Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:19:20 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Denise Ryan Subject: Blackwater Tree Planting MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This Saturday (March 8) there will be a tree planting event at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, MD. They hope to plant over 30,000 trees as they celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Refuge System. Valerie Fellows at U.S. FWS, spoke with a friend today to say that the snow has completely melted at the Refuge and the ground will be warm enough to plant the seedlings and they are still planning to plant 30,000 on the one day. Since most MD Birders make regular pilgrimages out to the refuge, this is a nice way to give a little of your time to make it a better habitat for our feathered friends. The Volunteer Coordinator is Bev Waggoner and she can be reached at 410-228-8355 would appreciate a call if you plan to help out so they can have adequate supplies on hand. If anyone has additional questions, Forester Tom Eagle may be reached at 410-228-2692 X 111. (I did call and the variety of trees being planted is impressive.) Boy Scouts working on the Soil and Water Conservation Badge who plant 100 trees (according to the Forester, that can be accomplished in the 6 hour time period) would fulfill a requirement for that badge. For everyone who is planning on coming, the Fish & Wildlife Service has requested that each person bring the following: * Work gloves and rubber boots or old shoes * Old clothing appropriate to the weather * Lunch (drinks, snacks, and restrooms will be provided) There will be a coordinating meeting at the Visitor's Center around 10 AM. Directions to the Refuge from the DC metro area are below; more information about the Refuge is on the website http://blackwater.fws.gov Directions to Blackwater NWR Visitor's Center: From the DC metro area, take Route 50 East to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Cross the bridge over the Bay. From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, follow Route 50 East to Easton. From Easton continue South on Route 50 East. Cross over Senator Frederick C. Malkus, Jr. Bridge (Choptank River Bridge). Follow Route 50 (approximately 4 miles) until you come to a traffic light just past the Dorchester Square Shopping Center (Center includes Walmart and Food City). You will see a brown sign directing you to the refuge. Turn right at this light onto Route 16 West (Church Creek Road). Follow Route 16 straight through a traffic light at Snow's Turn, until you pass the South Dorchester High School. At the blinker light, turn left onto Egypt Road just past the school buildings (first road past the traffic light). There is a small store with the letters D.D.U.S.T. across from Egypt Road. Follow Egypt road for approximately 7 miles and it will dead end at Key Wallace Drive. You will see a brown refuge sign directing you to turn left onto Key Wallace Drive to go to the Wildlife Drive, or turn right onto Key Wallace Drive to get to the Refuge Office and to the Visitor Center. After turning right onto Key Wallace, the Refuge Office (headquarters) will be the first building on the left, and the Visitor Center will be the second building on your left about 2 miles. Sadly, I will not be there as I have a family wedding in Chicago to attend on Saturday. But, I am assured that there will be more volunteer opportunities through the year for the 100th Anniversary celebration. Denise Ryan Washington, DC ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================