Kids, Mindfulness and Nature

All of the senses were in play! Two pre-K classes at Belle Grove Elementary School participated in the WSA Mindfulness and Nature program on March 10, led by WSA Community Engagement Specialist Terryl Acker-Carter and Class 14 Steward Candidate Ren Grumbles. The 40-minute program began indoors with a review of the senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - and a lesson on how to breathe mindfully.

After wrapping up the first part of the lesson inside, it was time for the kids to explore the outdoors using all of their senses and put their learning to work. The little ones used objects they found, such as leaves and small flowers, and objects brought by WSA, such as pinecones, feathers, scented candles, and food to apply what they’d learned about using all of their senses to experience their surroundings and get curious about nature.

Here’s what some of the kids had to say:

• “I heard a birdie”. – Kyleigh

• “I tasted pretzels and looked with a green paddle”. – Gwen

• “We were breathing with our noses and mouths”. – Stephanie 

• “I smelled a candle. It smelled good”. – Rocko

• “We went on an adventure. The feather tickled my face”. - Caer

Class 14 Steward Candidate Ren Grumbles’ capstone project will be implemented at Belle Grove Elementary, too. Ren will also be working with the Judy Center – a community organization that supports families with early literacy development from birth to age three.

They are partnering to create a sensory pathway for the community. AACPS Green Schools Specialist, Julie Dieguez, will also be consulted on the design. The AAWSA Mindfulness and Nature Program was created by Watershed Steward Elizabeth Argo-Wilbanks for her Steward Class 12 capstone.

Help us RePollinate Anne Arundel County

Repollinate Anne Arundel is a collaborative engagement with the Anne Arundel County Watershed Steward’s Academy and Master Gardeners. The purpose of the project is to reestablish native ecosystems and accelerate the restoration of native plants through the propagation and distribution of native plants to support community projects in Anne Arundel County. We can do this important work due in part to our access to space within a greenhouse that enables a much earlier start to the growing season.

We have already achieved so much in 2022!

We are well underway to achieving our goal of managing and supporting the propagation of native plants.  Through outstanding volunteer efforts, the team has sowed close to 300 seed flats - some already sprouting!

Watch this great video of the propagation team.

The seed flats below are sowed with different species of perennials, shrubs, and trees. This is where the output for this year becomes variable - we are DEPENDING on volunteers to help plant individual seedlings into pots once they have sprouted. We expect to have over 5000 plants!

Get involved this season - you are needed!

The Native Plant Propagation Team meets every Thursday from 3-6 pm at the USGS Native Bee Lab in Laurel, MD. Your help will be needed to transfer individual seedlings into their own pots. Once mature in the fall, all these wonderful native plants will be available for distribution to people managing restoration efforts supporting county parks, watershed societies, master gardeners, nature centers, community gardens and individual households.

If you’d like to help with this project, contact Lauren Toomey or Jim MacNicholl at WeBeeHelpful@gmail.com for information and directions.

Latin for Gardeners: March 2022

March’s Native Maryland Plant

Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.

Common Name: Bald Cypress

One of the most distinctive native Maryland trees, Taxodium distichum have unique adaptations that extend their native range from as far north as Delaware to as far south as Florida and along the Southeastern Texas Coastal Plain. They are a water-tolerant species, naturally found in wetlands or in water-logged, low-salinity sites that would cause most other trees to rot.   Yet you can also find them inland, often planted in bioretention or reclamation sites, areas that can be inundated but also dry out. 

Taxodium distichum is buttressed by a flared trunk, often with fluted, sharp ridges, making it very resistant to high winds; this feature also helps filter pollutants and prevents erosion of soil, an invaluable benefit it provides to riverbanks, swamps and areas that receive stormwater runoff. Their most notable feature is the woody projections, or ‘knees’, that protrude out from its base and provide habitat for frogs and salamanders; scientists are still undecided on the precise function they provide.

Like other cypress, the Bald Cypress is coniferous and produces small cones and needled leaves that might suggest it is an evergreen plant; in fact, the tree is deciduous, hence its common name.  Many animals are known to enjoy its seeds, including squirrels, wild turkey, and wood ducks. Interestingly, the iconic bald eagle is drawn to the tops of bald cypress which provide lofty nesting sites.

What I find most amazing about this plant is its resiliency and lifespan. In 2018 a Taxodium distichum growing in North Carolina was determined to be no younger than 2,624 years old.1 This species is the oldest known living tree in eastern North America.  As climate change impacts our environment and we are challenged to find plants that adapt to changing conditions, Taxodium distichum can be a plant for today and a true plant for the future.

1 https://news.mongabay.com/2019/05/at-2624-years-a-bald-cypress-is-oldest-known-living-tree-in-eastern-north-america/

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

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)/AA County Tree Trooper

aligmilligan@gmail.com