May 2018 Gunpowder Valley Conservancy Newsletter
May 2018 Event Calendar
GVC volunteers planted a native edible stream buffer,
which featured live stakes of Red Osier Dogwood
Success for the Bay!
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) just announced an outstanding milestone: Bay grasses covered a record 105,000 acres in 2017. In fact, the Upper Gunpowder was identified as having surpassed its underwater grass restoration goal! Learn more about the importance of Bay grasses to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

CBF's Senior Regional Ecosystem Scientist, Chris Moore, described the success of Bay grasses as "a great indication that the changes we're making on land are having real, quantifiable impacts."

The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC) plays a significant role in these restoration goals as the GVC's Clear Creeks Project assists homeowners, businesses, and institutions in select sub-watersheds to reduce stormwater runoff from their properties.

In 2016 and 2017 alone, the GVC's efforts reduced 3,426 lbs of sediment and 46.05 lbs of Nitrogen in the Gunpowder watershed.
Clear Creeks Project volunteers recently planted
native trees within a critical easement area along Hopkins Creek to increase its riparian buffer.
Since 2012, the Clear Creeks Project has installed 259 rain barrels and 104 conservation gardens and planted over 2,100 trees to reduce water pollution by sedimentation and nutrients.
Project Clean Stream Video
Adopt-A-Stream Captain and Garrison Forest School teacher, Barb Ackerman, led students in a Project Clean Stream event in Loveton Farms in April. Garrison Forest student Muyao Ma developed a video that tells the story from the point of view of a witness to the stream clean-up...watch and see!

Want to improve water quality by adopting a stream in the Gunpowder Watershed? Sign up for our next Adopt-A-Stream workshop - May 19th.
Land Preservation
Coffee with the Candidates
On April 26, the GVC, along with our land trust partners in the Baltimore County Land Trust Alliance (BCLTA), sponsored Coffee with the Candidates, a forum offering Baltimore County Executive candidates the opportunity to discuss land preservation and agriculture. Six candidates gave introductory presentations to the standing room only audience before answering questions about land preservation and agriculture in Baltimore County posed by the BCLTA, Future Farmers of America (FFA) from Hereford High, and the general audience.
Standing Room Only - Coffee with the Candidates
All six candidates generally expressed support for Program Open Space and protecting the Urban-Rural Demarcation Line. Additionally, the full panel agreed that county funding for land preservation currently is not sufficient, but only one candidate, Jim Brochin, concretely committed to budgeting six million dollars a year toward land preservation. While Vicki Almond felt that solar farms may help farmers keep their land, the other five candidates expressed the conviction that farm land should be farmed and solar could go on warehouse roofs and alternative surfaces. Finally, all the candidates talked about the importance of education, particularly agricultural studies, and encouraged the FFA students to become involved in county government to ensure that agriculture remains viable in Baltimore County.

We thank Mom’s Organic Market for donating grapes and bananas in support of the event!
Request for Public Comments
Concerned about excess sediment in our streams? Don't want your kids playing in polluted creeks? Then please take the time to share your thoughts with Baltimore County Dept. of Environmental Protection and Sustainability on the Lower Gunpowder Falls TMDL Implementation Plan. Deadline is May 4th. The Lower Gunpowder Falls watershed includes Parkville, Perry Hall, and Glen Arm communities.
Make a Difference
Your support is needed to preserve land and protect waterways. Please become a Gunpowder Valley Conservancy supporting member today. Donations are tax-deductible as the GVC is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.
The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy is seeking assistance with the September 8th Annual Celebration. To volunteer the day of the event or assist with the planning of the event, please contact Carol Silldorff.