How will YOU volunteer this fall? |
|
GVC needs volunteers like you to achieve our vision of healthy lands, healthy waterways, and healthy communities within the Gunpowder Watershed. We work with volunteers of all ages, as well as individuals, families, or groups.
Love native plants? Need community service learning hours? Maybe you simply need an excuse to get outside and enjoy the fall foliage? GVC has a rewarding volunteer opportunity for you! Check out our current opportunities below and make sure to visit our online calendar of events for the most updated version.
Please remember to bring your own water bottle and dress appropriately for outdoor work. You will get dirty! We suggest closed shoes, long sleeved shirts, pants, hat, sunscreen and, if desired, bug spray. You can bring your own work gloves (we will have extras) and we will provide all necessary tools. Masks are currently not required for GVC events, but we ask you to be mindful of everyone's health. If you do not feel well, please notify the volunteer leader ASAP and stay home.
|
|
Next weekend--October 1st--is our popular Conservation Garden Design workshop! It is the perfect class for Do-It-Yourself gardeners interested in creating Bayscapes and/or Rain Gardens featuring native plants. You'll get one-on-one advice from GVC landscape designer, Patty Ceglia, during the workshop. Please make sure to RSVP save your spot. For more info, visit our website.
|
|
|
|
Bayscape Workshops
10 am - 12 pm on select dates
|
Create a beautiful yard, preserve local waterways, and protect the Chesapeake Bay. GVC has several FREE Bayscape workshops this fall. Click on links below for more info.
Bayscapes replace lawn with native plants that support wildlife, reduce landscape maintenance, and filter rainwater from hard surfaces.
FREE workshop includes brief presentation and hands-on gardening opportunity to add native plants to a recently installed garden.
|
|
|
|
Rain Garden Workshops
10 am - 12 pm on select dates
|
Rain gardens are a beautiful AND functional solution to stormwater runoff. Learn how to create one!
GVC is hosting two FREE Rain Garden workshops this fall. Click on links below for more info
A rain garden is a water-loving garden that helps soak up rainwater from your roof and driveway. It is designed to capture water from a 1″ rainstorm and slowly infiltrate it back into the ground. FREE workshop includes brief presentation and hands-on gardening opportunity to add native plants to a recently installed garden.
|
|
|
|
Tree Planting
Saturdays in October - November
|
Plant trees for cleaner air and water. More than 34,000 trees have been planted throughout the Gunpowder Watershed by enthusiastic volunteers. Do you like being outside and don't mind working hard? Join us, and make a difference for future generations by planting native trees.
|
|
Reminder: Make sure you continue to receive GVC's e-news by adding info@gunpowdervc.org as a safe email address. We have recently noticed that Outlook has trouble with Constant Contact messages and are troubleshooting a solution. Thanks for your patience!
|
|
Congratulations to our 2022 Hero of the Green |
|
Last weekend, over 150 people joined us for a lovely Evening Among the Trees, our annual fundraiser to support land preservation and clean water in the Gunpowder watershed. One highlight was the award ceremony for GVC's 2022 Hero of the Green, Corey Johns. Corey is pictured above proudly showing his plaque, which reads:
Gunpowder Valley Conservancy recognizes Corey Johns for his professional and volunteer efforts that support our mission "to educate and mobilize people and resources to preserve and restore the lands and waterways of the Gunpowder watershed."
His work at the state and county levels of government has contributed to the enjoyment of outdoor recreation and sense of stewardship of people throughout Central Maryland.
|
|
Our Reforestation Team is Growing! |
|
Tree Maintenance is the essential next step to make sure all of our newly planted trees have a chance to grow into healthy forests. Since GVC is tripling our tree planting efforts by 2023 as part of the Planting the Future initiative, we have also grown our Reforestation staff. Please join us in welcoming Matthew Belmont as GVC's Forest Stewardship Technician. You'll likely see him helping out at some of our tree planting and tree maintenance activities this fall.
|
|
Matt has a serious love of the natural world, especially trees and forests. He has been an organic produce grower for more or less 20 years. He is the part-time manager of a fruit, vegetable, flower and herb growing operation at Heathcote, an intentional community in Freeland, MD where he lives with his wife and young child. Matt holds a Permaculture Design Certificate (Heathcote Education) and a Certificate in Ecological Horticulture (University of Santa Cruz's Farm and Garden program). His other interests include: fitness and healing, languages, puns, hip hop and West African music.
|
|
Growing a Garden with Troop 1199 |
|
Gardening is not just for adults! Earlier this year, GVC Communications Manager, Amy Young, put her botanist hat on and gave a presentation about native plants to members of Girl Scout Troop 1199. These amazing 5th graders (now 6th graders) and their peers worked hard to remove grass to create a new garden at the Holt Center for the Arts in Overlea. They wanted to know more about what kind of native plants they should add. It looks like they are off to a wonderful start. Keep up the good work! |
|
In Memory: Dr. Robert Batchelor |
|
Bob Batchelor was one of GVC's greatest Champions serving as a volunteer GVC Crew Chief for nearly two decades into his 90's! He was integral to the success of our reforestation program. Bob provided long term logistical support trucking the trees, supplies and water tank throughout the Gunpowder Watershed. Over 15,000 native trees were planted and nurtured during Bob's time with GVC. Bob was incredibly reliable and had a great sense of humor. He was passionate about preserving our natural world, especially for his grandchildren. Most importantly, Bob was beloved by all and will be greatly missed.
~ Peg Perry, GVC Senior Reforestation Specialist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
