Maryland Forest Service staff oversaw the planting of nearly 32,000 native seedlings at Newtowne Neck State Park in April. Freddy Bascom (left) was the Forest Service’s lead specialist for the project. Photo by Rachael Pacella, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) completed a 71-acre planting project at Newtowne Neck State Park in St. Mary’s County in April that will help prevent rain runoff from reaching the Potomac River.
The Maryland Forest Service oversaw the planting of 31,990 native seedlings across 15 fields along the park’s edge. The project expanded the riparian buffer, the area of trees and vegetation near the shoreline, from 100 to 300 feet in most areas.
Newtowne Neck is a 794-acre peninsula surrounded by Breton Bay, St. Clements Bay, and the Potomac River. The park’s seven miles of waterfront make buffer protection central to safeguarding Maryland’s waterways.
Riparian buffers intercept sediment and filter pollutants, including pesticides and fertilizers, before they reach the water. Tree roots stabilize banks and reduce erosion. The expanded buffer will also increase habitat and food sources for wildlife.
“This will improve the space for future generations, future Maryland residents, as well as our wildlife that call Maryland home,” said Freddy Bascom, the Forest Service’s lead specialist for the project.
Staff from DNR’s Maryland Park Service and Watershed and Climate Services proposed the project after attending a training hosted by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science to develop a climate change adaptation plan for Newtowne Neck State Park. The primary recommendation was to increase the forested buffer around the peninsula.
Photo by Rachael Pacella/Maryland DNR
The Forest Service selected tree species for the planting based on site-specific environmental and soil conditions to maximize survival rates. Species planted include: beautyberry, black cherry, black locust, blackhaw viburnum, chickasaw plum, chokeberry, dogwood, hazelnut, pawpaw, persimmon, redbud, red maple, red oak, serviceberry, tulip poplar, Virginia pine, white oak, and willow oak.
Contracted workers installed trees in rows to facilitate maintenance and mowing. Each seedling is protected with a five-foot tree shelter, which shields young trees from adverse weather, animal browsing and buck rub, trampling, and maintenance damage.
“Tree shelters are important to protect the seedlings,” said Isaac Whitmore, 5 Million Trees program coordinator for the Forest Service. “In about five to eight years, they will be removed and recycled.”
The 5 Million Trees initiative funded the project, with additional support from an Arbor Day Foundation grant.
“The Maryland Forest Service provides technical assistance to property owners, both public and private,” Whitmore said. “We offer contractor oversight and funding opportunities for those interested in planting trees.”
Marylanders can find their local tree planting specialists on the Maryland DNR website.
About Newtowne Neck State Park
Newtowne Neck was home to the Piscataway people and their ancestors for many centuries before colonial settlement. The park is the first historic district designated in St. Mary’s County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can hike, fish, hunt, and observe wildlife and birds throughout the park.
