Maricel and Michael Hermann

“Urban Gone Suburban”

Maricel and Michael Hermann earned a “ground up” education on the local environment since moving onto a 42-acre property from the city four years ago. Originally the Hermanns were attracted to Hopewell by their mid-century modern home, but they quickly invested their energy and efforts into fostering healthy native ecosystems on their land. The financial consultants-turned-creatives found great challenges and greater success in the multi-year project to restore balanced ecologies surrounding their home. 

After meeting our stewardship director, Maricel and Michael jumped right into stewardship, working with FoHVOS to eradicate invasive jetbead. That work spurred their interest in native plants and they began restorations by adding elderberry and redbud through FoHVOS Native plant sales. With added momentum, the Hermanns turned to a local landscape architect to create three additional meadows. 

Maricel and Michael have a diverse property, with raised beds for pollinator gardens, over 3 acres of hardwood forest, and meadows. As US Forestry grant landowners, the Hermanns are conscientious stewards of their farmland assessed, forestry managed land, where they harvest dead trees every other year. Their first project started just a year after they moved in, with their most recent meadow being completed last year where they replaced their under used swimming pool with a meadow! The Hermanns testify that it took about three years to see substantial growth in the meadows, but the wait was worth every bit!

The Hermanns planted foam flower and native strawberry as ground cover to choke out the potential return of invasives. They continue to work with FoHVOS and the Strike Team to combat invasive species like multiflora rose, wineberry, stilt grass, and Chinese bush clover. 

In total, the Hermann’s have turned 2 acres of their property into native wildflower meadows and they are still hard at work.