Members of the Miramar Landing Jr. Green Thumbs Club enthusiastically helped to install the final community Bayscape at Miramar Landing.

Events and Workshops

View full event calendar HERE Click on event to register. Additional events added weekly.

Event Location Date Tree Planting Phoenix, MD Oct 1, 10am

Tree Maintenance Oct 2, 10am

Tree Planting Middle River, MD Oct 8, 10am

Tree Maintenance Loch Raven Reservoir Oct 9, 1pm

Tree Planting Hunt Valley, MD Oct 15, 10am

Tree Maintenance Loch Raven Reservoir Oct 16, 10am

Tree Planting Gunpowder Falls State Park Oct 22, 10am

Tree Maintenance Loch Raven Reservoir Oct 23, 1pm

Tree Maintenance Loch Raven Reservoir Oct 30, 10am

Tree Planting Monkton, MD Nov 5, 10am

Tree Planting Monkton, MD Nov 12, 10am

Better Waterways Clean-Up various locations Nov 19, 10am

Thank you for joining us for "An Evening at the Park"

On Saturday, September 10, 2016, the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC) entertained a multitude of guests at our "Evening at the Park" event honoring volunteers, supporters and our sponsors, including BGE/Exelon Corporation, for their substantial contributions to the GVC. Mr. Derrick Dickens, Vice President Technical Services accepted the award on behalf of BGE and spoke to the importance of our partnership and their ongoing environmental sustainability efforts. Jim Kelly of Cromwell Valley Park Council was also honored for his tireless efforts to stabilize the Lime Kilns and Log House on the Park property. View event images on the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy Facebook Page.

The outdoor event featured music provided by Late to Supper, and was artfully catered by Chartwell Caterers featuring Union Craft and Heavy Seas beers, as well as, a selection of wine. Our deep gratitude is extended to the sponsors whose contributions made the event possible. From BGE/Exelon to McCormick, from Charlie Conklin, Towson University, T.Rowe Price Foundation, Kiwanis Towson-Timonium to Loch Raven Skeet and Trap Range, we applaud your support of the GVC and its mission. Additional sponsorships from Sandy Buxbaum, Pat Novak, Jennifer Powers, Game&Fish Association, Towson Rotary, Verizon and WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff were most appreciated. We are most thankful for the support of the community associations: Bowerman Loreley Beach, Holly Neck Conservation, Miramar Landing, Hawthorne Civic. Other local organizations contributed as well: Popstation, Talmar Gardens, Mid Atlantic Credit Union, Cromwell Valley Park, Historical Society of County, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, Gaylord Brooks Developers and Brokers, Weyrich, Cronin&Sorra, Shaw Chiropractic, LogiWare, LLC and the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex. Our individual supporters included Dr. & Mrs. Robert H. Batchelor, J.W.Wright Witcher & Leslie Erickson, Mona Scott, Edward Stuebing. Ruth Bennett&Karen Stupski, Matt & Danielle Simons, and Norman Sines.

Ultimately, we are profoundly indebted to the Event Committee, Chaired by Pat Novak, GVC Board members and GVC Staff for the many hours of hard work organizing the event, rounding up silent auction items, contributing to the Basket of Cheer raffle, and running day-of preparations to make the event a success. Our final statement of gratitude goes to our event planner, Louise Miller for the wealth of resources, expertise and direction she brought to the event. We are grateful for your generosity! Proceeds from the event supports the many GVC programs that help to preserve the Gunpowder Watershed.

2016 Gunpowder Valley Conservancy Successes

Thank you to the volunteers who have made these successes possible! Accomplishments from January 2016 through September 2016:

292 trees planted 43 rain barrels installed 4 micro-bio-retentions installed 4 rain gardens installed 9 bayscape gardens installed 3 edible bayscape gardens installed 8 streams adopted 7,905 lbs of trash collected

Please become a Gunpowder Valley Conservancy supporter today - we need your support to preserve land and protect waterways.

Your donation is tax-deductible! Click HERE

Our mission is to educateand mobilize people and resources to preserve and restore the lands and waterways of the Gunpowder watershed.

Restoring the Chestnut Tree November 4, 6:30pm Chestnut Grove Presbyterian Church 3701 Sweet Air Road, Phoenix, MD 6:30 pm Pitch-in dinner (bring any side dish or dessert) 7:15 - 8:45 pm Dr. Carver's talk (OK to come just for the talk)

Dr. Carver will describe the devastation that occurred with the loss of the American Chestnut tree, the importance of restoring this species, and current research and breeding programs. His presentation will include hands-on examination of leaves, nuts, burs, sections of stems with cankers, and blocks of chestnut wood.

A limited supply of Chestnut seedlings will be available free to attendees.

About Dr. Gary Carver: Chestnut expert: blight; species restoration effort, especially work in Maryland; Board member emeritus of The American Chestnut Foundation; President and Vice-President of Maryland Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation; and, expert artistic carver of salvaged chestnut wood.

Final Public Meeting for Little Gunpowder Falls Small Watershed Action Plan

October 18, 6pm-8pm St. James Academy in the Susan Tucker Moore Theatre 3100 Monkton Rd, Monkton, MD

Join your community at the final public meeting to learn about the Little Gunpowder Falls Small Watershed Action Plan.

Learn about proposed actions for environmental restoration and preservation. Meet local leaders of not-for-profit organizations, and learn how you can help with restoration in your own neighborhood. Learn about the public comment period for the report, and how to share your thoughts on the proposed actions for restoration and preservation.

This event is sponsored by the Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (EPS). The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy has partnered with Baltimore County to perform restoration projects.

For questions, contact Wesley Schmidt, Baltimore County EPS at 410-887-5683.

Jennifer Branch Conservation Association News Jennifer Branch Conservation Assocation Storm drain stencils raise volunteers stenciled eight storm drains awareness of storm-water's journey in the Jennifer Branch on from yards and pavement to streams Saturday, September 17, 2016 and then on to the

Storm Drain Stencils in Parkville/Carney Raise Awareness of the Jennifer Branch In September, volunteers from the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy's Jennifer Branch Conservation Association (JBCA) stenciled eight storm drains in the vicinity of Proctor Lane and Throgmorton Road in Carney, streets that receive heavy pedestrian traffic from middle school students and neighborhood walkers. JBCA has completed 13 stencils in the Jennifer Branch subwatershed so far this year, helping to raise awareness of the sources of stream pollution in Parkville/Carney. Great work, JBCA! The next event is the Better Waterways Stream Clean Up - Saturday,November 19, from 9 am-noon..To volunteer at future storm drain stenciling projects, please contact Susan Bath.

Down-zoning Efforts Successful in Carneyland Property In response to positive pressure from community members, including representatives from the Jennifer Branch Conservation Association, Third District Councilman Wade Kach down-zoned 5.8 acres near the headwaters of the Jennifer Branch ("Carneyland") to Resource Conservation Zone 8 (R.C. 8), a zoning primarily intended for forested lands, reservoir watershed areas, and extensive natural areas. This down- zoning will limit development in the area and protect environmental resources and constitutes an important victory for watershed conservation in Baltimore County! Learn more about R.C. 8 at http://ecode360.com/12101919.

Clear Creek Project Volunteers

Members of the Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion Bravo Company traveled from Fort Meade to Middle River to help create a Bayscape garden.

Volunteers are at the heart of the Clear Creeks Project! This summer, the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy had the pleasure of seeing firsthand the dedication and passion of some of our youngest volunteers. Thanks to our partnership with the Miramar Landing Community, we helped create the Jr. Green Thumbs Club to give grade-school and middle-school aged residents opportunities to get their hands dirty and learn about gardening.16 families and 28 children enrolled in the Club. Club activities include watering and weeding community gardens during the summer.

In September, we were honored to have four members of the Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion Bravo Company travel from Fort Meade to Middle River to help create a Bayscape garden in one of Miramar Landing's common green spaces. We appreciate their service to our country, as well as their commitment to improving Maryland's environment.

Gunpowder Valley Conservancy | [email protected] | www.gunpowdervalleyconservancy.org