<HTML><BODY STYLE="font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>The Maryland Native Plant Society's 2004 Annual Conference will be held at<BR>Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Calvert County, Maryland on October 16<BR>and 17. Registrations are still being accepted!</FONT></DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3> <DIV><BR>Each year the Maryland Native Plant Society's annual conference focuses on<BR>the important natural heritage of one of Maryland's regions, connecting the<BR>local natural and human history with the larger environmental issues facing<BR>the mid-Atlantic region. Southern Maryland, this year's host and<BR>highlighted region provides an outstanding place to observe and study this<BR>year's theme--watersheds--and how water quality, forests and land<BR>management are intertwined. "Pieces of the Puzzle - Connecting Land, Water,<BR>and the Bay" begins on Saturday, October 16 at 9:00 at the Calvert Marine<BR>Museum in Solomons. Speakers include geologist David Powars, who will<BR>provide an overview of Coastal Plain geology and its influence on ecological<BR>systems, botanist Dan Boone of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, who will<BR>describe the forests of pre-Colonial America and explain how colonial land<BR>use practices influenced forest dynamics, and estuarine ecologist Kent<BR>Mountford, who will give a fascinating and often humorous historical account<BR>of the history of sanitation in the Chesapeake watershed and how we can<BR>address current threats to our ground and surface water.<BR>Saturday field trips will visit Flag Ponds Nature Park, Battle Creek Cypress<BR>Swamp, Historic St. Mary's City, Cove Point Marsh, and Jefferson Patterson<BR>Park.<BR></DIV> <DIV>Saturday evening, following field trips and dinner on participants' own,<BR>there will be a dessert social at the Calvert Museum with music provided by<BR>Calvert County's band Rockfish.<BR><BR>The cost of the conference is $45 for MNPS members, $65 for non-members, and<BR>the fee for the evening dessert social is $15. For additional information<BR>contact Karyn Molines, conference chair, </FONT><A href="msn://@mail.mar@/compose.htm?NW=true&mailto:kmolines@chesapeake.net"><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>kmolines@chesapeake.net</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3> (preferred)<BR>or 410-286-2928. Information is also available on the Maryland Native Plant<BR>Society's website, </FONT><A href="http://www.mdflora.org"><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>www.mdflora.org</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>. Advanced registration is requested and<BR>the conference fee will include lunch. Registrations will be accepted at the<BR>door, but lunch will not be provided.<BR><BR>In conjunction with the conference, we are offering several field trips on<BR>Sunday, October 17 These are free and open to the general public.<BR>Conference registration is not required for Sunday fields trips, although<BR>pre-registration is required for most trips. Please contact either the field<BR>trip leader or Karyn Molines at 410-286-2928 or </FONT><A href="msn://@mail.mar@/compose.htm?NW=true&mailto:kmolines@chesapeake.net"><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>kmolines@chesapeake.net</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3> to<BR>register. Registrations will also be taken at the conference.<BR><BR>Parker's Creek Loop Trail, American Chestnut Land Trust, Calvert County<BR>Noon - 3 pm<BR>Leader: Marcy Damon<BR>To register: Marcy Damon, 443-482-2156 (w), 410-535-6813 (h), </FONT><A href="msn://@mail.mar@/compose.htm?NW=true&mailto:mdamon@cbf.org"><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>mdamon@cbf.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size=3>We'll explore the northern side of Parker's Creek, following a loop trail<BR>down to and along the creek. The trail passes through pawpaw groves, oak and<BR>hickory forests, and a forested wetland. The terrain is moderately steep in<BR>places. Please bring a water bottle, snack Dress for the weather!<BR>comfortable hiking clothes and shoes/boots, hat, windbreaker, warm jacket.<BR>The trip will it be canceled due to lightning or heavy downpour)<BR>From Calvert County Marine Museum and points south: Take Rt. 2/4 north<BR>toward Prince Frederick. Go past the Rt. 231 intersection and Walmart. Turn<BR>right at the next light for Dares Beach Road. Go 2 miles east and turn right<BR>onto Double Oak Road (a very small side road) In about one mile, turn left<BR>onto the lane across from open field, past house to designated parking.<BR>From points north: Take Rt. 2/4 south toward Prince Frederick. Go past the<BR>Fox Run Shopping Center and Calvert Middle School on the left. Turn left at<BR>the next light for Dares Beach Road. Go 2 miles east and turn right onto<BR>Double Oak Road (a very small side road) In about one mile, turn left onto<BR>the lane across from open field, past house to designated parking.<BR><BR>Hellen Creek Preserve, Calvert County<BR>10 am to 1 pm.<BR>Leader: Bob Boxwell<BR>Hellen Creek Preserve is a fifty acre wildlife preserve held by the Cove<BR>Point Natural Heritage Trust. Together with The Nature Conservancy's Hemlock<BR>Preserve over 120 acres of contiguous wooded area held in perpetual<BR>easement. The properties border Hellen Creek and we can expect kingfishers,<BR>great blue herons, ducks, and perhaps a bald eagle. A variety of tree<BR>species include the American Hemlock. There are some wet areas and<BR>bushwhacking so be prepared for mud and insects. Please carpool as parking<BR>is limited.<BR>Directions from Calvert Marine Museum: Take Rt. 2/4 north and pass the light<BR>at the shopping center. Continue to the next light and turn left on Mill<BR>Bridge/Coster Road. At next intersection turn left onto Coster Road. Follow<BR>to Clifton Drive, a small private road on the right. Follow this gravel<BR>drive to the first left turn. Park by the house, which will be open for this<BR>trip.<BR>From points north: Take Rt. 2/4 south towards Solomons. Turn right at the<BR>light for Mill Bridge/Coster Road. At next intersection turn left onto<BR>Coster Road. Follow to Clifton Drive, a small private road on the right.<BR>Follow this gravel drive to the first left turn. Park by the house, which<BR>will be open for this trip.<BR><BR>Piney Branch Bog, Charles County<BR>10am-1pm<BR>Leader: Cris Fleming<BR>To register: Cris Fleming at 301-657-9289.<BR>Registration is required. If you register and later need to cancel, please<BR>notify the trip leader so people on the waiting list can attend. The Piney<BR>Branch Bog has recently been purchased by the state of Maryland and is being<BR>managed by The Nature Conservancy. It is not a magnolia bog but has<BR>elements of both northern and southern bogs, including natural stands of<BR>northern pitcher plant and round-leaved sundew. Several state and globally<BR>rare species occur in the open areas under a powerline and wooded areas<BR>nearby. However, incursion by shrubs such as sweet pepperbush has reduced<BR>the open area in recent years. Because of the sensitivity of the habitat,<BR>the trip is limited to 8 people.<BR>Directions: Piney Branch Bog is located a few miles northeast of La Plata<BR>near the development of St. Charles. From the south, take MD 5 to just<BR>after the bridge over Zekiah Swamp. Look for the Grace Brethren Church on<BR>your right and then turn left on Billingsley Road. From the north, take MD<BR>5 for a few miles east of the intersection with US 301 near Waldorf. Look<BR>for a Meadows Farms nursery on your right and turn right on Billingsley<BR>Road. You also will see signs-for the county landfill as you approach<BR>Billingsley Road. Go 1.7 miles on Billingsley Road and-park behind the<BR>Richards Office Building on your right (opposite the Aggregate Corporation<BR>sign). Bring: Water, hat, wear long pants and long sleeves and old shoes<BR>that can get wet and muddy<BR><BR>Mattawoman Creek Canoeing, Charles County<BR>Leader: Jim Long<BR>10am-3pm<BR>Canoe rental will be approximately $15. Registration is required. If you<BR>register and later need to cancel, please notify us so people on the waiting<BR>list can attend.<BR><BR>Historic St. Mary's City<BR>Leader: Mary Alves<BR>10am<BR>Historic St. Mary's City, a museum of history and archaeology at the site of<BR>Maryland's first capital, encompasses over 800 acres of land along the St.<BR>Mary's River. The field trip will feature a recent project carried out under<BR>the Critical Area Commission that involved the removal of invasive species<BR>and replanting of natives along a 1000' section of shoreline. Since the<BR>museum endeavors to represent the 17th century landscape, there is a<BR>commitment to using only native species on the grounds.<BR>Directions from Solomons: Take Route 4 South, over the Thomas Johnson<BR>Bridge. Turn left onto Route 235. Turn right onto Route 489. Turn left onto<BR>Route 5. Continue into Historic Saint Mary's City. (Alternatively, you may<BR>continue on Route 235 and turn right onto Mattapany Road. Turn right onto<BR>Route 5 and continue into Historic Saint Mary's City.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>