learned by doing, engaging directly with the natural world.

Let Sofonie’s Sunday story be an invitation. Join your local environmental groups. Bring your children. Put on your boots, and dig into the soil—not just for today, but for a better, greener tomorrow.

Gallery