Cleaning the Streams by Is Maryland in Gasland? … · taking effect on January 1, 2010, the law has netted $2 ... Is Maryland in Gasland? By David O’Leary—To drill or not to

Chesapeake 1 Spring 2011Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club Spring 2011

By Meredith Sweet—Maryland’s 90-day legislative ses-sion is a busy time in Annapolis. From mid-January tomid-April, the 47 senators and 141 delegates who formour General Assembly will sponsor, deliberate, debate,and vote on more than 2,300 bills, including the state’sannual budget. On February 4, 2011, one such bill, the“Clean the Streams and Beautify the Bay Act of 2011,”had its first reading before its respective committees tobecome Senate Bill 602 and House Bill 1034. Affec-tionately known by advocates as the “bag bill,” it is alogical follow-on to DC’s hugely successful 5-cent “baglaw” (officially known as The Anacostia River Clean Upand Protection Act).

DC’s approach of charging a bag fee in lieu of anoutright ban was the first of its kind in the United States.Under the banner “Skip the Bag, Save the River,” it hasbeen a strong motivator for shoppers to switch fromsingle-use plastic to reusable bags. It is also a win-winfor the Anacostia River by reducing a source of perma-nent pollution while providing a new source of revenuefor clean-up efforts.

With every 5 cents a business charges customersfor plastic, up to 2 cents goes to the business and theremainder to the Anacostia River Protection Fund. Sincetaking effect on January 1, 2010, the law has netted $2million in revenue and lowered plastic-bag usage fromabout 270 million bags in 2009 to around 55 million—an impressive decrease of 80 percent. Interestinglyenough, DC officials see the revenue shortfall (predic-tions placed it at $3.5 million) as a sign of victory—the

Cleaning the Streams byBagging Bags

Is Maryland in Gasland?

By David O’Leary—To drill or not to drill, that is thequestion. Will drilling for gas in western Maryland en-rich our state or cause our state to look like one of themany places portrayed in the Oscar-nominated docu-mentary Gasland?

After many hours of briefings, hearings, and pub-lic forums in the Maryland General Assembly and withthe Garrett County Board of Commissioners, and manytrips between western Maryland and Annapolis, it lookslike most of the cards are on the table. The natural gasdrilling industry and their proponents claim that theycan drill wells deep underground into the Marcellus shalelayer safely, and that the private property rights of thosewho are leasing their land are more important than thoseof their neighbors who prefer to retain their mineralrights and avoid the risks and damage from gas drillingon their land. Many residents of western Maryland andelsewhere are skeptical of industry claims and believestrong regulation and oversight is necessary to address awide variety of environmental, community, and social

impacts seen in neighboring states. Of course, the op-portunity of selling mineral rights and gas, along withthe associated drilling industry jobs and economic ac-tivity, is also attractive to many in the area.

Gas drilling in shale formations has received quitea bit of media attention in recent years due to the manyand various problems. Rock formations of Marcellusshale, such as exist in many parts of Maryland, are sev-eral thousand feet underground, and only recently hasdrilling technology been developed to enable extractionof natural gas from this shale.

Specifically, in addition to drilling several thou-sand feet vertically down to the Marcellus shale layer,the drilling continues for up to several thousand feethorizontally through the shale layer. As part of the gasextraction process, the gas well is pumped full of mil-lions of gallons of water mixed with a variety of chemi-cals under very high pressure combined with the use ofexplosives to break up the shale, a process called hy-draulic fracturing, or “hydrofracking.”

The process requires a large quantity of water,which may deplete local aquifers. That water is thenmixed with hydrofracking chemicals, many of whichare known to be toxic. Some of this toxin-laden water isremoved from the well and stored onsite or trucked towastewater treatment plants, which are not designed toremove the chemicals. There are a wide variety of con-cerns about the risks of gas drilling and the associatedimpacts from transporting water and chemicals to andfrom the site, and the infrastructure related to storage,pumping, and processing of the gas at or near the drill-ing site. Some of the issues are shown in the documen-

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Chesapeake 2 Spring 2011

Contents

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Letter from the ChairHydrofracking: See Gasland! ShowGasland!Start a Conversation—Write a Letter tothe EditorWhich is Better, Paper or Plastic?The Bag Fee Is a Win for AllRating and Disclosing the EnergyEfficiencies of Maryland’s BuildingsGetting Invasive Plants out of theMarketplaceThe Downside of DeerPrince George’s Cool Counties WorkGroup Faces a New ChallengeA MAPP to the Mattawoman’s Demise?Moving Upstream: Maryland’s CountiesPrepare Watershed Improvement Plansfor the Bay’s Pollution DietGroup News RoundupChapter LeadersHabitat Stewardship OutingsOutings

Letter from the Chair

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The opinions expressed in this newsletter arein general aligned with those of the environ-mental community in Maryland, but arestrictly those of the authors and not necessar-ily official policy of local, state or nationalSierra Club entities. The Sierra Club pridesitself on being a grassroots volunteer organi-zation. The concerns and opinions of all itsmembers are welcome in these pages.

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Hello All,Dirty snow, gusty wind, the lastgasp of winter ailments, theGeneral Assembly in session . ..yes, it must be March! And theMaryland Chapter and its con-stituent groups are experiencingall of these, most seriously, the2011 Maryland General Assem-bly session. We’re lobbying hardto promote the legislative priori-

ties we identified earlier in the year.You’ll find articles about these priorities in this

newsletter. You can also anticipate being called upon byour volunteer members through phone banks, e-mailsand website postings, asking that you urge your del-egates and senator to support our environmental bills.

Being politically engaged this year is extremelyimportant. The economy is still in a very slow recovery;budget cuts are being made in many areas; and our op-position is adamantly blaring that their business-as-usualapproach is the only viable solution during a time ofeconomic stress. But we know that the key to economicrecovery does not lie in delaying or rolling back envi-ronmental laws and regulations. Pollution is not pros-perity! So I implore you to get involved. Let your legis-lators know that you want them to protect Marylandfamilies by protecting our natural environment. Yourvoice is important, so please, use it.

I have been troubled for some time, as I’m sureyou are, by the false dichotomy between economic andenvironmental vitality. Playing with the fears of citizenswho have seen the value of their assets plummet alongwith their job prospects, a vocal right wing is loudlyinsisting that only by turning away from regulation canAmericans hope to restore a robust economy and thejobs that it would create. But as we know, it was lack ofregulation or inadequate regulation which created oureconomic as well as our environmental problems. Thosewho brought down the housing market skirted regula-tion and privatized the profits from their deals as theyspread the liabilities among the rest of us. Similarly, ourcurrent industrial model “externalizes” environmentaldegradation by failing to make industry take responsi-bility for it. Waste is pumped freely into streams andrivers or up smokestacks into the air, and the cost, inimpaired human and environmental health, is borne byall of us.

We will continue to need the industries of the 20th

century as we transition into a greener economy. But

we cannot let proponents of the status quo use our cur-rent economic woes to persuade us that we must post-pone the transition. Nor can we allow them to use “jobs-jobs-jobs” as a cover for continuing to externalize thecost of the byproducts of a fossil-fuel-based economy.We need a resilient economy that meets our humanneeds without destroying the ecosystems that supportour biological lives.

Standing in the way of a national commitment toa healthy and healthful economy is a tiny percentage ofour population whose wealth and power drive many ofour political decisions. Their few voices are loud andubiquitous; their wealth buys them allies at every levelof government. To counter them, we must join our manyvoices, and we must be as committed to change as theyare to the status quo. Will you join me in this fight? Itwill take all of us!

I want to conclude on a happy note: our 2010 End-of-Year major donor fundraiser was very successful!Thanks to all donors who were able to contribute tothis success. It is most appreciated.

Our primary fundraising effort for the year—ourMarch campaign—is beginning as I write this letter. Inthe letter you receive from the Chapter we’ll be high-lighting the programs we’re conducting to make ourenvironment healthier for all of us. I hope you’ll agreethat the programs are worthy of your support, and thatyou’ll give as generously as you can. We are fightingagainst the well-heeled advocates of private profits andpublic liabilities, but we can make our voices heard.Please contribute what you can. Thanks in advance foryour consideration and support!

Until next time . . . ■

Ron Henry, Chapter Chair

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CongratulationsCongratulationsCongratulationsCongratulationsCongratulationsto our newly electedto our newly electedto our newly electedto our newly electedto our newly electedat-large delegates toat-large delegates toat-large delegates toat-large delegates toat-large delegates tothe Maryland Chapterthe Maryland Chapterthe Maryland Chapterthe Maryland Chapterthe Maryland ChapterExecutive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeExecutive Committee

Erin BarnesErin BarnesErin BarnesErin BarnesErin BarnesRich ReisRich ReisRich ReisRich ReisRich Reis

Amanda RuthvenAmanda RuthvenAmanda RuthvenAmanda RuthvenAmanda RuthvenBaird StraughanBaird StraughanBaird StraughanBaird StraughanBaird Straughan


Legislation: Hydrofracking

tary films Gasland and Split Estate, andhave received coverage by other mediaoutlets including the New York Times. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/us/27gas.html )

In January, bills were introduced inthe Maryland General Assembly to planfor stronger regulation of gas drilling inMaryland. Residents of western Marylandand several of the statewide environmen-tal groups worked with Delegates HeatherMizeur and Marvin Holmes and SenatorBrian Frosh and their staffs, along withthe leadership of the Department ofNatural Resources (DNR), Secretary John

Is Maryland in Gasland?(continued from page 1)

Consider attendingor hosting a showingof Gasland, a docu-mentary that exploreshydraulic fracturing,the Halliburton drillingtechnology that uses“proprietary” chemicalmixtures and millionsof gallons of freshwater to extractnatural gas fromunderground shale.

Hydrofracking: Invented by Halliburton. Exemptedfrom the Safe Drinking Water Act. Oozing throughloopholes in the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act,the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, theNational Environmental Policy Act, and others.Want to learn more?

Visit www.sierraclub.org/gasland for more information andto learn about showings and how you can host your ownshowing.

The risks and impacts of new approaches to natural gasdrilling are not well understood. Maryland needs toproceed carefully before permitting new gas drilling.

Griffin, and Bob Summers, Acting Sec-retary of the Department of the Environ-ment (MDE), to write and rewrite a bill.

The proposal creates an expert ad-visory commission to gather and reviewinformation about issues and best prac-tices from around the region and nation,then write a report which informs theregulatory process. Regulations will be de-veloped with a deadline for completionof the summer of 2013, before permitscan be issued. Costs of the study and regu-latory process are paid for by fees on theindustry. In response to grassroots pres-sure, Senator Edwards and DelegateBietzel from western Maryland intro-duced an alternative bill to regulate drill-ing, but it is not as comprehensive anddoes not provide sufficient time for com-prehensive study and regulation of drill-ing and the many risks and impacts.

Committee hearings were held re-cently. Fortunately, many delegates andsenators are responding well to the needfor increased regulation that places theburden of proof of safety on the gas drill-ing industry and provides sufficient timeto understand the implications of broad

expansion of natural gas drilling in ourstate.

As I write this article, lobbying inAnnapolis is well underway on both bills.Please call your state delegates and sena-tor and ask for their commitment to acautious approach and strong regulationof the new gas drilling industry as out-lined in Senate Bill 634 and House Bill852. Also, consider attending or hostinga showing the film Gasland. On the Mary-land Sierra Club web site(maryland.sierraclub.org), click on Issuesand then Hydrofracking to learn aboutcurrent legislation status and how to seeor host a showing of Gasland.

All energy sources have various costs,benefits, and impacts. The risks and im-pacts of new approaches to natural gasdrilling are not well understood. Mary-land needs to proceed carefully before per-mitting new gas drilling and HB 852 /SB 634 are the right approach. ■

David O’Leary is the Conservation Chairfor the Maryland Chapter.

Responding to news articles about environmental issues by writing aletter to the editor of a local paper is a great way to raise awareness abouta topic that you’re passionate about. Keep your letter concise, and referto the article or column that appeared in the paper (or other media.) Aneasy formula is to use the first short paragraph to explain why the issue isimportant to you and your community; provide facts, figures, andrelevant quotes in a second paragraph; finally, restate your point andmake a recommendation in the concluding paragraph.

For more tips for writing a letter to the editor, visit www.sierraclub.org/dc/sprawl/action/p004.html

Start a Conversation—Write a Letter to the Editor


Legislation: Fee on Bags

program is working better than expected.The resounding success of DC’s bag

law has not gone unnoticed. Accordingto the Trash Free Maryland Alliancewebsite (www.trashfreemaryland.org/),Virginia and Connecticut have joinedMaryland in considering implementinga bag fee, while Oregon is looking atmodifying and expanding Portland’s pre-existing, city-wide ban to a state-wide ini-tiative. Hawaii is also in the mix this year,considering a variety of bills covering ban,fee, and biodegradable bag options. Cali-fornia has hodge-podge, literally town-by-town, legislation reflecting the heatedbag-ban debate that followed SanFrancisco’s municipal bag ban in 2007.

Why is there this brouhaha overplastic bags? To help answer that ques-tion, let’s consider the life cycle of a typi-cal bag from its conception to its finalresting place.

AAAAAnatomy of a Pnatomy of a Pnatomy of a Pnatomy of a Pnatomy of a Plastic Blastic Blastic Blastic Blastic BagagagagagMost plastic bags we use come from asubstance called polyethylene or PE. Thislarge molecule is composed of repeatedunits of smaller ethylene molecules (ormonomers) bonded together in long, pli-able polymer chains. Ethylene itself isderived from a process called streamcracking, where large hydrocarbon mol-ecules are broken down into monomers.It is a very energy-intensive process, re-quiring temperatures between 750 and950 ºC. Traditional sources or “feedstock”of hydrocarbons are petroleum or pro-pane, and almost 80 percent of PE manu-factured in our country comes from natu-ral gas.

Polyethylene is extremely pliable,and, since its discovery in the 1930s, ithas become the most widely used formof plastic. There are at least 10 categoriesof PE based upon the molecular proper-ties of the plastic used in the final prod-uct. Here are the most prevalent of these:

◆◆◆◆High-density PE (HDPE) (recy-cling symbol number 2) uses includeplastic grocery bags; containers such asmilk jugs and detergent bottles; plasticlumber, outdoor furniture and piping;and children’s toys.◆◆◆◆Low-density PE LDPE (recyclingsymbol number 4) uses include foodwrap; six-pack rings; computer hardware;and rigid plastics such as food trays.◆◆◆◆Linear low-density PE (LLDPE) (norecycling symbol) uses include glossy car-rier bags; plastic film wrap; and sheeting.

Once made and sold in its myriad offorms, PE pervades all aspects of our lives,especially in its ubiquitous form, thesingle-use carrier bag. It is estimated thatbetween 81 and 100 billion plastic bags,sacks and wraps are used each year in theUnited States alone. In 2007, more than830 million pounds of plastic bags andfilm were recycled. But, according to theEnvironmental Protection Agency, thatwas a mere 12 percent of the total used.The Trash Free Maryland Alliance placesthis figure at a lower (and advocates be-lieve more accurate) 5 percent.

The remainder ends up in our land-fills; on our roadsides; tangled up in trees;floating in waterways; on our beaches;and in huge, oceanic “garbage patches.”And here they rest arguably for all eter-nity. Sounds dramatic? Unfortunately, itis also true.

Standard plastic bags don’t biode-grade, they actually photodegrade. Whenexposed to ultraviolet radiation from thesun, PE’s polymer chains become brittleand crack. This suggests that bags out-side the cover of landfills will eventuallyfragment into microscopic granules.However, based on present data, scien-tists cannot be sure how long this processwill take, and there’s much speculationthat decomposition rates will not be mea-sured in decades but in centuries.

What CWhat CWhat CWhat CWhat Can Wan Wan Wan Wan We De De De De Do?o?o?o?o?Actually, there’s quite a lot each of uscan do to significantly reduce theamount of plastic in our environment.It’s all about revisiting those three Rs:Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

RRRRReduce Yeduce Yeduce Yeduce Yeduce Your Uour Uour Uour Uour UsagesagesagesagesageAvoiding outright the use of plastic bagshas the most immediate, direct, and posi-tive effect on the environment. Apartfrom being a semi-permanent form ofpollution, single-use bags are not envi-ronmentally friendly for other reasons.The manufacturing of PE is a high-en-ergy process that requires large amountsof electricity, primarily from coal-firedpower plants. The raw materials, petro-leum and natural gas, are also both non-renewable energy sources.

Changing daily habits whentransitioning from PE-based products toreusable alternatives can be difficult atfirst. Many shoppers find themselves re-turning to their cars again and again fortheir grocery bags until the habit sticks.Ultimately, perseverance and patience winover, and converts often find using fewersturdy bags better than many flimsy plas-tic bags.

Do the research, become aware ofwhat types of bags are PE-based, and lookfor viable, reusable options that suit you.For example, if you save money by buy-ing food in bulk and break it down forfreezing, switch to tempered glass or du-rable plastic containers that are freezer-grade, instead of zippered freezer bags.Use small, reusable storage containersrather than sandwich bags for packedlunches. When going out to eat, take aquart-sized container with you. Yes, itsounds silly, but it saves taking leftovershome in the Styrofoam box and plasticcarrier bag that restaurants provide.

RRRRReuse Peuse Peuse Peuse Peuse Plastic Blastic Blastic Blastic Blastic BagsagsagsagsagsThough not nearly as effective as reduc-

Cleaning the Streams by Bagging Bags(continued from page 1)

Question: Which is better: paper orplastic?

Answer: Neither. Choose reusables,which help save energy and theenvironment!

Plastic Bags!!!Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1trillion plastic bags are expended worldwide.That comes out to over 1 million per minute.Billions end up as litter each year.!!!Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles,whales and other marine mammals die everyyear from eating discarded plastic bags thatthey mistake for food.!!! Plastic is accumulating at an alarmingrate in our oceans, wreaking havoc onwildlife, polluting our beaches, and enteringour food chain.

Paper Bags!!!It takes more than four times as muchenergy to manufacture a paper bag as it takesto manufacture a plastic bag.!!!In 1999 alone, 14 million trees were cutdown to produce the 10 billion paper grocerybags used by Americans. Paper bag produc-tion delivers a global warming double-whammy: forests (major absorbers ofgreenhouse gases) have to be cut down, andthen the subsequent manufacturing of bagsproduces greenhouse gases.!!!Paper bags generate 70 percent more airpollutants and 50 times more water pollut-ants than plastic bags.

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ing or recycling, this is by far the mostwidely-used approach. More than 90 per-cent of us reuse our plastic bags at leastonce for things like wastebasket liners,packing material, lunch totes, and pick-ing up pet waste. If you already have astash of bags that cannot be recycled, havesome fun and be creative. Turn them into“recycle art” or cut large, colorful onesinto aprons for the July 4th barbeque.

RRRRRecyecyecyecyecycle!cle!cle!cle!cle!Most of us know that almost all grocerystores and many retailers have bins forrecycling plastic grocery bags. However,not everyone knows they also accept thefollowing plastic items:◆◆◆◆Newspaper bags◆◆◆◆Dry cleaning bags◆◆◆◆Bread bags◆◆◆◆Produce bags◆◆◆◆Wrap for toilet paper, napkins, pa-per towels, furniture and electronics◆◆◆◆Retail bags (hard plastic and stringhandles removed)◆◆◆◆Food storage bags (clean and dry),such as Ziploc® bags◆◆◆◆Cereal box liners (If it tears like pa-per, do not include.)◆◆◆◆Tyvek® (no glue, labels, other mate-rial)◆◆◆◆Diaper packaging◆◆◆◆Shipping envelopes (Do not includebubble wrap, and be sure to remove la-bels.)◆◆◆◆Case wrap (e.g., snacks, waterbottles)◆◆◆◆All clean, dry bags labeled with a 2or 4

It is important not to introduce contami-nants into the recycling stream, and thereare still several items that are not accepted,including cling or food wrap, packagingfor frozen or prepackaged food, bio-basedor compostable bags, and plastic that haspaint or excessive glue on its surface.

More information on recycling is

available at two great web-based re-sources, www.PlasticBagRecycling.organd www.Earth911.com.

In the long term, reducing your re-liance on plastic is the most effective planof action. While recycling does immedi-ately remove plastic bags from the trashstream, it is not always a perfect solutionand can have unforeseen problems of itsown.

According to the American Chem-istry Council’s 2008 “plastic film” report,57 percent of our collected plastic wastewas sent oversees for processing. With therecent world-wide economic downturn,many of these recyclers have gone out ofbusiness, making it uncertain how muchof what is being exported is actually get-ting recycled.

TTTTTell Yell Yell Yell Yell Your Eour Eour Eour Eour Elected Olected Olected Olected Olected Officials Yfficials Yfficials Yfficials Yfficials YouououououSSSSSupporupporupporupporupport the Bt the Bt the Bt the Bt the Bag Bag Bag Bag Bag BillillillillillBoth senate and house versions of the billare scheduled in early March for their sec-ond reading before respective committees.If approved, the Maryland bag bill willgo forward for its third and final reading,the floor vote. This is an excellent timeto show your support, which you can doin two ways:◆◆◆◆The easiest way is to sign the onlinepetition at one of the following websites:Sierra Club Maryland Chapter (http://maryland.sierraclub.org/) or Trash FreeMaryland Alliance (http://www.trashfreemaryland.org/).◆◆◆◆You also may send an email to yoursenator and delegates directly. Electedofficials are always interested in hearingfrom constituents. For the names andcontact information for your elected of-ficials, go to http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/. ■

Meredith Sweet is the chair of the SouthernMaryland Group.

Cleaning the Streams by Bagging Bags(continued from page 4)

The legislation puts a new focus onreducing the amount of trash thatenters Maryland’s waterways andbolsters a fund dedicated to thecleanup and restoration of theChesapeake Bay. The legislationrepresents a unique attempt to workwith business and environmentalleaders to develop a shared strategyto reduce the amount of trash in theChesapeake Bay and coastal water-ways.

How the Initiative Works◆◆◆◆The legislation will place a small 5-cent fee on all single-use plastic and pa-per carryout bags.◆◆◆◆The legislation requires that theseplastic and paper carryout bags be recy-clable.

Community Education and Outreach◆◆◆◆The legislation delays implementa-tion for 6 months to a year, requiring thestate to conduct an intensive public in-formation campaign and work with ser-vice providers to distribute multiple freereusable bags to seniors and low-incomehouseholds.

How the Fee Would Be Used◆◆◆◆The 5-cent fee will be divided be-tween the state, the Chesapeake Bay Trustand the business collecting the fee.◆◆◆◆The bulk of the fee will be depositedinto the Trust to target environmentalcleanup, reclamation, and restoration ef-forts on the Chesapeake Bay and impairedlocal waterways, as well as to continue apublic education campaign and providefree reusable bags to Maryland residents,in particular to elderly and low-incomeresidents.◆◆◆◆Businesses will retain either 1 or 2cents of the fee, depending whether theyoffer customers a carryout bag credit pro-gram for reusable bags.

Bag Fees Are Successful for Business, theEnvironment, and People◆◆◆◆Other jurisdictions are moving inthis direction, both regionally and inter-nationally. In Washington, DC, after justone month of a similar fee, demand forplastic bags dropped as much as 80%.Volunteers in DC report a significant

Photos: Rich Reis

The Bag Fee Is a Win for All

Legislation: Fee on Bags

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Legislation: Energy Efficiency

In the United States, the energy consump-tion of residential and commercial build-ings comprises 39%, more than any othersector. Two-thirds of electricity consumedhere each year is used in buildings. InMaryland, electricity consumption is thenumber one source of greenhouse gasemissions.

Non-residential buildings, includingoffices, retail stores, government facilities,schools and hospitals, are a major part ofthis equation. Maryland has more than475 million square feet of existing, pri-vately owned office and retail space, anumber that grows even larger when ac-counting for other types of nonresiden-tial space.

Building owners cannot manage whatthey have not measured. Rating the en-ergy efficiency of non-residential build-ings in Maryland will:◆◆◆◆Educate building owners on their

ENERGY STAR BUILDINGS . . .� Rent for more money (3% to6% per square foot) and havelower vacancy than conventionalbuildings

� Have 13.5% higher marketvalue

� Earn owners 6% more netoperating income per square foot

� Consume an average of 35%less energy

� Saved $1.7 billion in utilitycosts for owners in 2008

Rating and Disclosing the Energy Efficiencies of Maryland’s Buildings

own energy consumption relative to otherbuildings◆◆◆◆Encourage energy efficiency mea-sures and greenhouse gas emissions reduc-tions in the existing buildings sector◆◆◆◆Help inform future actions to reducebuilding energy consumption, as called

for under the EmPOWER Maryland ini-tiative and the Greenhouse Gas EmissionsReduction Act of 2009

Disclosing energy efficiency ratings to themarket will:◆◆◆◆Transform the market for existingbuildings by allowing real estate investors,tenants and lenders to fully value energy-efficient properties◆◆◆◆Reward owners of efficient proper-ties with higher operating incomes, rentpremiums and above-market occupancyrates◆◆◆◆Create a virtuous cycle of competi-tion between building owners based onenergy efficiency, reducing the energyconsumption and resulting energy costsof the overall building stock

◆◆◆◆Put market-based pressure on own-ers of inefficient properties to increasebuilding efficiency ■

Buildings, both residential and commercial, consume a significant proportion of energy generated from fossil fuels. Conservation awareness and green buildingtechnology has had a positive effect on the energy efficiency of new buildings, but most of our existing buildings continue to use energy wastefully. We supportSB 713 and HB 985, which would require evaluation and disclosure of commercial building energy use through EPA’s free on-line tool, Energy Star Profile Manager.The ratings would help potential purchasers or tenants factor energy costs into their financial calculations and relocation decisions. It would likely spur efficiencyupgrades, such as improved heating, air conditioning, lighting, insulation, and air sealing in the least efficient buildings, and bring down energy costs and the

attendent pollution that energy consumption creates.

Industry 33%Industry 33%Industry 33%Industry 33%Industry 33%

TTTTTransprransprransprransprransprtn 28%tn 28%tn 28%tn 28%tn 28%

ResidentialResidentialResidentialResidentialResidentialBldgsBldgsBldgsBldgsBldgs21%21%21%21%21%

Coml BldgsComl BldgsComl BldgsComl BldgsComl Bldgs18%18%18%18%18%

US Energy Use by SectorUS Energy Use by SectorUS Energy Use by SectorUS Energy Use by SectorUS Energy Use by Sector

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.

Frequently carrying flimsy plastic grocery bags caused a painfulnodule on my left middle finger. The nodule disappeared after Ibegan using a cloth shopping bag that I bought for $.99.

The cloth bag was vastly superior ergonomically; the annoyances offull plastic and paper bags ripping and of having bags to recycledisappeared; and some markets gave me at checkout a small rebatefor using the cloth bag.

I want to encourage others to switch. If you send me a receipt for acloth or net bag, with a promise to use it, and your name and address,I will send you $5.

B. Brody, 10300 Strathmore Hall St., #212, N. Bethesda, MD 20852.Offer limited to first 50 respondents. One rebate per person.

Act Now! Offer expires 05/15/11.

Get $5: Use a Cloth or Net Bag Need an idea for your

Earth Day event?

Check out Earth Day 2 Go!

It’s a complete kit of

background information,activities, and give-aways to

make Earth Day planning easy.

For more information, contactLaurel Imlay in the Chapter Officeat 301-277-7111 or e-mail Laurel [email protected]

Institute for Market Transformation Data(www.imt.org)


By Marc Imlay—A bill has been intro-duced by Delegate Shane Robinson to es-tablish an Invasive Plant Advisory Com-mittee. It would advise the Secretary ofAgriculture in adopting a science-basedprotocol for assessing the risk of invasiveplants, i.e., the threat that an invasiveplant represents to the health of variousecosystems from wildlands, parks, andforests to backyards and farms, as well asthe environmental, economic and healthrisks that such plants impose. Thecommittee’s membership would be drawnfrom government agencies, regulatedcommunities, environmental groups, ex-perts in the field, and consumers.

A substantial number of plant spe-cies now known to be invasive were in-troduced as landscaping plants. The IPACwould specify two tiers of invasive plants,and specify how each should be handledfrom sale to disposal. Those in Tier 1could not be sold, grown, or transported,and thus would no longer be commer-cially available. Those in Tier 2 could stillbe sold, but consumers would have to bewarned about the invasive nature of theplants. The new regulations would bephased in, and would ultimately give theMaryland Department of Agriculture theresponsibility to destroy or stop the saleof such plants.

It is a very balanced approach to adifficult problem. Please contact yourstate legislators to support this bill,HB0831, and ask your state senator tointroduce a matching bill in the Mary-land Senate. You can read the bill at http://mlis .state.md.us/2011rs/bi l l f i le/HB0831.htm. You can find contact in-formation for your delegates at http://mlis.state.md.us; click on “contact or finda Legislator.” ■

For more information contact Marc Imlay,who chairs our chapter’s committee onbiodiversity, at [email protected].

A Bill Proposes to TakeInvasive Plants Out of theMarketplace

Legislation, Conservation: Invasive Plants

By Marc Imlay—Forested environmentshelp our mental and physical health, sci-entific evidence shows. Spending time inthe forest generates more comfortable andcalmer feelings than spending time in anurban environment. People who live inurban areas and find their lives filled withdaily stress can benefit psychologically byspending time in nature. Studies haveshown that walking as little as three hoursa week benefits the physical health ofpeople with sedentary lifestyles.

Enjoying the outdoors and thebeauty of nature implies some risks. Po-tential hazards are present in all theworld’s wilderness areas. If you are to en-joy nature safely, it’s always a good ideato get informed about all the local pos-sible dangers such as animals, plants,pathogens, rip tides, geological threats(e.g. volcanic and tectonic activity)—andLyme Disease.

DDDDDeer and Leer and Leer and Leer and Leer and Lyme Diseaseyme Diseaseyme Diseaseyme Diseaseyme DiseaseLyme Disease is the most commonly re-ported tick-borne disease in the UnitedStates. Maryland and Northern Virginia,as well as most of New England, are hometo the highest rates of infection. Con-firmed cases of Lyme Disease havedoubled in Maryland in the past ten years,and it affects people more frequently intheir backyards than in the woods. Thedisease is carried by deer ticks, and nu-merous studies have shown that abun-dance and distribution of deer ticks arecorrelated with deer densities. In otherwords, the more deer present in a givenarea, the more ticks you are likely to have.In about half the studies I read, when deerdensity was reduced to natural popula-tion densities, the risk of Lyme Diseasewas greatly reduced, even to less than 10%of previous risk and incidence. Thus, deerpopulation management is an importanttool in any long-term strategy to reducehuman incidences of Lyme Disease.

With the extirpation of the cougarand wolf in Maryland and limited pre-

The Downside of Deer dation by coyotes, it is essential to havemanaged hunts to reduce deer to pre-settlement density of 10-20 per squaremile instead of current densities, typi-cally 60-110 deer/square mile. ScottBates, regional National Park Servicewildlife biologist who coordinates the deersurveys, estimated that Greenbelt Na-tional Park has around 101 deer persquare mile or 120 deer in the area sur-veyed. Hunting restrictions could includenumber and selection of hunters, bowhunting or archery, timing and location.

DDDDDeer and land degreer and land degreer and land degreer and land degreer and land degradationadationadationadationadationDeer cause other significant negative im-pacts, including agricultural damage, anddeer-vehicle collisions have doubled inthe past eight years. “Deer can have dev-astating effects upon the few examples ofundisturbed native ecosystems in thestate, which remain as small pocketswithin Maryland’s fragmented suburbanand agricultural landscapes. . .” a Mary-land Department of Natural Resourcesreport pointed out. Thus DNR’s goalwould be that a maximum of about 20deer per square mile be maintained, withsome natural fluctuation in drought orcold years. More specific determinationscan be based on actual browse levels, deerhealth, and effects on diversity of rare lil-ies and orchids and percent of deer miceharboring Lyme Disease.

At greatly reduced densities, deernaturally select for certain species andmaintain biodiversity. But heavily useddeer trails cause disturbance and enableexotic species, such as Japanese stilt grasswavyleaf basketgrass, and Japanese bar-berry to colonize disturbed habitat deepin the woods. Integrating aggressive deerpopulation control measures into landmanagement programs is necessaryto restore our forests. Surveys of deer den-sity are critical to determine where deerneed to be controlled and restoration ac-tivities timed for effectiveness. Deerdensity is often measured in various ways.

such as by noting the presence or absenceof greenbrier leaves at the browse level aswell as by aerial photography.

JJJJJapanese barberrapanese barberrapanese barberrapanese barberrapanese barberry and Ly and Ly and Ly and Ly and LymeymeymeymeymeDiseaseDiseaseDiseaseDiseaseDiseaseThere is a 5 to 8.8 times increased risk ofLyme Disease in Japanese barberry domi-nated areas. University of Connecticutresearcher Jeff Ward reported in 2007 thatticks doubled in Connecticut where Japa-nese barberry was present. A year later,the Connecticut researchers found thatquesting adult ticks were most abundantin areas dominated by Japanese barberry,and that about 44% of the ticks found inbarberry were infected with Borreliaburgdorferi, the spirochete causative agentof human Lyme Disease. However, only10% of the less abundant ticks from non-barberry areas were infected. These find-ings suggest a great probability of humansbecoming infected with Lyme Disease inbarberry-dominated areas. Thus, thereis an 8.8 times greater risk in Japanesebarberry patches. Follow-up studies atother sites found 5 times greater risk inJapanese barberry patches.

University of Missouri researchfound that Asiatic bush honeysuckle in-creases the risk of tick- borne disease by afactor of ten. I am so glad we got 80% ofthe massive populations of bush honey-suckle so far out of Little Paint BranchPark in Beltsville, and Magruder Park inHyattsville, and all of the massive popu-lation out of Cherry Hill Park in CollegePark. It had just started in Swann Parkin Charles County, when we then eradi-cated it. I am also glad we got 99% ofthe massive populations of Japanesebarberry out of Little Paint Branch Park,Chapman State Park and Swann Park. ■

Marc Imlay, PhD, is a conservation biolo-gist and chairs the Maryland Chapter’sBiodiversity and Habitat Stewardship Com-mittee.


By Woody Woodruff—A new countyexecutive and administration give us hopefor a “new day” in Prince George’sCounty. We hope this electoral changein local leaders will lead to a more consis-tent and serious take on environmentalissues. Sierra Club members and otherenvironmental activists in Prince George’sCounty must keep informed and main-tain pressure on new County ExecutiveRushern Baker and a county councilsporting many rookie members who areunknown quantities in terms of theircommitment to the environment.

One effective pressure point in theprevious political cycle was the CoolCounties Working Group, mostly madeup of SC members, which focused onhow the county, a nearly $3 billion en-terprise, can reduce its own carbon-userfootprint and save money at the sametime. A set of proposals developed by thelocal group was presented to the countycouncil on June 17, 2008, when the coun-cil voted to make Prince George’s a “CoolCounty.”

The past tense “was” lets you knowthat the working group has been littlemore than a letterhead for the past yearor so after an active start. Early brightspots—emphatically including the hiringof an energy manager to negotiate per-formance contracts with suppliers andusers of energy—faded as the energy man-ager was laid off in the post-recessionbudget crunch. We got little or no coop-eration from the Jack Johnson adminis-tration as his regime wound down in itslast days.

Looking for allies, the Cool Coun-ties Working Group began a full-scaleeffort in early 2009 in concert with thenewly-formed Prince George’s GreenPower Coalition, which focused on aninside-outside game for environmentalprogress. They jointly proposed for thecounty, in addition to improving on itsown footprint, to provide an array of laws,policies, and support activities promot-

ing green jobs, commercial and residen-tial efficiencies, and outside sources offunding. But flagging commitment fromthe administration meant mixed progress.Even as he praised the (then still em-ployed) new energy manager position andquick work on “low-hanging fruit” likeLED traffic lights and motion-sensitivelighting in county office buildings, GreenPower Coalition (and Cool CountiesWorking Group) member Gary Frank ofCheverly wrote in a Gazette op-ed thatthe county “may be squandering thechance to land millions of dollars in fed-eral stimulus funds to significantly reducethe county’s energy consumption and in-crease the production of renewable en-ergy.”

Indeed, a visionary solar power farmsited at the county landfill might havebeen on the table when Federal stimulusfunds were still available, Frank said. Butnow his fear that “it appears that we aremissing the opportunity to use stimulusfunds” for such activities appears to beborne out by the absence of that solarproject from most current wish lists.

Moving to the current agenda, theBaker transition team’s environmentalelement—“Green Development Subcom-mittee”—proposes long-term and short-term, major and small-ball changes. Allof these proposed changes aim to “savethe county money, create jobs, facilitateinvestment, and put the county ahead ofother jurisdictions.”

Long-term goals of concentratingthe county’s employees at a major masstransit node and fashioning a green-ori-ented but streamlined, user-friendly setof development and permit regulationsare coupled with a short-term goal of aplanning board and chair “who under-stand and adequately represent thecounty’s varied land uses and will promotegreen planning/development.”

A broad and immediate goal is “anintegrated approach to sustainability. Bycreating an Office of Sustainability and/

or appointing a Chief Sustainability Of-ficer, collaboration across agencies canoccur and ensure the best coordinatedplanning…. a Chief Sustainability Officer(CSO) who reports directly to the CountyExecutive [should be appointed]. TheCSO would oversee all efforts towardsplanning and implementation of a sus-tainable future for our County, includ-ing directing a short-term GreenEconomy Task Force and an ongoingSustainability Advisory Council … toestablish goals, research best practices,create implementation plans, and coor-dinate implementation of policy and op-erational changes and assess progress to-wards our goals.”

Baker himself has made a promisein this vein to which he can and shouldbe held. His November 16 blog on thecounty executive’s website asserted, “Iunderstand that sustainable practices notonly save our environment, but also savecounty tax payer’s money . . . A corner-stone of my environmental policy agendais the creation of a Prince George’s Officeof Sustainability. This office will workwith every county department to makesure their policies are environmentallyfriendly and internal procedures and prac-tices are ‘green’.”

The transition report, which activ-ists should push with both the countyexecutive and council, includes many ex-cellent recommendations that are outsidethe scope of the “Cool Cities/Cool Coun-ties” agenda of reducing the local govern-ments’ footprint. They include stimulat-ing a local green building industry by ret-rofitting county-owned buildings toLEED standards when renovation isneeded, as well as incentivizing publicityof green development at high-visibilityspots like Metro stations; assembling citi-zen and expert panels to develop greenjobs programs; meshing local redevelop-ment plans with the 2010 state law thatfast-tracks plans with strong green com-ponents; and focusing on local food pro-

duction and accessibility.

In pushing the transition report’s ele-ments, the Sierra Club should take notethat:◆◆◆◆environmental justice issues need tobe included in any package of programsto ensure diversified access, benefits, andparticipation in a greener county; and◆◆◆◆more emphasis is needed on local al-ternative energy production for residen-tial as well as commercial uses.

As the Cool Counties Working Groupreassembles to tackle the new adminis-tration and council, we can look ruefullyat things we should have done but haven’t:◆◆◆◆Reaching out to citizen and neigh-borhood groups;◆◆◆◆Building our membership in eachdistrict so we can lobby each councilmember;◆◆◆◆Presenting a new list of proposals, in-cluding our Sierra Club group’s goal ofhands-on environmental education incounty schools and at Prince George’sCommunity College; and◆◆◆◆Adding the Port Towns toEdmonston as Cool Cities (“the cool PortTowns”) and work to add other cities.

A statewide sustainability conference isscheduled for Thursday, April 14 at Ar-lington Echo in Millersville, Md. It willgather participants from around the stateto network and discuss currentsustainability trends. We can send threerepresentatives. The deadline for regis-tration is March 10, but a wait list or lateregistration may be possible at http://shopdnr.com/sustainability.aspx. Thegroup’s contact person for the conferenceis John Wald at [email protected] or410-260-8073. ■

Woody Woodruff is a member of the PrinceGeorge’s Cool Counties Working Group.

Prince George’s Cool Counties Working Group Has a Renewed ChallengeConservation: Cool Cities


Fig. 1. The 52 mile segment of MAPP for which the MDE is consideringpermits to permanently impact 118 acres of wetlands.

Fig. 2. The existing 500 kilovolt transmission line, where it crosses Old Woman’s Run, a high-quality (Tier II) tributary to Mattawoman Creek. MAPP would string a second extra-high-voltage circuit on the vacant (left) side of existing towers, requiring forest clearing over muchof the 52-mile run. Immediately to the right of the photo is the Indian Head Rail Trail, whichruns within sight of the transmission line for nearly two of its thirteen miles.

A MAPP to the Mattawoman’s Demise?

Conservation: MAPP (Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway)

Readers of Chesapeake are familiarwith the plight of MattawomanCreek, a priority conservationproject of the Maryland Chapter.Heralded as one of the Bay’s best fishspawning and nursery grounds, thistwenty-mile river and sinuous tidal-freshwater estuary opening to thePotomac River has been under as-sault by asphalt for some time.

State and federal agencieswarned of potential trouble sometwenty years ago, when CharlesCounty concocted the concept of a“development district”—30% largerthan Washington, D.C.—to insti-tutionalize sprawl development acrossMattawoman’s mostly forested watershed.

Today, these warnings are comingtrue, according to a recent report by theDepartment of Natural Resources. Thehealth of Mattawoman’s fish communi-ties began sliding several years ago whenthe watershed passed about 8% coverageby surfaces impervious to rainwater, asexpected according to recent research.Yet, the onslaught continues. In an areaimportant to spawning migratory fish,Charles County has proposed growth-in-ducing mega-projects like the CrossCounty Connector, an air-port expansion, a tech park,and zoning to convert theone-stoplight town ofBryans Road into a newedge city.

Now the Mid-AtlanticPower Pathway, or MAPP,emerges as a new threat.MAPP, a proposed extra-high-voltage transmissioncircuit, lay sleeping untillast October, when PEPCOHoldings, Inc. applied forpermits to deforest 118acres of wetlands along a 52mile right-of-way (see Fig.1). This is the largest wet-land permit ever considered

by the Maryland Department of the En-vironment (MDE). Coincidentally, to-gether with PATH (Potomac-Appala-chian Transmission Highline), MAPP isalso a Chapter priority in its campaignagainst “coal by wire.”

The current permit application per-tains to one segment of the entire MAPPproposal, which would run 230 milesfrom the Potomac River’s Possum Pointin Virginia to Salem, NJ. In Maryland,MAPP would cross the Potomac River onnew towers to Moss Point below

Mattawoman’s mouth, thentraverse Charles, Prince Georges,and Calvert counties in a widenedright-of-way. From there it wouldcross the Chesapeake Bay just northof Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant, diveunderground for 23 miles beneaththe Choptank River, and then crossDorchester and Wicomico Coun-ties to the Indian River power plantin Delaware. ( The remaining seg-ment to Salem, NJ is presently onhold.)

The impacts of the 52-milesegment now before MDE and theArmy Corps of Engineers (ACOE),

would affect Mattawoman, Nanjemoy,and Piscataway Creeks, Zekiah Swamp,and the Patuxent River. The impacts arisebecause the new 500-kilovolt circuitwould be strung for most of its distanceon the vacant side of existing towers,which requires forest clearing, as Fig. 2illustrates. The results are not benign. Awidened clear-cut usurps habitat fromforest interior dwellers, impairs importantwetland and floodplain functions, poten-tially desiccates vernal pools, impedeswildlife migration, and promotes dis-persal of invasive plants.

Mattawomanwould bear the brunt ofMAPP’s damage, as thewidened path would cross27 streams, deforest 76acres of permanent wet-land, and clear another100 acres of forest. All ata time when thewatershed’s forest loss isapproaching ~50%, be-yond which the landscapeloses its ability to fullyprotect the creek fromdamaging runoff, even inthe absence of imperviouscover. At such a time,maintaining a fully func-tioning wetlands should

be a priority.The proponents of MAPP have been

employing a multi-pronged public rela-tions effort. PEPCO Holdings, Inc. tar-gets the general public with claims thatthe lights will go out without the new cir-cuit, and that the line will create jobs. Thecorporation soothes the environmentalcommunity with claims that MAPP iscritical to distribute offshore wind-gen-erated power. But independent profes-sional assessments find that MAPP is notneeded for reliable power, especially asother measures are taken to relieve trans-mission congestion. Any jobs would betemporary, but come at the cost of per-manent and irreversible degradation ofthe water quality and natural resourcesthat employ those servicing birders, boat-ers, paddlers, hikers, bikers, anglers, hunt-ers, and all who appreciate wildlife andgreen spaces. And the 600 MW expectedfrom current offshore wind projectswould be absorbed on the eastern shore,Baltimore, and other east coast cities,without any need to cross the PotomacRiver. The distribution of this powermight also be better met with alternatives,such as a proposed route near the head ofthe Chesapeake Bay that appears to beless environmentally damaging.

While the comment period to MDEand the Army Corps closed on March 1,Sierrans can still do their part by partici-pating in an Army Corps hearing if oneis granted in response to requests by theSierra Club, Mattawoman WatershedSociety, and others. There, requests canbe offered for an Environmental ImpactStatement to assure that a widely scopedanalysis of alternatives is conducted.Please stay tuned! ■

This article was contributed by theMattawoman Watershed Society.


Conservation: The BayMoving UpstreamMD Counties to Create Local Watershed Implementation Plans for the Bay’s Pollution DietBy Claudia Friedetzky—Guided by theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA),Maryland, the District of Columbia andthe five other states that comprise theChesapeake Bay watershed have em-barked onto Phase II in the historic pro-cess to implement a pollution diet for theChesapeake Bay. The goal of this diet isto limit the amount of nitrogen, phos-phorous, and sediment that pour into theBay. Through cutting this sort of pollu-tion by roughly about 25% overall, theBay will become once again swimmableand fishable.

Pollution diets have been in exist-ence for decades, but there has never beena concerted effort to enforce such a pol-lution limit for Chesapeake Bay. But since2009, federal and state agencies haveramped up the process to create expecta-tion for the clean up of the Bay, establishan accountability framework, set pollu-tion limits, and design state plans forimplementation. Public input in PhaseI—the initial proposal for pollution re-duction submitted to the EPA by thestates and the District—has been unprec-edented.

Late last year, Maryland submittedone of the strongest Phase I WatershedImprovement Plans (WIPs) among thejurisdictions in the Chesapeake water-shed. In February our state took its firststep in guiding the counties in their ef-fort to draft and implement their ownWIPs, which are part of Phase II. In meet-ings across the state that were held in Feb-ruary, the Maryland Department of theEnvironment (MDE) and the Depart-ment of Natural Resources (DNR) re-viewed the EPA’s basic expectations andtimelines for the preparation of the PhaseII WIPs.

The CThe CThe CThe CThe Countiesountiesountiesountiesounties’ T’ T’ T’ T’ TurururururnnnnnAs of now, it appears that the countiesneed to submit their draft plans to thestate in late fall, and have their final plans

ready by early 2012. In these plans, coun-ties will have to address a number of is-sues, including: how much pollution theywill reduce and in which sectors, e.g.,wastewater treatment, septic systems,stormwater runoff, agriculture. They willneed to account for their current abilityto reduce pollution. In addition, they willneed to discuss in detail their strategiesfor achieving the additional necessarypollution reduction goals and how tofund those strategies; finally, they willhave to explain how they plan to trackand measure achievements in pollutionreduction.

Counties will also have to figure outhow to deal with future pollution createdby new development. Ideally, countieswill resort to smart growth strategies tominimize the kind of pollution that iscreated by sprawl development, includ-ing runoff from housing, roads and high-ways, parking lots, and shopping centers.Sprawl development is not only one ofthe prime causes of water pollution; it alsodestroys invaluable eco-systems that ab-sorb storm water and provide a filter thatreduces pollutants and toxins.

Cleanup will yield economic andCleanup will yield economic andCleanup will yield economic andCleanup will yield economic andCleanup will yield economic andenvirenvirenvirenvirenvironmental benefitsonmental benefitsonmental benefitsonmental benefitsonmental benefitsConsidering the current economic situa-tion, planning for and implementingstringent pollution reduction goals is atall order for any jurisdiction, especiallycounties that have been hard hit by bud-get and staff cuts. However, in the longand the short run, this sort of clean upwill only yield benefits for our region. Therestoration of Chesapeake Bay will ripplethroughout the entire watershed by im-proving the water quality in the count-less tributaries that feed the Bay; engen-dering important and long-overdo infra-structure improvements; bringing muchneeded jobs to the region; protecting eco-systems that our water and air qualitydepends on; and preserving our magnifi-

cent landscapes for future generations toexplore and enjoy.

For very good reasons, the pollutiondiet for the Chesapeake Bay has beencalled historic and a model for the rest ofthe country. A clean-up of such propor-tions, while urgently needed for years, hasnever been tried before in the US. It sig-nals a new shift in commitment to andunderstanding of the importance of pro-tecting and maintaining our natural re-sources.

Like any other environmental effortof such magnitude, the outcome of therestoration of Chesapeake Bay dependsin large measure on the tireless work ofenvironmentalists to move the processforward and prevent it from getting de-railed.

In the case of the clean-up of theBay, in many ways, the devil will lurk inthe local plans and local commitmentsto robust implementation, since most ofthe pollution reductions will be achievedon that level. Activists are called upon tosupport their county officials in this ef-fort, but also to make their voices heardin the pursuit of the best plan and mostcommitted implementation possible. Ac-tivists need to see the Phase II WIPs as anopportunity to push for development thatdoesn’t destroy, to protect and improvethe places we love, and spread the wordthat sound environmental stewardship isboth in our best economic and ecologi-cal interest.

If you are interested in becominginvolved in the Phase II Watershed Imple-mentation, please contact ClaudiaFriedetzky at 301-277-7111 [email protected]. ■

Claudia Friedetzky has just joined theMaryland Chapter staff.

drop in bags collected at recent rivercleanup events. Businesses report cost sav-ings and cleaner property.

◆◆◆◆Many businesses are already takingsteps on their own in addition to sellinglow-cost durable, reusable bags. Discountfood stores like ALDI and Save-A-Lotcharge customers a nominal fee for everybag—greatly reducing the number ofplastic and paper bags used and encour-aging customers to bring reusable bags.Walmart is testing a fee in California.Furniture store IKEA found that a 5-centfee reduced disposable bag use so muchthat they phased them out entirely.

◆◆◆◆Reduced litter reduces litter cleanupcosts. Maryland’s Department of Trans-portation spends $29 per bag of littercollected along the state’s highways.Counties spend millions of dollars eachyear on local pickup.

For more information, please visitwww.TrashFreeMaryland.org.

The Bag Fee Is a Win for All(continued from page 5)

Bag Fee

Check out our chapter’s legislativepriorities athttp://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0140.asp

Follow the legislative process at thewebsite for the General Assembly athttp://mlis.state.md.us/

If you don't speak out now whenit matters, when would it matterfor you to speak out?

—Jim Hightower


Group News Roundup (Anne Arundel, Catoctin)

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Edited by Mary C. Corddry—The fol-lowing reports what is happening with thenine Sierra Club groups in Maryland:Anne Arundel County, Catoctin, EasternShore, Greater Baltimore, HowardCounty, Montgomery County, PrinceGeorge’s County, Southern Maryland,and Western Maryland. If you have in-formation for future Chesapeake “Round-ups,” please contact Mary Corddry,[email protected], 410-239-4590.

Sierra Club groups are participatingin the state legislative process, identify-ing local priorities. Groups are active inthe Sierra Club’s “Cool Cities” initiative,encouraging local governments and citi-zens to address global climate change.They are involved with local land use andother environmental issues, following lo-cal government activities and participat-ing on advisory committees and at hear-ings. They eradicate invasive plants,plant native species, maintain trails, andclean up streams. They enjoy the envi-ronment by hiking, biking, paddling,stargazing, camping, and backpacking.They discuss environmental issues andsocialize at dinners, picnics, slide shows,movies, and speaker series.

There is something for everyone.Contact your group to get linked withyour favorite issue or activity. The Mary-land Chapter’s home page,www.maryland.sierraclub.org, has a linkto each group’s website.

Anne Arundel GroupChair: David Prosten, 410-263-6341,410-703-0847, [email protected]

By David Prosten—More than 100members and guests turned out January22, 2011, at the Anne Arundel Group’sannual potluck dinner. The guest speakerwas former long-time U.S. Representa-tive Wayne Gilchrist, who offered aninsider’s look at how national legislatorsdeal with—or don’t deal with, or in most

cases don’t even understand—environ-mental issues. The group honored formerlegislator Virginia Clagett for her 36 yearsof public service, and also recognized theAnnapolis Unitarian-Universalist Churchfor its successful Green Sanctuary pro-gram.

Our group is gearing up for its an-nual Earth Day 5K Run and Walk, whichnormally attracts between 100 and 200participants. It will be Saturday, April23, 2011, at Quiet Waters Park in An-napolis. The group also continues tomonitor the county’s comprehensive zon-ing process. Developers and others haveasked the County Council for more than350 zoning changes, some of which couldallow massive development and/or devel-opment in inappropriate areas.

Catoctin Group (Carroll,Frederick, and WashingtonCounties)Chair: Dan Andrews, 410-857-4129,[email protected]

By Gregor Becker—“Sustainability”seems to be the newest “dirty word” inCarroll County. The word was used inthe United Nation’s Agenda 21, a globalaction plan proposed in 1992. It means

meeting the needs of present generationswithout depleting the ability of futuregenerations to meet their needs. ButCarroll County Commissioner RichardRothschild has lambasted the term itself,warning of the dangers of “sustainability.”www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/un_agenda_21_coming_to_a_neigh.html .Carroll County’s Sustainability Plan, theproduct of a year’s work, including effortsby two McDaniel College (Westminster)students, has been disapproved.

The problem seems not to have beenwith the plan itself, but that the conceptof “sustainability” is abhorrent to prop-erty rights zealots. Okay, what do youcall planning for the future, allowing fora clean world with adequate resources tobe passed on to future generations? Per-haps stewardship. Carroll County com-missioners axed funding for ICLEI - Lo-cal Governments for Sustainability, a glo-bal association of over 1,200 local gov-ernment members providing services tosupport local government in the imple-mentation of sustainable development atthe local level. Fortunately, our countyCool Cities agreement has not been re-scinded, so far.

From the Mountains to the Piedmont to the Ocean, Maryland Chapter Groups Are at Work and Play

DDDDDebate Cebate Cebate Cebate Cebate Continues on Wontinues on Wontinues on Wontinues on Wontinues on Waste Dis-aste Dis-aste Dis-aste Dis-aste Dis-posalposalposalposalposalCarroll and Frederick activists are stillopposing trash incineration, through lo-cal Sierra groups and county WasteNot!groups. Robin Davidov, director of theNorthern Maryland Waste Disposal Au-thority (NMWDA), spoke to WasteNot!members on February 23, 2011.

Other rumored “alternatives” areincineration at a proposed Baltimore in-cinerator or incineration at the Lehighcement kiln in Union Bridge. A wastehauler who contributed to the successfulcommissioner campaigns has proposed a20-year contract to haul Carroll Countywaste to Baltimore. CommissionerRoush, a former manager at Lehigh, tooksome fellow commissioners on a tour ofthe cement plant. In an information ses-sion on February 16, 2011, Dan Andrewslearned that Lehigh emits 47 tons of leadper year, as well as mercury and otherpollutants. Several groups are calling forcontinuous monitoring. Federal regula-tors have initiated tougher new air qual-ity standards for cement plants.

FFFFFrrrrrederick Federick Federick Federick Federick Film Film Film Film Film FestestestestestCatoctin Sierran Brigitte Fortin hasworked with the Friends of FrederickCounty, which will be sponsoring a filmseries at the Maryland Ensemble Theater.OURCOMMONWEALTH is proud topartner with local businessesand organizations to present the secondannual IMAGINE! Frederick Film Series,a free community education program thatwill offer residents a chance to learn aboutand discuss actions to move our commu-nity towards economic, environmentaland social sustainability. For details see:http://www.friendsoffrederickcounty.org/events/ourcommonwealth/maryland-en-semble-theater-supports-imagine-frederick-movie-series/

March 28, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.


Group News Roundup (Catoctin, Eastern Shore, Greater Baltimore)Chapter Groups Working and Playing Across the State

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A Chemical Reaction “This award-win-ning documentary film is a heart-warm-ing, inspirational, human-interest storyabout the origin of the natural lawn caremovement in Canada and the U.S.”

April 11, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.A Community of Gardeners (tentative)“Through the voices of young people,senior citizens, immigrants, garden vol-unteers and educators, the film will ex-plore the vital role of seven urban com-munity gardens, not only as sources offresh, nutritious food, but as outdoorclassrooms, places of healing, centers ofsocial interaction, and oases of beauty andcalm in inner-city neighborhoods.”

OOOOOther evther evther evther evther eventsentsentsentsents In January, Brigitte Fortin met inBoonsboro with members of WasteNot!Frederick and citizens of WashingtonCounty in an effort to begin a grassrootsmovement: WasteNot! Washington. The meeting received good press cover-age.

The annual Boonsboro Green Festwill be Saturday, May 7, 2011.

On February 3, 2011, Dave O’Learyfrom the Maryland Chapter, Lew Sherm,and Dan Andrews attended a publicmeeting to educate citizens and fosterpublic involvement regarding the R. PaulSmith coal-fired power plant inWesternport. Several environmentalgroups want the EPA to requirethe installation of pollution control de-vices on this very old power plant which,though operating at minimal capacity, isvery dirty.

The Maryland Heartland Sustain-able Living Fair will return with a newname, “2011 Go Local Fair.” It will beat the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500South Center Street, Westminster, Mary-land on May 21, 2011, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30p.m. Check out the booths, programs,and activities; give hope to the next gen-

eration.Members of the

Catoctin Group, in asso-ciation with the CarrollCounty Forestry Conser-vancy Board, are hostingtwo training sessions onremoving invasive exoticweeds. The training con-sists of a one-hour on-linetraining session aboutidentifying invasive ex-otic weeds, followed by ahands-on class lasting about two hours. One hands-on class will be at Bear BranchNature Center/Hashawha Environmen-tal Center on April 30, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. Another class will be at Piney Run Na-ture Center on May 14, 2011, at 3:00p.m. Those who complete the trainingwill be Carroll County Weed Warriors,certified to remove invasives from CarrollCounty parks. Those from other coun-ties are welcome to attend. For more in-formation, contact Carolyn Puckett, 410-876-1995, or [email protected]. Eastern Shore (Cecil Countyand Eastern Shore Counties)Chair: Don Grace, 410-352-3722,[email protected]

The Eastern Shore Group meets on thethird Tuesday of every month at theWicomico Library, 122 South DivisionStreet, downtown Salisbury. Meetingsstart at 6:30 p.m. The group is workingon the Sierra Club Cool Cities campaignto conserve energy and reduce greenhousegas emissions on the Eastern Shore. Wehave an intern from Salisbury Universityin the offices of the Salisbury city gov-ernment documenting a full greenhousegas inventory to serve as the baseline forthe city to reduce energy consumption.

A presentation has also been devel-oped showing residential energy usershow to reduce their energy consumption. The presentation highlights rebates and

programs available through the powercompany, and a self-audit to find 50 waysto save energy in the home.

On February 1,2011, the LowerShore members sponsored, with fourother environmental groups in the area,a showing at Salisbury University (SU)of the film, “Oceans of Plastic.” We metnew people and munched on deliciousrefreshments, while learning about thegrowing problem of plastic in our waters. Afterward, we heard about the MarylandBag Bill and everyone enthusiasticallysigned our petition cards. There was abig turnout, and many stayed late to dis-cuss environmental issues. Thanks to theSU caterers for going the extra mile byexchanging plastic water bottles,styrofoam cups, paper napkins, and plas-tic spoons with eco-friendly dinnerwareand fabric napkins!

For further information, contactDon Grace, [email protected].

Greater Baltimore (BaltimoreCity and County, HarfordCounty)Chair: Chris Yoder, 410-466-2462,[email protected]

The next Greater Baltimore group meet-ing and event will be on April 27, 2011.Please join us for a social evening at theOregon Ridge Nature Center for potluckand a talk by a natural resource specialistfrom the Baltimore County Department

of Environmental Protection andSustainability. The topic will be water-sheds and their influence on streams, riv-ers, and the Bay. Baltimore County hasinitiated a plan to improve and protectthe small watersheds of the Oregon Ridgestreams: Oregon Branch, Beaver Dam,and Baisman Runs. Learn all about wa-tersheds and find out what can be doneto restore them to improve water qualityfor drinking and recreation.

As we set up for the potluck dinner,between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., we willhave an outings meeting to discuss pastand planned outings. Prospective outingsleaders are welcome to attend, meet out-ings leaders, and discuss what is requiredto lead an outing. The potluck will startat 6:30 p.m., and the talk at 7:30 p.m.,lasting no later than 9:00 p.m. Comewith family and friends and bring a dishto share.. Reservations are not required.

The nature center is at 13555 Bea-ver Dam Road and can be reached fromthe Shawan Road west exit (#20B) fromI-83 north of the Baltimore Beltway. TakeShawan Road to the traffic light at Bea-ver Dam, make a left and stay to the righttoward the parking lot. Walk up to thenature center. Call Joyce, 410-254-7240,with any other questions.

We have many wonderful outdooractivities planned this spring. See themlisted in the outings section in this news-letter or check http://maryland.sierraclub.org/baltimore/ To

For less than a subscription to Netflix, you can have the satisfaction of supporting thenext generation of citizen leaders working to protect Maryland’s natural heritage.

Become a sustaining member of the MD Sierra Club by selecting a monthly, quarterly, orannual amount, payable via credit card on our website in the Join and Give section. Go tohttp://maryland.sierraclub.org and click on “Donate.”

Sustain Maryland’s environment for only $10 a month!


Group News Roundup ( Greater Balto.,Howard, Montgomery)

continued➱Chapter Groups Working and Playing Across the State

join the outings listserve, please [email protected].

We welcome new outdoor hike lead-ers. Please contact Jack Wise, 410-256-1963 to find out more!

To join political activities, pleasecontact Janet Schollenberger 443-386-5054, [email protected]. We aremeeting with Baltimore County publicofficials, and will be making endorse-ments in the Baltimore City mayoral andcouncil races in the fall.

Our website redesign is in progresswith a new link to a “meet up” page. Visitit at http://maryland.sierraclub.org/baltimore/ and send comments and con-tent to Paul Schoen [email protected].

Welcome to the new BaltimoreGroup Treasurer, Daniel Broh-Kahn. Ahuge thank-you to Katja Kjelgaard for heryears of service in that role. Please sendyour positive energy and good thoughtsto Carolyn Mullen, executive committeemember and environmental justice chair,who is recovering from surgery.

And THE BIG NEWS from Balti-more Young Sierrans: we are changing ourname to the Baltimore Outdoor Sierrans.We are doing this because, for many years,people have said, “I thought you were ahigh school group,” or, “I thought youwere a group that provides young peoplewith outdoors experiences,” or, “I’m41...can I still come to a Young Sierransevent?” After much deliberation over thelong list of possible new names, we offi-cially got the “thumbs up” from our par-ent groups—the Greater BaltimoreGroup and Maryland Chapter—tochange our name to BOS this month (likethat acronym?). Our planning meetingoccurred during the last big snow storm,but we managed to plan events throughAugust (and more are being added to thecalendar). Check out the website for apeek at what is to come—hikes, bikes,cabins, and more! For the love of the

Wild, Kathy. Phone 410-440-9896, [email protected], or http://maryland.sierraclub.org/baltimore/youngsierrans, Facebook http://w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m /group.php?gid=51601732426.

Howard CountyChair: Ken Clark, 301-725-3306,[email protected]

By Ken Clark—The Howard CountyGroup has a very active outings program,including frequent backpacking trips.Check the group’s web site for a scheduleof outings and other events. You maycontact Ken Clark about getting on anemail listing of outings and events.

Montgomery CountyChair: Alvin Carlos, [email protected]

Message from our new chair, AlvinCarlosI am excited to work with you all as thechair of the Montgomery County Execu-tive Committee. I’m coming in fresh fromhelping the Sierra Club identify the can-didates whom we endorsed during the2010 county and state-level elections.

Like you, I joined the Sierra Clubbecause I enjoy being outdoors and be-lieve our environment is worth preserv-ing. If we allow these to be degraded, weare robbing our children of the opportu-nity to experience the beauty and calm-ness that nature can bring. Currently, Iwork as the Development Director of anon-profit advocacy organization calledBank Information Center in Washington,DC. We are calling for the World Bankto change its energy sector strategy froma focus on coal and fossil fuels and in-stead, to help countries transition to alow-carbon economy.

I hope you will remain active andsupport the initiatives of the Montgom-ery County Group. In 2011, we are plan-

ning to ramp up efforts to educate Mont-gomery County residents about poten-tial energy savings in their homes. We willcontinue to support adequate funding forthe Purple Line and to hold our monthlyinvasive plant removal events.

Your ideas, time, and support arealways welcome! When you get a chance,please visit our website, http://maryland.sierraclub.org/Montgomery/,for more information and opportunitiesto help out.

By Jane Huff—Meet the new chair of theexecutive committee of the MontgomeryCounty Group, Alvin Carlos. The rest ofthe executive committee remains thesame, with Susan Eisendrath, EthanGoffman, Jane Huff, and David Searshaving been handily re-elected to joinGerald Ehrenstein, Hrant Jamgochian,Kate Konschnik, and Pamela Lindstrom.At the January excom meeting, DavidSears agreed to be the vice-chairperson,Gerry Ehrenstein will remain the trea-surer, and Jane Huff will continue to editthe e-news so that Steve Lonker can pro-duce the online version and eNEWS.David Hauck, chairperson emeritus, willcontinue as the group representative tothe Maryland Chapter while HrantJamgochian will serve as alternate repre-sentative. Pictures and biographical notesfor the five re-elected members of theexcom can be found in the December is-sue of The Montgomery SIERRAN at http://maryland.sierraclub.org/Montgomery/We have diverse backgrounds, but we areall committed to working for the SierraClub and trying to achieve its goals in2011.

This year we will promote intelli-gently planned “smart growth” for suchareas of our county as West Gaithersburg,Wheaton, and White Flint, where devel-opment will concentrate. We will con-tinue to educate our members and othercounty residents about MontgomeryCounty planning laws and processes. We

will emphasize the importance of build-ing a robust public transportation net-work by supporting a combination of thePurple Line light rail, bus rapid transit,continued funding for Metro and im-provements to MARC. Protecting Mont-gomery County parks and open spaceswill involve encouraging volunteers tohelp remove invasive plants and continu-ing public education about the problemsof habitat destruction. Check the websitefor events on these and other topics andjoin us in our programs.

Volunteers Successfully Battle Cold,Chilling Winds and Invasive Vines onMartin Luther King, Jr. DayThis was the third year that volunteersjoined the Montgomery County SierraClub at the Underground Railroad Ex-perience Trail to celebrate Martin LutherKing Day. Two dozen hardy volunteersbraved the cold and sawed, lopped, andpulled out the worst patch of oriental bit-tersweet vines remaining in this park.Starting at the amphitheater in the woods,where local school kids come to learnabout the history and ecology of the park,the volunteers fanned out and attackedthe thick clinging vines. Oriental bitter-sweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, was the mainfocus of the attack, but Japanese honey-suckle, Lonicera japonica was also cut. Bythe end of the morning almost two acresof forest had been cleared of smotheringvines.

We always welcome new volunteersto the ranks of the vine and weed cutters.Vine and weed cutting takes place on thefirst and second Saturdays of each monthin Rock Creek Park and on the Under-ground Railroad Experience Trail, respec-tively, and on the third Sunday fromMarch to May and September to Octo-ber at Blue Mash. We work for two hours.Watch for dates and times in the calen-dar listings.

The next two Montgomery CountyGroup excom meetings will be on Mon-

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Group News Roundup ( Mont., Pr. George’s, So. MD, Western MD)

continued➱Chapter Groups Working and Playing Across the State

day March 14, 2011, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30p.m. and on Monday, April 11, 2011,7:30p.m. – 9:30 p.m., at 103 NorthAdams Street, Rockville, MD. Themonthly meeting of the MontgomeryCounty Sierra Club excom is usually heldon the second Monday of each month.All Montgomery County Sierra Clubmembers are invited to attend. Comewith your ideas and join us for planningand discussion.

Prince George’s CountyChair: Chip Reilly, 301-218-3920,[email protected]

Chip Reilly hosted a potluck dinner andmeeting at his house for members inter-ested in discussing how to strengthen ourcounty’s chapter. We held break-out ses-sions to discuss issues that the group seesas priorities for 2011. Some issues were:the “Cool Cities” Initiative; recycling;storm water management; transparencyin government; opposing MAPP, a pro-posed 150-mile power transmission line,in Southern Maryland; club outings; pub-lic events; and outreach to the commu-nity.

On February 15, 2011, approxi-mately 20 people attended the viewingof “Gaslands” at the College Park office.People are also showing this documen-tary in other parts of the county.

This year we will elect a new execu-tive committee. It was agreed that chap-ter members will take turns hosting theexecutive committee potluck dinnermeetings. The next meeting will behosted by Martha Ainsworth (nearBowie) on April 2, 2011.

Group meetings will be held bi-monthly on the first Saturday of even-numbered months. The times for con-ference calls in odd-numbered monthswill be determined later.• 5:30-6:30 p.m. – Potluck dinner social.All welcome.

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Business meeting ofthe Prince George’s Group executive com-mittee

Always check our website for up-dates at maryland.sierraclub.org/pg/

Southern Maryland (Calvert,Charles, and St. Mary’s Coun-ties)Chair: Meredith Sweet, [email protected]

We welcome our new chair, MeredithSweet!

There will be a hearing before the CharlesCounty Commissioners at 6:00 p.m. onMarch 30, 2011, at the County Govern-ment Building, The hearing will be aboutthe Water Resource Element (WRE) ofthe Charles County Comprehensive Plan.We are asking the commissioners not toaccept the WRE sent to them by the Plan-ning Commission. Instead, we wantthem to send that WRE back to the Plan-ning Commission with firm instructionsto create a Smart Growth WRE that meetsguidelines for protecting our water qual-ity, and does not assume the urbaniza-tion of our forests and wetlands. (For in-formation about how the MAPP trans-mission line project threatensMattawoman Creek, see page 9)

A Message from Bob Boxwell, chair ofthe Lower Potomac Tributary Team:At this time we do not have Departmentof Natural Resources staff support so weare on hiatus. We will be concentratingon the Watershed Improvement PlanPhase II (WIP II) in response to the EPA’s“Pollution Diet” for the Chesapeake Bay. I am still on two advisory bodies, theStakeholder Advisor Committee and asteering committee where many of thetributary team members from across thestate still reside. The advisory bodies keepme apprised of the responsibilities thateach county will be facing. There is a

team in each county, mostly governmen-tal people to start, which, once it gets aframework, should be able to get publicinput. Right now, I suggest that peoplelist water quality problems they see intheir county; places where erosion exists,and poor or failing storm water manage-ment; and that they team up with groupslike the Master Gardeners, homeownersassociations, and garden clubs. There isa whole lot to do and not much moneyto do it with, but, by working together,we can bring positive change to theChesapeake Bay. (For more informationon the Bay’s “pollution diet,” see page 10)

Western Maryland (Alleganyand Garrett Counties)Chair: Sam White, 301-264-4162,[email protected], [email protected]

By Sam White—The Western MarylandGroup is working for a moratorium onproposed hydrofracking,, a method ofdrilling for natural gas in Marcellus shale.This kind of gas drilling is a serious threatto our clean drinking water and health.Please contact us to attend or host a view-ing of Gaslands, a documentary abouthydrofracking, and to join in this ex-tremely important effort. (For more in-formation on hydrofracking, see page 1.)

The group publishes a newsletter,“Nature’s Advocate of Western MD,” andit has an email discussion group/Listservat MD-WMD-FORUM @lists.sierraclub.org,for members to talk about conservationissues pertaining to Western Maryland.The listserv is also used to announcegroup meetings, outings, and otherevents. To join, go to the website andclick the “Join the list” link. ■

Sierra Club, Maryland Chapter7338 Baltimore Avenue, #111College Park, MD 20740


Maryland Chapter LeadersEXECUTIVE COMMITTEERon Henry, Chapter Chair, Greater Balto. [email protected] David O’Leary, Vice Chair, At-Large Del.(2010)[email protected] Erin Barnes, At-Large Del. (2011)[email protected] Betsy Johnson, At-Large Del. (2010)[email protected]

Rich Reis, At-Large Del. (2011)[email protected]

Amanda Ruthven, At-Large Del. (2010)240-786-6137; [email protected]

Baird Straughan, At-Large Del. (2011)[email protected]

David Prosten, Anne Arundel [email protected] Dan Andrews, Catoctin [email protected] Don Grace, Eastern Shore [email protected]

Kathleen Sheedy, Howard [email protected] David Hauck, Montgomery [email protected]

Martha Schmidt, Pr. Geo’s [email protected] Marc Imlay, Southern MD [email protected]

Sam White, Western MD [email protected]

ISSUES CHAIRSDavid O’Leary, Conservation [email protected] Chris Yoder, Conservation [email protected] Sam White, Agriculture, CAFO, True Cost ofFood (TCOF) Chair301-264-4162,[email protected] Charlie Garlow, Air Quality [email protected] Marc Imlay, Biodiversity, ESA, InvasiveSpecies, and Habitat Stewardship [email protected] David O’Leary, Global Warming, Cool [email protected]

Amanda Ruthven, Energy [email protected]

Rich Reis, Energy Conservation [email protected]

Bonnie Bick, Environmental Justice Chair,Mattawoman Campaign [email protected]

Caroli Mullen, Blue Green [email protected]

Chris Yoder, National Wilderness/Refuges/Mining [email protected] Kim Birnbaum, Pesticides [email protected]

Cliff Terry, Population [email protected]

Sam B. Hopkins, Population Vice [email protected] Earl Bradley, Right Whale [email protected] Mark Diehl, State Forests [email protected] Fred Tutman, Stormwater Mgmt. Chair301-249-8200 ext [email protected] Steve Caflisch, Transportation [email protected] Ed Merrifield, Water Quality [email protected]

Carol Nau, Watershed [email protected]

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACTSCliff Terry, Campaign Finance Reform [email protected]

Baird Straughan, Fundraising [email protected] Chris Bryan, Legislative Chair410-326-3720, [email protected]

Brigitte Fortin, Membership [email protected]

Jan Hoffmaster, Outings [email protected] Mike Pretl, PAC [email protected]

Betsy Johnson, Political Chair, Council [email protected]

Charlie Garlow, Political Compliance [email protected]

Clay Birkett and Steve Lonker, [email protected] Baird Straughan, Trainings [email protected] Nancy Hammond, [email protected]

Rick Andrews, [email protected]

ACTIVITIES SECTIONS CONTACTSKathy Harget, Baltimore Young [email protected] Bob Burchard & Nicole VeltreBICO [email protected]

CHAPTER STAFFLaurel Imlay, Chapter [email protected] Alana Wase, Conservation [email protected]

Claudia Friedetsky, Chapter [email protected]

Office: 7338 Baltimore Avenue, #111College Park, MD 20740Tel: 301-277-7111, Fax: 301-277-6699http://maryland.sierraclub.org


Anne Arundel CountyFort Meade Army Installation (alsoHoward/PG)Anyone welcome!DATE: 2nd Saturday of each month start-ing this spring. Events/Activities subjectto change. RSVP: Installation ForesterMick Butler or Sheila Chambers threedays ahead.TIME: 10am (flexible for groups)DESCRIPTION: Come out for an invasivespecies removal and learn about non-na-tive plants’ impact on our environment.Everyone is welcome! We need YOU tohelp stop them. Come out for one of our“Weed Warriors Days” for a short educa-tional briefing about effects of invasiveplants on wildlife and habitats and howto identify and control them then helpus treat garlic mustard, mile-a-minute,Japanese stiltgrass and other non-nativeplant infestations on the refuge. All agesand abilities welcome! Wear long sleevesand pants, gloves, lunch and water.DIRECTIONS: 295 BW Pkwy to Rte 175East, right on Reece Rd to entrance, im-mediate left on Ernie Pyle St, ~1 mile toleft on Llewellyn Ave, right on ChisholmAve, left on 3rd St, right on Ross Rd,Environmental Division Office is 2ndbuilding on right

For more information or to volunteer,contact FGGM DPW EnvironmentalDivision Mick Butler,301-677-9188,[email protected] or SheilaC h a m b e r s , 3 0 1 - 6 7 7 - 9 1 6 [email protected].

Patuxent Research Refuge (also PGCounty)Non-native invasive plants are threaten-ing our wildlife habitat. We need YOUto help stop them. Come out for one ofour “Weed Warriors Days” and help ustreat garlic mustard, mile-a-minute, Japa-nese stiltgrass and other non-native plantinfestations on the refuge. All ages andabilities are welcome. Do your part toprotect Patuxent from alien invaders, andbecome a Weed Warrior! You will receive

a short educational briefing explaining theeffects of invasive plants on wildlife andwildlife habitats and how to identify andcontrol these plants. Wear long sleevesand pants and bring gloves. Please regis-ter for this event by calling 301-497-5887.DATES: (dates and times subject to changeif necessary):Friday, 04-22-2011, Earth Day event -Weed Warriors kick-off, North Tract Visi-tor Contact Station, 1:00pm – 3:00pmWednesday, 05-18-2011, North TractVisitor Contact Station, 1:00pm –3:00pmSaturday, 05-21-2011, National WildlifeVisitor Center, 9:00am – 12:00pmWednesday, 06-08-2011, North TractVisitor Contact Station, 9:00am –12:00pmWednesday, 06-15-2011, North TractVisitor Contact Station, 9:00am –12:00pmSaturday, 06-18-2011, North Tract Visi-tor Contact Station, 9:00am – 12:00pmWednesday, 07-06-2011, National Wild-life Visitor Center, 9:00am – 12:00pmWednesday, 07-20-2011, North TractVisitor Contact Station, 9:00am –12:00pmSaturday, 07-30-2011, North Tract Visi-tor Contact Station, 9:00am – 12:00pmWednesday, 08-03-2011, North TractVisitor Contact Station, 9:00am –12:00pmSaturday, 08-27-2011, National WildlifeVisitor Center, 9:00am – 12:00pm

DIRECTIONS (VISITOR CONTACT STATION):From I-295, take the exit for MD-Route198 towards Fort Meade. Go approxi-mately 1.5 miles until you see Glory DaysAuto Salvage on your near right cornerand baseball fields on your far right. Turnright between the two onto Bald EagleDrive. Proceed through the gate and con-tinue about 1/2 mile to the Visitor Con-tact Station.

DIRECTIONS (NATIONAL WILDLIFE VISITOR

CENTER: The National Wildlife Visitor

Center is located off of Powder Mill Roadbetween MD Route 197 and the Balti-more/Washington Parkway, south of Lau-rel.

For additional information, call 301-497-5763 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov.

Jug Bay Wetlands SanctuarySpring Stewardship DayDATE: Saturday April 2, ongoing

DESCRIPTION: Jug Bay has over 1,500 acresof wetlands, upland forests, meadows, andstreams. Stewardship means taking careof the land we all share. Join our team toremove the non-native invasive plantsfrom our forests before they spread andthreaten the special habitats and rareplants found on the Sanctuary. Pick uptrash that has floated into the marsh, pullinvasive weeds, and maintain native plantgardens. Please wear work clothes (longsleeves, boots.) Bring work gloves, baglunch, clothing change and towel. Ages6 yrs min. Great for families! Scout andcommunity groups welcome. Sign up foram, pm, or both.DIRECTIONS: 1361 Wrighton Rd.Lothian, MD 20711. Call 410-741-9330www.jugbay.orgRSVP: Lindsay Hollister and ElaineFriebele, [email protected]. 410-741-9330ON-GOING: To adopt your very own plotto monitor, map and manage invasivesduring the year contact: Lindsey 410-741-9330, [email protected]

Baltimore, Baltimore CountyPatapsco Valley State Park,Halethorpe, MDFriends of Patapsco Valley and HeritageGreenway, Inc.DATE: Sunday, May 1, 2011 rain or shineTIME: 1:00 pm-3:00pmDESCRIPTION: Annual Garlic MustardChallenge!! invasive garlic mustard pull-ing contest, A popular annual family-ori-ented event. Located in the park’s AvalonArea, Pavilion 104.

RSVP: Betsy McMillon 410.480.0824,[email protected] PHG-sponsored volunteerevent dates and locations may be sched-uled depending on group requests, num-ber of available volunteers and compat-ible dates and times.

Friends of Patapsco Valley State ParkWHEN: OngoingDESCRIPTION: Please join the Friends ofPatapsco Valley State Park(www.fpvsp.org) at the Avalon area toeradicate invasive vines. This is the worstplace in the park for non-native vineswhere they have killed or broken manytrees in that area, so we need lots of help.Wear long clothes and bring gloves asthere is some poison ivy. Bring handpruners and lopers and 2-handed cut-ters for larger vines.DIRECTIONS: Meet at Avalon contact sta-tion. I -95 to I-195 east to Rt. 1 towardElkridge. Immediate Right on South St.Entrance on left. 1/2 mile to contact sta-tion.CONTACT: Jim Palmer, 410-948-4796 ore-mail [email protected]/publiclands/cen-tral/patapscovolunteer.html

Prettyboy ReservoirDATES: Ongoing if enough RSVPsThe Prettyboy Watershed Alliance part-ners with the Sierra Club for invasive re-moval.DESCRIPTION: For those who love hikingand animal-watching, Prettyboy Reser-voir provides habitat for a variety of for-est wildlife species, including white-taileddeer, wild turkey, rabbit, squirrel, andsongbirds. Meet for a couple hours ofcutting invasive vines along the CCCfireroads at Prettyboy Reservoir. Clippers,loppers, hand saws, and gloves will beavailable, or you may bring your own. DIRECTIONS: Meet at the parking lot onTracey Store Rd. Reach Tracey Store Rd.by getting off I-83 north at the Mt.Carmel Rd. exit and heading west. Turn

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Habitat Stewardship Outings


right on Pretty Boy Dam Rd. Turn lefton Tracey Store Rd. After passing aPrettyboy Reservoir sign and a couplefireroads on the right and crossing a creek,park in the dirt parking lot on the rightside of the road. CONTACT: Nancy L [email protected], or Mary 443-386-0862c 410-239-4590h [email protected] for ongoing events.

Cromwell Valley ParkHabitat Restoration TeamWHEN: 2nd Saturday of each month 9-12.DESCRIPTION: Cromwell Valley Park is awonderful rural park just outside theBeltway on Cromwell Bridge Road. Qui-etly and slowly, parts of CVP are beingtransformed with the help of enthusias-tic volunteers. The Habitat RestorationTeam has been working for several yearsto remove the unwanted invasive nuisanceplants, and to replant some areas withnative plants suitable for this particularplace. We want the wild areas of the Parkto be as healthy and friendly to wildlifeas possible after three centuries of indus-trial and agricultural activity and morerecent suburbanization.

We have been greatly helped bygroups from local schools and businesses;we always welcome groups who want tohelp. But the consistent work force is onethat meets at the Sherwood House eachmonth on the second Saturday at 9 amand we work until 12 pm. We only can-cel if there is too much rain and then therain date is always the next day (Sunday).Please join us. We provide tools, but youshould wear appropriate clothing withlong sleeves for working in the woods.There remains a lot to do. You will endthe morning with the satisfaction ofknowing you made a positive contribu-tion to conserving the natural environ-ment - and we guarantee a good work-out!CONTACT:For more details call410.887.2503. RSVP Carl Koprowicz:

[email protected] Park office: 410-887-2503 [email protected]. Trail main-tenance: [email protected]

Gunpowder Valley ConservancyDATES: See www.gunpowderfalls.org forcalendarDESCRIPTION: Tree Maintenance Volun-teers Needed! Seeking volunteers, ages12 and up, to adopt a tree- planting siteor help on tree maintenance days thisspring. Become a tree steward. Helpmaintain some of our 4,000 trees plantedin the last 2 years. Invasive plants sur-rounding the trees must be removed,stakes and shelters secured, dead treesmarked, and watering done.CONTACT: Peggy Perry, Program Director,[email protected], or 410-668-0118

Baltimore CityBlue Water BaltimoreBaltimore Weed WarriorsBlue Water Baltimore is seeking volun-teers to help liberate our native forestsfrom invasive plants. Your work will becritical both for the success of reforesta-tion projects and for the conservation ofBaltimore’s mature tree canopy. Plus,you’ll get a great workout! We will pro-vide all training, tools, and work gloves,but please dress appropriately for theweather. Work boots and a pair of thin,warm gloves that you can wear underwork gloves are highly recommended. Formore information or to sign up, pleasecontact Debra at 410-254-1577 x100 [email protected] or at .

Join us Sunday, March 20th, 1pm-4pm:location TBA.

Calvert CountyAmerican Chestnut Land Trust, PortRepublicDATES: Weed Whacking WednesdaysOct-April 10-12noon, May-Sept 9-11am,Vine Vindicator Saturdays March 26

(Hiking Trail Maintenance Day picnicfollowing), April 16 (Earth Day picnicfollowing), May 21, Oct. 29; 9am- 12noon.Full day invasive training program Sep-tember 17 (10:00 – 3:00, lunch pro-vided).DESCRIPTION: Join us for our extensiveNon-Native Invasive Plant Removal pro-gram in one of the last pristine watershedson the Western Shore of the ChesapeakeBay. Work as a team or individually; in-cludes training, tools, water, and gloves.RSVP: Liz Stoffel, Land Manager 410-414-3400 [email protected]

Hellen Creek Forest and WildlifePreserve, LusbyInvasive Removal at Hellen CreekDATES: Saturday April 30, 2011 10 amto noonSaturday June 11, 2011 10 am to noonSaturday August 20, 2011 8 am to 10 amDESCRIPTION: Join us for a quick tour ofthe preserve and then get down to worksaving our native plants from invasive spe-cies at Hellen Creek Forest and WildlifePreserve. Wear sturdy clothes and shoesfor invasive plant removal and nativewildflower plantings. We will have glovesand tools and refreshments.DIRECTIONS: 11785 Clifton Drive LusbyMD Take Coster Road less than 1 mileto Clifton Drive on the right. Follow thisto the driveway on the left with the num-ber 11785 posted. Follow to the endwhere you will see our sign.RSVP: Bob Boxwell, Executive Director,Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust 410-394-1300 (office) 410-610-5124 (cell)[email protected]

Caroline CountyAdkins Arboretum, Ridgely, MDDATES: Ongoing March-NovemberDESCRIPTION: Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve on theTuckahoe River adjacent to TuckahoeState Park. The Arboretum trains volun-teers to assist staff in removing invasive

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non-natives. Workdays are flexible. Vol-unteers learn how to identify invasiveplants and the best protocols for manag-ing specific invasive species. In addition,the Arboretum’s native meadows andwetland are managed by manually remov-ing removal of shrubs and trees.DIRECTIONS: www.adkinsarboretum.orgCONTACT: Ginna Tiernan [email protected] or 410-634-2847 ext. 27; Eleanor Altman [email protected] or 410-634-2847 ext. 22

Cecil CountyFrostburg State UniversityAboretum WorkdaysGet involved; volunteer at the Arboretum!Help remove exotics, restore natives.DESCRIPTION: The FSU Arboretumwould never be able to survive if it wasn’tfor the help of its many dedicated volun-teers. Volunteers have given their time,money, and hard work to help rid the ar-boretum of invasive plants, clean thetrails, plant the gardens, and perform gen-eral maintenance. Programs such as theAllen HallSTARS! and Americorps havealso made this possible. Many grants fromthe Chesapeake Bay Foundation have alsofunded our efforts.DIRECTIONS: Meet at the gazebo in thestadium parking lot, ready to work out-side. Tools and gloves provided.CONTACT: Dr. Sunshine Brosi, Ethno-botanist, Department of [email protected] or 301-687-4213;Dr. Daniel Fiscus, Forest ecologist, De-partment of Biology,[email protected]

Charles CountyChapman Forest and Ruth Swann ParkParticipating organizations include Mary-land Native Plant Society and Sierra ClubDATES: First Sunday and second Satur-day, monthlyTIME: 10 am – 4 pmThere are about 3,000 native plant spe-cies in Maryland, with 800 at Chapman

Forest and contiguous Swann Park, 49 ofwhich are endangered. Remove invasivenon-natives from the 200-acre SwannPark and 800-acre portion of ChapmanForest designated Chapman State Park.There will be time to learn about differ-ent species as well as a beautiful beachlunch. Learn about best season for spe-cies, wet soil condition for pulling, ex-tent of area of natives seen rescued, de-layed gratification, targeted use of herbi-cides, and matching funds for staff to dowhat volunteers find hard to do. Casualclothing, long sleeves and pants, sturdycomfortable walking boots/shoes, glovesare encouraged for these events.

Information about the area andmap at www.chapmanforest.org andwww.mattawomanwatershedsociety.org CONTACT: Marc Imlay 301-283-0808.301-442-5657cDIRECTIONS: First Sunday, meet at maingate of Chapman Forest.DIRECTIONS: Chapman Forest, ChapmanState Park, Mount Aventine and theGlendening Natural Environment Area.Take the Washington Capital Beltway toIndian Head Highway (MD 210) southtoward Indian Head (from VA Exit 2;from MD Exit 3A). At 14 miles, continuethrough on MD 210 through the trafficlight at MD 227 (This crossroads is thecenter of the community known asBryans Road). At about 1.1 miles past thelight, veer to the right onto ChapmansLanding Road. Follow for 1.6 miles tothe gated entrance of Mount Aventineand Chapman State Park.CARPOOL INFO: Meet at Sierra Club Md.Chapter office at 9 am; return 5 pm CallLaurel Imlay at 301-277-7111. DIRECTIONS: Second Saturday, meet atRuth B. Swann Park- Potomac BranchLibrary parking lot, 20 miles south ofWashington Beltway (I-495) on Rt. 210(Indian Head Hwy), about a mile and ahalf south from the traffic light on Rt.2l0 in Bryans Road .Give yourself 30 to40 minutes from the Beltway.

CARPOOL INFO: Meet at Sierra Club Md.Chapter office at 9 am; return 5 pm CallLaurel Imlay at 301-277-7111.

Garrett CountySavage River State Forest - Bear PenWildlandsSavage River Watershed Association(SRWA)DATES: Tuesday April 26 and ThursdayApril 28TIME: 8:30 am to 12:30 pmDESCRIPTION: Battling Botanical Bullies- Adult volunteers are needed to continuecontrol efforts of Japanese spiraea and gar-lic mustard in the Bear Pen Run area ofSavage River State Forest. Bear Pen is des-ignated as a Type 1 Wildland and isthreatened by a variety of exotic invasivespecies. To volunteer, pre-register by con-tacting Ron Boyer, SRWA invasive spe-cies removal coordinator, at 301-895-3686 or [email protected].

Harford CountyOtter Point Creek, Abingdon, MDBecome and “INVASINATOR”! Volun-teer to join the Anita C. Leight EstuaryCenter in removing invasive plants andrestoring native plants. Receive T-shirt af-ter two days. DATES/TIMES: April 9- 11:00-1:00; May21- 10:00-12:00For more dates call 410.612.1688 or onthe web at www.otterpointcreek.orgDESCRIPTION: Enjoy pink ladys slippersand native orchids in upland and woodedswamp. Learn why non-native invasiveplants are a threat to our ecosystem, howto identify problem plants, and removaland restoration strategies. Wear sturdyshoes, long sleeves, and work gloves forfieldwork in the Reserve each meetingdate. Participants receive an“Invasinators” T-shirt after attending twowork days.LOCATION: Anita C. Leight Estuary Cen-ter, 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon,MD 21009REGISTRATION: Kriste Garman 410-612-1688 or www.otterpointcreek.org

Howard County(Also see Fort Meade Army Installationunder Anne Arundel County)

Howard County Conservancy HabitatRestoration Work GroupDESCRIPTION: Our Habitat RestorationGroup works to control invasive specieshere at the Howard County Conservancy,located at 10520 Old Frederick RoadWoodstock, MD 21163.

The Habitat Restoration WorkGroup works on projects such as remov-ing unwanted invasive nuisance plants,replanting and maintaining plantings ar-eas with native plants, stream bank resto-ration, deer protection, erosion controlas well as general trail maintenance. Incase of inclement weather, call to makesure we are still meeting.

Please join us! We provide tools, butyou should wear appropriate clothingwith long sleeves for working in thewoods. All levels of experience welcome.For more details contact Tabby Fique,Land Manager/Easement Coordinator,[email protected], or 410-465-8877 ext. 109.

DATES: March 22: Watershed RestorationGrant ProjectMeet at Wood Elves WayThe Middle Patuxent EnvironmentalFoundation received a grant last year toimplement a restoration project. Comehelp us with this project! The site is anephemeral stream channel, including astorm drain outfall, which parallels theColumbia Association pathway at the endof Wood Elves Way. Work may includeinvasive plant removal and brush cleanup. A short tour of the site and a talkabout the grant project will also takeplace. Only on-street parking is available.Please carpool!

April 26: Garlic Mustard Melee and Seek-ing Out Spring EphemeralsMeet at South Wind CircleGet ready for a morning of vigorous Gar-

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lic mustard removal! Throughout theevent we’ll make time to search for, iden-tify, and discuss the many spring ephem-eral plants. Attendees can observe a vari-ety of the early-spring bloomers while tra-versing the wooded work route. Usuallywe finish removing mustard at the loca-tion of the confluence of Cricket Creekand the Middle Patuxent, where, hope-fully, we will be surrounded by large flow-ering patches of Virginia bluebells.

May 24: Minimizing Mile-a-MinuteMeet at Trotter Road parking lotNon-native, invasive plants are a realthreat to our habitat restoration efforts.Mile-a-minute vine, among several otherinvasive species, is the worst offender ofthe trails and meadows in the WoodcockHabitat Management Area. Come outand assist us in removing vines from vari-ous places within our meadow areas! Ashort discussion of Biological Controlmethods will take place whilst we visit aMile-a-minute weevil bio-control test plot.

June 28: Barberry BlitzMeet at Trotter Road parking lotDespite the dogged efforts of volunteers,we haven’t seen the last of the Berberisthunbergii, aka Japanese barberry. We’llneed multiple events for successive yearsto get this recurring nemesis of the envi-ronmental area under control. On thismorning, we’ll dig, yank, and wrenchthese spiny shrubs from the ground. Thegoal is to kill the plants before their seedsdevelop. We will progress along trail cor-ridors in heavily infested areas. Spine-proof gloves are a must!

September 27: Invasive Plant Removal andInsect ActivitiesMeet at Trotter Road parking lotInvasive plants are impacting the nativewoody plants associated with our earlysuccessional habitat maintenance goals.We’ll continue our restoration efforts byremoving invasive vines from mature na-tive trees along the trail and meadow bor-

ders and also from the deer shelters pro-tecting younger specimens. Weather-de-pendent activities include a talk aboutmonarch butterfly natural history withdemonstrations of capture, tagging, andrelease methods.

October 25: Sprucing-up The Seep Area(or A Potential Planting Event)Meet at Trotter Road parking lotHundreds of native trees and shrubs havebeen planted by our volunteers, many inthe spring seep portion of the WoodcockHabitat Management Area. The seep areawas historically rich with American wood-cock activity, and volunteer efforts con-tinue there to restore proper Timber-doodle feeding cover. On this morning,we’ll assist in the upkeep of the site chieflyby removing invasive Multiflora rose andassorted vines that impact the young treesand/or anti-deer tree shelters. While onlocation we’ll take time to point out andreflect on the wonderful strides volunteershave made to replenish this habitat. November 22: Barberry RevisitedMeet at Trotter Road parking lotJapanese barberry is very tolerant of shadeand can form dense colonies in a varietyof habitats including closed canopy for-est. This pesky plant reportedly changessoil pH and nitrogen levels as it displacesnative herbs and shrubs. For these rea-sons, we are hosting this second removalevent. Using the same techniques we prac-ticed in June, we’ll keep digging and up-rooting these unwelcome intruders ofnatural areas.

The Conservation Stewardship Project,a joint program of the Howard CountyRecreation and Parks and the HowardCounty Master Gardeners, targets theproblem of controlling invasive, exoticspecies in the Middle Patuxent Environ-mental Area.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:South Wind Circle Entrance to MPEA -Route 29 to Route 108W towards

Clarksville OR Route 32 to Route108E. Turn onto Trotter Road to SouthWind Circle (about 1 mile). Enterthe circle and proceed to trailhead on left(opposite Misty Top Path).

Trotter Road Entrance to MPEA-FromU.S. 29 at 32: Take 32 west to the GreatStar Drive exit. Turn right onto Great StarDrive. Then make a right onto SummerSunrise. Continue to Trotter Road andmake a left. Proceed about 1 mile to theparking area on the right just beyond thesmall traffic circle.

From U.S. 29 at 108: Take 108 west andcontinue past Centennial Lane. Proceedpast Harpers Farm Road to Trotter Roadand make a left. Continue to the parkingarea on the left. If you reach the smalltraffic circle, you’ve gone too far.

Wood Elves Way Pathway at the MPEA -From U.S. 29 at 108: Take 108 west andcontinue past Centennial Lane. Proceedto Harpers Farm Road and make a left.Just after passing Hobbit’s Glen GolfCourse turn right (at the light) on Wil-low Bottom Drive. Turn left on WoodElves Way and proceed ½ mile to path-way entrance at the cul-de-sac. Parking ison-street only. Do not block private drive-ways.

CONTACT: For more information, contactMaster Gardeners: Aylene Gard at (410)992-9889; Carol Filipczak [email protected]; or Jeff Claffy,Assistant Natural Resources Manager,MPEA at [email protected] 410- 313-6209.

Howard Community College,ColumbiaHoward County GreenFestDATE: Saturday, April 2, 2011TIME: Please check website for scheduledtime at www.hcgreenfest.orgDESCRIPTION: First annual Garlic Mus-tard Pull. After finishing with the garlicmustard, check out the more than 100

exhibits or the wildlife room with live ani-mals! Workshops and children’s activi-ties all day.RSVP: Sue Muller,410 313-4697 , [email protected]

Patuxent River, LaurelTree plantingJoin the Washington Suburban SanitaryCommission at 9 a.m. March 12 to plantpawpaw, sassafras and other native treesalong the Patuxent River. Meet at 10964Scotts Cove, Laurel, MD. For details, call301-206-8233.

Pigtail Area, WSSCThe Wildlife Achievement Chapter of theIzaak Walton League of America in Dam-ascus, MD, is looking for volunteers tohelp with these activities:WSSC Pigtail Area in Howard County:9 a.m. to noon March 20. Plant trees andremove invasive plants.Pre-registration is required; e-mail MeoCurtis at [email protected] . Fordetails, visit www.damascusiwla.org/.

Kent CountyEastern Neck Wildlife RefugeDATES: ongoing. The Eastern Neck Na-tional Wildlife Refuge, 1730 EasternNeck Road, Rock Hall, MD, is lookingfor volunteers interested in helping withbiological survey work and a BayScapesgarden. A free volunteer orientation isscheduled 5-7 pm, March 31, with anoptional driving tour of the refuge sched-uled 3:30-4:45 pm. To register, call ColbyHawkinson at 410-708-1956 or [email protected]: The Refuge, a 2,285-acreisland at the confluence of the ChesterRiver and the Chesapeake Bay onMaryland’s Eastern Shore, is a major feed-ing and resting place for migrating andwintering waterfowl. More than 100,000ducks, geese and swans seek sanctuaryhere each year, as do migrating and breed-ing songbirds and shorebirds, and baldeagles that thrive year-round. Join inter-

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pretive programs and hikes at this wet-land site known for rare plant life, a vari-ety of carnivorous plants, rare and threat-ened species.

Wineberries with garlic mustard: Anew type of exotic fruit salad? Not quite.These are two invasive plant species thatthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wouldlike help removing. Garlic mustard is aninvasive species we handpull and is amanagement priority. Wineberry is araspberry-like plant whose fruit ripensbetween June and July; it must be re-moved with spading forks. Wear highboots for ticks, DEET bug repellent, hatand gloves. RSVP: Colby Hawkinson [email protected] or 410-708-1956.

Montgomery CountyForest ecologist Carole Bergmann createdthe Weed Warriors Program as a way tocombat the non-native invasive plant(NNIs) problem in Montgomery County.The program’s goal is to educate citizensabout identification and management ofNNIs. Through 2010, more than 750people had been trained by Carole andher staff. Certified Weed Warriors havelogged more than 30,000 hours, and havemade a valuable contribution to non-na-tive invasive plant control in many partsof Montgomery County’s 34,000-acrepark system. SIGN UP TO HELP US!

Weed Warriors has two compo-nents:

1.Certified Weed Warriors, volun-teers who complete a two-part onlinecourse and participate in a two-hour fieldtraining session. Once certified, WeedWarriors are authorized to work anywhereon M-NCPPC/Montgomery Countyparkland, on their own schedules and attheir own pace. They can also work ongroup projects with the staff coordinatorof the Weed Warriors Program; those withstrong interest and leadership skills maybe appointed Weed Warrior Supervisors.

2. Special Project Weed Warriors,community members who take the op-

portunity to learn about and work on in-vasive plants in their parks without mak-ing the commitment to become full-fledged Weed Warriors. Under the super-vision of Weed Warrior supervisors, spe-cial workdays take place throughout theyear in small and large parks throughoutMontgomery County.

Special Project Weed Warriors, en-ables community groups (e.g., schools,workplaces, church or synagogues, orcommunity associations) to learn weedID and removal on the spot and thenspend a couple of hours tackling invasivevines, shrubs, and herbaceous plants oncounty parkland.

At the present time there are regularweekend and weekday projects in LittleFalls Stream Valley Park, Capital CrescentTrail Special Park, Northwest BranchStream Valley Park (two locations),Rachel Carson Conservation Park,Wheaton Regional Park at BrooksideNature Center, Sligo Creek Stream Val-ley Park (three locations), Ovid HazenWells Recreation Park, andMeadowbrook Local Park along RockCreek, just north of the Maryland/DCline.

If you are interested in joining us,contact Weed Warriors volunteer coor-dinator Paul Carlson at 301-962-1343 [email protected]: www.weedwarrior.org

Blue Mash Nature Trail, LaytonsvilleMontgomery County Group, Sierra ClubDATE AND TIME: Fourth Sunday of eachmonth, 9 am-11 am (invasive removal,March-November)DESCRIPTION: Diverse habitats surround-ing the closed Oaks Landfill attract birdsand wildlife. Bird diversity has droppedoff recently due to invasive non-nativeplants. We are partnering with the De-partment of Environmental Protectionand Montgomery Co Bird Club to ob-serve the relationship between bird diver-sity and habitat, remove invasive plantsand return the area to a birding hot spot.Bring clippers, saws, loppers, long sleeves

and pants, walking shoes or boots, hat,water, gloves. Binoculars recommended.DIRECTIONS: North on Georgia Avethrough Olney and Brookeville. Left onBrookeville Rd. Right on Zion Rd. Meetat Zion Road park entrance on left 1/2mile from Brookeville Rd at 20500 ZionRd before Riggs. Trail mapwww.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/ParkTrails/trails_MAPS/blue_mash.shtmAnd maryland.sierraclub.org/montgomery/calendar.htmlRSVP: Mimi Abdu, 301-919-6060, or [email protected] .

Northwood Chesapeake Bay TrailDATES: Sunday, April 10 from 1:00 to4:00 pmDESCRIPTION: MC DEP, Northwood HS,and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club arepartnering to organize a community workday on Sunday, April 10 from 1:00 to4:00 pm to continue work on theNorthwood Chesapeake Bay Trail andbegin work on the Breewood property(owned by Montgomery Parks at SE cor-ner of University and Sligo Creek Pkwy).

We will do the following that day:On Breewood Property, we’ll removetrash and dumped household items, andremove invasive species. On the SHAproperty, we will finish NorthwoodChesapeake Bay Trail to Arcola and in-stall trailhead sign, remove trash, and re-move invasive plants. We need three WeedWarrior volunteers to each lead a groupof three volunteers to identify and removeinvasive species on April 10. If you are aWeed Warrior and able to volunteer,please e-mail Jennifer Chambers,Potomac Appalachian Trail Club,Northwood Chesapeake Bay Trail ProjectCoordinator at [email protected].

The Potomac GorgeInvasive Plant Control Workdays in ThePotomac Gorge.The Nature ConservancyDATE: ongoing www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/maryland/events/

DESCRIPTION: Help protect native plantbiodiversity near DC in partnership withthe National Park Service by removinginvasives in the Potomac Gorge, a 15-milestretch of river valley between Great Fallsand Georgetown. Sign up for a variety ofworkdays, where we cut or pull some ofthe most problematic weeds, often in sce-nic areas. Attend Weed Warrior trainingsessions to learn 13 non-native plant spe-cies. Options to adopt an area and workindependently in the National Parks inthe Potomac Gorge.CONTACT: Mary Travaglini, PotomacGorge Habitat Restoration Manager, tosign up a school or group for a [email protected], 301-897-8570 x210

Rock Creek National ParkFriends of Rock Creek’s EnvironmentDATES: Ongoing. Check web site for neweventsDESCRIPTION: Friends of Rock Creek’sEnvironment is off to a great new year!You too can take steps to help protectRock Creek. We are now gearing up forthe Rock Creek EXTREME Cleanup,where we expect over 50 trash and inva-sive cleanups to span the length of RockCreek.CONTACT: Beth Mullin 202-237-8866,www. friendsofrockcreek.org

Rock Creek Park, Chevy ChaseMontgomery County Group, Sierra Cluband County ParksDATE: First Saturday of each monthTIME: 10am-12pmDESCRIPTION: Montgomery County Parksand Planning Commission plans to putin a wildflower meadow and reforest a 50-foot stream side buffer. First they needvolunteers to remove resprouting stumpsand seedlings. Bring clippers, saws, andloppers, long sleeves and pants, gloves,hat, walking shoes or boots, insect repel-lent, sunscreen, and water.DIRECTIONS: I-495 to Connecticut Aveexit South towards D.C. ~ 1 mile left on

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East West Hwy. Right on Beech Dr. Meetat the parking lot by soccer field at inter-section of Beech Dr and East West Hwy.MAP: maryland.sierraclub.org/montgomery/calendar.htmlRSVP Jeremy Arling at [email protected].

Underground Railroad ExperienceTrail, Sandy SpringLeader/Sponsors: Jeremy Arling, Mont-gomery County Group, Sierra Club andMontgomery County ParksDATE: Second Saturday monthlyTIME: 10am-12pmDESCRIPTION: We are partnering withMontgomery County Parks to removenon-native invasive plant species, restorenative plant communities, and create aliving history museum where people canlearn fascinating stories of those who es-caped slavery and the people who helped.Bring: Tools clippers, saws, and loppers,long sleeves and pants, gloves, walkingshoes or boots, hat, and water.DIRECTIONS: Take Rt. 28E (Norbeck Rd)across Georgia Ave. Left on Layhill Rd.At intersection of Norwood and EdnorRds. Go left on Norwood. First drivewayon right to Woodlawn at 16501Norwood Rd. Meet at parking lot nearpicnic tables. Trail mapmaryland.sierraclub.org/montgomery/calendar.html. www.montgomeryparks.org/P P S D / Pa r k Tr a i l s / t r a i l s _ M A P S /Rural_legacy.shtm.RSVP: Jeremy Arling at [email protected].

Woodend Nature Sanctuary,Chevy ChaseAudubon Naturalist SocietyDATE: Saturdays 9:30am - 12:00pm,monthlyDESCRIPTION: Woodend Sanctuary is a40-acre oasis in the middle of ChevyChase bordering Rock Creek Park, withmature woods and meadows, a pond, andan intermittent stream. We need yourhelp to remove invasive non-native plants!

Join us for group work sessions wheretraining will be provided; trained volun-teers may also be authorized to work in-dependently.WHERE: 8940 Jones Mill Road, ChevyChase, MD 20815RSVP: Liz Jones, Volunteer [email protected] 301-652-9188 x 30

Prince George’s County(See also Fort Meade Army Installationunder Anne Arundel County)See also Patuxent Research Refuge underAnne Arundel County)

Anacostia Riparian Meadow Restora-tion ProjectAnacostia Watershed SocietyDATES: March 15 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 25 10 a.m.-1 p.m.DESCRIPTION: Same as Magruder Park,listed on following page.Meet near the 38th Avenue Bridge inHyattsville, MD.RSVP: E-mail: [email protected]

Belt Woods, BowieDATES: Ongoing Saturday, Sunday, andoccasional mid-weekDESCRIPTION: Invasive species workgroupteams remove creeping euonymous, Japa-nese honeysuckle, winged burning bush,multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet, Japa-nese stiltgrass, garlic mustard from ma-ture forest with giant trees. Tools andgloves provided, but bring your own fa-vorite tool or pair of gloves. Groups in-vited.RSVP: [email protected] 301-390-0797

Greenbelt Homes Inc HousingCooperative, GreenbeltDATE: 3rd Saturday monthlyDESCRIPTION: With ~100 acres of stew-ardship forest and wooded parcels in OldGreenbelt, the Woodlands Committee isactively involved with urban forestrymanagement. Regular outings on 3rd

Wednesdays include removal/eradicationof non-native invasive plant species, treeplantings, bird counts, native landscap-ing seminars and guided hikes.RSVP: Matt Berres Manager, Mainte-nance Operations 301-474-4161x132www.ghi.coop/Woodlands/[email protected]

Greenbelt National ParkDATE: 1st Saturday monthly Time: 11am-3pmDESCRIPTION: Greenbelt Park, just 12miles from Washington DC, is a belovedretreat from the city and important ref-uge for native plants and animals. Comejoin us to defend Greenbelt Park fromalien invasive weeds. Volunteers hand pullharmful non-native plants such as Japa-nese honeysuckle, beefsteak mint, mile-a-minute weed and garlic mustard.

People of all ages, backgrounds andinterests are invited to spend a fun dayoutdoors learning about native and non-native plants and helping preserve thehealth of native wildlife. Bring: lunch,drink, work gloves, and dress for weather.DIRECTIONS: From I-495 to KenilworthAve south, ~1/4 mile exit on GreenbeltRd (MD Rt 193) east (a left to go overKenilworth) to Park entrance on right6565 Greenbelt Road. From US Rt 1,Greenbelt Rd east past Beltway Plazashopping center cross Kenilworth Ave. Afew hundred yards right at entrance. Meetat Sweetgum picnic area.RSVP: Tom Crone [email protected]

301-864-1959, 202-7462228c orwww.nps.gov/gree 301-344-3944.

Hard Bargain Farm EnvironmentalCenter, AccokeekDATE: OngoingDESCRIPTION: The Earth Day NetworkInvasive Plant Removal hike on trailsthrough the diverse ecosystems of theAccokeek Creek and Potomac River wa-tersheds focuses on plants and animalsthat live there, the interdependence oforganisms in food webs, natural cycles,and each person’s connection to the en-vironment.RSVP: Karen Jensen Miles, 301-292-5665 [email protected] Indian Creek Trail at Lake Artemesia,Berwyn HgtsDATES: Ongoing.DESCRIPTION: Garlic Mustard Pull-off atLake Artemesia/National Area Park, by38-acre lake, beautiful park includesaquatic garden, handicapped-accessiblefishing pier and over two miles of hiker-biker trails. Teams compete to removenon-native invasive weed garlic mustard.Prizes to winning team for largest amountpulled in a given area and time. Bring:water, work boots, durable clothes, longsleeves, gloves, pruners, and shovels. Lightrefreshments provided. There is somepoison ivy at work site.DIRECTIONS: Meet in Lake Artemesiaparking lot along Berwyn Rd in College

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Park. Park in lot at Osage St andSwathmore Ct in Berwyn Hgts (easywalk) or access via trails at 5200 block ofCalvert Rd in College Pk.From south I-495, Exit 23 (Kenilworth Ave) towardBladensburg. Right on Rt 193 (GreenbeltRd). Right on Branchville Rd turns into55th Ave. Parking lot on the left at theBerwyn Road intersection. From north,I-495, Exit 25 (Rt 1) toward CollegePark. Left onto Rt 193 (Greenbelt Rd),Left on Branchville Rd. etcRSVP: Chris Garrett or John Dillon M-NCPPC Park Ranger Office 301-627-7755

Little Paint Branch and Cherry HillRoad Community Parks, Beltsville.DATE: Last Saturday monthlyTIME: 11am –3pm. Little Paint BranchParkDESCRIPTION: Maryland Native Plant So-ciety, Sierra Club, and Anacostia Water-shed Society co-sponsor monthly projectsat Little Paint Branch Park (150 acres),Cherry Hill Road Community Park (15acres) in Beltsville and Magruder Park inHyattsville MD (15 acres) with theMNCPPC and City of Hyattsville

Our objective is to remove theinvasives to allow natives to grow back.We will continue the wonderful progressaccomplished the last three years by dedi-cated volunteers. Learn natural historyand special features of the park, methodsand reasons for the project to control thespread of invasives. Native flowers andplants will be identified as we work torescue them. There are full indoor toilet

facilities and a large seating area for lunch.There will be a sign-in and safety orien-tation with handouts. Gloves and toolsare provided. We can continue even witha little rain or heat. It is best to wear longsleeve shirts and pants.DIRECTIONS AND RSVP: Marc Imlay,[email protected] 301-283-0808h, 301-442-5657c on day of event. Lower Beaverdam Creek, Cheverly(Woodworth Park)Friends of Lower Beaverdam CreekDATES: last Saturday monthly March-JuneTIME: 9am to 12 noonDESCRIPTION: 15-acre wooded bufferwedged between a residential neighbor-hood and Rt 50 is slowly returning to itsnatural state thanks to The Friends ofLower Beaver Dam Creek. The grouplandscaped steps into a small hill thatleads to an inviting trail volunteers blazedalong a shallow winding creek. The creek,divides the park in two, and eventuallyfeeds a tributary of the Anacostia River.The reclaimed land has a peaceful reso-nance. Trees stand out. Space, depth andlight are abundant. Smaller trees such assassafras, hickory, hornbeam and a dog-wood—discovered on a hillside after thethickets were cleared—are labeled. Theforest returned to its rightful winter hues—brown, black and gray. Help removeinvasives and plant natives to save themost polluted stream in the AnacostiaWatershed. Tools provided. wear workgloves and sturdy shoes.DIRECTIONS: Meet at Woodworth Park onWayne Place in Cheverly. (Occasionalchange in location to Euclid Park andMagruder Springs.) 202 East under theBW pkwy. Go one block, turn right onCheverly. Go one mile, turn left on For-est Rd. Go two blocks pass church on left.Turn right on Parkway. Go 2 blocks. Turnleft on Wayne for one block. Meet bysmall playground.RSVP: Dan or Cathy Smith 301-386-4394, Gabe Horchler [email protected], orElaine Friebele 301-341-5722

Lower Beaverdam Creek, Cheverly(Euclid Woods Park)M-NCPPC Cheverly ConservationCorps and Friends of Lower BeaverdamCreekDATES: Please call 301-341-1261 to ar-range a work session, when you are freeto help out.DESCRIPTION: Euclid Woods is a 50-acrecontiguous wooded area wedged betweena residential neighborhood, the hospitalhill, and the Cheverly Industrial Park,bounded on the west side by a tributaryfeeding into the Lower Beaverdam Creek.

After restoration work began shortlyafter 2000 the area is slowly returning toits natural state, primarily due to removalof invasive plants and the rescue of youngtrees and shrubs from windfalls. The res-toration has allowed the return of a richunderstory of native shrubs, saplings andherbaceous plants, which form the basisof the local food chain and which in turnencourage insects that provide over 96percent of the summer diet of our birds.

Smaller trees and shrubs, such asdogwood, hawthorn, sassafras, service-berry, spicebush and several viburnums,such as the hobblebush and witherod arenow thriving. Birds such as the pileatedwoodpecker, woodcock and a number ofraptors that had gone missing are nowreturning. The forest is beginning to func-tion as it should to keep our air and wa-ters pure and support the web of life thatin turn supports us.

Bring friends and help us removeinvasive plants to maintain and furtherimprove this largest and most productivenatural area in Cheverly. Tools provided,but bring work gloves and sturdy shoes.DIRECTIONS: Call ahead to arrange thetime and meet at 5607 Greenleaf Rd inCheverly. Enter Forest Rd from CheverlyAve heading west; go three blocks andkeep right when the road splits; continuestraight ahead and park anywhere at theend of on Greenleaf Rd.CONTACT: For further information pleasecontact Matt Salo at 301-341-1261.

Magruder Park, HyattsvilleAnacostia Watershed Society (AWS)DATE: March 16, 31 and ongoingTIME: 10:00am - 1:00pmWORKDAY DESCRIPTION: AWS invasive re-movals usually employ hand-pulling, cut-ting (with hand pruners and cutting saws)and pulling using tools i.e. pitchforks. Inautumn and winter we usually controlspecies like, English ivy, Chinese wisteria,common periwinkle and bush honey-suckle. Our invasive plant removal out-ings have an educational approach; AWSstaff will talk about our watershed, aboutthe history and the natural history of thepark and will be sure to point out inter-esting native plants and animals. Also,AWS staff will make sure you have a com-pletely safe and enjoyable outdoor expe-rience by briefing volunteers about basicsafety measures regarding poison ivy, anddeerticks.WHAT TO BRING: Water, long pants,closed-toe shoes (hiking or waterproof )and basic gear to protect from UV rays(hat, sunglasses and sunscreen) in thisopen-land habitat. Also, long sleeve shirtsshould help protect skin during plant re-moval and minimize skin exposure topoison ivy and ticks, which are found inthe area. We recommend bringing alonga repellant designed to repel both deerticks and mosquitoes. AWS will providegloves, tools and other supplies to get thejob done.MEETING PLACE: Magruder Park inHyattsville, MD. We will meet up at theparking lot past the Hamilton Pool (on3901 Hamilton Street) right by the sportsfields. From Queens Chapel Road takeHamilton Street, go by the Safeway onthe right, pass 38th street, go about oneblock and turn right into the park.Magruder Park is Metro accessible; fromthe West Hyattsville Metro station on theGreen Line walk a 10 block walk toMagruder Park or take the bus F8 toCheverly Station and get off at the busstop between 38th Av. and Hamilton St.,walk one block and turn right into the


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?Did you know that many invasiveDid you know that many invasiveDid you know that many invasiveDid you know that many invasiveDid you know that many invasiveplants are sold in nurseries asplants are sold in nurseries asplants are sold in nurseries asplants are sold in nurseries asplants are sold in nurseries asornamental garden plants?ornamental garden plants?ornamental garden plants?ornamental garden plants?ornamental garden plants?

See story on page 7 and learnSee story on page 7 and learnSee story on page 7 and learnSee story on page 7 and learnSee story on page 7 and learnhow we can prevent the sale ofhow we can prevent the sale ofhow we can prevent the sale ofhow we can prevent the sale ofhow we can prevent the sale ofinvasive plants here in Maryland!invasive plants here in Maryland!invasive plants here in Maryland!invasive plants here in Maryland!invasive plants here in Maryland!


park. Website: www.anacostiaws.orgRSVP: E-mail: [email protected]: The March 31 event needs a mini-mum of 10 people for participation.Please RSVP 301-699-6204, and Con-servation Biologist Jorge BogantesMonterol, will verify by March 30th ifthe event is still scheduled.

Friends of Magruder WoodsWHEN: Third Saturdays monthly, 9 amto 1 pmDESCRIPTION: Save native plants in apopular urban park including aster, black-berry, pokeberry, tulip popular,sweetgum, sycamore, poison ivy, skunkcabbage, American grape, Americanbeech, and silver maple in the woodlandsand forested swamp.DIRECTIONS: From UMCP take AdelphiRd to intersection with East West High-way (Rt. 410) turn soft right on QueensChapel Rd. Left on Hamilton. PassSafeway on right, pass 38th street, turnright into park. Meet at furthest end ofparking lot. Approx 10 block walk fromWest Hyattsville Metro on Green Line.RSVP: Colleen Aistis (301) 985-5057

Patuxent River ParkDATES: Saturdays, 9 am-12 noon, March26, April 9, May 14DESCRIPTION: Invasive plants present oneof the greatest threats to the health andbiodiversity of public lands. Join a parknaturalist to help remove these invasiveplants. Please dress in old clothes andclosed toe shoes or working boots. Glovesand tools will be provided.REGISTRATION: www.pgparks.com. Ages13 to adult. Call Stephanie for more in-formation and directions at 301-627-6074.

Suitland BogM-NCPPC Park RangersDATES: OngoingDESCRIPTION: Come learn about and helppreserve unique rare magnolia bog habi-tat. Manual removal of honeysuckle and

multiflora rose using shovels, pruners andperseverance. Bring: water, work boots,durable clothes, long sleeves, gloves, prun-ers, and shovels. Light refreshments pro-vided. There is some poison ivy at worksite.DIRECTIONS: From I-495, Exit 7A BranchAve Rt 5 south toward Waldorf. Allen-town Rd Exit. Left on Allentown Rd. At6th light left on Suitland Rd. Pass underSuitland Pkwy. Entrance to Suitland Bogon right. Meet in parking lot.RSVP: Chris Garrett or John Dillon M-NCPPC Park Ranger Office 301-627-7755

Watkins Regional Park , UpperMarlboroWeed Warrior Work Day MNCPPCDATES: Ongoing. Contact John Dillon orChris Garrett for dates and timesDESCRIPTION: Help pull up garlic mus-tard at Watkins Regional Park, 850 acresoffering all kinds of outdoor adventureswith nature center, carousel, old MDfarm, miniature train, mini-golf, camp-ing, picnic areas, playgrounds, and milesof hiker/biker trails through deciduousforest! Bring water, work boots, durableclothes, long sleeves and gloves. Light re-freshments provided. Some poison ivy atwork site.DIRECTIONS: Meet at Watkins NatureCenter parking lot. 1 mile west of SixFlags park. I-495 Exit 15A Central Aveeast,~3 miles right on Watkins Park Dr(Rt 193), park entrance on right. Or Rt301 to Central Ave (Rt 214) west, ~3 miles(past Six Flags) left on Watkins Park Dr.CONTACT: John Dillon or Chris GarrettM-NCPPC Park Rangers 301-627-7755 St. Mary’s County(See Hellen Creek Preserve under CalvertCounty)

RegionalThe Nature Conservancy in Maryland/District of ColumbiaWeed Busters! Two years ago, we trainedour first generation of Weed Watcher vol-

unteers! Weed Watchers explore our pre-serves and map new occurrences of inva-sive plant species that threaten our nativeflora. The Conservancy’s weed manage-ment philosophy emphasizes preventingnew weed infestations to minimize theimpact and expense of weed control.

The second part of this program ispromptly controlling new weed infesta-tions. That’s where Weed Busters comein. Control may include pulling, cutting,digging roots, mowing, or applying her-bicide to foliage or cut stumps. In somecases, we have enough advance notice todescribe the projects on this website andin our volunteer newsletter, along withour other outdoor projects. In other cases,we won’t have enough time.

So we’ve developed a list of volun-teers who want to be contacted aboutshort-notice field projects. If a givenworkday does not fit your schedule, we’llunderstand and hope to see you at thenext one! We conduct 6-10 weed controlworkdays throughout Maryland in a givengrowing season (April through Novem-ber), and we hope that people on theWeed Busters list will be able to partici-pate in 2 or more workdays per season.

If you’d like to be notified aboutthese field projects, please send an e-mailto [email protected] or call Deborah Bar-ber, Volunteer Coordinator at (301) 897-8570. Thanks, and we hope to see you inthe field.

Potomac ConservancyPotomac Conservancy’s Growing Nativeis a year-round volunteer project thathelps to restore and protect rivers andstreams in the Potomac River watershed.Volunteers of all ages and backgroundsparticipate in Growing Native by collect-ing native tree seeds and planting treesalong streams and rivers across the region.Participants are creating forests fortomorow as they are learning the impor-tant connection between healthy, forestedlands and clean waters. Since GrowingNative’s inception in 2001, nearly 30,000volunteers collected more than 94,000

pounds of acorns, walnuts, and otherhardwood tree seeds. These seeds havegenerated seedlings that will be used torestore sensitive streamside lands.

Growing Native’s efforts culminatein the fall, when we do large scale out-reach to individuals, community groups,and local businesses to get involved whileseeds are dropping on the ground! Weinvite people to volunteer by acting asGrowing Native ambassador, seed collec-tion event coordinators, and drop-off sitecoordinators.MORE INFORMATION: Contact KateMcNamee, Outreach Coordinator,Potomac Conservancy, 8601 Georgia Av-enue, Suite 612, Silver Spring, MD20910, 301.608.1188 x211. Web site:www.potomac.org.

Washington Suburban SanitaryCommission (WSSC)WSSC is doing invasive weed removalprojects in Prince George’s, Montgomeryand Howard Counties at their recreationareas along the Patuxent. WSSC providestraining, gloves and garden pruners. Allinvasive weed removal projects are from9am to noon.Locations include:◆◆◆◆Brighton Dam (Montgomery County)◆◆◆◆Browns Bridge Recreation Area (Montgomery County)◆◆◆◆Greenbridge Recreation Area (Montgomery County)◆◆◆◆Pigtail Recreation Area (Howard County)◆◆◆◆Scott’s Cove (Howard County)◆◆◆◆Supplee Lane Recreation Area (Prince George’s County)◆◆◆◆Triadelphia Recreation Area (Montgomery County)MORE INFORMATION: Kim Knox, WSSC’sCommunity Outreach Manager, 301-206-8233, [email protected] ■



Spring into the Outdoors to Explore, Enjoy, and Protectthe Planet

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Sierra Club outings are open to everyone,members and non-members alike. Eachouting is intended to be a wholesome,safe, and enjoyable experience in the out-doors. Participants must have properclothing, equipment, and stamina suit-able to the event, and are encouraged toselect activities that match their individualabilities for outdoor adventures.

The Club offers a variety of outingsfrom “easy” to “strenuous” that suit allactivity levels. The difficulty of each out-ing is clearly designated in the announce-ment. Reservations are generally not re-quired for a local outing unless noted, butthe outing leader should be contacted inadvance for questions aboutthe terrain, the diffi-culty or duration of thetrip, recommendedclothing, footwear andequipment.

Activities are nor-mally held “rain or shine,” butmay be postponed at the leader’s dis-cretion for safety reasons in the event ofinclement weather. Potential participantsare reminded that all outdoor activitiescarry a degree of risk, and some take placein locations where professional emergencymedical aid may be two or more hoursaway. People with health concerns shouldconsult a physician to determine the ad-visability of participating in these or simi-lar activities.

The Club outing leader is respon-sible for the safety of all participants, andhas the final authority to decide whetheror not an individual may participate on aspecific outing. Sierra Club safety policyrequires that helmets be worn on bicy-cling outings. Also, any participant mustwear a personal flotation device (PFD)on outings using personal watercraft suchas kayaks or canoes.

Unless noted in the announcement,Club outings are intended for adults.Children and dogs are not normally per-mitted, unless an outing is so designated.

Even on outings that are designated aschild/dog friendly, please contact theleader in advance before bringing minorsor pets. Minors (under 18 years of age)must be accompanied by a parent or alegal guardian, or they must have both 1)a signed permission slip, and 2) theleader’s prior consent to participate in theClub outing. Dogs must be non-aggres-sive, well-behaved, and on a leash. SierraClub outings officially begin and end atthe trailhead, paddlecraft put-in/take-outpoint, or some other similar designatedlocality near the activity. Travel to the of-ficial starting point and back, even from

an advertised meeting place, isthe sole responsibility of eachparticipant. While the Club

encourages car-pooling,such arrangements

are strictly betweenthe riders and thedrivers, and are not

a part of the outing. Participantsassume full responsibility and liability

for all risks associated with such travel.All participants on Sierra Club out-

ings are required to sign a standard liabil-ity waiver, which can be viewed on theweb at http://www.sierraclub.org/out-ings/chapter/forms/index.asp. Sierra Clublocal outings are free of charge, althoughpayment of park entrance fees, a share ofcampsite rental costs, permit fees, equip-ment rental charges, etc. may be requiredfrom the participants. Such costs arespecified in the announcement wheneverpossible.

The Sierra Club practices “leave-no-trace” trail techniques, including hikingand camping on durable surfaces, mini-mizing campfire impacts, packing out alltrash, respecting wildlife, being consid-erate of other visitors, and leaving the en-vironment as it was found. Take only pic-tures, leave only footprints, and have funout there. ■

Abbreviations UsedMost outings in the MarylandChapter are run at the group level,with a few chapter and inter-chapter events. The grouporiginating the outing is identifiedin parentheses by the leader’sname. These and other abbrevia-tions used are listed below:

AA: Anne Arundel GroupAMC: Appalachian Mountain

ClubAT: Appalachian TrailBLM: Bureau of Land Man-

agementCCA: Canoe Cruisers Associa-

tion (Washington, D.C.)CG: Catoctin GroupC&O: Chesapeake and Ohio

CanalFFA: Family Friendly Activity

(kids/dogs ok, butcheck with leader)

FWS: (U.S.) Fish and WildlifeService

GB: Greater BaltimoreGroup

GWNF: George WashingtonNatl. Forest

HC: Howard County GroupJNF: Jefferson Natl. ForestMNF: Monongahela Natl.

ForestMC: Montgomery County

GroupNPS: Natl. Park ServiceNRA: Natl. Recreation AreaNWR: Natl. Wildlife RefugeODH: One day hike**PFD: Personal Flotation

Device (lifejacket)PRO: Sierra Club Potomac

Region Outings(SCPRO)*

SF: State ForestSM: Southern MD GroupSP: State ParkSNP: Shenandoah Natl. Park

* For hike ratings of SCPRO, refer totheir website at http://www.sierrapotomac.org/rating.htm**See www.onedayhike.org for moreinformation

MarchFri. Mar 18. Rated A/B. MoonlitHike on the Mall (Get to Know DC).Explore the beauty of DC’s NationalMall and monuments by the fullmoon. Meet at 7:30 pm at the mallside of Constitution where 16thstreet would intersect (across fromthe Ellipse entrance). Park on streetor use Metro (Federal Trianglestation). Kids who can walk 7+ mi. (or3 mi.) on relatively level terrain arewelcome. Leader: Jim Finucane 301/365-2434 (before 9 pm) [email protected].

Sat. Mar. 19. Rated G or D. Paradeof Parks (Get Fit for Spring/ ODH).Circuit of 23 mi. (or 14-mi. option) onpaved and dirt trails in DC andMaryland parklands, with somegentle elevation change, and plentyof flowering plants and trees. Meet at8 am at Fletcher’s Boathouse lowerparking lot, off Canal Rd. Leaders:Mike Darzi, [email protected] 301/580-9387, and FrankWodarczyk, [email protected] or703/569-6737 (before 9:30 pm).

Sat. Mar. 19: Savage Park,Wincopin Trail, MD. Easy 3.5 milehike along the Middle and LittlePatuxent Rivers. Boots arerecommended for muddy trails.Meet at 9:30 at the Savage ParkWincopin Trail parking lot, offVollmerhausen Road, a quarter mileeast of the bridge over I-95. Leader:Nicki, [email protected], 410-990-0008.

Sat. Mar. 19. Not Rated. EdwardsFerry cleanup. Pick up trash, enjoy abeautiful part of the C&O Canal


Outings (March)

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continued➱Towpath, and make it even morebeautiful. Join “level walkers” PatHopson and Carol Ivory to clean upthe towpath and riverbanks nearEdwards Ferry. We’ll work until noon,then (optional) have lunch in nearbyPoolesville, MD. Leaders will supplytrash bags; please bring your ownwork gloves. Meet at 9 am atEdwards Ferry; driving directions atwww.sierrapotomac.org/directionsbut please contact one of us, so weknow how many people to expect.Leaders: Pat Hopson, 703/379-1795(9 am -10 pm) and Carol Ivory,[email protected].

Sat.-Sun. Mar. 19-20. BackpackSouth Mountain State Park.Backpack along the AT in SouthMountain SP in scenic FrederickCounty, MD. From Greenbrier StatePark we will head south along the AT,pass Washington Monument SP toour overnight camp near Old SouthMountain Inn at Turners Gap. Enjoy aspectacular view from the top of thenation’s first monument to GeorgeWashington. On Sunday we willcontinue south along the AT to ourfinish at Gathland SP at CramptonGap. Visit the South Mountainbattlefield, and the Gathland Archthat was dedicated to the warcorrespondents of the Civil War. LateMarch will offer excellent views fromthe crest of South Mountain, asspring begins to climb themountainside. The trip is a one-waybackpack requiring a car shuttle.Total two-day hiking distance: 13 mi.with moderate elev. change. Forreservations contact leader. Leader:Glenn Gillis, 703/430-0568 [email protected].

Sun. Mar. 20. Rated A. Great FallsPark, VA. On this 3.4-mile loop hike,you will view the Great Falls andMather Gorge of the Potomac River

as you walk the River Trail south.Return via the Ridge Trail and theSwamp Trail through a forest of tulippoplar and American beech withwild flowers along the trail. Leasheddog and accompanied children withstamina are welcome. Meet 9:00 amat Grosvenor Wash. Metro or 9:30 amat park visitor’s center. TakeWashington Beltway to GeorgetownPike (Exit 44) west for 5.2 miles; turnright on Old Dominion and go 1 mileto Visitor’s Center on right. Forcarpooling, contact leaders. Leaders:Rich Reis, 301-325-8001 [email protected], and Mike Darzi.

Sun. Mar. 20 GB – Easy toModerate. Little Gunpowder,Pleasantville Circuit Hike. 4 miles.Celebrate the first day of spring withthis “pleasant” hike along the LittleGunpowder and Ma and Pa Trailsbetween Bottom Rd. andPleasantville Rd. Meet at 1:00 PM atthe roadside pullouts along BottomRd. where it meets the river.Directions from Baltimore Beltway:Take Exit 31, Harford Rd. (Route 147)north. Go 8 miles to Fork Rd. andturn left. Go 1.7 miles to Bottom Rd.and turn right. Go 2 miles and parkat any of the pullouts on either sideof river. Consult map if coming fromother directions. Cancelled for steadyrain or storms. For more details, callAlan at 443-212-5082 or [email protected].

Sat. Mar. 26 GB – Moderate.Prettyboy Trail Hike (Older childrenand dogs are welcome)7 miles along the shoreline andhillsides and through forests aroundPrettyboy Reservoir on the oldPrettyboy Trail, walking a loopbetween Prettyboy Dam and TraceyStore Rd. The trail is maintainedneighbors, Boy Scouts, and the GB

Sierra Club in collaboration with thePrettyboy Watershed Alliance andMountain Club. Learn about thisisolated trail and its wildlife andpristine drinking water for Baltimore.The trail is cleared to varying degreesand has hills and one streamcrossing. Children under 18 must beable to hike this distance and beaccompanied by a parent or otherresponsible adult. Dogs must befriendly. Meet at 11:00 AM at the Mt.Carmel Rd. Park & Ride just west off I-83 north of the Baltimore Beltwayand past the Shawan Rd. exit. Checkfor cancellation in bad weather. Formore information, contact Mary at410-239-4590 (home), 443-386-0862(cell), or email [email protected]

Sat. Mar. 26: Martin Hill Wild Area,Buchanan SF, PA. Moderate 12 mileloop using the MST and connectortrails. Bring food, water and sturdyboots. Some trails might beovergrown and hard to follow.Depart at 8:00 from the park & ridejust north of I-70 on Rt. 32. ContactMike Juskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sat. Mar. 26. Rated B. LittleBennett Regional Park. Moderatelypaced hike loop hike traveling overabout 7 miles of the trails in thelargest park in Montgomery County.Enjoy a wide variety of terrain, fromwooded ridgelines, to small hills, tovalleys with small streams. Nothingtoo difficult, but not boring either.We’ll select the specific trails basedon the conditions that day. Meet at 9am at the Hyattstown Mill Parkingarea, off of Frederick Rd. We’ll planon being back to the parking area by1 pm, with the option of going forlunch afterward. Contact leader forMetro pick-up. Leaders: Jeff Tarbox,

[email protected] or 207/776-2015,and Mike Darzi.

Sat. Mar. 26. Rated H or E.Alexandria-Arlington SlowMarathon (ODH Series). Circuit hikeof 27 paved mi. on Mount VernonTrail and other Alexandria andArlington trails, with a few minorundulations. Shorter, Metro-assistedversion also available for thosetraining for the 50K on Apr. 30 (don’tforget your Metro card if you chooseto bail out on Metro). Meet at 8 amsharp at north parking lot at BelleHaven, on George Washington Pkwysouth of Alexandria. Leaders: RobAnderson, 202/258-1010 [email protected]; RussNorfleet, 703/501-7953 [email protected]; and RayEvert, 703/893-3792.

Sun. Mar. 27. Not Rated. SpringGeneral Meeting of Sierra ClubPotomac Region Outings. Thisgeneral business meeting of SCPROwill be held at the Walker NatureEducation Center (aka The NatureHouse, http://tinyurl.com/yfe8g4f ),11450 Glade Dr., Reston, VA, from 3 -7:30 pm. The meeting will featurediscussions of issues and upcomingevents, special presentations, and apot-luck dinner. All SCPRO outingsleaders, prospective leaders,participants of SCPRO outings, andother members of the public areinvited. Beginning at 1pm: there willbe a leader’s choice hike. Meet in theparking lot of the Nature House. ForMetro pick-up, or for other questionsor details, contact Mike Darzi,[email protected] or 301/580-9387.

Sun. Mar. 27 GB - Moderate.Gunpowder River Hike 6 to 8 milesalong the Gunpowder River. Meet at


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12:00 noon at the Mt Carmel RoadPark and Ride off I-83 north of theBaltimore Beltway. Call Jack 410-256-3963 for details.

Sun. Mar. 27 (unrated)Paddle Mattawoman Creek9:30 am-2 pm. Join us for an earlyspring paddle from Mason Springsdown to the Mattingly Ave. take-outin Indian Head. This will be a jointtrip w/members of the CalvertMarine Museum Canoe & Kayak Club.Bonnie Bick will serve as our experton the flora, fauna, wildlife andfishery along and in the creek. Bringa brown bag lunch. We will need toshuttle vehicles to the take out. Theplanned launch time is 10:00 a.m., soarrive early. Remember paddles,PFD’s, water, & suitable paddlingattire. Contact Dan Donahue, 301-884-0163 or [email protected].

AprilSat. April 2 GB - Moderate. KellyRun & Pinnacle Overlook Hike 8miles exploring gorges with greatoverlook of the Susquehanna River.This hike also has a good chance ofseeing bald eagles. Meet at 11:00 AMat the K-Mart on Rt. 1 (Bel Air Rd.)just north of the Baltimore BeltwayExit 32. Call Jack at 410-256-3963 fordetails.

Sat. Apr. 2. Rated B. SugarloafMountain – Northern Peaks Trail.A scenic 7-mile loop that will take usfrom the base up around the mainsummit and over several lowerpeaks, 9 am-2 pm. We’ll discuss thehistory of the area, the concept of

Montgomery County’s agriculturalreserve and other conservationissues relevant to this region. Meet atEast Lot at Sugarloaf at 9 am orShady Grove Metro at 8 am tocarpool. Leader: Ron LaCoss, 301/946-1106 (before 9 pm) forinformation, [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 2. Rated E/H. Upper Mt.Vernon Trail (ODH Series). This 18-or 30-mi. out-and-back hike alongthe Potomac features views of theriver as well as of monuments inWashington. Meet 8 am at the northend of Gravelly Point parking lot onthe George Washington Parkway, justnorth of National Airport. Leaders:Mike Darzi, [email protected] 301/580-9387, and FrankWodarczyk, [email protected] or703/569-6737 (before 10 pm).

Sun. April 3. Rated B. Rock CreekPark. Explore the beauty of RockCreek Park in early spring. Meet at 1pm next to the ground level of theelevator at the Cleveland Park Metro.Bring water and a snack. Kids whocan walk 7+ miles on ‘relatively’ levelterrain are welcome. Leaders: JimFinucane 301/365-3485 before 9 pmand Bob Mathis.

Sun. Apr. 3. Rated B/C. WoodstockEquestrian Park. Take part in asearch for signs of spring in aspacious new park with well-markedand -maintained trails amid thefarmlands of western MontgomeryCo. on a hike of up to 10 mi. (withshortcuts available for the needy).The scenery consists of bothcultivated and fallow fields, pluswoodlands, along with old stonebarns and other structures—andmaybe a passing horse or buggy—all set against an environmentally

interesting backdrop of hulkingSugarloaf Mountain and theprominent spire of the Dickersonsmokestack. To carpool, meet at 9:30am at the Grosvenor–StrathmoreMetro station (in the parking lotbehind the garage and just acrossfrom the station’s entrance/exit). Orcall for directions to the trailhead inthe park and the meeting time. Jointevent with AMC/DC. Leader: PaulElliott, 202/550-2841.

Sun. Apr. 3: Project Clean Streamand Herp Survey. Volunteer for thisregional stream cleanup, and assistwith an amphibian and reptilesearch. The Howard CountyDepartment of Recreation & Parks isrecording amphibian and reptilesightings as part of a state-widesurvey. 9:00 to noon. For details,contact Sue Muller, 301-498-8462,[email protected].

Sat. Apr. 9: Patapsco OrangeGrove. Moderate 5-6 mile circuit hikein Patapsco Valley State Park,covering the Cascade Falls, MorningChoice, Rockburn Branch and Ridgetrails. We’ll take a brisk pace throughthe park, stopping at the falls at thebeginning and end of the hike. Meetin the Park at the swinging bridgeparking at 9:30. Park entry fee of $2per person. Bring snacks and water.Directions: Take I-95 to exit 47, I-195east. Go half a mile on I-195, thentake exit 3 and turn right onto US-1South. Immediately turn right ontoSouth Street, then immediately turnleft at the park entrance. Proceed 1.3miles to main intersection, and turnleft. Cross over river, and bear right.Drive about 1.5 miles until you seeSwinging Bridge on right - largeparking lot is just past bridge on left.Contact Nicki to sign up: 410-990-2008 or [email protected]

Sat. Apr. 9. Morgan Run NaturalEnvironmental Area, CarrollCounty. Accessible Hike. We’ll meetat the main parking lot at 10 am. Wemay be able to see matingwoodcocks. See http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/morganrun.asp for directionsto the site. All hikes will last about 4hours, mileage will vary by difficulty,but will be between 3-6 miles. Forfurther information and to register,please contact Karen;[email protected] is not necessary, butallows us to contact you if the hike ispostponed or rescheduled due toweather.

Sat. Apr. 9. (Unrated) Indian HeadRail Trail Bicycle Ride (ConservationOuting). A 26-mile round trip on thisrelatively new, paved trail. See theMattawoman Creek and surroundingwild areas that offer a very uniquenatural outdoor experience—seemingly far removed from (butthreatened by) development andlife’s often chaotic pace.Accompanied children with staminaare welcome. Bring bag lunch. Meet9:15 am at Branch Ave. Wash. Metrostation or 10 am at trailhead. FromDC Beltway take Route 5 south for 13miles, then Route 301 south for 5.8miles; turn right on Theodore GreenBlvd for 1/2 mile, and just past BelairRoad Supply turn right into parkingarea. Contact leaders for carpooling.Leader: Rich Reis, 301/325-8001 [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 9. Rated A. Two Views ofthe Potomac: Red Rock WildernessOverlook and Balls Bluff BattlefieldRegional Parks (Conservation Hike).Two little gems on the outskirts ofLeesburg, with Potomac River vistas,a Civil War battlefield, and bountiful


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Outings (April)

wildflowers at their peak. Enjoy aleisurely stroll with lots of stops forthe flowers. Meet at 9 am at RedRock Park (43098 Edwards Ferry Rd.,Leesburg, VA 20176). Leader: CarolIvory, [email protected] or 703/476-8730.

Sat. Apr. 9. Rated D. Duncan Knob.A moderately paced hike in GeorgeWashington National Forest inVirginia. The highlight is scramblingto Duncan Knob to enjoy exceptionalviews. We’ll hike 9 miles with 2000 ft.elev. change. Meet at 8:30 am at thenorth parking lot of the ViennaMetro. Leaders: Mike Darzi,[email protected] or 301/580-9387 and Marcia Wolf, 301/565-3165.

Sat. Apr. 9. Rated H or F. WesternEnd of the W&OD Trail (ODH Series).Out-and-back trek, on paved surface,of about 34 miles (or 19-mi. option)for the 100K or 50K versions of theApril 30 One Day Hike event. Thishike traverses the most scenicportion of the W&OD route. Meet 8am at the W&OD parking lot onAshburn Rd, (VA Rt. 641), adjacent toPartlow Brothers Store (http://wikimapia.org/878337/Partlow-Brothers-Store), and approx. 1.9 mi.south of VA Rt. 7. Leaders: GaryKosciusko, 703/765-0306 (before 10pm); Russ Norfleet, 703/501-7953 [email protected]; and RayEvert, 703/893-3792.

Sat. Apr 9 Potomac River clean up(western end of the Indian HeadRail Trail)Assist fellow Sierra Club membersand other partnering groups to focusprimarily on tire removal from a one-mile section of IHRT borderingMattawoman Creek. Meet at the Rt.224 trail access parking lot. Retrievalof tires will require going off of the

trail into the rough, so wear longpants and boots or sturdy footwear.Charles Co. Public Works will providegloves, trash bags, and tire disposalonce we stack them at the assemblypoint. Our goal is to remove 45-50tires and other assorted trash. 10 amto 1 pm. Contact Dan Donahue, 301-884-0163 or [email protected].

Sun. Apr. 10, 3-6 pm. Not Rated.Basic Backpacking Gear: The first ina 3-part, beginner-backpackingclassroom series, plus optional 2-night backpack trip in May. Basicgear will include: backpack & fitting,tent, sleeping gear, cooking & watergear, footwear, tips on clothing, andtips on packing light. We will provideinformation on different types ofgear and your options whenpurchasing gear. We will have gearon-hand and demonstrate hands-ontechniques. We will send you homewith a gear-list to plan your next trip!Class size limited to 20 people. Mustbe 16 or older. Class cost is $17 forexpenses; payment (check or PayPal)in advance will confirm your spot.For location information, pleasecontact Liz. Leaders: Liz Guertin, 202/415-4639 or [email protected],and Mike Darzi, 301/580-9387 [email protected].

Sun. Apr. 10 GB - Moderate. MuddyRun Hike 8 miles along the MuddyRun and the Susquehanna River. Thishike goes through a very scenicgorge and river valley with largeHemlock trees. Good chance ofseeing bald eagles. Meet at 11:00 AMat the K-Mart on Rt. 1 (Belair Rd.) justnorth of the Baltimore Beltway Exit32. Call Jack at 410-256-3963 fordetails.

Sat. Apr. 16 GB – Easy to Moderate.Soldiers Delight Circuit Hike. 4

miles. Soldiers Delight is a uniquearea featuring grasslands, forest,rocky areas, rare species, historicmines, and a visitor center. We willhike the East Side Trails and a spur ofthe Serpentine Trail. Meet at 1:00 PMin front of the Visitor Center. From I-695 take Exit 18, Liberty Rd. (Route26) West. Go 4.9 miles. Turn right onDeer Park Rd. Go 2.1 miles and turnleft into Visitor Center driveway.Cancelled for steady rain or storms.For more details, call Alan at 443-212-5082 or [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 16: CarderockWildflowers. Moderate 8-9 mile hikeon the C&O Canal towpath, and overrocky terrain by the Potomac Riveron the Billy Goat B and C trails. Wewill take a slow pace in some areas toidentify and enjoy the profusion ofwildflowers. Bring lunch and water.Depart at 8:30 from the west lot ofthe Broken Land Parkway Park & Rideat Rt. 32. Call Ken Clark, 443-280-4050, [email protected].

Sat.-Mon. Apr. 16-18: Wild OakNational Recreation TrailBackpack, VA. Strenuous 25-27 milecircuit backpack in GeorgeWashington National Forest. Lots ofelevation change, vistas, prettyNorth River and nice campsites. Pre-registration required. Contact MikeJuskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sat. Apr. 16. Rated F. StricklerKnob - Duncan Knob Loop.Strenuous 10-mile circuit hike withover 4500 ft. elev. change. Two of thebest vistas on MassanuttanMountain. Two steep climbs andplenty of rock scrambles. Bootsneeded. Meet at Vienna Metro (NorthParking lot) at 8:00 am. Leaders:

Vicky Hsu, 301/275-6646 [email protected] and LizGuertin, 202/415-4639 (before 9pm)or [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 16. Rated H+, F, or D. C&OCanal Towpath between Point ofRocks or Brunswick, MD andHarpers Ferry (ODH Series). Longhikers will start at Point of Rocks andhike to Harpers Ferry and back (28mi.), with the option of going up to 4mi. past the start before returning(for up to 36 mi.). Short hikers willstart at Brunswick and hike toHarpers Ferry and back (14 mi.), withthe option of going to Point of Rocks(21 mi.). To carpool, meet atGrosvenor-Strathmore MetroStation’s Park & Ride open-air lot (inback of garage). Long hikers meet inthat Metro lot at 7 am or in parkinglot along the towpath at Point ofRocks by 8:15 am; short hikers meetin Metro lot at 8:45 am or in parkinglot near the towpath under the MD17 bridge in Brunswick by 10 am.Leaders: Mike Darzi,[email protected] or 301/580-9387; Gary Kosciusko, 703/765-0306(before 10 pm); and FrankWodarczyk, [email protected] or703/569-6737 (before 10 pm).

Sat.-Sun. Apr. 16-17. Backpack SkyMeadows State Park. Enjoy an Aprilweekend backpacking through theBlue Ridge Mountains of NorthernVirginia. Beginning at the MountBleak Visitor Center at Sky Meadows,we will ascend to the AppalachianTrail. Heading south on the AT wewill camp overnight at the DicksDome shelter in the Thompson WMAnear Thompson Lake. On Sunday, wewill backpack north along the ATthrough Sky Meadows SP enjoyingbeautiful views from Ovoka Farm


continued➱

Outings (April)

continued➱

near Ashby Gap. Spring wildflowersshould be in full bloom as themountains come alive after a hardwinter. Total two day distance: 14 mi.with a moderate to hard elev.change. For reservations contactleader: Glenn Gillis: 703/430-0568 [email protected].

Sun. Apr. 17. Rated C. CelebrateEarth Day a Little Early on Top ofSugarloaf Mountain (ConservationHike). Take part in a leisurely paced,8-9 mi. circuit hike, with roughly1,300 ft. of elev. change, in upperMontgomery Co. and on the onlymountain within 30 crow mi. of theWhite House. It will feature greatviews of the surrounding farmlands,brief pauses to explore both thenatural and human history of thisremarkable private nature preserve,and a vista-rich lunch stop. It also willinclude a discussion, led by a U.S.government ecologist, of the likelyeffects of climate change onMaryland’s forests. Either gather tocarpool at 7:45 am at the Grosvenor–Strathmore Metro station (in theparking lot behind the garage andjust across from the station’sentrance/exit), or meet at 8:45 am inthe parking lot at the base ofSugarloaf. Joint event with AMC/DC.Leaders: Ted Conwell,[email protected] or 301/589-1513(home, before 9 pm), and Paul Elliott,202/550-2841.

Sun. Apr. 17, 6-9 pm. Not Rated.Planning a Backpacking Trip. Thesecond in a 3-part, beginner-backpacking classroom series, plusoptional 2-night backpack trip inMay. Learn about trip selection,route planning, mapping/GPSoverview, Leave No Trace basics, andwater planning including waterpurification options. We will coverthe First Aid Kit and emergency

planning. We will have you do someinteractive map reading. We willsend you home with trip-planningchecklists that you can use to planyour next trip. Class size limited to 20people. Must be 16 or older. Classcost is $17 for expenses; payment(check or PayPal) in advance willconfirm your spot. For locationcontact Liz Guertin. Leaders: LizGuertin, 202/415-4639 [email protected] ,and MikeDarzi, 301/580-9387 [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 23 GB – Earth Day StreamCleanup at Double Rock Park(Child-Friendly Outing) CelebrateEarth Day by cleaning up trash(bottles, cans, plastic bags, etc.) inand around the stream at thisneighborhood park that includes awaterfall and trails throughwoodlands. Children under 18 mustbe accompanied by a parent or otherresponsible adult. Wear footwear forwading in shallow water. Trashbagsand gloves will be provided. Meet at10 AM. in the parking lot at the

park’s entrance at the end of TexasAve. off Harford Rd. in Parkville. Formore information, contact Mary at410-239-4590 (home), 443-386-0862(cell), or email [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 23. Rated A. Wakefield/Lake Accotink Parks, Annandale,VA. Moderately paced 6-mile mostlyflat circuit hike. From Capital Beltwayexit 54A, go west on Braddock Rd. Attraffic light, about 100 yards beyondouter beltway, turn right intoWakefield Park (also Audrey MooreRECenter) 8100 Braddock Rd.,Annandale, VA 22003. Meet at 10 amat first parking lot on left near ballfield. Bring water and optional lunchat end. No pets. Leader: HenriComeau, 703/451-7965 (before 9pm)or [email protected].

Sat. Apr. 23. Rated G or C. C&OCanal Towpath north of WhitesFerry (ODH Series). Out-and-backtrek of about 25 miles (or 13-mi.option) is a final “tune-up” for the100K or 50K versions of the April 30One Day Hike event and willfamiliarize those planning to do the50K version with their starting point.Meet 8 am at Whites Ferry parkinglot (MD side). Leaders: MikeGingerich, 202/370-7957 [email protected], and RonLaCoss, 301/946-1106.

Sat.- Sun. Apr. 23-24. BackpackSignal Knob, GWNF. 11-mile circuitbackpack along the north end of theMassanutten Ridges. Great chance todust off the backpacking gear andget ready for another season ofsleeping in the forest. Non-technicalclimb of 2680 ft. makes this a fairlystrenuous hike, but the reward is thespectacular vistas unencumbered byleaves and an established butunoccupied campsite with a fire ring.Meet at the GMU/Fairfax MetroNorth Lot, 9 am Sat. for carpooling.Return Sun. evening. Must RSVPJohn for details and get on theroster. Trip limited to 10. Leaders:John MacDowall, 703/856-6127(before 9pm) or

[email protected], and LizGuertin.

Sun. Apr. 24. Rated B. ThompsonWildlife Mgmt. Area (ConservationHike). A slow-paced educational hikethrough one of the most wildflowerrich forests in the country. Leaderswill casually stroll a six-mile courseand provide knowledge on thesubjects of conservation, botany,wildlife, and birding. There will befrequent stops to observe nature.1000 ft. elev. gain. Bring lunch and/or snacks. Meet at 8 am at the northparking lot of the Vienna Metro.Leaders: Bruce Baraniak, 540/514-5557 (call for more info), and CarolIvory, [email protected].

Sun. Apr. 24. Rated B. JeffersonPatterson Park and Museum. Visitthis 600-acre park in Calvert Countyto do a wiggly 8 mi. circuit hike thatwill cut through both tangled andopen woodlands, cross fields, followthe shoreline of the magnificentlower Patuxent River, take you to areconstructed Indian village,probably include wildflowers andwildlife and other signs of spring,show you labeled archaeologicalsites and an assortment of buildingsof note, reveal the local area’sinvolvement in the War of 1812, andlet you loose in a well-stocked visitorcenter—all for the price ofadmission, which is free. Optionaldinner stop on return drive. Tocarpool, meet at 9 am in westernAlexandria in the Van Dorn Metrostation’s Park & Ride lot. Call fordriving directions to the station or tothe trailhead in the park and themeeting time there. Joint event withAMC/DC. Leader: Paul Elliott, 202/550-2841.


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Outings (April, May)

Sun. May 1. Rated B. ThompsonWildlife Mgmt. Area (ConservationHike). A slow-paced educational hikethrough one of the most wildflowerrich forests in the country. Leaderswill casually stroll a six-mile courseand provide knowledge on thesubjects of conservation, botany,wildlife, and birding. There will befrequent stops to observe nature.

continued➱

Sun. Apr. 24 GB – Easy/Moderate.Easter Sunrise Service and Hike atRocks State ParkCelebrate the true meaning of Easterat a non-denominational SunriseService at Rocks State Park in HarfordCounty. It will be followed byfellowship with coffee, cocoa, anddonuts, and an easy to moderatehike of about 2-3 miles. We can alsohave a really good buffet breakfast atthe Geneva Farm Golf Courseclubhouse nearby (check out http://www.infosports.com/golf/1697902.htm, 410-452-8800. 217Davis Rd., Street, MD 21154).Children OK with prior approval.Meet at the church parking lot onSeminary Ave. west of Dulaney ValleyRd. just north of the BaltimoreBeltway at 5:30 AM. Call Paul at 410-667-4889 or [email protected] for details.

Wed. Apr 27 GB – Easy. OutingsMeeting, Potluck and Talk (suitablefor any age)Join us for a social evening at theOregon Ridge Nature Center forgood food and a talk by a naturalresource specialist from theBaltimore County Department ofEnvironmental Protection andSustainability. The topic is onwatersheds and their influence onstreams, rivers, and the Bay.Baltimore County has initiated anaction plan on improving andprotecting the small watersheds ofthe Oregon Ridge streams: OregonBranch, Beaver Dam, and BaismanRuns. Anyone hiking in OregonRidge will be familiar with these.Learn all about watersheds and findout what can be done to restorethem to improve water quality fordrinking and recreation from here tothe Chesapeake. As we set up for thepotluck dinner, we will have an

Outings Meeting between 6:00 and6:30 PM to discuss past and plannedoutings. Prospective outings leadersare welcome to come and meetoutings leaders and discuss what ittakes. The potluck will start at 6:30PM and the talk at 7:30, lasting nolater than 9 PM. Come along andbring a dish to share and somefamily and friends. No reservationsrequired. The nature center is at13555 Beaver Dam Road and can bereached from the Shawan Road westexit (#20B) from I-83 north of theBaltimore Beltway. Take ShawanRoad to the traffic light at BeaverDam, make a left and stay to theright to the parking lot. Walk up tothe nature center. Call Joyce at 410-254-7240 for any other questions.

Sat. Apr. 30. Rated H++ or H+.Annual One Day Hike. Join a couplehundred new and old friends to walk100 kilometers (about 62 mi.) alongthe C&O Canal towpath fromWashington, DC, to Harpers Ferry,WV. Or start later the same morningupriver from DC for the 50K option.Registration opens January 1. Formore information, go towww.onedayhike.org.

Sat.-Mon. Apr. 30 - May 2: ATBackpack, Blacksburg Rd to BluffCity, VA. Strenuous 30 milebackpack. Approximately 10 miles/day with two steep climbs. VisitDismal Falls and 3-4 vistas. Pre-registration required. Contact MikeJuskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sat. Apr. 30. Rated C/D. RavenRocks: An Appalachian Trail Gem.Although the hike is relatively shortat 6 miles, the substantial elevationchanges and rocky trail will provide avigorous workout, equivalent to

hiking 12 or more miles. The routeoffers fantastic views, especially fromour lunch spot at Raven RocksOverlook, and glorious spring colors.Marvelous and magical quartzboulders and fragments make this atrue AT gem. Be sure to bring a goodlunch and good humor. Also, gooddogs bringing their owners arewelcome; call Leader to verify. NOTE:This hike will be repeated 3 weekslater, Sat. May 21. Meet at ViennaMetro north parking lot at 9 am.Leader: David Burd,[email protected] or 703/998-9390.

Sat. Apr. 30. Rated H++ or H+. OneDay Hike to Harpers Ferry/ Bolivar,WV. This 38th annual 100 kilometer(62 mi.) hike with a concurrent 50km. option is, except for about 3.2km (less than 2 mi.) at the end,wholly on the C&O Canal towpath.For details and volunteeropportunities, visitwww.onedayhike.org or contactleaders. (Note: registration is closed.)Leaders: Mike Darzi,[email protected] or 301/580-9387, and Carol Ivory,[email protected] .

May

1000 ft. elev. gain. Bring lunch and/or snacks. Meet at 8 am at the northparking lot of the Vienna Metro.Leaders: Bruce Baraniak, 540/514-5557 (call for more info), and MarciaWolf, 301/565-3165.

Sun. May 8 GB – Easy to Moderate.Big Gunpowder Falls/Lost PondCircuit Hike. 4 miles. CelebrateMother’s Day on this circuit thatfollows the Big Gunpowder south ofBelair Rd., with two modest climbs tothe ridge. Nice views of the river anda pretty rapid. Muddy spots possible.Meet at 1:00 PM in parking lot onsouth side of road. From I-695 takeBelair Rd. (Route 1) north approx. 5miles. You will cross the BigGunpowder River. Just past the river,turn right into parking lot. Cancelledfor steady rain or storms. For moredetails, call Alan at 443-212-5082 oremail [email protected].

Sun. May 8, 4-6 pm. Not Rated.What to Eat on a Backpacking Trip.The third in a 3-part, beginner-backpacking classroom series, plusoptional 2-night backpack tripplanned for May. Learn the basics ofmeal planning and how to cook inthe wilderness. Come hungry; we’llbe eating! We’ll take you through thebasic meals for a multi-day trip andprovide tips for making your mealsdelicious and fun! Bring your stovesto class, we will talk about differentstove types and practice lightingthem and cooking on them. We willalso use this class as a pre-tripmeeting for the beginnerbackpacking trip May 13-15. Thisclass will take place outdoors rain orshine. Class size limited to 20 people.Must be 16 or older. Class cost is $20for expenses; payment (check orPayPal) in advance will confirm yourspot. For location contact Liz


JuneSat.-Tue. June 11-14: OhiopyleState Park Car Camping, PA. Twohikes: 12 miles on the LaurelHighlands Trail and a 10 mile circuitin Bear Run Nature Reserve. If youwish to do your own thing there is arail trail, canoeing and kayaking alsoavailable. Campsite reservation andpre-registration required. ContactMike Juskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sat. Jun. 11 GB – Moderate. AMKayak and PM Hike at Piney RunPark (Child and Dog Friendly Outing)For the boating, meet at the boatlaunch at 10:00 AM. Bring your own

Guertin. Leaders: Liz Guertin, 202/415-4639 or [email protected] Mike Darzi, 301/580-9387 [email protected].

Fri.-Sun. May 13 - 15. BeginnerBackpacking Trip - Location &Details TBD. Part of the BeginnerBackpacking Class series, this trip willinclude shorter mileage and areasonable elevation profile. Trip isdesigned so that the beginner canpractice carrying a full pack andother backpacking skills. We willspend at least one night in thebackcountry. Pre-trip meetingscheduled for May 8, directlyfollowing cooking class. Keepchecking back towww.sierrapotomac.org for full tripdetails. Leaders: Liz Guertin, 202/415-4639 or [email protected],and Mike Darzi, 301/580-9387 [email protected].

Sat. May 14 Swallow Falls StatePark, Oakland, MD. Moderate hike,optional camping the night beforeand/or the night after (be sure tomake camp reservations if you willbe choosing this option). Petfriendly. Meet at 11 am at SwallowFalls State Park trail head, located atthe rear of youth group campsite #2.)See www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/swallowfalls.asp for directions to thesite. All hikes will last about 4 hours,mileage will vary by difficulty, butwill be between 3-6 miles. Forfurther information and to register,please contact Karen;[email protected] is not necessary, butallows us to contact you if the hike ispostponed or rescheduled due toweather.

Sat.-Mon. May 14-16: AlleghenyTrail-South Backpack, WV.Moderate 28 mile backpack, WV Rt.92 to I-64 in Monongahela NationalForest. A couple of steep climbs anda lot of ridge walking, some views.Pre-registration required. ContactMike Juskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sun. May 15 GB – Easy. Hike atCylburn Arboretum (Children andDog Friendly Outing)2-3 mile stroll along woodland trailsand through formal gardens arounda mansion house from the 1880s.Children under 18 must beaccompanied by a parent or otherresponsible adult. Dogs must befriendly and leashed. Meet at 10:30AM in front of the new VollmerCenter at the end of the GreenspringAvenue entrance to the park, whichhas a parking lot to the left besidethe Center. The park is in BaltimoreCity at 4915 Greenspring Ave. justwest off the Jones Falls Expresswaybetween Coldspring Ave. andNorthern Parkway. Check out thepark’s website atwww.cylburnassociation.org. Formore information, contact Mary at410-239-4590 (home), 443-386-0862(cell), or email [email protected].

Sat. & Sun. May 21 & 22 GB -Moderate. Car Camping atCaledonia State Park in PACamping and hiking both daysexploring lakes and streams in theMichaux State Forest in southernPennsylvania. We will hike parts ofthe Appalachian Trail with somegood views. Call Jack for details at410-256-3963.

Sat. May 28 GB – Moderate.Daniels Trail Hike. 6 miles. Out-and-back hike along the south side of the

Patapsco River, with one climb to thetop of the ridge. Good chance ofseeing herons. Will examineremnants of the B&O railroad trackand visit the Davis Tunnel. Muddyspots possible. Meet at 1:00 PM.From I-70 take Route 29 North toend. Turn right on Rogers Ave. After0.7 mi. turn left on Old Frederick Rd.After 0.6 mi. turn left on Daniels Rd.Meet at the small lot near the end ofDaniels Rd., additional parking isaround the corner by the dam.Cancelled for steady rain or storms.For more details, call Alan at 443-212-5082 or [email protected].

Sat.-Mon. May 28-30: Mid-StateTrail/Brushy Ridge Backpack,Rothrock SF, PA. 21 mile circuitbackpack using the MST andconnector trails. Daily mileages: 7/10/4. Pre-registration required.Contact Mike Juskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

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Outings (May, June)

kayak or canoe or rent one toexplore the 300-acre Piney RunReservoir, with a couple stops alongthe shores. There is a launch fee of$8/boat (paid at the park’s entrancebooth). The rental fee is $8/hour or$30 per day. Bring a picnic lunch toenjoy on the shore. For the hike,meet at 1 PM in the parking areabeside the Nature Center. Enjoy a 4-5mile hike through woodlands andalong the 300-acre lake. Afterwards,visit the extensive Nature Centerwith natural history exhibits and liveanimals. Piney Run, a 825-acre CarrollCounty park, is at 30 Martz Rd. inSykesville, just off Rt. 26 or 97 northof I-70. There is an entrance fee of$5/car for Carroll County residentsand $10 for others. For moreinformation, contact Mary at 410-239-4590 (home), 443-386-0862(cell), or email [email protected].

Sat. Jun. 11 WashingtonMonument State Park,Boonesboro, MD. Hike along theAppalachian Trail (out and back).Meet at 10 am at the Park office. Seehttp://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/washington.aspfor directions to the site. All hikes willlast about 4 hours, mileage will varyby difficulty, but will be between 3-6miles. For further information and toregister, please contact Karen;[email protected] is not necessary, butallows us to contact you if the hike ispostponed or rescheduled due toweather.

Sun. June 19 GB – Moderate.Leakin Park/Gwynns Falls ParkHike 5-6 miles. Celebrate Father’sDay on this hike along paved andunpaved trails within the parks.Beautiful views of Gwynns Falls

continued➱


valley. Includes visit to Carrie MurrayNature Center. Meet at 1:00 PM. FromI-695 take Exit 16, I-70 East (notWest). Exit ramp will open ontoSecurity Boulevard. Make the firstright on Forest Park Ave. After one-half mile turn right on Windsor MillRd. After one-third mile turn rightinto Eagle Dr. and parking lot. Meetby tennis courts. Cancelled for steadyrain or storms. For more details, callAlan at 443-212-5082 or [email protected].

Sat.-Sun. June 19-25. Sierra ClubNational Backpack. Enjoy a SierraClub national backpacking trip tothe Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks NRAand Dolly Sods Wilderness in wildand wonderful West Virginia. The firstpart the outing will explore thebeautiful Seneca Creek backcountrybelow Spruce Knob (with a summitclimb of West Virginia’s peak). Thesecond half of the trip includes therugged Canadian type terrain of theDolly Sods Wilderness. Acombination of backpacking and

basecamping will help keep the loadmoderate. For information contactGlenn Gillis, 703/430-0568 [email protected], orLiz Guertin, 202/415-4639.

Tues. June 21 GB – Easy. CylburnArboretum Evening Hike (childrenand dogs welcome).2 miles. Celebrate the first day ofsummer. Cylburn is a “well-keptsecret” with rare trees, wildflowers,spacious lawns and gardenssurrounding a Victorian Mansion.Meet at 6:30 PM in front of the newVollmer Center at end of entrancedriveway. Children under 18 must beaccompanied by parent or otheradult. Dogs must be friendly andleashed. Located at 4915Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, on theeast side of road, between NorthernParkway and Cold Spring Lane, bothaccessible via western exits off I-83.The entrance is marked by stonepillars and a wooden sign. Cancelledfor steady rain or storms. For moredetails, call Alan at 443-212-5082 oremail [email protected].

Sat.-Tue. June 25-28: MountRogers National Recreation Area,VA; Grindstone Car Camping. Twohikes: Little Wilson Creek Wildernessand the Laurel Valley-Iron Mountainloop. Each about 10 miles, moderatedifficulty. Campsite reservation andpre-registration required. ContactMike Juskelis, 410-439-4964,[email protected].

Sun. June 26 GB – Easy.Gunpowder Tube TripMeet at the Monkton Station on theNCR Trail at 12:00 noon. Bring a tubeor rent one there. Bring water shoes,sun screen, and a way to keep yourkeys in your pocket like a safety pin.Call Jack at 410-256-3963 for moredetails.

Outings (June, BICO)continued➱

Abbreviations:CGCC: College Gardens Community CenterDHH: Digital Harbor HighPP: Paul’s PlaceSWC: Southwest Baltimore Charter School

BICO OutingsSierra Club Inner City Outings is a community outreach programproviding opportunities for urban youth and adults to explore, enjoy andprotect the natural world. It was founded in 1999 with the goal ofproviding under-served Baltimore City youth with educational, enjoyableand safe outdoor experiences at no cost to them. Since start-up, BICOhas conducted more than 350 outings serving over 3,000 youngsters.

BICO provides environmental education and promotes respect for theoutdoors; teamwork and leadership skills ; and a community service ethic

BICO’s outings in and around Baltimore include nature hikes &orienteering; camping, canoeing, cycling & caving; initiative andconfidence coursework; community service for Baltimore’s Recreation &Parks Department

For more information, please send inquiries [email protected], or visit our web site at http://ico.sierraclub.org/baltimore

Sat, Mar 19------PP Signs of Spring at Irvine Nature CenterSat ,Apr 2--------SWC Patapsco Valley State Park--Camping, Astronomy at CCBC, and Medium HikingSat, Apr 9--------CGCC Trip All day Fri, May 6-------- DHH Assateague Camping TripSat, May 7------- DHH Assateague Camping TripSat, May 7------- DHH CBF field experience aboard the Snow GooseSat, May 7------- SWC Catoctin Mountain State Park - Camping, Mountain Exploration, Medium HikingSun, May 8------ DHH Assateague Camping TripSat, May 14----- CGCC CBF field experience aboard the Snow GooseSat, Jun 4 S WC Eden Mills - Camping (2 nights), experiencing nature, caving, canoeing, light hikingSat, Jun 11 CGCC Trip

Schedule

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The Chesapeake is published quarterly by the Maryland Chap-ter of the Sierra Club. Annual Sierra Club membership dues payfor subscription to this publication. Non-members may sub-scribe for $20.00 per year.

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are in general alignedwith those of the environmental community in Maryland butare strictly those of the authors and not necessarily officialpolicy of local, state or national Sierra Club entities. The SierraClub prides itself on being a grassroots volunteer organization.The concerns and opinions of all its members are welcome inthese pages.

Items for publication are best submitted by email to<[email protected]>or <[email protected]> with “For Chesapeake” andtitle in subject line. Items must include the author’s addressand telephone numbers. Material may be edited for length, con-tent or clarity at the discretion of the editor. Photographs, il-lustrations and other works of art are welcome. Materials can-not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self ad-dressed envelope.

Change of address: send address changes to the Sierra Club, 85Second Street (2nd Floor), San Francisco, California 94705-3441.For fastest service, please include your old and new addressesalong with your 8-digit membership number. For local mem-bership information contact the Maryland Chapter Office 301-277-7111 or write: Maryland Chapter/Sierra Club, 7338 Balti-more Ave (Suite 101A), College Park, MD 20740.

Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates andinformation, contact:Editor, ChesapeakeSierra Club Maryland Chapter7338 Baltimore Ave, Suite 111College Park, MD 20740

CreditsThe Maryland Chapter wishes to thankthose who contributed to this issue ofChesapeake.

Writers and Contributors: MeredithSweet, David O’Leary, Ron Henry, AlanaWase, Richard Reis, Marc Imlay, WoodyWoodruff, Claudia Friedetsky, MaryCorddry, David Prosten, Gregor Becker,Ken Clark, Alvin Carlos, Jane Huff, SamWhite

Editors: Betty Brody, Mary Corddry,Donna Engle, Becky French, LaurelImlay, Betsy Johnson, Dave O’Leary, JanisOppelt, Richard Reis, Darla Tewell

Outings Editor: Jan Hoffmaster

Publication Layout: Darla Tewell

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Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club Spring 2011

inside this issue:There oughta be a law . . .

Bag the bags, and keep Maryland cleaner ✔Hydrofracking:Yes, it’s as ugly as its name! ✔Rating commercial buildings for energy efficiency ✔Getting invasive plants out of the garden center

There is a law. . . ✔Maryland Counties put their watersheds on a “diet” PLUS, group news and lots of outings for fun and for conservation

✔

Cleaning the Streams by Is Maryland in Gasland? … · taking effect on January 1, 2010, the law has netted $2 ... Is Maryland in Gasland? By David O’Leary—To drill or not to

Documents