Howard County Recreation & Parks, Natural Resources Office for County Parks
Address: Howard County, 7120 Oakland Mills Rd. Columbia, MD
Phone: 410-313-4697
Website: hocovolunteer.org
The Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks is offering “Corporate Opportunities” for groups of 10 employees to come out to selected parks and work on invasive plant removal and stream clean-ups. Dates and times are flexible and can be scheduled with Sue Muller, smuller@howardcountymd.gov or 301 498-8462. There are currently opportunities available at Cypressmeade Park, West Friendship Park, Savage Mill Trail, High Ridge Park, Mayfield Park and Waterloo Park. [Updated Mar. 2019]
Middle Patuxent Environmental Area/Conservation Stewardship Project
The Conservation Stewardship Project: The Conservation Stewardship Project, a joint program of the Howard County Master Gardeners and the Howard County Recreation & Parks, targets the problem of controlling invasive exotic species in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA). Volunteer work dates occur monthly from March through November, skipping July and August. Each date includes an educational component concerning the target invasive species or work area for the day.
The 1,021 acre MPEA, established in 1996, contains a diversity of habitat types. There are upland and bottomland hardwood forest, fields, wetlands, ponds and riparian habitats. The primary components of the MPEA’s mission are natural resources management, education, research and recreation.
Invasive removal events are held on the 4th Tuesday of each month, 9-11:30am. Check the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) schedule at www.howardcountymd.gov/MPEA under "Get Involved".
No experience necessary, one-time volunteers are welcome.
Howard County Conservancy
The Habitat Restoration Work Group completes projects such as removing unwanted invasive plants, replanting and maintaining planting areas with native species, stream bank restoration, deer protection, erosion control as well as general trail maintenance.
Please join us. We provide tools. Close-toed shoes and long sleeves are recommended. All levels of experience welcome. For more details contact Tabby Fique, Land Manager 410-465-8877 or tabby.fique[@]hcconservancy.org. In case of inclement weather, call the Conservancy in advance to see if the group is still planning to meet.
Wildlife Achievement Chapter - Izaak Walton League
The Wildlife Achievement Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America (www.damascusiwla.org) is looking for volunteers to help with native tree and shrub plantings and maintenance activities. Pre-registration is required for events; e-mail Meo Curtis at meosotis58[@]verizon.net.
Pigtail Area (Dayton, Howard County) Tree Maintenance Saturday May 4, 2019. 9 a.m. to noon. Gloves, water, and tools provided. Partnership with WSSC.
Howard County GreenFest at Howard Community College, Columbia, MD
Date: April 13, 2019, 10am-4pm.
Theme: Science and Our Environment
Description: Check out the more than 100 exhibits. Workshops and children’s activities all day. Free admission. There will also be native plant sales. For a complete list of activities and workshops, please visit the website www.hcgreenfest.org.
Patapsco Heritage Greenway
Many activities throughout the year. Visit www.patapscoheritagegreenway.org and www.localendar.com/public/phg.
Towson U. Wavyleaf Basketgrass Mapping Project
Walk with a purpose! Track down the wavyleaf basketgrass that has invaded Patapsco Valley State Park!
Dr. Beauchamp (right) shows how to identify wavyleaf basketgrass
Join us to learn to identify wavyleaf basketgrass and help us survey the Patapsco Valley State Park. Observations of this alien invasive species can be recorded using a smartphone app or a handheld GPS. Every sighting that is submitted to the database helps us target the enemy in order to eradicate it!
The Wavyleaf Mapping Project is sponsored by Towson University's Department of Biological Sciences School of Emerging Technologies in partnership with Patapsco Valley State Park, Maryland DNR, Maryland Sierra Club and Patapsco Heritage Greenway.
For more information on this project and/or to download the application they are using on your iPhone or Android smartphone (currently only Android), or record points on your handheld GPS, go to: http://heron.towson.edu/wavyleaf/home
Thanks for helping restore our native ecology!
Volunteer Team Captains Needed
Are you someone who has volunteered with PHG many times? Are you ready to take the next step to lead and help educate other volunteers about our watershed issues? Then you should become part of our PHG Stream Team Leaders! We need a few good PHG ambassadors to serve as Stream Team Leaders. PHG ambassadors are:
A - Amiable
M - Mentors
B - Balanced & Busy
A - Assisting
S - Sensitive & Supportive & Systematic
S - Selfless & Sociable & Service-Oriented
A - Advisers
D - Documenters
O - Observers
R - Reliable & Respectful & Ready
If you are "ambassador" material and are interested in joining our Stream Team, email Betsy at patapscofriend[@]gmail.com.
HOLLIE
Our good friends from HOLLIE (Howard County Legacy Leadership Environmental Institute), which brought PHG some wonderful Environmental Team Leaders, has asked us to let others know about their classes. Please read the details below:
Are you trying to figure out what's happening with our environment and what we can do about it? The Legacy Leadership Environmental Institute is an education program that provides you with briefings from experts at NASA, NOAA, University of Maryland and other agencies who explain global climate change, sustainability, earth systems science, and best practices on leaving an environmental legacy. You'll learn about global science, regional ecology, local government's eco-efforts, personal non-positional leadership training, and introduction to local nature and environmental organizations' volunteer possibilities.
For further information, visit www.howardllie.com, contact Barbara Schmeckpeper, Ph.D., at 410-381-5279 or email hocollie[@]gmail.com.