Mountain Maryland Native Plant Festival

Discover the important connection between native plants, people, & wildlife! (download event flyer)

• Plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region! (Some nurseries accept preorders for pickup at the event; contact each nursery directly to arrange) 

Backyard Forest- Bellefonte, PA 

Evergreen Heritage Center - Mount Savage, MD 

Native Roots, Inc. - Mineral Wells, WV

Wild Indigo Native Nursery - Grantsville, MD 

Wood Thrush Native Plant Nursery - Floyd, VA

• Nature-themed artisan items!(Be prepared to make purchases using cash or check; due to limited cell service at the park credit cards may not be accepted)

ABPH Art - Accident, MD (handmade paper art)

Appalachian Wax Works - Oakland, MD (quality goods from the bee hive) 

Keen and Bright - Swanton, MD (glass creations) 

Marta Fiscus Photography - Cumberland, MD (award winning macro photos)

Peggy Nixon Designs - Salisbury, PA (hand-painted slates & note cards)

• Special guest speakers!

11:30 AM - Attracting Pollinators To Your Garden - Candy DeBerry,  Washington & Jefferson College 

As much as one third of the food we eat – from apples to zucchini – is dependent upon pollination of crop plants by bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds or bats.  Learn how to attract pollinators to your garden by using native plants to provide nectar, pollen, and nesting and overwintering sites.

Dr. DeBerry gardens on 1/3 acre on the edge of the small city of Washington in southwestern Pennsylvania. She is most passionate about growing native plants to support biodiversity, harvesting blue ribbons from the county fair for her garlic, tomatoes, and peppers, and collecting eggs from her three backyard chickens. To support her gardening habit, she is also Professor of Biology and Director of the Biochemistry program at Washington & Jefferson College, where she teaches Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and a senior seminar on cancer.

1:00 PM - Plastics in the Environment - Raymond Najjar, Penn State University

Plastics are remarkable materials that have transformed our lives in a relatively short time. The strength, durability, flexibility, and low density of plastics make them extremely useful but at the same time a menacing environmental and human health threat. Microplastics have found their way to nearly every corner of the globe and every part of the human body. This presentation will cover the rapid growth of plastics production, the fate of plastics in the environment, the impacts of plastics on ecology and human health, and potential solutions to what may be viewed as a crisis comparable to global warming and biodiversity loss. 

Dr. Najjar is a Professor of Oceanography at Penn State University, where he has been teaching since 1993. He conducts research on topics in oceanography and climate science, focusing on how climate change and human activity influence coastal waters, such as the Chesapeake Bay. Plastics pollution is a current research interest of his, particularly the role that estuaries play in trapping river-borne plastics. He also recently developed a general education course at Penn State on plastics in the environment. 

• Guided walks and family friendly activities!

10:30 AM - Tree ID - Learning to identify trees without leaves is a challenge. Discover other tree features that help with identification on this easy walk with a Park Ranger!

2:15 PM - Native Plant Garden Tour - Visiting New Germany's demonstration garden is always a joy.  Learn about the 70+ plants native to our region from a Friends of NGSP gardener.

All day - MMNPF Bingo - Explore the entire festival and win a prize!

All day - Nature Center Open - Investigate the cool animals found at the Park! 

• Conservation education displays! Get answers to your questions on native plants and other conservation topics from:

American Forest Foundation

Evergreen Heritage Center

Friends of New Germany State Park

Garrett County Forestry Board

Garrett County Solid Waste & Recycling 

Garrett Trails

Maryland Conservation Corps

Maryland Master Naturalist Program

Maryland Native Plant Society

Mountain Laurel Garden Club

University of Maryland Extension - Garrett County Master Gardeners

West Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation

The Maryland Native Plant Society is partnering with both New Germany State Park and the Friends of New Germany State Park to sponsor this FREE event! The public is welcome to attend (no registration required) but your support of the vendors and organizations through your purchases is deeply appreciated! Only snacks and drinks are available at the Lake House, so pack a picnic lunch and spend the day at this beautiful mountain park! 

Driving Directions:

From Baltimore: West on I-70 to Hancock. Pick up I-68 and travel through Cumberland, MD. Continue west to Exit 22. Enter the roundabout and take the fourth exit onto Chestnut Ridge Road. Pass the Comfort Inn and follow Chestnut Ridge Road for three miles to New Germany Road. Turn left and travel two miles to the New Germany State Park entrance on left. Travel time ~ three hours. Signs will direct you to parking for this special event. 

From Washington, D.C.: Take 270 north to Frederick, MD. Pickup I-70 west and follow directions above for Baltimore. Travel time ~ 3.5 hours.

From Pittsburgh, PA/Morgantown, WV: Take I-79 to I-68 east into Maryland to Exit 22 toward the Comfort Inn. Enter the roundabout and take the first exit onto Chestnut Ridge Road. Travel about three miles to New Germany Road. Turn left and travel to the New Germany State Park entrance on left. Travel time ~ one hour from Morgantown and 2 hours from Pittsburgh. Signs will direct you to parking for this special event. 

Additional information to follow as details become available. Questions? Phone the park office at 301-895-5453 or email Liz McDowell at wmtchapter@mdflora.org