Gunpowder Valley Conservancy

On preserving Long Island Farm next to Mine Bank Run

GVC's Jim Kelly quoted in the Towson Times (9-13-06):

"Here we have the land and the history, and we're surrounded on three sides by Cromwell Valley Park," Kelly said one recent afternoon as he showed a visitor around Long Island Farm. "It only makes sense to preserve this."

Results of last weekend's tree planting events

A big thank you to everyone who came out to the Dance Mill Rd. site last weekend at Dulaney Branch near Loch Raven reservoir. After much hole drilling, tree planting, stake pounding and tree watering, we ended up with 270 trees in the ground.

We'll be having two more planting days this fall on Saturday Oct. 28 and Saturday Nov. 4 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

More thanks go to Constellation Energy for donating the trees and the Restore Corps program at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for providing equipment & expertise. We used a new medium-weight power auger and 4" diameter drill for the first time that worked very well.

We planted a mix of American planetree (a.k.a. sycamore), red oak, pin oak, white ash, and green ash seedlings. The seedlings were 1to 3 feet tall and 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter.

Loch Raven clean-up yesterday: perfect weather & a great turnout

Special thanks to all of the volunteers who collected several hundred bags of trash from the shores of Loch Raven reservoir. 

Along with many individuals and families, volunteers represented a wide variety of groups: Dulaney High School (the Key Club and the Environmental Club), South Carroll High School (in Westminster!), Harford Community College, Towson University, Cockeysville Middle School, Perry Hall Middle School, Pine Grove MS, Ridgely MS, Immaculate Conception School, Kingsville Elementary School, Timonium ES, Warren ES,  Boy Scout Troop 880, Girl Scout Troop 828 and Cub Scout Packs 328, 444, and 832. Other groups: Save-the-Bay, Cromwell Valley Park, Friends of Loch Raven, the Gunpowder Coalition, the Sierra Club, Springdale Community Association and Natural Lawn of America.

Del. Sue Aumann and her family participated, as did County Councilman Brian McIntyre.

Also, a huge thank you to our corporate sponsors. The Cockeysville branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car at Beaver Dam Rd. and Cockeysville Rd. donated the use of vans to transport volunteers to the clean-up site.

Also, the Season's Pizza at York Rd. and Cranbrook Rd. in Cockeysville provided several large deliveries of pizza to hungry volunteers at the end of the day.

Map & directions to Oct/Nov tree planting events

Here's a map to the tree planting events that will take place on Oct 21 (Sat), Oct 22 (Sun), Oct 28 (Sat) and Nov 4 (Sat).  We'll meet at 4017 Cloverland Dr.

DIRECTIONS FROM THE BELTWAY (695) & FROM TOWSON:

• Take the Beltway (I-695) to Exit 27B (Dulaney Valley Rd., North)
• Go about 4 miles north on Dulaney Valley Road (aka MD-146)
  
• Cross the bridge over Loch Raven reservoir
• After the bridge, take right fork at light (staying on Dulaney Valley Rd.)
• Go about 1.5 miles to Peerce's Plantation restaurant & turn left (staying on Dulaney Valley Rd.)
• Go 1 mile and turn left onto Dance Mill Rd.
• Go about 0.2 miles, then left on Cloverland Drive.

Park on the street near 4017 Cloverland Drive.