Honoring Steve Raabe, WSA Board Chair

On behalf of the Stewards, Board and our staff, I want to thank Steve Raabe for his tremendous gift to WSA- the gift of time, leadership and passion. Steve has been one of the most important mentors to me- not only has he taught me everything I know about behavior change (a skill that has not yet worked on my husband, so clearly I still have more to learn), but also about leadership and bringing people together. 

Steve often talks about WSA’s “secret sauce” that special blend of physical restoration science with social science and community engagement. As I reflect on Steve and what he has brought WSA, I can tell you that Steve has a little secret sauce of his own. First, when you are with Steve, your glass is ALWAYS half full. No problem is insurmountable, and there is no issue that can’t be turned into an opportunity.  When it's raining, there is always a blue sky with Steve.

The second part of Steve’s secret sauce is his humility. Whenever someone vehemently disagrees with him, or is visibly upset, Steve’s  response is ALWAYS “Tell me more about that, I want to understand.” Steve is never defensive or dismissive. This has served him and WSA so well over the last 9 years as he has brought together many diverse voices and deftly navigated some challenging situations. I have learned so much riding alongside Steve.

The last ingredient in Steve’s secret sauce is commitment.  Steve is honestly the busiest person I know, and he ALWAYS has time for me and for WSA. Whether it was mentoring me through leadership development or steering the Board through a difficult issue, Steve always makes the time  for the causes he is committed to, and he urges others to do the same. I don’t know too many people who can say “no” to Steve because his answer is always “yes” when others need him. 

Steve, thank you so much for nine years of dedicated service as the chair of the WSA Board.

Cheers to clean water,

Suzanne

Latin for Gardeners: February 2020

February’s Native Maryland Plant 
Pinus strobus L.
(PIE-nus STROE-bus)
Common Name: Eastern White Pine

Evergreen plants are commonly requested by homeowners who are often interested in hiding an unsightly view, creating a level of privacy or simply because they want to see green in their yard year-round.  Given the space and adequate light, Pinus strobus is an evergreen tree that I am happy to recommend for these situations.  This tree is a monoecious¹ conifer² that will thrive in a well-drained sunny location; its soft, flexible needles can be brushed up against without making a scratch and its dense branches provide habitat for birds and other fauna. In my yard I use multiple trees of this species to add privacy from my neighbors – I also get the added benefit of providing a year-round habitat for many birds and insects.

Pinus strobus is the only white pine (5-needled) native to the eastern United States, it is the tallest conifer in eastern North America and is the state tree of Maine and Michigan.  Although it is evergreen it does drop its needles, which acidify the soil and provide excellent weed suppression.

If planted in high pH soil (above 7), white pines may exhibit yellowing of the needles, a sign of iron chlorosis. Adding an acid fertilizer and mulching with shredded oak leaves can help lower the pH, making it more suitable for this beautiful tree to thrive.

¹ Male and female flowers are found on a single individual

² Cone-bearing with needle-like leaves

NOTE: Asian Ladybugs can be distinguished from our native ladybug by looking for a distinctive black ’M’ on its head. They generally have more spots than the native insect, which has four per wing. Asian ladybugs are more aggressive than our native insect and can even ‘bite’.  By knowing how to tell the difference you’ll avoid handling the one that may bite you!

~ Alison Milligan – Mstr. Gardener/Mstr. Naturalist/Mstr. Watershed Steward

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com

2020 Watershed Steward and Consortium Member of the Year

Each year the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy honors volunteer Master Watershed Stewards and the environmental professionals who support their action for clean water.  The Master Watershed Steward of the Year is awarded to a Steward who excels in engaging their community to reduce pollution. The Consortium Member of the Year is awarded to an environmental professional who makes a significant impact on projects for clean water. The Master Watershed Steward and Consortium Member of the Year Awards were presented at WSA’s Annual “Leap into Action” Conference.

Master Watershed Steward of the Year Award

Master Watershed Steward Alison Milligan (left) was honored for her dedication to sharing her expertise of native plants with Stewards and her community. Alison exemplifies grassroots action and community leadership. She has single handedly planted over 6,700 native trees, shrubs, and perennials in 2019 alone. Last year, she volunteered almost 700 hours of her time advocating for the use of native plants in the landscapes of Anne Arundel County. When she is not acting as a direct resource, sharing her depth of plant knowledge with other Stewards and County residents in person, she writes Latin for Gardeners for our monthly Stewards Scoop newsletter.

WSA Consortium Member of the Year Award

Jim MacNicholl (right) was awarded Consortium Member of the Year for his work with the BayWise Master Gardeners. Jim serves as a tremendous resource for our Stewards, sharing his knowledge and expertise of native plants and project implementation freely. He has supported dozens of Capstone Projects and helped to forge a durable partnership with the BayWise committee of the Master Gardeners, where he serves as co-chair along with Robin Gill. Jim is truly an information and resource conduit, attending most of WSA’s workshops and sharing that knowledge with his wide network. He thoughtfully considers how to broaden our impact and address barriers to environmental action. And, best of all, Jim is never too busy to get his hands dirty.

Congratulations to Alison and Jim!

Thank you to Jack Turner for providing artwork for the awards.

Latin for Gardeners: December 2019

Hello Master Gardeners and Watershed Stewards!

It has been another fun year spent learning, reading, studying, photographing and planting Maryland’s native plants.  I’ve learned a lot and I hope you have too.

It’s now time to test your knowledge of the scientific name of the native plants we’ve discussed over the past year.  It’s always best to use the Latin names of plants when you recommend them to friends and the public – there’s only one Latin name for a plant so it avoids confusion and ensures people select the right plant when shopping at nurseries.

The first group of photos show the plants in their winter dress (except one). Can you still recognize them?  Can you guess which photo was taken in May? I’ve given you a few hints but don’t feel bad if you can’t place them all – Latin is not an easy language.  Good luck, or as they say in Latin, “Fortuna!”

Match the number of each plant in winter to the letter of each Latin binomial labeled in the photos of bloom time below.

~ Alison Milligan – Mstr. Gardener/Mstr. Naturalist/Mstr. Watershed Steward

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com