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The Friends
Inside Scoop
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President’s Message
As President of the Friends for the past few years, I have learned about the powerful effects of joy. I often feel it in the air, in the trees, and in the wildlife of the park, as well as in the spirits of the people who work and visit here.
I recognize joy when I
- encounter a couple with a baby in a stroller along the trail,
- watch dogs chasing each other in the dog park,
- follow a bird song into the bushes and spot its source.
Please join me in setting the intention for the coming year to promote the joy present in Quiet Waters Park and support one another in finding new and creative ways to recognize and share it!
For a joyful start to the year, The Friends have created a new design for our website. With this fresh, more open design, we think it will be easier and more fun to access information and learn about upcoming events and activities in QWP. We hope you will like this new format developed by our Webmaster on our Communications Team.
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As with most changes, we may experiment a bit to get the right information in the right place, so please feel free to provide feedback and suggestions through info@friendsofquietwaterspark.org.
Another new beginning is the launch of a multi-year campaign – “Native Roots Restoration.” The Park staff and Friends have launched this campaign to bring attention to the plants in the park and inspire you to join us in removing invasives and restoring native plants. We aim to provide you with new information about the plants you find when you walk the trails and join us in the work underway to create a healthier ecosystem to benefit wildlife and all life!
If you are curious about why we are focusing on native plants, here is an easy-to-understand primer: Why Native Plants?
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Warm Regards,
Kristin Pauly, President
See you in the Park!
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January Photo Contest Winner
Winter Fountain
by Dona Weingarten
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Through the eyes of the photographer...
After walking in Quiet Waters Park almost every day for ten years with my husband Rick and our two dogs, I have a large collection of photos.
I enjoy preserving every beautiful, dramatic, or unusual scene that we come across. Many of my photos represent a single moment when the light, the color, the shapes, and the angle seem just right. When I took this photo "Winter Fountain" after nightfall last winter, the fountain spray, the ice on the pond, and the reflection of a street light made this scene not only beautiful but dramatic to me—one important moment in our experience of the Park.
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Extended Until
January 25th
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The Visitor Center is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm every day.
COME SHOP AT THIS OUTSTANDING
SALE OF QUALITY ARTWORK
BY TALENTED REGIONAL ARTISTS!
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Soulful Sunday: A Gratitude and Glow Flow
On January 18th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, come and join our Annapolis and Quiet Waters Friends in an all levels community guided practice with Movement, Sound and Meditation.
Come and join our all levels gentle yoga practice with guided meditation and sound, in the Blue Heron Center.
**This is a family friendly event hosted by Chevon, The Mystic Yogini LLC**
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As the weather has cooled and the ticks are less numerous, we are well into our fall and winter invasive removal events at Quiet Waters Park. As we are sure you have noticed, there is a significant issue with the ongoing health of the forested areas in the park due to a significant number of invasive plants, English ivy, bittersweet, privet, and wineberry to name a few.
We are holding two monthly events, one every second Wednesday, and one each month on either a Saturday or Sunday. Our next events are scheduled as follows:
When: Wednesday, January 14th, 8:30 to 10:00
Where: Meet at the Sycamore Pavilion
What: We will be removing privet, English Ivy, honeysuckle and wineberry along the trail between the Sycamore and Sassafras Pavilions. No sign up, just show up!
When: Saturday January 24th. Details are in the above flyer and Sign Up Link below.
Training, extra tools and gloves will be provided. Bring water and bug spray!
Watch the website for additional information on future events! In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to volunteer, contact Terri McKenna (teresa@friendsofquietwaterspark.org) or Ranger Liz Schilder (rpschi66@aacounty.org).
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Join us in Restoring Natural Plants in Quiet Waters Park!
The Friends are working with Park Staff, particularly Matt Pruett, the Horticulturist, to support more invasive removal projects and native habitat restoration. The magnitude of the problem and the tenacity of invasives often requires large-scale, machine removal techniques, as well as smaller-scale removal and planting activities. But it can be done and the work is engaging and fun when we all work together.
Targeted invasive removal events happen every month, and we will continue to provide more information about how volunteers can help with this essential work. The benefits of volunteering are enormous – for example, through all-volunteer efforts led by Ranger Liz Schilder over the past 3 years, and in collaboration with “Save our Trees,” a local non-profit, almost all of the English Ivy on trees has been removed! That’s not to say that there is no English Ivy remaining in the Park, there is, but the trees are mostly free of it!
This is a challenge worth taking and we welcome your participation… there is a lot to be gained!!
MEET MATT!
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Tending the flora in Quiet Waters Park has been the mission of Matt Pruett, the staff Horticulturist, for the past 5 years. Matt grew up in a Navy family, living in many different places; he was in Northern Virginia when it came time to go to College. He attended the University of Tennessee to study biology and realized that he was meant to work with plants. He’s been in Quiet Waters Park for the past 5 years, developing one project after another that has multiple benefits in terms of renewing the natural ecosystem.
One example is replanting the Flag Circle with native plants to demonstrate how beautiful they can be. “Before it was simply a useless piece of turf grass that needed to be mowed every week and had 2 shrub hedges, installed years ago, that added nothing to the environment,” says Matt. Now he can encourage kids to walk through the area and see the bees on the plants that are too busy collecting pollen to even bother them!
Matt will be the Friends’ guide as we embark upon the “Native Roots Restoration” campaign. He is encouraging us not to “reinvent the wheel” and get in touch with other local organizations with publications and programs we can share with our volunteers. In addition, QWP might consider collecting some of the more costly tools that make invasive removal easier and create a loan program with other organizations throughout the county. Along with actual on-the-ground activities, Matt sees many opportunities within the other county parks, the county and state to spread the word about using native plants in home gardens and other public spaces – such as highway medians! There is a lot of work to be done! The beauty is that this work leaves behind a lasting legacy (although it needs constant monitoring!) and brings people together in an inspiring setting!
Make it a point to introduce yourself to Matt when you catch sight of him in the Park!
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Last month we introduced you to Lillian and Ned Bishop who purchased the land that became named Quiet Waters Farm. Prior to Lillian and Ned purchasing the land, it was owned by Truxtun Beale. | | |
Truxtun, Beale, San Francisco
Photo by Gevtte, San Francisco
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Truxtun Beale (March 6, 1856 – June 2, 1936) was an American diplomat named for his great-grandfather Commodore Thomas Truxtun, a naval hero of early American history. Toward the end of his life, Beale and his wife, Mary Oge Beale, lived in the Annapolis area and were known for their philanthropy to the Annapolis Club Library and the Annapolis Emergency Hospital.
In 1926, Beale purchased the combined estates of "Thunder and Lightning Point" (approximately 300 acres) and "Simplicity" (29 acres) from Col. and Mrs. Julian H. Harris of Detroit, Michigan. The Beales eventually changed the name to "Laurel Banks Farms". But it was the Bishops who changed the name to Quiet Waters Farm, land which eventually became Quiet Waters Park.
As a side note, the land that is now Truxtun Park was donated by Mr. Beale. And stay tuned for next month's History Corner where we will continue tracing the park's history.
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• Winter is here! Now through late March is the most difficult time of the year for birds! Finding food and an open source of water is crucial to their survival. Be sure that feeders are full of fresh, dry, nutritious food and that water sources are protected from freezing over. Your birds will thank you! | | | | |
• Listen for Great Horned Owls' "hoot" as they pair up for mating season! Later this month and into early February, they will be sitting on their eggs. Speaking of eggs…make sure your Bluebird nest boxes have been cleaned out and prepped for a new family – they will begin scouting for “real estate” in the coming weeks! If you are in need of a nest box, we always have a great selection!
| | • If you aren’t serving suet at your feeders, now is a great time to start! It is a Woodpecker favorite, and this high-fat food can help all of your birds withstand the cold winter nights. If you haven’t already, give our exclusive SuperSuet a try - birds are SUPER into it! | | | | |
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Join the Anne Arundel Bird Club on their monthly walk on January 18 in Quiet Waters Park on paved paths through habitat that includes mature deciduous forest, wood edges, mowed fields, wetlands, and a native plant garden, along with sweeping views of the open waters of the South River and Harness Creek. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Quiet Waters Park Road past the Visitor Center, the amphitheater and dog park. For further information contact Jim Collatz, jcollatz@aol.com, 301-254-0188.
This event is recurring the 3rd Sunday of each month September through May.
Time is 8:00-10:30.
600 Quiet Waters Park Road
Annapolis, MD 21403
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Nature Center Sundays
Join the park ranger every Sunday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm for Nature Center Sundays, a special opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of the outdoors.
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Infant/Toddler Hike
Join Ranger Liz every Tuesday for a fun winter hike! The location changes each week, so ask the gate attendant where we are.
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Individual annual memberships help us fund projects & events in the Park.
Become a member today!
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Not ready for a membership, but would still like to donate?
Click below to donate today!
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Honor Your Loved One
While Helping Your Favorite Park!
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Next time you are in the Visitors Center, visit the Memorial Tribute Tree in the entrance foyer installed by the Friends of Quiet Waters Park and park staff. The tree offers those wishing to honor loved ones an opportunity to purchase gold, silver, and copper leaves and special features such as acorns or mini trees. These will be custom engraved with your personal messages. The engraved feature will be a perpetual tribute to your loved one and proceeds benefit the park.
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Interested in sponsoring programs at Quiet Waters Park?
Our local sponsors help support Friends of Quiet Waters Park activities.
Contact us for more information: Info@friendsofquietwaterspark.org
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Check out these local cultural organizations who have great shows and great talent all year round. A BIG THANK YOU to these organizations who collaborated with us to honor Quiet Waters Park and Friends volunteers last month by donating tickets to a variety of shows and concerts.
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Friends of Quiet Waters Park
www.fqwp.org
Stay Connected via Facebook
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