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ABOUT HELLEN CREEK FOREST
& WILDLIFE PRESERVE
Located on the
upper reaches of Hellen Creek in Lusby, the Hellen Creek
Preserve covers some fifty acres of marshes, forests, streams,
and slopes. Together with the adjacent TNC Hemlock Preserve over
120 acres of the watershed are under permanent easement. As
executive director Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust, the owner
of the Hellen Creek Preserve I work on the property and monitor
it.
Part of this is
the fun job of wandering through the woods checking for
wildflowers and signs of animals. Other parts (cutting down blow
downs blocking trails and driveways) aren’t as enjoyable. But I
get to spend a lot of time outside and enjoy the benefits.
Several years
of habitat restoration and invasive removal work are starting to
pay off. The deer exclosure plot planted along the streamside is
showing progress this year. Several of the white turtleheads are
healthy and the other wetland shrubs and wildflowers are also
doing well. We added additional turtlehead in 2011 along with
elderberry and spicebush both here and at the old home site.
Application of a deer repellant have been successful so far.
The hemlocks on
the property are not doing as well. During early rain and wind
events several of the older trees have toppled. Damage done by
the wooly adelgid continues unabated. We did have a visit from
the employees of the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the
Department of Natural Resources to assess the situation. In
short many of the mature trees are in heavy cone production
mode. This is a strategy often employed at the later stages of a
tree’s lifespan. This encourages the production of young trees
and we have been advised to take advantage of this phenomenon.
First we need to protect young trees from deer deprivation and
competition from other seedlings. One deer exclusion plot has
already been established and other woody plants pulled from the
plot. Second would be injection of existing trees to protect the
seed source. Third would be monitoring of the treated trees and
treatment of emerging stock. If during this period a disease
resistant strain is developed, the Trust is agreeable to using
this tool.
During the
summer of 2009 we replaced several rails and posts on the stairs
leading to Hellen Creek. Several locust trees cut on the
property provided us with three new posts. Three more were
provided from the property of long time volunteer Mel Longfield.
A surprise greeted us when we began working on the posts, the
rails made a strange buzzing noise when we rapped on them.
Carpenter bees had invaded several of the post drilling their
perfect holes in all but two of the rails. The holey ones have
been replaced and stained. Hopefully these new rails won’t be as
tasty as the last ones.
We continue to
await word whether TNC’s Hemlock Preserve will be signed over to
our Trust. TNC, Calvert County, and State of Maryland have been
working on this for nearly eight years now. The biggest issue
for the Trust is the difficulty in running efficient control
programs for deer populations, invasive plants, and the health
of our hemlocks when all of these issues have a refuge on an
adjacent parcel. The process of transfer is almost complete, but
survey disputes still haunt the prospects.
Our educational
efforts in the past several years have focused on outreach
efforts to aid Calvert County’s Green School Program.
Programming and grant money have aided several schools the past
three years. In 2010 we funded two major projects in St. Mary’s
County. The Dee of St. Mary’s was in dire need of repairs and
funding to complete the work on her hull. The Trust donated
$15,000 to this effort to keep this wonderfully effective form
of environmental education afloat. The Dee should be back in the
water this fall. An additional $5,000 went to the St. Mary’s
River Watershed Alliance to complete printing of their new green
homeowners guide From My Backyard to the Bay. The Trust is in
its third year of sponsoring an intern for Calvert County
government to work on a GIS program to aid in managing the
resources of the county in an environmentally sensitive way. And
we are funding a second year of quarterly sub watershed
monitoring.
For more
information or to arrange for a visit to the Preserve, please
call me at 410-394-1300.
Bob Boxwell,
Executive Director
| Our Board of Trustees
consists of the following: |
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Ewing Miller,
Chairman of the Board Emeritus
Washington, DC |
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Robert J. Boxwell,
Executive Director
Solomons, MD |
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Michael Rudy, President
Solomons, MD |
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Donna Cave
Hughesville, MD |
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Mark Reaser,
Treasurer
Prince Frederick, MD |
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Karen Meadow, Secretary
Baltimore, MD |
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Michael E. Gardner,
Vice President
Lusby, MD |
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Mildred Kriemelmeyer
Waldorf, MD |
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Geg Bowen
Prince Frederick, MD |
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Trust Signs MOU with St. Mary’s
College for Ruth Mathes Scholarship Fund
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Dr.
Tanner, Dr. Silva, Trust President Mike Rudy, SMC
President Joseph Urgo , Bob Boxwell (staff) |
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Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust (CPNHT)
is a non-profit trust in Calvert County, made up of the
Sierra Club, the Maryland Conservation Council, and the
Dominion Cove Point LNG (one of the nation's largest
liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants). CPNHT's mission is
to preserve and protect ecologically sensitive sites in
Southern Maryland through land conservation and
acquisition, research, and environmental education. The
annual gift is part of a larger plan to give research
education funds to area educational organizations that
include the College of Southern Maryland, the Chesapeake
Biological Laboratory, and Morgan State University.
The St. Mary's portion could go to a
biology student or a chemistry student working on an
estuarine study of the St. Mary's River, or a study of
area birds or aquatic animals, for example. "The intent
is to create a partnership, a synergy, between our
trust's efforts and the preservation of the future of
our shorelines, our land, and seas," said Rudy. "We want
to honor our founder Ruth Mathes by assisting
academically outstanding students.
"We are very excited to be teaming
with St. Mary's College to kick off our scholarship
program. We feel that this is the beginning of a long
and fruitful partnership to preserve and protect
ecologically sensitive sites in Southern Maryland." |
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Trust Support Calvert County
Watershed Management |
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Commissioners
Clark & Weems, Bob Boxwell (staff), Commissioner Shaw,
President Mike Rudy, Commissioners Nutter &
Slaughenhoupt |
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| The Calvert County Commissioners
were happy to accept some checks from an organization
supporting efforts to help clean up the watershed.
Representatives from the Cove Point Natural Heritage
Trust presented the checks—for $10,000 and $5,000—to the
commissioners at their Tuesday, June 21 meeting. The
larger of the two grants will be used to support
quarterly water quality sampling in freshwaters in
Calvert’s 22 sub-watersheds. According to Department of
Planning and Zoning Director Greg Bowen, a portion of
the grant allocation will be used for support for the
watershed planner’s position and to pay the water
analysis costs. The additional funding will be used to
support the work of an intern and help in the watershed
planning efforts that will be used in the county’s
preparation of the Phase II Watershed Implementation
Plans. The Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and
protecting ecologically sensitive sites in Southern
Maryland through land conservation, acquisition,
scientific research and environmental education. Their
board of trustees represents its three member groups—the
Sierra Club, Maryland Conservation Council and Dominion
Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas. |
New Year’s Day Nature Walk
2011
After a cold and breezy December I think everybody was ready
for something a little milder. We certainly got our wish for the
first day of the New Year. The local Cub Scout pack and their
families joined us along with a number of other nature lovers. A
slow amble (as slow as that many young boys can be) down to the
creek was my plan and we pretty much achieved it. Stops were
made to point out different plants and features of the
landscape. Late morning is not the best time for bird activity
but we saw and heard a few chickadees, woodpeckers, a goldfinch,
and a kingfisher (sorry no partridge in a pear tree). Even in
the winter we have evergreens that can be easily identified.
Holly, pine, mountain laurel, cedar, mosses, ferns, and hemlocks
were features of the day. The creek was frozen so the only
waterfowl were the geese honking in the fields across the creek
and out of sight. The boys
all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. With my presentation
last month and this event, they all now have their conservation
badge. We have plans for future events with the pack including
some service projects. The property and its possibilities
impressed their leaders and I look forward to working with our
young neighbors and their families.
I also had a chance to talk
with the “civilians” that joined us. The Recorder had our event
listed in their calendar and we had a good turnout there as
well. Interested ranged from bird watching, to photography, to
education programming, to botany, to hiking and kayaking. Some
targeted events and outreach possibilities are one of the
outcomes of our first New Years Day event. Maybe this event
bears repeating. Invasive Plant Removal at Hellen Creek
For those interested in our native plants, the term invasive
plant is probably a familiar one. The most notorious historical
example in America has been the oriental vine Kudzu. Brought in
by the U.S. Agricultural Department for erosion control and
animal fodder this quick growing plant spread rapidly throughout
the south.
Once out of its native habitat, some species have no predator
to slow them down. Kudzu is certainly a good example. Alien
species can and often do out compete their native counter parts.
To combat the loss of native species, groups like Maryland
Native Plant Society and Sierra Club have been sponsoring
invasive plant removal days at various parks.
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust has completed the fifth
year of its five-year invasive removal plan. Several sections of
the Hellen Creek Preserve have had wineberry, tree of heaven,
multiflora rose, and Japanese knotweed removed. Native
wildflowers and shrubs have been planted in some of these
locations. The effort will continue with monitoring and new
sections to be worked. We have also uncovered some large trash
middens near Clifton drive and at the end of Hellen Creek Trail.
Trail Work
The Trust has explored ways to connect the adjacent TNC Hemlock
preserve to Hellen Creek’s tail system. Until legal agreements
to pass over ownership are completed, this property remains
inaccessible. A grant from the American Hiking Society to repair
stairs to Hellen Creek was completed in 2005. Carpenter bees
inhabited the railings in 2009 and new lumber was purchased to
replace the bee abodes (they really can hollow out a 2x4). We
took advantage of the work to replace pine posts with locust.
They old rails were cut to make new nosing for some of the
stairs as well.
Earth Day on the Square and PRAD
The fourth Sunday in April generally marks the annual Earth Day
on the Square in Leonardtown celebration.. The Trust has been in
attendance since 2004 sponsoring the very popular live Birds of
Prey display. Our other major outreach eefort is at Patuxent
River Appreciation Days on Columbus Day weekend in Solomons. In
cooperation with the Southern Calvert Land Trust we donate trees
to the attendees. In the past two years we have donated dozens
of sweetbay magnolia, viburnum, redbud, and Virginia sweet spire
to be planted in yards throughout Southern Maryland.
Environmental Education Outreach
The Trust has been providing programming to the local schools,
scouts, and adult educational venues for the past five years. In
addition to after school programs in Calvert and St. Mary’s
County, the Trust has provide technical assistance, donated
supplies, provided manpower, and funded several “green school”
project in Calvert County. Cooperation with Chespax and Maryland
Summer Camp are other venues to spread our message of
environmental stewardship. If you have a school group, club,
scout troop, day care, home owners association or other venue
that would be interested in learning more about the Bay and the
creatures that inhabit it, contact our Executive Director at
410.394.1300 or by e-mail at cpnht@comcast.net. |
