Spring has arrived, and it is a perfect time to pay the environmental area a visit. The species of plants that are leafing out and blooming changes every day. Whether it is the variety of trees in bloom or the multitude of spring ephemerals on the ground, there are plenty of colorful blossoms to see in the forest and meadows. Act fast, these ephemeral flowers are not visible for very long. Come and walk your favorite trail and see if it looks the same as it did last week!
Plenty of visitors have been coming out to the environmental area to enjoy spring but plenty of people have been coming out just to volunteer too. Our nest boxes are being monitored by volunteers and they have reported that Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) and Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) have begun to take up residence in several boxes. Volunteers have also been performing butterfly counts for the past month. Meanwhile, we are gearing up to conduct moth surveys in May. Volunteers also participated in a trail work event that we switched at the last minute into a tree planting event. Forty Eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) were planted with knowledge that the coming Periodical cicada (Magicicada sp.) invasion mostly avoids evergreen plants.
In other great volunteer news, we have received word that the Howard County Master Gardeners will again be helping us with assorted activities. Allen is currently working out the details with the group so that we can adequately accommodate the specific requirements for their return. Nonetheless, we are delighted to have the Master Gardeners back on-site lending their expertise. Not to be left out, the Maryland Master Naturalists are coming back to help as well. Several individuals already expressed interest in helping with longer-term projects. Similarly, staff will be giving a guided tour to the new class of Master Naturalists at the months’ end. Looking ahead a little further, interviews for our next Chesapeake Conservation Corps intern are right around the corner.
This month the county also celebrated National Volunteer Week (April 18-24) with the “Volunteers Rock!” Campaign by encouraging the creation of art rocks to honor volunteers. Accordingly, a dedicated and creative volunteer created a specially decorated rock just for the MPEA. We have decided to display the colorful creation here, at the MPEA, instead of with the other painted rocks at the community center rock gardens. The art rock was just too nice to let it go elsewhere.
Staff field work for April consisted mostly of Lesser celandine control work; however, there were some special highlights too. A neighbor of ours who frequents the trails found a specimen of Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius). Dwarf ginseng is not a plant we often find, so the location will remain a secret. Also, this isn’t the “medicinal” ginseng so there’s no need for anybody to try and find it, dig it up, and eat it. We also confirmed that we still have River otter (Lontra canadensis) that are using the property. Again, the location will remain undisclosed to offer a modicum of seclusion to the animals. A previously known-to-us site the otters frequented was basically destroyed (unbeknownst) by folks going off trail and defying other parkland rules and regulations in the otter habitat.
Useful links this month deal not only with important topics that we discuss regularly, but ways you can help. The first site discusses how you can help pollinators and the second link details residential stormwater management.
