MISSION STATEMENT
The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, a non-profit organization, mobilizes people and resources to care for the lands, waters and character of the Gunpowder Watershed. Its emphasis is on land preservation, restoration, stream cleanups and education.
PROGRAMS AND STAFFING
The GVC’s programs focus on conserving lands that support agriculture, wildlife, and ecological systems; protecting and restoring wetlands, streams, and riparian areas; preserving historic and natural resources; and promoting education, stewardship and outdoor activities. Founded in 1989, the GVC is comprised of an all-volunteer board of directors, a part-time director of education and restoration, a part-time development director, and a coordinator of land preservation.
GVC ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
1989 through 2012
The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, a non-profit organization, mobilizes people and resources to care for the lands, waters and character of the Gunpowder Watershed. Our emphasis is on land preservation and education & restoration. We preserve land through conservation easements and stewardship of the land via biannual monitoring visits. Our education & restoration program focuses on reforestation; stream adoption and cleanup; educational workshops, leadership trainings, and publications; and the installation of residential storm water pollution control measures such as rain barrels, rain gardens, Bay Wise landscaping, and edible landscapes.
Accomplishments
- Bridging more than 16,000 total volunteers to restore the Gunpowder Watershed
- Partnering with 85 community organizations, businesses, churches, schools, and government agencies
- 1,512 acres preserved through conservation easements
- 110 acres reforested mainly as riparian stream buffers
- 23,000 trees planted with 7,500 volunteers
- 150 stream miles cleaned, collecting 164 tons of trash with 7,500 volunteers through these programs: MD Save Our Streams, Baltimore County Stream Watch, Project Clean Stream, and Better Waterways
- 50 streams adopted on 13 stream miles with 62 Stream Leaders through Stream Watch Program since 2008
- 2 MD Leadership Awards received from Save our Streams Program
- 150 rain barrels distributed into local communities
- 30+ rain barrels installed by GVC
- 16 conservation landscaping gardens installed for homeowners
- Provided Educational Outreach at watershed conferences & festivals, open houses, workshops, trainings, and public meetings; 632 participants educated in 2011 alone
- Greening Communities like Carney in Jennifer Branch Watershed: 3,000 homes targeted with educational literature; held 3 community wide educational events for 93 participants; assessed 52 yards for storm water pollution control measures; conducted 24 community “green solution” workshops (Rain Barrel, Rain Garden, Stream Watch Trainings, Edible Landscapes Workshops) for 192 participants; 100 households participated in restoration actions; 483 volunteers involved in greening project, contributing 1,564 volunteer hours, valued at $33,157.00 of labor towards the project success!
- “Gunpowder Trails Club” developed to monitor 100+ trail miles in Gunpowder Falls State Park
- 7 Trail Maintenance /Invasive Removal Workshops conducted in Loch Raven Reservoir, removing 450 lbs invasive plants, planting 370 native herbaceous plants, installing 12 rolling grade dips to divert runoff, with 172 volunteers
- 11,000 trees maintained with 466 volunteers on 55 acres since 2009
- Nominated Franklinville a county historic village
- Helped facilitate the Greater Kingsville Community Plan
