Scott Ray Becker, Skyline Tavern, nominated by Ariana Scipioni, Urban Conservationist
Scott ray Becker, social practice artist and owner of the historic Skyline Tavern (built in 1924), has long combined his passion for environmental art with a commitment to community and conservation. After purchasing the tavern in 2015, he transformed it into a gathering place where neighbors could enjoy freshly grown food, music, art, and conversation over a cool beverage.
For many seasons prior to the pandemic, Scott joined community efforts to help Northern Red-Legged Frogs safely cross the road in front of the tavern during their annual breeding migration to his pond below. His care for the land deepened in 2022, when he attended a District-sponsored Stormwater Stars workshop. Following a site visit with the Stormwater Stars specialist from the program, he agreed to host a community workshop to replant a portion of the tavern’s parking lot with native plants- converting gravel to understoryUnderstory The area under and around trees planting.
This past spring, volunteers and neighbors planted over 300 native plants and improved approximately 1,100 square feet of parking lot landscaping. Scott celebrated the achievement by hosting a community event with Forest Park Neighborhood Association and Ecosystem Restoration Artistry Systems (ERAS) that drew over 150 people for food, live music, and guided tours of his ongoing six-acre restoration project to remove invasive plant species and reestablish native habitat.
Through his creativity, stewardship, and community leadership, Scott has turned the Skyline Tavern into more than just a historic landmark—it has become a hub for habitat restoration, art, and community connection.