DNR to Celebrate National Volunteer Week by Planting Trees as Part of Corsica River Restoration Project

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CENTREVILLE -- On April 29, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be working with volunteers to plant trees as part of an effort to enhance and restore portions of Bloomfield Farm in Centreville, as part of National Volunteer Week and the Corsica River Restoration Project. The planting efforts will provide an effective buffer for the Corsica River’s network of streams, improving the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay.

The Maryland Conservation Corps (MCC), along with other representatives and volunteers from DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Queen Anne’s County have taken an active role in organizing the tree planting in the farm’s riparian buffers.

In late March, the farm was divided into sections and efforts began to replant trees, shrubs and warm season grasses. Other areas of the farm have been restored to wetlands to improve water quality and enhance habitat. Finally, boundaries were established for additional trees to be replanted on April 29 and were marked with flags.

Volunteers are being recruited through notices on DNR’s website, in local newspapers, and at local high schools to assist the MCC-Bay Crew plant the remaining trees. Food, drink, tent shelter, and mobile bathroom facilities will be provided under a grant from the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism.

A portion of the 300 acre farm will remain in agricultural production and a portion will be utilized for recreation fields. A walking trail will be constructed to link the Farm to the adjacent residential development of North Brook.

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April 21, 2006

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov