CONSERVATION
Provides information about and promotes sustainable gardening, native plants, and the preservation of our natural resources; partners with several youth groups and community organizations for projects.
MLGC, Forest Service Plant Shrubs at Garrett College
GC gets 15 new shrubs as part of collaborative beautification project
The Mountain Laurel Garden Club, Maryland Forest Service, and Garrett College Facilities Department planted 15 shrubs last Wednesday along the front of the Shaw Learning Center on Garrett College's main campus.
Dogwoods and chokeberries predominated among the shrubs. The planting – following up on a planting initiative last spring overlooking the College's turf field – is just the latest joint venture at Garrett College including Mountain Laurel Garden Club and the Maryland Forest Service.
"As chair of MLGC's Conservation Committee, I feel it is very important to add native flowering shrubs and trees
to the college's green space," said MLGC co-President Linda Harris. "This benefits students, staff, and visitors.
"This creates an attractive learning environment people can enjoy and thrive in," added Harris. "Nature has inherent benefits, and we are happy to be a part of this ongoing project."
"I appreciate the College's partnership with Mountain Laurel Garden Club and the Maryland Forest Service," said Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College's president. "Our campus sits in one of the most beautiful locations in Maryland – really, the whole country. I'm grateful for the collaboration with both the Garden Club and Forest Service to enhance our College's natural beauty."
(Article from Garrett College News-October 22, 2024)
GC gets 15 new shrubs as part of collaborative beautification project
The Mountain Laurel Garden Club, Maryland Forest Service, and Garrett College Facilities Department planted 15 shrubs last Wednesday along the front of the Shaw Learning Center on Garrett College's main campus.
Dogwoods and chokeberries predominated among the shrubs. The planting – following up on a planting initiative last spring overlooking the College's turf field – is just the latest joint venture at Garrett College including Mountain Laurel Garden Club and the Maryland Forest Service.
"As chair of MLGC's Conservation Committee, I feel it is very important to add native flowering shrubs and trees
to the college's green space," said MLGC co-President Linda Harris. "This benefits students, staff, and visitors.
"This creates an attractive learning environment people can enjoy and thrive in," added Harris. "Nature has inherent benefits, and we are happy to be a part of this ongoing project."
"I appreciate the College's partnership with Mountain Laurel Garden Club and the Maryland Forest Service," said Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College's president. "Our campus sits in one of the most beautiful locations in Maryland – really, the whole country. I'm grateful for the collaboration with both the Garden Club and Forest Service to enhance our College's natural beauty."
(Article from Garrett College News-October 22, 2024)
Photo by John Rudd
A shrub-planting event took place at Garrett College last Wednesday. Pictured, left to right, are Mountain Laurel Garden Club Co-President Linda Harris, Western Region Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator Katherine Phillips, MLGC's Dan Portwood, Maryland Forest Service Garrett/Allegany Project Manager Melissa Nash, GC Director of Facilities Chris Painter, GC's facilities staff member Randy Murphy, MLGC's Julie Crolius and Mary Lou Kenney, Garrett County Forestry Board representative Mike Kozier, Ken Fisher, Garrett College Coordinator of Student Affairs Kym Newmann, MLGC's Patty Jones and David Broderick, Garrett College Chief Academic Officer Christa Bowser, and GC Facilities staff member Chad King.
A shrub-planting event took place at Garrett College last Wednesday. Pictured, left to right, are Mountain Laurel Garden Club Co-President Linda Harris, Western Region Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator Katherine Phillips, MLGC's Dan Portwood, Maryland Forest Service Garrett/Allegany Project Manager Melissa Nash, GC Director of Facilities Chris Painter, GC's facilities staff member Randy Murphy, MLGC's Julie Crolius and Mary Lou Kenney, Garrett County Forestry Board representative Mike Kozier, Ken Fisher, Garrett College Coordinator of Student Affairs Kym Newmann, MLGC's Patty Jones and David Broderick, Garrett College Chief Academic Officer Christa Bowser, and GC Facilities staff member Chad King.
Maryland Five Million Trees Initiative
MLGC Strong
113 shrubs were planted on a steep bank around the Garrett College baseball field with the help of a Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee grant. Participants included Mt Laurel Garden Club, Garrett Lakers Baseball and Wrestling teams, Garrett College Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology, Garrett College Facilities Staff, Garrett County Forestry Board and MD Forest Service.
Garrett County Forestry Board 113 Shrubs Planted at Garrett College
Garrett County Forestry Board 113 Shrubs Planted at Garrett College
We planted some red twig dogwoods to stabilize the steep bank above the Yough River behind the Friendsville Elem Sch and also some buttonbush and winterberry in the front of the school.
Our second MUCFC grant planting today at Yough Glades Elementary School - 3 sugar maple trees and 2 New Jersey tea flowering shrubs!! This was also part of the Maryland 5 Million Trees Initiative
Our first native plant sale was a wonderful success. The Saturday, September 2nd sale at Sang Run State Park sold 740 plants, allowing MLGC to make a substantial donation to Sang Run State Park volunteers.
We planted the memorial garden at Yough Glades Elementary School. Six of the Conservation committee members guided several fourth graders in planting native perennials in a circular garden. The garden was in memory of one of their classmates that died in a car accident two years ago. I worked with the fourth graders to choose the plants and design the garden. We are also going to plant a special milkweed garden that will be big enough for the milkweed to spread and flourish.
The Hickory Environmental Educational Center meadow is now thriving and beautiful! What a
successful garden this has become.
successful garden this has become.
The Conservation Committee’s newest project was to establish a native pollinator meadow at the Hickory Environmental Education Center. It was a collaborative effort by Northern High carpentry students who constructed the fence; Northern High science students who did all of the planting, and MLGC who worked with the science teacher to prepare the soil, design the meadow and coordinate everything during April and May of 2022. The meadow will serve as a demonstration garden for all the Garrett County Students who visit Hickory during the school year for their science curriculum.
Another project of the Conservation Committee was to create a large rain garden at the Sang Run State Park in June of 2019 that serves as an ongoing educational project for the Junior Rangers, local public- school children, and those visiting the park. This project was funded by three grants MLGC received: one each from the State of Maryland, Espoma Plant America, and Ames Tools PLANT AMERICA. The rain garden demonstrates how to deal with storm water runoff using the proper native plants. This is another partnership with MD DNR staff to promote and participate in different projects going on at the park. In 2022, interpretive signage was added to the rain garden and three other areas of the park to highlight and explain the meadow, pollinator plants and wildlife. This was made possible by a grant from Garrett Heritage, and donations from Park Volunteers and MLGC.
The Conservation Committee established a partnership with Friendsville Elementary School. The committee chair consulted with the principal and the committee guided the students in planting a rain garden to mitigate storm water runoff from the parking lot to the playing field in May of 2021. This project was in conjunction with funding and support from the Yough Glades Chapter of the DAR.
The Conservation Committee has partnered with the Environmental Science teachers and students at Northern Garrett High School to plan, supervise, and maintain various native plant projects with the students since 2014. We have constructed a large demonstration meadow garden; provided guidance in wetland replanting and restoration; and helped students construct and plant a memorial flower garden.
MLGC Conservation Committee members helped Maryland Conservation Corp young people plant 14 fruit trees at Sang Run State Park. We planted apple, plum and pear trees. Several of the trees had a few blooms and they were already being visited by pollinators!! They hope to expand the orchard and will fence in the perimeter at that time.
The Conservation Committee has partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff at the Discovery Center assisting elementary students with activities about pollinators and their plants during field trips to the center in May and June. The students are from Garrett and Allegany County public schools.
More pictures of our many conservation projects
