Help Plant 1,400 Trees This Saturday, Make County Water Cleaner

Want to do a lot of good by getting a little dirty? Help the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) plant 1,400 trees and shrubs this Saturday, April 20 on a dairy farm in Union Bridge.

To register call Carmera at 443-482-2156 or email MDRestoration@cbf.org.

Trees are natural pollution filters. Trees growing along a stream bank protect the water from pollution. Unfortunately, decades ago many of our trees were cut down. As a result rain water contaminated with various pollutants regularly washes directly into our local creeks.

You can help. The trees planted at the Flowing Springs Dairy Farm on Saturday will create a mile-long buffer along Wolf Pit Branch to protect the stream from potential farm pollution. The farm is owned and operated by the Arbaugh family.

Wolf Pit Branch flows into Double Pipe Creek and the Monocacy River, both of which are polluted.

CBF devotes significant time and effort to helping farmers. CBF wants farmers to stay in business, but also wants farms to reduce pollution discharge. An environmentally-managed farm is better for the Bay than a housing development or mall.

To that end CBF works with partners to help farmers install forest buffers along farm streams, as well as to install other best management agricultural practices. Flowing Springs, for instance, is also fencing its cows out of Wolf Pit, and installing several cattle crossings. Washington Gas & Energy Service and Sterling Planet helped pay for the trees. Chesapeake Bay Trust and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided funding for the fencing and crossings.

The health index of the Bay improved 14 percent since 2008, largely because of cooperative efforts similar to the Flowing Springs restoration. Cleaner water means improved health for our children and grandchildren, a revived seafood industry, and other benefits.

The planting will go on rain or shine. Dress appropriately. CBF will provide snacks. Bring water, though.