18 Sep, 2009
Posted by: FLBC In: Events
You’re invited!
What: Sneak-peek of the new Ken Burns documentary, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
When: Sunday, 9/20, 7:00 – 8:30 pm (FLBC meeting at 6:30)
Where: Cheverly United Methodist Church Parlor (4th fl), 2810 Cheverly Ave. (Forest Rd. entrance)
Presented by Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek (FLBC) and the Maryland Native Plant Society as one of 750 Party for Parks screenings organized nationwide by Sierra Club volunteers and local groups.
The screening is preceded by a FLBC meeting at 6:30 p.m. that all are invited to attend. We’ll be planning our local parks work session and Cheverly Market presence for 9/26.
The six-part series airs on PBS starting September 27 is the result of six years of filming at some of nature’s most spectacular locales — from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska — the documentary is nonetheless a story of people: people from every conceivable background — rich and poor; famous and unknown; soldiers and scientists; natives and newcomers; idealists, artists and entrepreneurs; people who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy. It is a story full of struggle and conflict, high ideals and crass opportunism, stirring adventure and enduring inspiration – set against the most breathtaking backdrops imaginable.
For more on the documentary and screening parties visit: www.sierraclub.org/parks/
Special thanks to Gabe, Rudd Moe, Marian Dombrowski, Paivi and Matt Spoon, Pat Nelson, Norm Oslik, Cathy Smith, and Marc Imlay of AWS. They scouted out Japanese stilt grass which loosens the soil which then flows into the Chesapeake Bay, taking with it vital nutrients. They spent a productive Saturday removing a huge area of it near the stream and Route 50.
On February 11, 2009, fifth graders from St. Ambrose school walked down to Woodworth Park for a field trip with volunteers from Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek. In addition to learning about leaves, trees, water quality and how the stream in the park connects to the Anacostia River, students created art projects on the spot using all natural materials.
Cheverly resident and Eleanor Roosevelt High School student Caitlin Virta is featured in this video with Harriette Phelps, Ph.D., a biologist at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. FLBC contributed $500 to the research project which uses clams to detect pollutants. Clams clean the water as they feed, absorbing toxins in their tissues. The clams are collected back from streams. Then, scientists pry open the clams and detach them from their shell. Later, lab tests reveals the clam’s secret — the kinds and quantities of pollutants in the water.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2009/0110-clam_cleanup.htm
Celebrate Earth Day in Cheverly!
We need YOU to help clean up Cheverly’s tributaries into Lower Beaverdam Creek, the most polluted stream in the Anacostia River watershed.
Join Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek on Saturday, April 18 as we pick up trash along Route 50 and along Tributary 4.
If you don’t know where Tributary 4 is, come out and learn!
We will work from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Meet at the Woodworth Park tot lot, intersection of Wayne Place and Cheverly Park Drive.
Our effort is part of the larger Earth Day event sponsored by the Anacostia Watershed Society. Last year, AWS and partner organizations like FLBC removed 51 tons of trash and debris from the Anacostia River in one day!
But this was just a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated 20,000 tons of trash and debris entering the river each year. So come be part of this year’s effort.
Trash bags, gloves and free T-shirts will be provided. Wear long sleeves and pants and sturdy shoes.
After our event, we will go over to the AWS’s celebration at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park from noon to 2 PM.
Free food! Music! And a chance to mingle with elected officials and others who will work at 30 different sites in this one day.
On Wednesday, February 11, 2009, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., the Cheverly Green Plan Committee and the Cheverly Conservation Alliance (a consortium of environmental organizations in Cheverly including Progressive Cheverly, Friends of Lower Beaver Dam Creek, and Cheverly Garden Club) are pleased to co-sponsor a presentation by Dr. Robert Fireovid, a Research Scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on the connections between economic growth models that encourage uncontrolled and unsustainable growth and development, the health of our ecosystems including loss of habitats and biodiversity, and what we can do about building a sustainable future.
Dr. Fireovid’s current work focuses on bioproducts and bioenergy. He has been working in biotechnology for over thirty years and is one of the main advocates in the country for a sustainable economy compatible with native ecosystems conservation. In addition to his USDA work, Dr. Fireovid leads the Maryland Chapter of Citizens for a Steady State Economy (CSSE), an advocacy organization dedicated to replacing growth-dependent economies with sustainable economies.
The presentation will be held at Judith P. Hoyer Early Education Center Cafeteria, 2300 Belleview Ave. Please join us for this informative and challenging talk.
Learn how to design and make your landscape more GREEN by creating wildlife habitat, using native plants, and reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides in this 2-part workshop at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.
Part 1: January 17th: Design a BayScape
- Teach participants about the landscape design process and how to create a BayScape.
- Apply your new skills on-site to help create a new landscape for the Plummer House.
- Empower you to create a landscape design for your yard.
Part 2: March 14th: Install a BayScape
This part of the workshop will focus on the implementation of the landscape design that was created during the first workshop.
- Site preparation, planting techniques, and maintenance will be the focus of this part of the program.
- Learn more about native plants, rain gardens and how BayScaping can be a beautiful complement to your property.
Where: Plummer House, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary-Glendening Preserve near Upper Marlboro
5702 Plummer Lane
Lothian, MD 20711
10-2pm (Lunch will be provided)
There is NO registration fee for this workshop.
Registration is required. Please register by January 12th!
To register contact Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary at 410-741-9330 or email programs@jugbay.org.
County planners will hold a town hall meeting regarding the Subregion 4 area Wednesday, December 3rd from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Cedar Heights Community Center.
This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard about environmental concerns in our area.
The Cedar Heights Community Center is at 1200 Glen Willow Drive, Seat Pleasant, MD, 20743.
A proposal to preserve open space and rural farmland in Prince George’s County was killed yesterday after council members raised concerns about the impact the program might have on the county’s more-populated areas.
The bill would require developers to purchase a certain number of transferable development rights (TDR) credits, which help preserve land in rural parts of the county, in exchange for the right to build projects of higher density.
An editorial in The Washington Post supports the bill.
Unfortunately, the County Council approved a special exception for American Resource Management Group to build the Marvaco Concrete Batch Plant in the 5800 block of Sheriff Road.
Both the Gazette and The Post covered the 8 to 0 vote. Charles Gallion, president of the Cedar Heights Civic Association, plans to take the issue to court.
