Even as we all anxiously await Spring, one of the farms protected by a Land Preservation Trust Conservation Easement is growing the Christmas Trees that we will be in our living rooms in winters to come.
LPT Mission:
Protecting
Open Space:
Farms, Forests, & Streams
in Northwestern Baltimore Co. Maryland.
The Land Preservation Trust (LPT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which preserves open space for future generations throughout northwest Baltimore County.
Stewardship
Ensuring the integrity of these easements, and cultivating connections with landowners.
Education
Promoting the value of land preservation, its benefits in sustaining healthy resources and habitat.
LPT achieved our ambitious goal of permanently protecting 22,000 contiguous acres!
We had your help to make this possible.
Read more!
22,000 Connected Acres –
We did it!
LPT BY THE NUMBERS:
22,407
Connected Acres in the
target area of 22,000 acres of preserved land
12,668
LPT Preserved Acres
352
Permanently Preserved Properties
Protecting land protects water quality
Our area is shaped by rivers and streams.
Piney Run, Western Run, Georges Run, Black Rock Run, and other major waterways are the landmarks we use to define our geography.
These rivers and streams feed into Prettyboy and Loch Raven reservoirs, which are major drinking water sources for the entire Baltimore Metropolitan Area. From these reservoirs, the water re-enters the Gunpowder River watershed and flows to the Chesapeake Bay. Protecting our farms and forests protects the quality of the metropolitan drinking water and the Bay.
Conclusion Farm dates to 1780, one of the County’s oldest continuously farmed properties. Western Run Valley was first settled by Pennsylvania Quakers (Scott family), who built several stone structures on Western Run Road, including a Mill and Tannery. The farm currently totals 230A, about 140A of which is farmed.
Gerber Creek runs through the Farm in two places and receives overflow from a Spring-fed pond. The combined 4000 foot creek feeds into the Western Run and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. The Creek, which drops some 90’ is fed by springs throughout its length and gathers significant flows during heavy rainfall which had badly eroded parts of the stream and flooded acres of farmable soil.
The stream renovation was executed by Ecotone. The stream bed was reconstructed in a shallow, wider serpentine pattern, with mini wetlands created along the path of the creek. It is designed to absorb both natural springs surrounding the creek and overflows when they occur. All trees and brush along the stream were removed and placed in the wetlands. Logs were laid across the creek at intervals designed to slow the velocity of the water flow, followed by small catch basins, and then riffles of rocks. Thousands of willows and other native trees and shrubs will be planted along the stream.
The wetlands will attract birds and wildlife. Several acres of land were reclaimed for crops and the erosion has ended. Cleaner water from the springs and rainfall will flow into the Western Run.
Conclusion Farm Stream Renovation : Gerber Creek
The Land Preservation Trust welcomes the opportunity to partner with organizations to provide assistance with conservation initiatives and other environmental projects through various funding opportunities. If your organization is interested in participating with us to provide these services to landowners in Baltimore County, please contact Ann Jones, annjones@thelandpreservationtrust.org. As with all of our programs and services, this opportunity is offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to religion, age, color, race, national origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, or disability.
Please contact LPT if you have any questions info@thelandpreservationtrust.org