Elk Neck State Forest Firewise Geocaching Trail

A new interactive geocaching trail that educates participants on the importance of wildfire prevention is open in Maryland's Elk Neck State Forest.

Firewise Maryland was developed by the Maryland Forest Service to teach citizens living within wooded areas susceptible to wildfires how to protect their homes. To promote this program, a geocaching trail with eight geocaches has been established on three tracts of the Elk Neck State Forest.

Each geocache contains a guestbook, Firewise prizes and specific geocache cards. Individuals who successfully locate all eight specific geocache cards earn a Firewise Maryland certificate available at the Elk Neck State Forest office located on Irishtown Road, or by calling the office at 410-287-5675.

Geocaching is a type of treasure hunting game where participants use a GPS unit or smart phone to locate containers, called geocaches, hidden by other people. Geocaching is for people of all ages and helps establish a strong sense of community and build support for the environment.

For more information on the Firewise geocaching trail, call Elk Neck State Forest at 410-287-5675 or visit dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/elkneckforest.asp

source: MD DNR

State Champion Sweet Birch Tree Discovered In Gunpowder Falls State Park

A new Maryland State Champion tree was recently found in Gunpowder Falls State Park. Dan Wilson, a volunteer with the Maryland Big Tree Program, located the massive sweet birch (Betula lenta) hidden deep within the Park.

The tree was found to be 115 feet tall, 10 feet 1 inch around and with a crown spread of 45 feet, equaling a total point value of 247. According to American Forests this is the tallest tree of its species on record. The previous sweet birch State Champion, with a point value of 237, is located in Cecil County.

The United States Champion is located in New Hampshire at 266 points. The Maryland champion appears healthy and could seize the national title in future years. The tree is also the largest of its species ever recorded in Maryland (dating back to 1925). The tree is located at GPS coordinates N39 32 093 W76 29 955.

The sweet birch is native to all of Maryland north and west of I-95, the tree can be found in counties south and east of that area but usually only sporadically and in small groups.

The name sweet birch comes from the sweet wintergreen flavor of its bark and twigs. The tree is also referred to as black birch because of its dark bark.

For more information, visit dnr.state.md.us/forests/trees/bigtree.asp

Where to Catch Rainbow Trout in Maryland

Each spring Maryland DNR stocks rainbow trout in streams, creeks, reservoirs, and ponds throughout the state. Fishing regulations and stocking dates may vary by location.

The following list includes several popular fishing spots where stocked trout may be found:

Lake Needwood (Montgomery)
Allens Pond (Prince Georges)
Tuckohoe Creek (Caroline)
Middle Patuxent River - Delayed Harvest (Howard)
Patuxent River - Catch & Return (Howard/Montgomery)
Morgan Run - Catch & Return Area (Carroll)
South Branch Patapsco River, Upper (Carroll)
North Branch Potomac River at Barnum (Garrett)
North Branch Potomac River Upper Catch and Release Area (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River Delayed Harvest Area (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River - Oakland (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River - Friendsville (Garrett)
Cunningham Falls Lake (Frederick)
Frank Bentz Pond (Frederick)
Rainbow Lake (Frederick)
Taneytown Pond - Robert's Mills (Carroll)
Battie Mixon Ponds (Allegany)
Patapsco River at Daniels (Baltimore)
Lake Habeeb - Rocky Gap (Allegany)
Jennings Run (Allegany)
Beaver Creek (Washington)
Blairs Valley Lake (Washington)
Greenbrier Lake (Washington)
Little Antietam Creek - Youth & Blind Only (Washington)
Little Tonoloway Creek, Upper (Washington)
Farm Museum Pond (Carroll)
Piney Run Reservoir (Carroll)
Elkhorn Lake (Howard)

2012 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants

The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is now accepting applications for grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program, an initiative dedicated to helping volunteer-based, non-profit groups and communities solve natural resource issues. The grants are funded in part by the State Highway Administration, a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation. MET must receive applications by March 31, 2012.

MET is offering two types of grants through the program:

The Margaret Rosch Jones Award of up to $2,000 is awarded to voluntary nonprofit groups or communities that make continuing plans for a project that has already demonstrated a basic understanding and resolution of an environmental issue.

The Jones award is given in memory of Margaret Jones, the executive director and moving spirit of the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program for many years. MET hopes to remind citizens of Jones’ devotion, energy and ingenuity by presenting an award in her name to a group whose voluntary activities personified these attributes that she brought to her work.

Applicants must also meet one or both of the following criteria:

 - Groups that have been active in educating people in their community about at least one of the following concerns: litter prevention, community beautification, and local or statewide environmental issue(s).

 - Groups that have been successful in eliminating or reducing the causes of a local environmental problem rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

The Bill James Environmental Grants of up to $1,000 are awarded to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other nonprofit youth groups for proposed environmental education projects. The Bill James Environmental Grants are given in memory of William S. James, who drafted legislation to create the Trust, incorporating the activities of the Governor's Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

Applications may be obtained from the Maryland Environmental Trust, First Floor, 100 Community Pl., Crownsville, Md., 21032-2023 or dnr.maryland.gov/met/grant_programs.asp

source: MD DNR