MaryLandscapes - Ellicot City, MD
Posted by: 
bluesnote
N 39° 16.120 W 076° 48.039
18S E 344664 N 4348137
A small sign informing people of the native species of the Chesapeake Region.
Waymark Code: WMNZKE
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 05/29/2015
Views: 6
"The plaque says, "The Bay is part of a vast interconnected ecosystem. Everything done on land affects the Bay and the plants and animals that live there.
Who is affected by the health of the Chesapeake Bay? The 48 major rivers, 100 smaller rivers, and thousands of tiny creeks that make up the Chesapeake Bay watershed are home to over 2,700 species of plants and animals and 15 million people. The Bay is part of a vast interconnected ecosystem. Sewage, manure, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and petroleum products are carried into the Bay from local streams and waterways.
Why are native plants good for the Chesapeake Bay? The many species of native plants in Maryland help to filter out pollutants from runoff into waterways. These plants require little maintenance; including fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or gas-powered mowing and are drought resistant. Native plants don't invade and take over other plants.
What is a MaryLandscape? MaryLandscapes, the Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000's (Maryland 2000) environmental stewardship program, has created 37 environmentally beneficial gardens in public locations statewide. These native species gardens, created and maintained through local public, private, and nonprofit partnerships, celebrate Maryland's natural history while encouraging landscaping techniques that benefit the entire 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay watershed.
How can you help? Plant native species. Manage erosion and runoff to help prevent pollution from reaching nearby waterways. Create raised beds and permeable walkways. Construct wetlands and forested buffers. For more information on how to create a MaryLandscapes garden, contact: Maryland 2000 at 1-877-MD2-0001 or visit the website at www.maryland2000.org; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at 410-573-4593 or see the USFWS website at www.fws.gov/r5cbfo/Bayscapes.htm ; The Chesapeake Bay Trust at 410-974-2941 or visit www2.ari.net/home/cbt/"
Visit Instructions:
Take a photo of yourself (and others) at the waymark and feel free to share any additional information or that is not contained on the sign or your experience generally.