North Anne Arundel County Restoration Projects

Welcome to the restoration and conservation landscape projects located through Northern Anne Arundel County! These projects were created to make our parks healthier, improve local water quality, provide beauty, and support habitat for birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. Explore each project below and learn how your community helped make these spaces possible.

Click here to see how you can volunteer to support these projects - no experience necessary!

why these gardens matter

Conservation landscapes are spaces that were planted with species native to our region. Unlike traditional landscaping, native plants require less maintenance once established while providing important environmental benefits.

These gardens:

  • Capture and filter stormwater before it reaches local streams

  • Improve soil health and reduce erosion

  • Provide food and habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife

  • Create beautiful spaces for park visitors to enjoy year-round

how these projects came together

Every project detailed below began with conversations with local residents. To expand access to environmental restoration efforts in less frequently served areas of Anne Arundel County, the Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) met with North County community members.

Focus groups and surveys were conducted to better understand residents, their priorities, and the environmental resources they wanted to see in their communities. Community feedback regarding environmental issues, interest levels of restoration projects, and locations of future projects were gathered. Several parks were suggest for restoration opportunities, including Riverside, Pumphrey, Brooklyn, Solley, and Freetown Park.

This feedback guided project planning and WSA - alongside Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, local organizations, and volunteers - installed more than 1,800 square feet of native conservation landscapes throughout Brooklyn Park and Glen Burnie. Additional designs for two large scale projects have also been created for future installations.

The projects below reflect the priorities shared by community members and demonstrate how community engagement and partnership can create meaningful, lasting environmental change for a healthier environment for all.

These projects were made possible through funding from the Small Watersheds Grant awarded to WSA by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

community partners

These projects wouldn’t be possible without the help and support from our partners:

explore the projects

riverside park

Installed: May 2026

This garden transformed a small grassy circle into a spaced filled with more than 700 native plants. While creating a welcoming path through the park, the garden now also helps filter stormwater and provides nectar and shelter for pollinators throughout the seasons.

Volunteers completed the installation in a single day, creating a lasting community space that will continue to grow each year.

pumphrey park

Installed: May 2026

Located below several hillside slopes outside of the Lloyd Keaser Community Center, volunteers installed 728 native plants. This garden is designed to capture stormwater before it enters the nearby storm drain. As water slows and soaks into the ground, the native plants help filter pollutants while reducing runoff into local waterways.

freetown park

Installed: May 2026

This planting area regularly collects stormwater runoff due to being located in a valley between courts and a sidewalk, making it an ideal location for water-loving native plants that speed up absorption time. By slowing and absorbing runoff, the garden helps reduce erosion while supporting a unique collection of wet-tolerant species.

Photo taken in May 2026.

Photo taken in July 2026 - look at all the growth!

WHAT’S NEXT?

Thanks to the Small Watersheds Grant, three additional restoration projects have already been designed by LimnoTech Engineers. WSA is actively seeking further funding to help bring these projects to life. The concepts below represent the current vision and may evolve as designs finalize over time.

brooklyn park

Brooklyn Park has an open grass area to the left of its lower level parking lot. We plan to install a meadow with seating areas and a few trees and shrubs to provide a shady area to commune alongside its environmental benefits.

solley park

The majority of Solley Park slopes down towards the tree line to the right of a large parking lot. We hope to install a rain garden in this area as well as a densely planted swale alongside the entire park that leads to this area.

RIVERSIDE PARK

While we’ve already installed one project at Riverside, the parcel next to the landscape is another great opportunity for a planting. The center square of this park would become a sensory garden, containing plenty of natives, but adding in some other elements to engage all of your senses while enjoying the park.


GET INVOLVED

These gardens continue to thrive from the support of volunteers. Volunteer events typically include:

  • Removing invasive weeds

  • Applying fresh mulch

  • General garden maintenance

No experience is required, and tools and gloves are provided. Just dress for the weather and we invite you to bring your friends or family!

Join us for an upcoming event:

Pumphrey Park (Lloyd Keaser) Maintenance Event | July 29th, 6pm-8pm



WHO IS WSA?

Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) is a nonprofit helping residents across Anne Arundel County lead efforts to restore and protect their local environment. By offering training courses and ongoing support, WSA equips residents of all backgrounds and experience levels to lead through restoration, education, and community engagement. These leaders are the force behind cleaner waters, healthier landscapes,, and stronger communities for all who live, congregate, and play in Anne Arundel County.