Remembering Ken Pensyl

WSA is heartbroken at the loss of a dear friend, teacher, and mentor Ken Pensyl. In over 40 years of service to the environmental field, Ken made incredible contributions to statewide stormwater regulations at the Maryland Department of the Environment and at the local level here in Anne Arundel County. As the Program Manager for MDE’s Sediment, Stormwater and Dam Safety Divisions, Ken helped usher in a paradigm shift from collecting and conveying stormwater to holding and treating it in the landscape. The last 25 years have been a time of incredible innovation in our field and Ken was there to tackle the many implications of addressing stormwater in a completely new way, untangle complexities and help others navigate this new science.

Ken brought that expertise to Anne Arundel County, managing the maintenance of public stormwater facilities in the County. Ken shared his expertise with WSA as a key instructor for our Stormwater Success Course and our Watershed Steward Certification Course. His enthusiastic explanations of stormwater ponds and engaging site tours were an important part of learning for hundreds of community leaders across the County.  

What set Ken apart, though, was not WHAT he did, but HOW he did it. Ken was easily the most knowledgeable and experienced person in any room when it came to stormwater, but you would never know it. His humble demeanor and easy-going personality made stormwater management approachable. With over 1,000 stormwater management devices to manage in the county, Ken was a busy person, but if you were interested in stormwater, he was interested in showing you all you wanted to see. He was never too busy to personally visit communities and follow up with helpful and detailed assessments of their water issues. No one’s problem was too small for his attention, and he was always excited to talk about stormwater. His passion for stormwater was truly infectious.

For me, Ken was a special mentor, who will be missed not only for his breadth and depth of expertise, but for his warm smile and the way he genuinely valued each person.  

Our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time. For those who want to read more about Ken or his final arrangements, his obituary may be found here.

Suzanne

College-Bound with New Knowledge Found

Hello everyone,

My name is Elizabeth Guzman, and I am a STEM student who recently graduated from North County High School (NCHS). I am currently a Steward candidate in Class 14, and I have learned a lot by being a Steward with WSA. These lessons include creating better communication skills (collaborating with different stakeholders/partners) and learning how to manage large-scale projects. I joined WSA as a high schooler because I want to pursue a career in the environmental field and what better way to do it than by getting involved in my community!  I found that the certification course was easy to manage because of how well it was organized. I was able to plan so I can fit in my classwork and still be an active Steward by knowing important dates ahead of time. My favorite aspect of the course was how we were able to participate in site assessments that were introduced in class. We weren’t just able to learn skills but apply them to real-world situations when we went out in the field during class field trips. 

Elizabeth delivering her native plants program to North County High School’s Environmental club.

“WSA is like the parent that guided us into the environmental field”

  For my capstone project, I worked with Alyssa Lee, another NCHS student who is also in Class 14, to create a two-part presentation on rain barrels and native plants that we were able to present to our classmates. Our capstone project went very well. We prepared a Kahoot (a trivia game platform) for each of the presentations and students were able to compete for sustainable prizes! Because of our teachers and WSA’s support in our endeavors, we were able to gather over 30 students to learn about these practices to mitigate stormwater! I can take away many lessons from being a steward, as many of them will be used in college, especially aspects of communication. I truly appreciate the time I have spent with WSA as it has only fueled my growth in the environmental field. I look forward to continuing studying the environment and sustainability at Cornell University in the fall! 

Elizabeth, Alyssa, and fellow Class 14 stewards at their class project site.

Elizabeth Guzman

Class 14 Steward Candidate

Latin for Gardeners: July 2022

July’s Native Maryland Plant

Hydrangea arborescens L.

(hy-DRANE-juh ar-bo-RES-senz)

Common Name: Wild Hydrangea

In fall 2020 I went a bit ‘wild’ in my planting regimen. The pandemic had canceled my travel plans and most of my commitments; it left me stressed and with time on my hands. Ripping weeds out of the ground and planting natives provided stress relief - fortunately, I had many options. I had read about Wild Hydrangea, but I had yet to plant it in my yard.  I determined it would do well at the bottom of a north-facing slope; water from my neighbor’s property flowed there and the site retained moisture. It didn’t take long for this very ornamental shrub to establish, shade out weeds, and become a highlight in my 2022 summer garden. 

I chose to plant Hydrangea arborescens because not only is it a beautiful garden shrub, but it’s also an excellent pollinator plant - if you plant the species plant. The lacecap flowerheads have hundreds of fertile flowers and very few infertile flowers that appear as a broken ring around the edges. Choosing to plant a cultivar of this plant can risk you buying one that has only infertile flowers¹ which do not support pollinators. I find that birds often visit my Hydrangea sp. as well. Are they admiring its flowers, eating an insect I can’t see, or just using it as a way station?

With results like this (and more weeds to pull) I’m preparing for another ‘wild’ fall. Maybe you should too?

NOTE: Hydrangea arborescens bloom on new wood so pruning their canes should be done in late winter or early spring. Leave them alone (as I have) or you can prune them hard which will encourage vigorous growth. 

1 ‘Annabelle’, ‘Incrediball’ and ‘Invincibelle’ have only infertile flowers and offer no benefit to pollinators.

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013

Watershed Steward Class 7, CBLP, AA County Tree Trooper

aligmilligan@gmail.com

Latin for Gardeners: June 2022

June’s Native Maryland Plant

Pycnanthemum muticum 

(pik-NAN-thee-mum mu-tee-kum)

Common Name: Short-toothed/Clustered Mountain Mint

What’s all the buzz? Pollinator week (June 20-26) is this month - awesome! Another reason to celebrate pollinators, especially bees, and rejoice in the ecosystem services they provide. In addition to pollinating over 85% of flowering plants, bees improve or stabilize 75% of crop yields (mainly fruits, vegetables, and nuts). When it comes to native bees, their contribution goes well beyond pollinating plants for humans to eat; they also support the growth of trees and other plants that create healthy habitats for all species, which increases biodiversity and sustains the complex food web that we all need. Native bees are especially valuable since they are three times more efficient than honeybees. Native plants are essential for native bees because, unlike many ornamental and nonnative plants, they reliably produce the nectar and pollen on which bees depend. The impact of their pollination results in better air and water quality for everyone.

Pollinator week is also about raising awareness and taking action to support all pollinators – we need them, and they need our protection. The Maryland Native Plant Society designated 2022 as the year of the mints (1). Taken together it seems right that we should be planting mints in our gardens to sustain an abundance of pollinators. Pycnanthemum muticum is one such mint. It’s an adaptable, wonderfully aromatic plant that I use in a swale in front of my home, allowing school students to marvel at the diversity of life it supports as they make their way to the bus stop. Elsewhere I use it in partly forested areas along the edges of my property and in my pollinator garden with other longstanding plants that won’t be overtaken by its tendency to spread; it’s also deer resistant, a valuable feature of most mints.

Do your part this month (don’t just lie there!) – stand up for pollinators, don’t fear them and don’t be afraid to plant this mint either. You’ll benefit many pollinator species and create a healthier environment for everyone.

1-MD Native Plant Society: https://mdflora.org/resources/Publications/Marilandica/Marilandica_Fall_2021.pdf

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013

Watershed Steward Class 7, CBLP

aligmilligan@gmail.com