Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year.

Winter Scene Photographs

Invasive Ivy

Just got back from trying to remove a couple of patches of English Ivy that's gotten loose in the woods along a road near my neighborhood. I figured someone needs to do something before it spreads deep into the forest. English Ivy is a pretty ornamental when controlled around homes, but I've seen what it can do when it gets loose; in Whitemarsh Park is Bowie almost every tree is covered in ivy and the forest is slowly being smothered.

What I didn't expect was the size of the vines growing up the trees. I had only brought small pruning shears. I was able to attack the vines on several smaller trees and yank them down, but on two of the big trees the main vines were 1 to 2 inches in diameter. I could see seeds ripening high on on of the climbing vines, just waiting to sow more havoc. I'm going to have to go back with a saw to tackle these viny brutes.

Sustainable Maryland

At the Transition Website for President-Elect Obama, change.gov, there is a spot for each of us to share our vision for the future. I used this site to outline my thoughts for a sustainable Maryland and a sustainable nation. The basic tenants that we as a state and nation should work toward include:

1. Clean Air and Clean Water - enforcing and strengthening our existing laws to insure that we all live in safe and healthy environment.
   
2. Abundant, Clean, Renewable Energy - striving to achieve the goals defined by WeCanSolveIt.org to shift our economy to a efficient use of energy.
   
3. Liveable, Green Communities - creating communities that use Smart Growth practices and are wisely planned around transportation networks, that are walkable, and that incorporate trees and natural areas.
   
4. Sustainable Consumption of Resource - fostering the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Compost
   
5. Network of Parks and Greenways - maintaining places for nature to flourish and people to enjoy
6. Robust, Sustainable Economy - supporting a economy that ranges from local shops and restaurants that meet our daily needs and wishes; to competitive, green industries that provide safe and reliable products; to a well educated workforce of knowledge workers who provide the backbone to business and government enterprises locally - and thru telepresence - globally.
7. Healthy Agriculture and Fisheries Sector - using best practices to grow and harvest the highest quality foods; when appropriate, foods that are locally grown and locally purchased through farmers' markets and green grocers throughout the region.
   

The hope is to achieve a Virtuous Circle: A healthy environment gives us a better quality of life which gives us the resources to protect our environment.

Path to Conservation

A friend recently asked me about why I got actively involved in the environment and conservation. I worked with NASA for most of the 1990's and I'm proud of the contributions I made there including to design of the International Space Station. Space exploration is an exciting endeavor, but no place in this Solar System compares to the complexity, beauty, and wonder of our planet. I remember one night, while working mission support for a SpaceLab mission, being awed by images beamed back from the Shuttle of a massive thunderstorm lighting up the skies over huge portions of Mexico.

While working at NASA I was also involved in the "Mission to Planet Earth", a project to study the planet's climate, ecosystem, and the effect of human activity. That project has continued to document the many threats to our fragile home. Care for the environment has become interwoven in my work, my volunteer activities, and my hobbies. Over the years I have been involved in various conservation activities around the Chesapeake Bay Region including volunteer work with the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and the Patuxent Riverkeepers. I've tried to bring my computer, photography, and project management skills into play. And now, I've also been sharing my thoughts on this blog. Together, we can make this world a better place.

California - Central Coast

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We had the opportunity to explore a bit of the Central Coast of California back in September. After attending a conference in San Francisco, we drove down to the Monterey Peninsula for an extended weekend. We explored the coast from Cannery Row to Point Lobos. The water off the coast are all part of the 5000 square mile Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Along the rocky shores we viewed colonies of sea lions, seals, and spotted a sea otter - which is still a threatened species. I also noted 24 bird species, 9 of which were new for my book including the a migratory pair of oddly named "red-necked phalaropes."

We also visited the old mission at Carmel-By-The-Sea which included beautiful gardens filled with bustling hummingbirds. On the way back we stopped at the Monarch Preserve at Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz.

To help protect the ocean habitats for this wildlife, visit the Ocean Conservancy website.

Visit my Photo Gallery for more pictures of the area.

River Grasses on the Potomac

We went canoeing along the Potomac last week. After putting in to the re-watered C&O Canal at the Pennyfield Lock a few miles west of tony town of Potomac Maryland, we paddled for a couple of miles up the shady canal to Violettes Lock. It was a beautiful day in the low 80's and we spotted blue herons, turtle, and a bold little green heron. Once at Violettes, we ported the canoe up and over to the Potomac river itself to complete one of the few places you can do a canoe loop trail.

The water was on the low side of runnable, and perhaps we should have crossed over to the Virginia side and taken the channel of the old Pawtowmack Canal, but we went down the main channel of the river over the rocky slope of the old dam that was built here to divert water into the C&O. Below this we zig-zagged through the myriad of channels and chutes between the boulders that mark this part of the river.

The most memorable part of the trip were the river grasses, both in the canal and on the river. I'm used to canoeing on the Patuxent which today is a turbid and choked with sediment. The water on this stretch of the Potomac was clear and the river grasses had recovered magnificently. Near Violettes Lock there were a few patches heavy in hydrilla but mostly we saw vast underwater meadows of water stargrass. These dense clusters of meter-long braids of grass were topped with delightful little yellow flowers floating just on top of the water. Amongst the grasses, we spied all varieties of fish including bass, catfish, and blue gills. The water clarity was excellent; it made me think of bringing my snorkel gear.

Reading a report summary after our trip, I found a study that showed how the river grasses in the Potomac have been recovering since efforts to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus pollution levels have progressed. This study gave me hope. A few weeks ago on the Patuxent, in the North Marsh just above the Rt 4 Hills Bridge, I came across channels clogged with hydrilla. In my years of canoeing this area I had never seen this before.

Since hydrilla is not native to the Chesapeake I was alarmed and upset that the mass of vegetation was blocking my navigation to the inner reaches of the marsh. However my reading now indicate that this may not be such a bad thing. It seems that hydrilla on the Potomac was a pathfinder plant for the river's recovery. This hardy weed was the first plant to establish itself as the water quality began to improve. Once in place, this fast growing plant helped to further filter the river, both physically and chemically. The hyrdrilla has also proved a useful food source for wintering waterfowl. Other native sub-aquatic vegetation, like the fields of stargrass we observed, soon followed the hydrilla.

We can hope, and by continuing our efforts to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus run-off into the river, we can enable the Patuxent to finally start to see improved water clarity and quality too. Perhaps we can soon see meadows of stargrasses in the Patuxent.

Jug Bay Area

Content

Overview
Flora and Fauna
Threat Level
How to Help
How to Visit

Overview

An ecological gem located less than 25 miles from downtown D.C., the Jug Bay area encompasses more than 5000 acres of park and wetlands along the Patuxent River. Protected within 6 park units, the area is a treasure trove of natural and historical sites. There are more than 20 miles of hiking trails, 2 public canoe launches, 2 nature centers, active archaeological digs, and 3 museums including a pair of 18th century manor homes overlooking the river. Important designations include

• Operating as a unit of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System through which the local parks work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct scientific research and education outreach to advance protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.
• Recognition as an Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy and the National Audubon Society as a critical habitat for endemic and migratory birds.
• Gateway site in the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail established in 2006

Farthest south on the Prince George’s side of the river, the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary was founded in the first half of the 20th century by Edgar Merkle to protect the then threatened Canadian Goose. Run today by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the park offers a visitor center, hiking trails, observation towers, and driving tour.

Next going north, the biggest park unit is the Patuxent River Park Jug Bay Natural Area. It has the greatest variety of public amenities including hiking trails, picnic areas, tent camping, boat ramps, fishing areas, canoe rentals, and guided tours of the river by pontoon boat. The Patuxent River Park is also home to the Patuxent Rural Life Museums.

A few miles farther north is the Mount Calvert Historical & Archaeological Park, one of the most significant historical and archaeological sites in Prince George's County. Located on a picturesque rise at the confluence Western Branch and the Patuxent that has over the centuries been home to Native American villages, the first county seat and port of entry for colonial Prince George’s county, and now the18th century manor house of an antebellum plantation. Surrounded by active archaeological digs, the house is now home to museum chronicling the 10,000 year history of the site.

Across the Western Branch, but many miles distant by road, is Billingsley Manor, another museum that is half a century older than the home at Mount Calvert. This beautiful house was home to many prominent Prince George’s families over the centuries.

On the Anne Arundel County side of the river sits the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and Glendening Preserve. With fewer amenities than the Patuxent River Park, the Sanctuary is focused on educational outreach and scientific studies. Sanctuary is open to the public on a limited basis on Wednesdays and weekends by reservation only. The mission of the Sanctuary is supported by hundreds of volunteers who participate in scientific studies, lead nature hikes and canoe trips, act as docents at the visitor center, and support the general maintenance of the sanctuary.

The Glendening Preserve is the newest addition to the Jug Bay family of parks. Partly a former horse farm and partly a private hunting preserve, the park is slowly being returned to a more natural state. This area is open daily for hiking. Also in Anne Arundel County, immediately north of the Route 4 bridge at the Patuxent Wetlands Park is another public canoe launch and fishing area.

Flora and Fauna

In the early spring, the first plants begin to emerge from the open waters of Jug Bay. By June, the wetlands are transformed into a field brimming with broad leafed spatterdock, hydrodynamically shaped arrow arum and arrowhead, and tall cattails and wild rice. Visiting you will see flocks of red-winded blackbirds forage through the tall reeds while majestic blue herons stalk small fish along the water’s edge. The marsh is dotted with osprey nests where each year faithful pairs return to raise their young. Hidden amongst the many small channels are beaver lodges and very illusive wood ducks. The freshwater marsh is also a nursery for fish and hosts a wide variety including killifish, mummichogs, shiners, sunfish, catfish, perch, and rockfish.

Hiking through the hardwood forest overlooking the river you can find a variety of birds including chickadees, tufted titmouses, woodpeckers, thrushes, and catbirds. You may see one of Jug Bay’s much studied red-bellied turtles or spy a (non-poisonous) black rat snake in the brush. Deer are common in these woods. Near the south end of the bay, there is a good chance you’ll spot a bald eagles high in the tall trees along the river.

Jug Bay is an important stop over for birds heading south on the fall migration. The rich wetlands provide an important rest stop for a wide variety of migrating birds that feed on the wild rice, berries, sub-aquatic vegetation, and fish of the area. Over 30 species of waterfowl spend the winter around the Jug Bay area including Canadian Geese, Tundra Swans, Mallards , Black Ducks, Green-Winged Teals, Long-Tailed Ducks, Buffleheads and Goldeneyes.

Threat Level - Moderate

Water quality: The Patuxent, like the entire Chesapeake Bay, is heavily impacted by nitrogen and phosphorous pollution comes from suburban development, either from direct runoff from over-fertilized suburban lawns, or from the more than 20 wastewater treatment plants along the river. These pollutants over-fertilize the river which can cause algae blooms which, when they decompose, use up the oxygen in the water literally choking the life out of the river and disrupting the entire food chain.

The problem is compounded by erosion and sediment runoff exacerbated by the ever growing acreage of asphalt pavement for roads and parking lots upstream of Jug Bay. The sediment blocks sunlight further smothering the river. Pesticides from gardens and farms, and additional toxins such as heavy metals from landfills, illegal dumping, further stress the ecosystem.

Suburban Sprawl: Jug Bay is indirectly affected by the water quality impacts of increased development, but the sprawl is also getting closer as development accelerates along Route 301 and Route 4 which bracket the area. Just in 2007, community action prevented the building of a 260,000 square feet big box retailer at Wayson's Corner just outside the Glendening Preserve. The retail center, and its associated parking lots, would have add a severe impact on nearby Galloway Creek. Quick citizen action resulted in Anne Arundel County using funds from Program Open Space to acquire and protect the 30 acre parcel.

Invasive Species: Invasive species such as Purple Loosestrife, Japanese Honeysuckle, Garlic Mustard, and multi-flora rose are present in the Jug Bay area. Spreading quickly these plants can overrun an area displacing native plants disrupting the ecosystem, threatening local animal, fish, and insect populations. Also posing threats gypsy moths, emerald ash borer, and other exotic insects and animals. Control of these species requires constant diligence by local park staff and volunteers.

How to Help

See my list of 10 Things You Can Do

Support local conservation groups including
- Friends of Jug Bay - http://www.friendsofjugbay.org
- Patuxent River Keepers - http://www.paxriverkeeper.org

Learn about Volunteer Opportunities at
- Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary - http://www.jugbay.org/jugbay/volunteer.html
- Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation - http://www.pgparks.com/things/volunteer.html
- Maryland Conservation Corp - http://www.dnr.state.md.us/mcc/yearround.htm

How to Visit

Park Info
- Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary

• Hours: 7 a.m. to sunset daily, except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
• Phone: 301-888-1410
  
• Entrance Fee: $2 per vehicle; $3 if out of state
  
• Website: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/merkle.html

- Jug Bay Natural Area:

• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset daily
• Phone: 301-627-6074
  
• Entrance Fee: none
• Website: http://www.pgparks.com/places/parks/jugbay.html

- Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

• Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, (Closed Sundays from December through February)
• Reservations Required: 410-741-9330
• Entrance Fee: $3 per adult, $2 per child, $2 per senior
• Website: http://jugbay.org

- Glendening Preserve

• Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, (Closed Sundays from December through February)
• Phone: 410-741-9330
  
• Entrance Fee: none
  
• Website: http://jugbay.org

- Mount Calvert Historical & Archaeological Park

• Park hours: 8 a.m. to sunset daily
• Museum Open: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, April–October. Weekday group tours available by appointment.
• Phone: 301-627-1286
  
• Entrance Fee: none
• Website: http://www.pgparks.com/places/parks/mtcalvert.html
  

- Billingsley House Museum

• Museum Open: Noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Weekday group tours available by appointment.
• Phone: 301-627-0730
  
• Entrance Fee: $3 per adult, $1 per child, $2 per senior
• Website: http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/billingsley_intro.html
  

Chincoteague

Had the opportunity to spend a long weekend at Chincoteague. Got up at dawn the first day to a perfectly still morning on the Back Bay. The old drawbridge mirrored on the calm waters of Chincoteague Channel. Laughing Gulls started their patrols while mallards - and all sorts of mallard hybrids - filtered out of the marsh to forage amongst the piers. A lone fishing boat, the Toots was tied up on the docks.

Eventually a power boat surged through the channel, its wake fracturing the mirror stillness of the channel into a million refractions, catching the morning light. This might be the last summer for the old drawbridge into town. A new bridge that slashes 4000 feet over across the west side of Black Narrows straight to Maddox Boulevard is replacing the old bridge. The traffic engineers may appreciate the value of the modern new span, but it certainly is not iconic or tranquil as the original.

The next morning I again rose with the sun and headed for the Wildlife Refuge. Its was another beautiful morning. Temperatures were in the sixties and the early morning fog was just burning off. It was low tide in the Swan's Cove Pool just behind the beach and the waters were teeming with wading birds - various egrets, ibises, and yellowlegs. Fish were especially concentrated in the deeper channels and laughing gulls, common and forster terns were swooping down feasting. Later, I spotted a flock of black skimmers on the mud flats. On the way out, I stopped at the woodland trail and spotted an endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel.

Of course, we also had a great sunset. Watched the mallards retire back into the marsh. Large families, some with tiny ducklings, some with almost fully grown ones, followed their mamas back across channel. Then just as the sun set a pod of dolphins cruised under the old bridge and down the channel. Fifteen to twenty of the sleek creatures porpoised past the hotel into the back bay, an unexpected thrill to end the day.

See the main gallery for more photos.

Plants for America on the 4th

Attended a presentation at an area garden center - Homesteads Gardens - this past Sunday. Steve Castorani of North Creek Nurseries was giving a free presentation on 'Using Natives in your Garden Landscape'. It was an informative mini-lecture on the benefits and relative ease of putting native plants into the your home's yard and garden. The benefits highlighted included not only the creation of food and habitat for local wildlife but also need less maintenance, less water, and increase the aesthetic and often monetary value of your property.

Mr Castorani spoke of his company's website - American Beauties; an informative site that abundant information about native plants including photos, descriptions, benefits, their natural ranges, and growing and maintenance tips. The site even has a Plant Finder that allows you to search for plants by a variety of criteria such as type, sun exposure, and soil preference.

American Beauties is also teamed with the National Wildlife Federation where you can get your garden designated as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. To be certified your garden must adopt practices to provide food sources such as seeds and berries, a water source, cover and shelter for wildlife, and use sustainable gardening practices.

For America's Independence Day, pledge to plant native plants in your garden and help the all-American native eco-system. Have a happy and safe 4th of July.

10 Things You Can Do to Help the Chesapeake

I've been working on list of 10 Things You Can Do to Help the Chesapeake. Its a work in progress full of ideas on how to help the ecosystem with links to references and detailed information on steps to take. Click here for the full list.

8000 Years on the Patuxent

 
I was back at Jug Bay today to guide a public canoe trip. The entire group today was from one family having a family reunion. Most of the 19 participants were from out of state – including Florida, Texas, California. We had a great day for the trip with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70’s. After the general orientation, the morning trip headed up the Patuxent and into the Western Branch. We encountered plentiful wildlife including a black rat snake at the gear shack, a muskrat just after we set out, turtles, and a great northern water snake. The skies were filled with hunting osprey and great blue herons. Red-winged blackbirds flickered through the cattails. Just above Billingsley Landing on the Western Branch we encountered a downed tree that almost blocked the river. We did just manage to get past and on the upstream side we found a nasty collection of bottles, balls, and other trash that had been strained out by the tree. It was definitely a job for the Riverkeeper Roughnecks and I plan to send them an e-mail.

On the return trip we talked about the rich history of the river and stopped at Mt. Calvert at the confluence of the Western Branch and the main branch of the Patuxent. Since it was Saturday, the small museum in the 1780’s plantation house was open. The group was also fortunate to have Donald Creveling, archeology program manager with the Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission, on hand to tell us about site. The museum houses an exhibit on the confluence of three cultures that occurred on this hill overlooking the Patuxent – the Native Americans who inhabited the land for at least 8000 years, the Europeans who settled the area and built a town here in the 1683, and the enslaved Africans that they brought to these lands. Filled with thousands of artifacts unearthed in the surrounding fields, the museum is a gem of information on Maryland history from pre-Columbian times into the 20th century. The area is still an active archeological dig and we could see researchers digging on a rise overlooking the river about a half mile from the main house.

Canoe and Rescue Training at Jug Bay

Had a memorable time this Saturday attending Canoe and Rescue training at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary on the Patuxent. I volunteer at the Sanctuary as a canoe guide and the training was a great opportunity to hone old skills and learn new ones. Frank Marsden, a Certified Instructor with the American Canoe Association, led the class. Bringing his 20 years of experience, Mr. Marsden taught the assembled volunteers methods to improve paddling techniques, safety protocols, and guiding tips.

The floods of last week (see the previous posting) also impacted Jug Bay. A massive debris field of downed trees, cattail stalks, hundreds of discarded bottles and other sundry trash had piled along the upstream side of our pier. It was a sad sight and an opportunity for another cleanup. But today that would have to wait as we focused on the canoe training. We finally had a marvelous day – sunny, dry, and in the 70’s. Setting out, we paddled our canoes up to the Western Branch of the Patuxent. After practicing various paddle strokes and techniques we went ashore to eat lunch and prepare for getting really wet.

In the afternoon we got back on the river, and below the centuries old Mt Calvert House and Archeological Park, we practiced rescue drills. We took turns dumping ourselves into the river and then being rescued by the other guides. While a rare occurrence – I’ve only seen one canoe capsize in a dozen years of leading trips at Jug Bay – the lessons were an excellent refresher. And even with the cold early season water temperatures, everyone enthusiastically participated.

After everyone had a chance to rescue and be rescued we headed back in, savoring the great weather. The successfully training session got everyone into great spirits to kick-off another canoe season at Jug Bay.

See more photos...

Storm Waters

It's raining again today. It has been a wet week in Maryland; we had half a foot of rain over the previous weekend that caused lots of flooding. With so much land paved over for roads and parking lots, the rain has no were to go and with 6 inches of rain, the storm ponds built around the housing developments and strip malls were simply overwhelmed. As I was driving on Monday I saw the county Swift Water Rescue Team race down the highway, as I was to learn later, to save a man whose pickup truck had gotten washed away driving down a flooded roadway. I myself drove past several areas on the local backroads were streams that are normally tiny brooks were up and onto the roads.

The heavy run-off also has negative environmental impacts on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as the rushing waters erode the stream banks and undermine the root systems of streamside trees. The run-off also carries excess nitrogen from lawn fertilizer, pesticides, automotive, and household wastes into the bay. On drier days, if you explore the local streams, you'll find most sit in steeply eroded gullies carved by previous storms. All the sediment and pollutants are washed downriver into the bay making the water more turbid and smothering underwater grasses.

The problem is discussed in detail in the Patuxent 20/20 Report. Techniques for handling storm water run-off have improved over the years and the 2007 Stormwater Management Act will require developers to use greener, low-impact development techniques, but regulation and enforcement for the act is still being formulated. In the meantime, homeowners can help by installing rain barrels at their downspouts. These capture much of the rainwater and even provide a ready source of water for watering your lawn and garden.

Oyster Restoration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

For Earth Day, I went to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Oyster Restoration Center in Shady Side, Maryland, on the West River. There I spent the morning with about 4 dozen volunteers - adults and children - building artificial reef balls to help restore the oysters in the Chesapeake.

The CBF is building concrete reef balls to provide oyster spat - immature oysters - a place to attach and grow. After growing the oysters in tanks at their facility in Shady Side, they carry the young oysters to various oyster sanctuaries where they will hopefully reestablish healthy self-sustaining reefs. Building the 3 to 4 foot balls was hard work - first a set of finished balls had to be extracted by tearing apart their molds. Then the molds had to be cleaned, rebuilt, and filled with a fresh load of cement. Fortunately we had great weather, not too hot, and the entire crew pulled their weight to finish this job, and a few others by lunch.

Depending on various estimates the oyster population has dropped 96% to 99% from its levels in colonial days. The oysters have been decimated by pollution, historic over-fishing, and perhaps most severely by disease. This is unfortunate for the Bay; as oysters feed they filter 60 gallons of water a day removing algae and sediment, and their loss has certainly not helped the water quality of the Bay. The improved water quality would help bay grasses grow, which in turn would help oxygenate the water and improve habitat for fish, crab, and oyster alike.

Bay Day at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Attended the Bay Day celebration at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels yesterday as an Earth Day activity. It was a nice chance to see the museum and visit the dozens of exhibitors at the fair. The Scales and Tales program from the Maryland DNR stole the show with its exhibit of several rescued hawks and owls. (That's an American Kestrel staring at you in the attached image). There were also exhibitors from NOAA, windmill providers, and various local organizations. Very useful were exhibits from the Maryland Native Plant Society and the Adkins Arboretum which had information about planting native plants in our garden to benefit indigenous birds and insects. While talking with a representative of the Talbot Count Creekwatchers about the differences between the Riverkeepers and the Creekwatchers, she made the very noteworthy observation that if there was less fragmentation amongst the various environmental groups, perhaps they would have more clout.

Belt Woods

Drove out to the Belt Woods, a fragment of old growth in the middle of Prince Georges county this morning. I wanted to get some photos of the old woods for a photo essay that I'm working on. The woods are a sad but proud remnant of mature trees wedged between busy Rt 214, Church Road, and the Six Flags amusement park. The 43 acre tract is a National Landmark and is home to 150' tall Tuliptrees and Oaks. The DNR website indicates that it also has a high density of breeding bird breeding and is home to threatened and endangered plants. Sadly, the protected grove is so small almost all of it is visible from the roadside. Actual access to the site is by permit only and I had not called ahead, so this was a look but do not touch experience.

Riverkeeper Roughnecks work the Little Patuxent

Joined the Patuxent Riverkeepers today to work on the Little Patuxent River just outside Odenton, MD. The Riverkeeper Roughneck work crew goes out on the river to clear stream blockages and open the river to paddlers. We hiked up the new WB&A trail to get to the river; the trail is all finished and ready for bikers but not yet officially open. From the trail bridge we hiked upriver about a quarter mile until we came upon a major blockage - about six or seven major tree down almost entirely blocking the river. We waded into the cold water - the air temp was only about 40F - and started to attack the first downed tree with hand saws.
It was a glorious day out. Chilly but sunny. As we worked we saw several blue herons - there is a rookery in the area, a king fisher, and then high overhead a bald eagle.


It took over an hour but we finally were able to cut the tree and winch it out of the channel. We then attacked several smaller limbs and impediments to re-open the channel. One of our members poled his canoe upriver and came back to declare there were no other major blockages for the next half mile up river. Having open this blockage, and in good spirits, we headed back out for a well deserved lunch.

10 Things You Can Do to Help the Chesapeake

1. Save Electricity - Use CFL Bulbs and Energy Star rated appliances

Coal and oil burning electric power plants, both local and as far away as the Great Lakes contribute to local air pollution including nitrogen oxides, sulfur, mercury, and other contaminants. Not only impacting our air quality, these contaminants also deposit into our waters. Of course they also produce CO2 greenhouse gases.

Cutting your electricity usage will not only help the environment but save money too. Replace your old incandescent bulbs with new CFL bulbs. When you get new appliances, make sure they are Energy Star rated. You can even get rebates from BGE when you buy these power saving devices. Also hunt down and unplug unneeded Power Vampires. Turn up the thermostat in the summer and clean your air filters to reduce how hard your A/C works. Read here for more energy conservation ideas.

2. Save Gas - Combine Trips, Telecommute, Get a High MPG Car

With gas at $4 a gallon, you may not need more incentive to reduce gas usage, but doing so also helps the environment. Like coal fired power plants, cars are a major source of air pollution and C02 emissions. Climate change associated with CO2 is also serious threat to the Chesapeake ecosystem.

Plan your car trips to combine errands. Keep your tires properly inflated. Slow down. Bike or walk when you can. See http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Gas for more tips. When you do buy a new car, get one with better gas mileage.

Talk to your boss about telecommuting. Most government agencies and many companies have policies for letting employees work from home rather than drive into the office. See the Telework Resource Center for tips. Imagine how much gas, money, time, and pollution you would save if you just telecommuted one day a week.

3. Reuse and Recycle

By 2006, Maryland was recycling or composting over 3 million tons of materials. Many counties have now implemented mixed stream recycling to simplify the process. Even with this success, millions of tons of reusable materials still end up in the trash filling up landfills. When a landfill is full, new land needs to be acquired to open a new land fill or else garbage needs to be trucked to distant landfills creating even more environmental degradation.

Avoid buying items with extra packaging. Try to reuse items before throwing them away. Recycle all paper, glass, and (#1 and #2) plastic containers. Get reusable cloth grocery bags or at least take your old plastic bags back to the store for recycling. Drop off your old electronics for e-cycling.

4. Install a Rain Barrel

A 1000 square foot roof sheds 150 gallons of water in a quarter inch rainfall. That water gushes off your property and into a storm drain. Combined with all the storm runoff from every other house, this causes soil erosion and sediment buildup in the rivers and bay which in turn chokes underwater grasses destroying habitats for crabs and fish.

Installing a rainbarrel at your downspouts captures much of this water both preventing the excess runoff and providing a ready source for watering your garden and lawn. It will even save you on your water bill. For more info on where to get a barrel or build your own, see
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Content/DEP/Rainscapes/barrels.htm. Note: do take care with the design and placement of the downspout diverter and overflow port to handle those heavy downpours.

5. Replace your Lawn with a Native Plant Garden

Lawns require a tremendous amount of maintenance. Studies indicate that grass is the single-largest irrigated crop in the country. Seeking the perfect lawn, homeowners pile on fertilizer, and the excess ends up being washed into the river and bay causing algae blooms and dead zones. Americans use 70 million pounds of pesticides every year on their lawns. A gas powered push mower emits as much pollutants per hour as 11 cars; a riding mower as much as 34 cars. On top of all that, a lawn provides almost no useful habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Replacing part or all of your lawn with native plants, flowers, groundcover, and shrubs is much healthier for the environment. It absorbs more rain and reduces storm runoff. Its more drought resistant and saves water. Native plants also provide habitat and food for wildlife. Overall such a garden saves homeowners time and money.

For more information, see
Audobon Society: Reducing the Lawn
Chesapeake Bay Program: Better Backyard

6. Take Your Kids to the Park

Research from the Nature Conservancy shows that kids are spending less time outside than ever before. The concern is that kids will grow up with less appreciation for the beauty and importance of our natural world and how it directly affects their lives.

Take your kids to the park. Canoe at Jug Bay. Hike at along the Blue Ridge. Bike the C&O Canal. Go fishing on the Bay. Visit a nature center. See how many birds you can identify. Share a sunset. Have fun.

7. Support your Local Farmers Market

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation calculates that over 140,000 acres of natural lands are lost to development every year in the Bay watershed. Much of this is farmland converted to suburban subdivisions. Farmers are struggling with high costs and often far-flung competition. It is too often more profitable to sell the land than to farm.

You can help farmers by buying locally grown produce. Visit farmers' markets held throughout the region . See http://www.localharvest.org/ for more information.

8. Help Conservation Groups Protect the Environment

"Many hands make light work". Conservation is a community effort and conservation groups need your support to succeed. Become a member of your favorite groups. Participate in events and activities. Volunteer - groups have need for a wide variety of work from stuffing envelopes to computer programming to outdoor field work. Lend a hand.

Find a directory of environmental groups at the NWF.

9. Consume Less, Share More, Live Simply

More is not necessarily better. We tend to judge our lives by how much stuff we collect rather than the quality of stuff we do. Consider whether you really need something before you buy it. Re-use stuff you already have. Join a Freecycle group to give your old stuff a second life. Donate used goods to charity. Spend more time with your friends and loved ones. Enjoy life.

10. Learn more about Environment Issues and Solutions

The issues facing our world and great and intertwined. The solutions are many and varied. Become informed. Learn where your elected officials stand. Understand the options.

Some starting points:
Yahoo! Green
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
1000 Friends of Maryland
State of Maryland - Bay Stat
Maryland League of Conservation Voters
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