The Maryland Native Plant Society

The Maryland Native Plant Society
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Barberry Bustin'

  • 11/23/2010
  • 9:00 AM - 11:29 AM
  • Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard County, Trotter Road Entrance

Sponsoring Organizations: Howard County Recreation and Parks and Howard County Master Gardeners

The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA), established in 1996, is 1,021 acres in size and 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.

The Conservation Stewardship Project, a joint program of the Howard County Recreation & Parks and the Howard County Master Gardeners, targets the problem of controlling invasive, exotic species in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area. Volunteer work dates occur monthly from March through November, skipping July & August. Each date includes an educational component concerning the target invasive species or target work area for the day.

Barberry Bustin'

We haven't seen the last of the Japanese barberry. It will take several events every year to get the plant back under control. Using the same techniques we practiced back in March we'll keep digging and uprooting these unwelcome intruders of natural areas. Work will occur along trail corridors in the heavily infested areas. Spine-proof gloves are a must!

Location: Meet at Trotter Road parking lot

Driving Directions:

From U.S. 29 at 32: Take 32 west to the Great Star Drive exit. Turn right onto Great Star Drive. Then make a right onto Summer Sunrise. Continue to Trotter Road and make a left. Proceed about 1 mile to the parking area on the right just beyond the small traffic circle.

From U.S. 29 at 108: Take 108 west and continue past Centennial Lane. Proceed past Harpers Farm Road to Trotter Road and make a left. Continue to the parking area on the left. If you reach the small traffic circle, you've gone too far.

Contact: Master Gardeners: Aylene Gard at (410) 992-9889, Carol Filipczak at cfilipczak@comcast.net, or Jeff Claffy, Assistant Natural Resources Manager, MPEA at (410) 313-6209 or jclaffy@howardcountymd.gov.

More information about the MPEA: Web site: http://www.co.ho.md.us/RAP/RAP_MPEA.htm.

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