Speaker: John D. Hall, PhD. Research Associate, University of Maryland and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Description: Algae are a heterogeneous assemblage of photosynthetic eukaryotes that includes those organisms we commonly call phytoplankton, seaweeds and plants (in the broad sense). There are approximately 1,200 species of algae known from Maryland and they can be found in almost every aquatic and damp terrestrial habitat. Maryland has many hundreds of miles of coastline along coastal bays and extending into the Chesapeake Bay. Salinity in the bay ranges from seawater in the south to freshwater in the north with brackish influences extending as far north as Aberdeen in the autumn. Although Maryland has no natural lakes, it contains a wealth of freshwater rivers, wetlands and ponds, as well as many artificial lakes and reservoirs. Each habitat contains a characteristic community of algal species.

John will provide a brief introduction to the diversity of algae and algal communities in Maryland. He will also give a summary of efforts to document their distribution. Finally, he will present some data on the value of taxonomic research for conservation using examples from other parts of North America.

Location: Kensington Library, 4201 Knowles Ave, Kensington, MD

The program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Topic: Weed or Wildflower?

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

Want to help preserve our regional biodiversity? Then bring your work gloves, kneeling pads, favorite weeding tools & some elbow grease to remove unwanted plants from the native plant garden. As you work, you’ll learn how to identify common weeds and why protecting native plants is so critical for wildlife. Meet at the native plant garden near the dam. Please bring your own water bottle, insect spray & sunscreen. In case of rain this activity will be cancelled.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road. The program will be held in the native plant garden near parking lot #5.

No registration.

Topic: Weed or Wildflower?

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

Want to help preserve our regional biodiversity? Then bring your work gloves, kneeling pads, favorite weeding tools & some elbow grease to remove unwanted plants from the native plant garden. As you work, you’ll learn how to identify common weeds and why protecting native plants is so critical for wildlife. Meet at the native plant garden near the dam. Please bring your own water bottle, insect spray & sunscreen. In case of rain this activity will be cancelled.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road. The program will be held in the native plant garden near parking lot #5.

No registration.

Speakers: Rochelle Bartolomei and Becky Melzer

Description: Rochelle and Becky will discuss the natural plant communities in which they find milkweeds, how to mimic that for success in home gardens, and how to propagate milkweeds on your own.

Rochelle Bartolomei is the Native Plant Program Manager for Montgomery County Parks.  Becky Melzer is the Assistant Plant Program Manager.  Together they responsibly collect local ecotype native seed from county parkland and propagate plants to return to the Parks for use in Nature Center Gardens, Stormwater Management facilities, restoration projects with Weed Warriors, Brookside Gardens, and as donations to various projects.  Since its inception in 2013, the program has sent out 81,000 plants to be used in these projects.

Location: Kensington Library, 4201 Knowles Ave, Kensington, MD

The program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Topic: Weed or Wildflower?

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

Want to help preserve our regional biodiversity? Then bring your work gloves, kneeling pads, favorite weeding tools & some elbow grease to remove unwanted plants from the native plant garden. As you work, you’ll learn how to identify common weeds and why protecting native plants is so critical for wildlife. Meet at the native plant garden near the dam. Please bring your own water bottle, insect spray & sunscreen. In case of rain this activity will be cancelled.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road. The program will be held in the native plant garden near parking lot #5.

No registration.

Topic: From the Mountains to the Sea: Maryland’s Natural Areas

Speaker: Kerry Wixted, Wildlife Education & Outreach Specialist, MD Department of Natural Resources 

Explore many of the 31 unique natural areas found in Maryland, their special habitats, and the rare species they contain. 

This free program will begin promptly at 7:00 pm; the public is welcome to attend.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 33 (Braddock Rd & Midlothian Rd exit). Follow Braddock Road approximately 1.3 miles to stop sign. Turn left onto Park Avenue. Drive a short distance and turn left, following signs for the Compton Parking Lot.

No registration.

MNPS chose the Dogbane family, which includes milkweeds, for our theme this year. As we continue learning about the fascinating Apocynaceae, we welcome entomologist Warren E. Steiner who can tell us more about the interactions between these plants and their many associated insects.

Speaker: Warren Steiner.
Warren has served as President of the Entomological Society of Washington (1998) and the Botanical Society of Washington (2005). He has published more than 65 scientific articles in entomology, including the description of a new family of water beetles co-discovered with Paul Spangler, and a recent listing of the “darkling beetles” known to occur in Maryland with historical records from Plummers Island.

Location: Kensington Library, 4201 Knowles Ave, Kensington, MD.

Doors open at 7:00 PM. The program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Topic: TBD

Speaker: Elizabeth Green, Graduate Student, Biology Department, Frostburg State University

Details to follow. This free program will begin promptly at 7:00 pm; the public is welcome to attend.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 33 (Braddock Rd & Midlothian Rd exit). Follow Braddock Road approximately 1.3 miles to stop sign. Turn left onto Park Avenue. Drive a short distance and turn left, following signs for the Compton Parking Lot.

No registration.