[MPWG] 2004 MNPS Annual Fall Conference

[Meghan Tice]

The Maryland Native Plant Society's 2004 Annual Conference will be held at
Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Calvert County, Maryland on October 16
and 17. Registrations are still being accepted!

Each year the Maryland Native Plant Society's annual conference focuses on
the important natural heritage of one of Maryland's regions, connecting the
local natural and human history with the larger environmental issues facing
the mid-Atlantic region.  Southern Maryland, this year's host and
highlighted region provides an outstanding place to observe and study this
year's theme--watersheds--and  how water quality, forests and land
management are intertwined. "Pieces of the Puzzle - Connecting Land, Water,
and the Bay" begins on Saturday, October 16 at 9:00 at the Calvert Marine
Museum in Solomons.  Speakers include geologist David Powars, who will
provide an overview of Coastal Plain geology and its influence on ecological
systems, botanist Dan Boone of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, who will
describe the forests of pre-Colonial America and explain how colonial land
use practices influenced forest dynamics, and estuarine ecologist Kent
Mountford, who will give a fascinating and often humorous historical account
of the history of sanitation in the Chesapeake watershed and how we can
address current threats to our ground and surface water.
Saturday field trips will visit Flag Ponds Nature Park, Battle Creek Cypress
Swamp, Historic St. Mary's City, Cove Point Marsh, and Jefferson Patterson
Park.

Saturday evening, following field trips and dinner on participants' own,
there will be a dessert social at the Calvert Museum with music provided by
Calvert County's band Rockfish.

The cost of the conference is $45 for MNPS members, $65 for non-members, and
the fee for the evening dessert social is $15.  For additional information
contact Karyn Molines, conference chair, kmolines at chesapeake.net (preferred)
or 410-286-2928.  Information is also available on the Maryland Native Plant
Society's website, www.mdflora.org. Advanced registration is requested and
the conference fee will include lunch. Registrations will be accepted at the
door, but lunch will not be provided.

In conjunction with the conference, we are offering several field trips on
Sunday, October 17. These are free and open to the general public.
Conference registration is not required for Sunday fields trips, although
pre-registration is required for most trips. Please contact either the field
trip leader or Karyn Molines at 410-286-2928 or kmolines at chesapeake.net to
register. Registrations will also be taken at the conference.

Parker's Creek Loop Trail, American Chestnut Land Trust, Calvert County
Noon - 3 pm
Leader: Marcy Damon
To register: Marcy Damon, 443-482-2156 (w), 410-535-6813 (h), mdamon at cbf.org
We'll explore the northern side of Parker's Creek, following a loop trail
down to and along the creek. The trail passes through pawpaw groves, oak and
hickory forests, and a forested wetland. The terrain is moderately steep in
places. Please bring a water bottle, snack Dress for the weather!
comfortable hiking clothes and shoes/boots, hat, windbreaker, warm jacket
The trip will it be canceled due to lightning or heavy downpour)
>From Calvert County Marine Museum and points south: Take Rt. 2/4 north
toward Prince Frederick. Go past the Rt. 231 intersection and Walmart. Turn
right at the next light for Dares Beach Road. Go 2 miles east and turn right
onto Double Oak Road (a very small side road) In about one mile, turn left
onto the lane across from open field, past house to designated parking.
>From points north: Take Rt. 2/4 south toward Prince Frederick. Go past the
Fox Run Shopping Center and Calvert Middle School on the left. Turn left at
the next light for Dares Beach Road. Go 2 miles east and turn right onto
Double Oak Road (a very small side road) In about one mile, turn left onto
the lane across from open field, past house to designated parking.

Hellen Creek Preserve, Calvert County
10 am to 1 pm.
Leader: Bob Boxwell
Hellen Creek Preserve is a fifty acre wildlife preserve held by the Cove
Point Natural Heritage Trust. Together with The Nature Conservancy's Hemlock
Preserve over 120 acres of contiguous wooded area held in perpetual
easement. The properties border Hellen Creek and we can expect kingfishers,
great blue herons, ducks, and perhaps a bald eagle. A variety of tree
species include the American Hemlock. There are some wet areas and
bushwhacking so be prepared for mud and insects. Please carpool as parking
is limited.
Directions from Calvert Marine Museum: Take Rt. 2/4 north and pass the light
at the shopping center.  Continue to the next light and turn left on Mill
Bridge/Coster Road. At next intersection turn left onto Coster Road. Follow
to Clifton Drive, a small private road on the right. Follow this gravel
drive to the first left turn. Park by the house, which will be open for this
trip.
>From points north: Take Rt. 2/4 south towards Solomons. Turn right at the
light for Mill Bridge/Coster Road. At next intersection turn left onto
Coster Road. Follow to Clifton Drive, a small private road on the right.
Follow this gravel drive to the first left turn. Park by the house, which
will be open for this trip.

Piney Branch Bog, Charles County
10am-1pm
Leader: Cris Fleming
To register: Cris Fleming at 301-657-9289.
Registration is required.  If you register and later need to cancel, please
notify the trip leader so people on the waiting list can attend. The Piney
Branch Bog has recently been purchased by the state of Maryland and is being
managed by The Nature Conservancy.  It is not a magnolia bog but has
elements of both  northern and southern bogs, including natural stands of
northern pitcher plant and round-leaved sundew.  Several state and globally
rare species occur in the open areas under a powerline and  wooded areas
nearby.  However, incursion by shrubs such as sweet pepperbush has reduced
the open area in recent years.  Because of the sensitivity of the habitat,
the trip is limited to 8 people.
Directions: Piney Branch Bog is located a few miles northeast of La Plata
near the development of St. Charles.  From the south, take MD 5 to just
after the bridge over Zekiah Swamp.  Look for the Grace Brethren Church on
your right and then turn left on Billingsley Road.  From the north, take MD
5 for a few miles east of the intersection with US 301 near Waldorf.  Look
for a Meadows Farms nursery on your right and turn right on Billingsley
Road. You also will see signs-for the county landfill as you approach
Billingsley Road.  Go 1.7 miles on Billingsley Road and-park behind the
Richards Office Building on your right (opposite the Aggregate Corporation
sign).  Bring:  Water, hat, wear long pants and long sleeves and old shoes
that can get wet and muddy

Mattawoman Creek Canoeing, Charles County
Leader: Jim Long
10am-3pm
Canoe rental will be approximately $15. Registration is required.  If you
register and later need to cancel, please notify us so people on the waiting
list can attend.

Historic St. Mary's City
Leader: Mary Alves
10am
Historic St. Mary's City, a museum of history and archaeology at the site of
Maryland's first capital, encompasses over 800 acres of land along the St
Mary's River. The field trip will feature a recent project carried out under
the Critical Area Commission that involved the removal of invasive species
and replanting of natives along a 1000' section of shoreline. Since the
museum endeavors to represent the 17th century landscape, there is a
commitment to using only native species on the grounds.
Directions from Solomons: Take Route 4 South, over the Thomas Johnson
Bridge. Turn left onto Route 235.  Turn right onto Route 489. Turn left onto
Route 5. Continue into Historic Saint Mary's City. (Alternatively, you may
continue on Route 235 and turn right onto Mattapany Road. Turn right onto
Route 5 and continue into Historic Saint Mary's City.)
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