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WELCOME TO NPR'S WEB PAGE ALL ABOUT AIR QUALITY, OPEN SPACE, PLANTS AND TREES! Did you know? In Maryland, population grew almost 59% between 1950 and 1980 while the amount of land used for residential and commercial purposes increased 180%. Below you will find: AIR/LAND/WATER LAND RECYCLE AND SAVE OUR LAND I. Clean out your closets, basement, garage and dresser drawers! But don´t throw it away. Who you gonna call? CALL PURPLE HEART PICK-UP!!! 410-712-0109. The Purple Heart ESPECIALLY NEEDS: CLOTHING, SMALL APPLIANCES, TOYS AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. They can also use: JEWELRY, POTS & PANS, DISHES, UTENSILS, KNICK-KNACKS, SPORTING EQUIPMENT, RADIOS, GAMES, RECORDS, LINENS, SHOES, TOOLS AND SOME FURNITURE ITEMS. The Purple Heart Service Foundation can put those unneeded things to good use again. Other items picked up by Purple Heart is too numerous to list here. Please call (410)712-0109 or for a list of additional much needed items. II. RECYCLE! It helps keep taxes down. It costs tax dollars to maintain landfills. Plastic, glass, metal and paper picked up. Grass clippings and other yard waste gets picked up less frequently so check the schedule. Anyone needing a schedule of trash and recycling pickups can call the Baltimore County Department of Public Works at 410-887-2000 or visit this link: Baltimore County Recycles Baltimore County Department of Public Works www.co.ba.md.us/agencies/publicworks/recycling/index.html DEPRM WWW.CO.BA.MD.US/AGENCIES/ENVIRONMENT/EDUCATION/BACKYARD III. RECYCLE ALKALINE BATTERIES AND LIGHT BULBS AT IKEA DEPOSIT BINS AT THEIR SERVICE DESK. AIR
Find Out The Quality Of Your Air The American Lung Association (ALA) has created a "State of the Air" website, where you can enter your zip code to view a report on air quality in your county. Each year, the ALA publishes its State of the Air Report, providing a state-by-state report card that examines ozone air pollution. The report for 2003 shows that 137 million Americans live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, including nearly 2 million children who suffer asthma attacks.
OPEN SPACE
What is open space? Open Space refers to landscapes that are natural or free of human structures.
WATERSHED & TREE INFO
What is a watershed? All of the land area that drains to a given body of water. Every resident of Baltimore County lives in a watershed that drains to our water supply or the Chesapeake Bay.
TREES The following tree info was provided by Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Arbor Day Foundation.
There is more to a forest than trees!
A forest includes a canopy, understory, forest floor and soil.
DIRECT BENEFITS FROM TREES & FORESTS
1. IN SUMMER: Trees planted around your home on the east, west and northwest sides can reduce the COST OF SUMMER air conditioning from 10% to 50%; Without trees our cities are hotter during summer months.
2. IN WINTER: Evergreens, planted around the North side of your home will block cold winds and can reduce heating bills up to 30%.
3. Forests serve as a FILTER for runoff of POLLUTION that kill fish and crabs in the bay.
4. TREES & FORESTS PREVENT FLOODING. The canopy of a forest captures rainfall and PROTECTS the ground surface. It can capture 30% of the rain during a heavy storm or 100% of light rain. Tree roots prevent EROSION.
5. Tree leaves TRAP AIRBORNE DIRT and ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE, emitted from cars and smokestacks. One acre of trees can produce enough OXYGEN to SUSTAIN over 1,000 PEOPLE during the year.
6. Forests supply us with foods, medicines, fuel, lumber, paper, and even rayon. This includes jobs for people to produce these products.
7. Forest provide a means of healthy recreation, such as hiking, camping, fishing, etc.
OTHER FACTS ABOUT TREES & FORESTS
1. Forests work like our own body; with a circulatory systems, constantly moving air, water and food in and out of the leaves, branches, trunks, roots and soil.
2. Studies have shown that EVEN IF as little as 15% to 25% of the forest in a watershed are converted to DEVELOPMENT, stream health and water quality begin to decline.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Join a wtershed association (listed below). 2. Plant native trees and plants in your yard. 3. Help restore forests along streams and rivers by calling 1-800-YOUR-BAY or visit the web site at:
WATERSHED ASSOCIATIONS
OTHER RELATED LINKS
SEE BELOW FOR MD NATIVE AND INVASIVE PLANT INFO
CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST WEB SITE: http://www.chesapeakebaytrust.org
Support the Chesapeake Bay. Apply for your Bay Plate Today!  
The New Bay Plate is Here! The popular "Treasure the Chesapeake" license plate is now bolder and brighter. Be among the first to show this great new design on your car or truck. Buy a new Bay Plate Today! To get your plate, visit any full-service MVA location, or click here to download the application and then mail it to the MVA. Click here to find the MVA nearest you. If you have any questions about the process of getting your license plate, call the MVA at 1-800-950-1MVA (1-800-950-1682).
Proceeds from the Bay plate help the Chesapeake Bay Trust ("CBT") restore and protect the Bay and its rivers. Since 1985, the Trust has funded on-the-ground projects that rebuild wetlands, plant trees and Bay grasses, and restore oyster and fish populations. Your donated dollars are used responsibly. Ninety cents of every dollar received by the Trust goes directly to projects that benefit the Chesapeake. The CBT awards grants for tree planting projects for native trees only.
Renewal Fee Information: There will now be a biannual renewal fee for the Bay plate ... . The entire renewal fee goes to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support its grant programs. Requests for funding restoration and education projects have increased by more than 65% over the past three years. Your donation will help meet the growing demand and result in more on-the-ground projects that protect wildlife habitat and water quality in our streams, rivers and ultimately the Bay. ...
With the continued support of concerned Marylanders, the Trust will involve even more groups and organizations in Bay cleanup activities in the years to come. Thank you for helping to make this possible.
For more information, please contact Michelle Powell at the Chesapeake Bay Trust at 410-974-2941 x 4 or mpowell@cbtrust.org.
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THE CHESAPEAKE BAY & TREES
SCROLL DOWN FOR:
MD NATIVE PLANTS AND INVASIVE PLANTS
NATIVE PLANTS:
Maryland Natives list from the following web site: Http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesMD/coastalplain/coastal-wetlist.htm
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus Occidentalis): Partial to full sun; Moist to flooded soil; Round white flowers (June-July), medium growth rate, height 3'-6'. Good source of food for ducks, etc.
Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica):
Partial to full sun; wet to well-drained soil; Dioecious, small waxy berries used in candle making, medium growth rate, hieght 5'-12'; Good food source for birds.
Red (Twig) Osier Dogwood: 7-9', Spread 10', Loose, broad spreading, rounded multistemmed shrub. Spreads freely. Adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. Does well in moist soil. EFFECTIVE BANK COVER TO HOLD SOIL. Valuable Wildlife food. NOTE: Red Twig cuttings are easily established in early spring; simply prune the new growth, dip the cut end in a rooting hormone, such as ROOTONE, and push cut end into the ground.
Other types of plants that would be good for this area are: River Bird; Ink Berry; Hightide Bush; Winterberry Holly; and Sweet Gum.
Coastal Plain Sample Lists: Plants for Wet Sites, Wetlands, Ponds, and Wet Edges with Partial to Full Sun (common & scientific name)
Ferns:
smunda cinnamomea-cinnamon fern,
smunda regalis -royal fern
helypteris palustris -marsh fern
Grasses and Grasslike Plants :
Carex stricta -tussock sedge
Festuca rubra -red fescue (turf)
Panicum virgatum -Virginia switchgrass
Tripsacum dactyloides -gama grass
Herbaceous Plants:
vealtha palustris -marsh marigold
Eupatorium dubium -Joe-Pye weed
Eupatorium perfoliatum -common boneset
Helianthus angustifolius -swamp sunflower
Liatris spicata -blazingstar
Lilium canadense -Canada lily
Lilium super bum -Turk's cap lily
Lobelia cardinalis -cardinal flower
Lobelia siphilitica -great blue lobelia
Oenothera fruticosa -sundrops
Senecio aureus -golden ragwort
Sisyrinchium atlanticum -coastal blue-eyed grass
Solidago rugosa -wrinkle leaf goldenrod
Verbena hastata -blue vervain
Herbaceous Emergents (growing up out of water):
Acorus calamus -sweet flag
Hibiscus moscheutos -rose mallow
Iris versicolor- blue flag iris
Juncus canadensis -Canada rush
Juncus effusus -soft rush
Kosteletskya virginica -seashore mallow
Nupharluteum (advena) -yellow water lily
Nymphaea odorata -fragrant water lily
Osmunda regalis -royal fern
Peltandra virginica -arrow arum
Pontederia cordata -pickerelweed
Sagittaria latifolia -duck potato
Saururus cernuus -lizard's tail
Scirpus cyperinus -woolgrass
Scirpus pungens -three-square
Spartina alterniflora -salt marsh cordgrass
Spartina patens -salt meadow hay
Typha angustifolia -narrow-leaved cattail
Typha latifolia -broad-leaved cattail
Zizania aquatica -wild rice
Shrubs (low):
Aronia melanocarpa -black chokeberry
Gaylussacia frondosa -dangleberry
Hypericum densiflorum -dense St. John's wort
Kalmia angustifolia -sheep laurel (evgr)
Rubus allegheniensis -Allegheny blackberry
Shrubs (medium):
Aronia arbutifolia -red chokeberry
Baccharis halimifolia -high-tide bush
Cepha/anthus occidentalis -button bush
Ilex verticillata -winterberry holly
Itea virginica -Virginia sweetspire
Rhododendron viscosum -swamp azalea
Rosa palustris -swamp rose
Sambucus canadensis -common elderberry
Shrubs (tall):
Ainus serrulata -smooth alder
Magnolia virginiana -sweetbay (see Trees)
Viburnum prunifolium -black haw viburnum
Trees (tall):
Acer negundo -box elder
Acer ruburm -red maple
Acer saccharinum -silver maple
Betula nigra -river birch
Carya cordiformis -bittern ut hickory
Carya glabra -pignut hickory
CeJtis occidentalis -hackberry
Fraxinus pennsylvanica -green ash
Liquidambar styraciflua -sweet gum
Nyssa sy/vatica -black gum, sourgum
Pinus taeda -loblolly pine
Platanus occidentalis -American sycamore
Popu/us de/toides -eastern cottonwood
Quercus bicolor- swamp white oak
Quercus michauxii -swamp chestnut oak
Quercus phellos -willow oak
Sa/ix nigra -black willow
Sa/ix sericea -silky willow
Taxodium distichum -bald cypress
Vine: Parthenocissus quinquefo/ia -Virginia creeper
"Invasive Species Alert"
In cooperation with The Maryland Department of Agriculture, USDA and EPA, the Home and Garden Information Center provides links to important information on controlling invasive species of weeds, diseases or insects. nFor the invader of the Month go to: (http://www.mdinvasivesp.org/invader_of_the_month.html) Maryland Invasives Species Council.
Invasive Plants
Giant Hogweed (dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/LANDS/weeds/hogweed.htm) King County, Washington Noxious Weed Identification
Invaders Database System USDA Agricultural Research Service supported searchable database of the noxious weed lists for forty-eight U.S. states and six southern provinces of Canada.
IPANE (invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/) Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
Plant Conservation Alliance Fact Sheets on invasive species: "Weeds gone Wild"
Rutgers University Cooperative Extension (www.rce.rutgers.edu/weeds/default.asp) Weed images
University of California- Statewide IPM Project Weed photo gallery
West Virginia University (www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/weedsolu/weed.htm) Links to more weed information
Diseases
Plum Pox Virus: Visit the West Virginia University, Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center web site(www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville/disease_descriptions/ppvresources.html) for color images of the disease symptoms on fruits, leaves and seeds, and for more information about Plum pox virus. There have been no positively identified cases of plum pox virus in Maryland. This is a significant disease that affects all stone fruits except sweet and sour cherries. Aphids spread the pathogen from tree to tree and symptoms do not appear for up to four years after initial infection. All plant parts are affected and infected trees decline and die. It is very important that the disease be contained and hopefully eradicated. If you notice unusual symptoms on peach, plum, apricot or nectarine trees please call your county Extension office or call HGIC at 1-800-342-2507.
Sudden Oak Death Information Page (www.mda.state.md.us/plant/sod2004.htm) Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Sudden Oak Death Information Site (www.suddenoakdeath.org/) California Oak Mortality Task Force.
Sudden Oak Death Information Site (www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ispm/sod/) USDA APHIS.
Pest Alerts
Asian Tiger Mosquito Information (www.mda.state.md.us/mosquito/tigermos.html)
Monitoring for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (www.rce.rutgers.edu/stinkbug/default.asp) Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Emerald Ash Borer (www.mdinvasivesp.org/eab/) Maryland Invasive Species Council Web Site
Emerald Ash Borer News Release (www.mda.state.md.us/press/eabhelp.htm) Maryland Department of Agriculture Web Site
Common Pest Alerts in the United States www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/fhp/palerts/palerts.htm) One-page fact sheets from USDA Forest Service about new or unusual tree pests. They are intended to alert land managers and the public about important tree pests.
Pest Alerts in the United States (www.ncpmc.org/NewsAlerts/index.html) Links and News on Pest Alerts in the United States compiled by the North Central Pest Management Center.
Asian Longhorned Beetle Information (www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/alb/alb.html) U.S. Forest Service
Asian Gypsy Moth Discrimination Project (www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/asiadisc.html)
Government Links
Invasivespecies.gov (www.invasivespecies.gov/)
Maryland Department of Agriculture (www.mda.state.md.us/)
Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland (www.mdinvasivesp.org/) Maryland Invasive Species Council
APHIS Federal Noxious Weed Program (www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/weeds/)
United States Department of Agriculture (www.usda.gov/)
General Invasive Links
Invasive.org (www.invasive.org/) Information and Images of Invasive & Exotic Species, a joint project of the University of Georgia's Bugwood Network, USDA Forest Service and USDA APHIS PPQ
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TREE CARE AFTER A STORM
In cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, the International Society of Arboriculture and The National Arbor Day Foundation, an organization that helps people plant and care for trees. Damaged Trees-In The Wake Of A Storm Trees broken and torn? "Seeing a favorite tree down or badly damaged in the front yard can be a traumatic experience almost like losing an old friend." But even in the wake of this shock, There are ways of coping with the loss. "The experiences of many cities whose trees have suffered severe storm damage show us that the situation may not be as bad as it first appears," "Trees are amazingly resilient and many recover with proper care and time. Despite the urge to do something immediately, people should try to be patient. As long as there isn't an immediate physical risk from a damaged tree, if you're unsure about its condition, keep the tree for now. "Of course, safety is the first major concern," "Everyone should stay away from downed power lines and beware of broken tree limbs that may be ready to fall. Never use pruning equipment near utility lines." Downed utility lines should be reported to utility companies or 911 operators. Patience also allows city officials time to organize and respond properly to the situation. After a major storm, city officials, utility workers, and private tree care firms must focus first on dealing with hazards to life and property. After that, one of the city's major tasks is the removal of debris from the storm and the work of removing damaged branches and sometimes entire trees. Home owners should remember that street trees, usually those between the streets and sidewalks, are typically city-owned, and when that is the case, their care will be the city's responsibility. By exercising a cool head, despite the devastation that accompanies a major storm, home owners are helping their community as well as working to preserve their own trees and property values.
Use a Qualified Arborist-If a tree is large and the work is off the ground, or if a chainsaw is needed, it's best to contact a qualified arborist. They have the equipment and know-how to safely remove broken or downed limbs and to help save and repair trees. Qualified tree experts can be found under the "Tree Service" section of most telephone directories. Whatever professional help you seek, make the decision wisely, as it will have long-term consequences for your trees," "Locate a qualified tree care specialist and check references.
Above all, don't be pressured by people with chainsaws knocking on your door and offering to remove or 'repair' your trees. Unfortunately, storms seem to produce such door-to-door callers, most of whom have no training and little interest in your trees beyond making a quick buck."
Storm Recovery Tips for Trees-From The National Arbor Day Foundation are listed below:
Safety First Beware of utility lines and hazardous overhanging limbs.
Be Patient If a tree does not represent a hazard, take the time necessary to be sure it gets proper care and make a final decision about it in a few weeks or months.
Hire a Qualified Arborist If a tree is large, requires high climbing, is leaning against wires, buildings or other trees, or if wires or structures are endangered, let a professional do the job.
Take Heart Trees are amazingly resilient, and the trees of other communities have recovered over time.
Responsibility for streetside trees varies from city to city. The most complete information about street trees in your community, such as which are publicly owned and what the city's responsibilities are, can be obtained from your city forester or other appropriate city agency] Tree Damage? Tree First Aid After A Storm: In the aftermath of a major storm, the initial impulse of property owners is generally along the lines of "let's get this mess cleaned up." But hasty decisions can often result in removing trees that could have been saved.
Doing the right things after trees have been damaged can make the difference between giving your trees a good chance of survival and losing them unnecessarily. The National Arbor Day Foundation urges home and property owners to follow a few simple rules in administering tree first aid after a storm:
- Don't try to do it all yourself. If large limbs are broken or hanging, or if high climbing or overhead chainsaw work is needed, it's a job for a professional arborist. They have the necessary equipment and knowledge needed, and are generally listed in the telephone directory under "Tree Service."
- Take safety precautions. Look up and look down.Be on the alert for downed power lines and dangerous hanging branches that look like they're ready to fall. Stay away from any downed utility lineslow-voltage telephone or cable lines and even fence wires can become electrically charged when there are fallen or broken electrical lines nearby. Don't get under broken limbs that are hanging or caught in other branches overhead. And, unless you really know how to use one, leave chainsaw work to the professionals.
- Remove any broken branches still attached to the tree. Removing the jagged remains of smaller sized broken limbs is one common repair that property owners can make after a storm. If done properly, it will minimize the risk of decay agents entering the wound. Smaller branches should be pruned at the point where they join larger ones. Large branches that are broken should be cut back to the trunk or a main limb by an arborist. For smaller branches, follow the pruning guidelines shown in the illustration so that you make clean cuts in the right places, helping the tree to recover faster. (see Illustration D1)
- Repair torn bark. To improve the tree's appearance and eliminate hiding places for insects, carefully use a chisel or sharp knife to smooth the ragged edges of wounds where bark has been torn away. Try not to expose any more of the cambium (greenish inner bark) than is necessary, as these fragile layers contain the tree's food and water lifelines between roots and leaves. (see Illustration D2)
- Resist the urge to overprune. Don't worry if the tree's appearance isn't perfect. With branches gone, your trees may look unbalanced or naked. You'll be surprised at how fast they will heal, grow new foliage, and return to their natural beauty.
- Don't top your trees! Untrained individuals may urge you to cut back all of the branches, on the mistaken assumption that reducing the length of branches will help avoid breakage in future storms. While storm damage may not always allow for ideal pruning cuts, professional arborists say that "topping" cutting main branches back to stubs is one of the worst things you can do for your trees. Stubs will tend to grow back a lot of weakly-attached branches that are even more likely to break when a storm strikes. Also, the tree will need all its resources to recover from the stress of storm damage. Topping the tree will reduce the amount of foliage, on which the tree depends for the food and nourishment needed for regrowth. A topped tree that has already sustained major storm damage is more likely to die than repair itself. At best, its recovery will be retarded and it will almost never regain its original shape or beauty. (see Illustration D3)
Illustration D1Cutline: Because of its weight a branch can tear loose during pruning, stripping the bark and creating jagged edges that invite insects and disease. That won't happen if you follow these steps:
A. Make a partial cut from beneath, at a point several inches away from the trunk.
B. Make a second cut from above several inches out from the first cut, to allow the limb to fall safely.
C. Complete the job with a final cut just outside the branch collar, the raised area that surrounds the branch where it joins the trunk.
Illustration D2Cutline: Smoothing the ragged edge of torn bark helps the wound heal faster and eliminates hiding places for insects.
Illustration D3Cutline: Never cut the main branches of a tree back to stubs. Ugly, weakly attached limbs will often grow back higher than the original branches and be more likely to break off in a future storm.
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