Plant a tree
Spring migration has begun. Millions of birds are en route or have arrived from South and Central America. Some will pass through on their way north while others will raise their young right here in Anne Arundel County.
Travel and reproduction are expensive endeavors and the right fuel is essential. For songbirds, this fuel is caterpillars … by the thousands. Entomologist Doug Tallamy estimates it takes 6,000-9,000 caterpillars to raise one nest of chickadees. The place to find caterpillars and a nesting site is in a native tree.
Having lost over 2,500 acres of forests in recent years, local residents came together to Replant Anne Arundel in 2020, adding almost 5,000 native trees to our landscape.
A partnership of Anne Arundel County, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Helena Foundation, and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, led by the Watershed Stewards Academy, Replant Anne Arundel helps communities restore their lost tree canopy.
In addition to hosting our feathered friends, trees are essential to clean our air and water, prevent flooding and erosion, sequester carbon and cool our neighborhoods. No machine can do all of that!
Why natives? A native oak tree can host 500 species of caterpillars, while a non-native tree, like the ubiquitous Bradford pear, is a virtual food desert. Enjoy lightning bugs?
They sleep in tree bark over the winter to delight us in June. Without native trees, we have neither morning birdsong nor evening light show.
How can you plant trees? Become a Tree Trooper and plan a tree project for your community. Tree Troopers are volunteers trained to design and install tree projects in open spaces in neighborhoods, houses of worship, libraries, schools and businesses.
Just want to plant trees on your own property? The Watershed Stewards Academy’s Backyard Buffers and Groves of Gratitude programs help residents plant trees in their own yards.
Don’t miss out! Let’s Replant Anne Arundel together. For more information, visit aawsa.org/replantannearundel.
Suzanne Etgen, executive director, Watershed Stewards Academy
Matt Johnston, environmental policy director, Office of the County Executive