Bloomfield Farm Park Receives Governor's Smart, Green & Growing Award For Natural Resources Protection

Nominations For 2011 Awards Due October 1

Annapolis, MD (September 21, 2010) — Bloomfield Farm Park in Centreville has received Governor Martin O’Malley’s 2010 Smart, Green and Growing (SGG) Award for Natural Resource Protection. Located in Queen Anne’s County, the project was recognized as a model transition park – a park that links small active recreation areas with larger natural resource conservation areas. Nominations for 2011 SGG Awards in 12 categories are being accepted until October 1.

“Bloomfield Farm Park is an exceptional example of a transition park, which helps visitors both enjoy and better understand the important connection between recreation and conservation,” said Governor O’Malley. “I look forward to the next round of SGG awards and the opportunity to highlight more exciting projects that are helping us create a smarter, greener more sustainable future for Maryland families.”

Governor O’Malley established the Smart, Green and Growing Award Program to recognize and to promote local governments and groups that are leading by example by creating projects or programs that improve the communities and community design and that exemplify Smart Growth principles.

“Blooomfield Farm Park not only provides new opportunities for Marylanders to enjoy the outdoors; it is also a strategic tool for restoring the headwaters of the Corsica River and protecting the endangered dwarf wedge mussel, said Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Assistant Secretary Frank Dawson, who presented the award on behalf of Governor O’Malley at the Corsica River Days celebration on September 18.

Bloomfield Farm Park is a partnership among the federal, State and county governments to provide outstanding public recreation opportunities in concert with natural resource conservation/restoration. The park directly limits residential sprawl, while providing public recreation opportunities and ecological enhancements to local existing communities.

The park provides both recreational areas, including multi-purpose ball fields, fishing ponds, hiking trails and play areas, and educational areas where Marylanders can learn about farming, gardening, sustainable development and local cultural heritage. The park expands forested stream buffers and creates non-tidal wetlands to retain damaging storm-water run-off.

Maryland is now accepting nomination for the 2011 Smart, Green and Growing Awards. Information on how to submit nomination is available at http://www.green.maryland.gov/sgg_awards.html.

Maryland: Smart, Green & Growing is a multi-agency, statewide initiative to help Maryland achieve a more sustainable future by linking community revitalization, transportation improvements, economic development, smart growth and environmental restoration efforts.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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