Working with John Shirk, from the Baltimore County Public Schools Grounds Services Office, we are currently staking out an area for our upcoming November 14th tree planting at Arbutus Elementary School. An area has been selected on the recommendation of Mr. Shirk along the stream banks where there is obvious erosion and little vegetative buffer. Take a peek at the before pictures of what this area looks like now -- after all the proper authorizations are acquired, please join us on Saturday, November 14th from 9 am -12 pm, rain or shine to plant 50 new trees! For more information, email patapscofriend@gmail.com!

A rain barrel workshop, "Everything You Wanted to Know About Rain Barrels But Didn’t Know Who to Ask" was held on Wednesday, September 2 at the Miller Branch Library. This workshop was presented in partnership with the Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway, Howard County Master Gardeners and the Miller Branch Library. This was one of a series of talks and workshops sponsored by the Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway in our mission to preserve, protect and enhance the history, heritage and natural resources of the Patapsco River Valley. Gallons of a valuable commodity run off our roofs and enter storm drains. As part of a “green” lifestyle, participants learned why and how to harvest rainwater for garden use. This presentation looks at today’s rain barrel, illustrates how to assemble one, and gives advice on using a rain barrel system in the garden, including where to buy them, precautions and covenant regulations. The presenter, Sylvia Huestis, is a rain barrel user and Howard County Master Gardener and member of the Master Gardener Bay Wise Committee. Sylvia is also part of the 9th grade team from Hammond High School and on the Columbia Association Watershed Advisory Committee. Over 30 participants joined us for this talk from Baltimore and Howard Counties!

On a Monday morning PHG members Betsy and Jim accompanied Ranger Amy of Patapsco State Park to show areas where large junk items have been dumped several decades ago on parkland near the Patapsco River. This is an area where a new trail is being considered, but it needs to be cleaned up. Because of the difficulty of access, a few neighbors who live off of College Avenue have allowed us to access this troubled section of parkland by use of their driveways to get to these areas. We are looking for a large adult group that would be willing to work with us to haul out this trash and turn this area close to the old St. Mary's property a beautiful area for a new trail.

B&O's Ilchester Station--A Lost E. Francis Baldwin Gem in the Patapsco Valley," was presented by John Teichmoeller, FPVHG Member and Coordinator of the Rail-Marine Information Group. John explained how the B&O Railroad had stations in the Patapsco Valley at Ilchester--one of these was designed by famous architect E. Francis Baldwin and stood at 2 locations from 1884-1964. John described and illustrated the history of this station and a project to obtain drawings of it in order to construct a scale model. Ilchester, Maryland in the Patapsco River Valley, was served by the Old Main Line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Over the years, many things changed at Ilchester. The residential and industrial communities on both the Howard and Baltimore County sides of the river (Ilchester and Thistle respectively) grew, then declined. The alignment of the railroad changed. And there have been at least five bridges carrying the railroad across the river at Ilchester over the years. Sometime, probably after 1866, a very simple railroad station appeared in Ilchester. Then in 1884 it was replaced by another station. This station had somewhat ornate features more or less in the Queen Anne style. This station, which was torn down in 1964, was designed by the famous architect E. Francis Baldwin. Baldwin executed numerous other projects for the Baltimore and Ohio. Today only traces of the foundation of the Ilchester station remain. However, some of Baldwin's station designs are extant today in Maryland and include the brick passenger station on the Patapsco at Sykesville, the passenger stations in Laurel, Rockville, Dickerson, Gaithersburg and Germantown as well as the brick freight station in Ellicott City. Drawings of Baldwin's Ilchester station were held by the Smithsonian Institution according to Carlos Avery's book, E. Francis Baldwin, Architect-the B&O, Baltimore and Beyond. This presentation visually describes the history of the station and an effort to obtain drawings of the station that was built, which turned out not to be such a straight forward project. The ultimate goal, which was successful, was to have a commercial model of the station produced, 1/87th the size of the original.

Spearheaded by PHG Volunteers, Jim Dilts and John Ferguson, they approached the Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway about their plan to clean up the historic Viaduct Bridge located in Elkridge, Maryland. A group of interested parties -- including PHG board members, Patapsco State Park and Maryland DNR staff, Andy Payne, Betsy McMillion and John Ferguson took a walk along a proposed trail to be developed allowing people to view and take photographs of this local treasure. We are currently working with Maryland DNR to create a project for a Viaduct Bridge Overlook, trails and designated parking areas to help visitors check out this gem. Jim and John are making inquiries with CSX to see if they are willing to be partners to help clean up and repair sections of this old deteriorating historic bridge. So, stay tuned. A great restoration project is underway!

On a beautiful Saturday morning, six kayakers ventured into FPVHG's first guided kayak tour along a section of the Patapsco River in Ellicott City, starting downstream of the Daniels Dam and finishing at Old Frederick Road near the railroad tracks. Kayak leaders Teddy Betts and Ken Hatch lead the kayakers along the river where we perfected the "Patapsco Scooch" -- a kayaking manuever perfected and created by Teddy Betts, where you move back and forth in the kayak to get unstuck from low sections of the river to get back into the current. We observed a variety of wildlife including ducks, a hornet's nest, fish, butterflies, etc. All the kayakers carried trash bags and picked up some trash along the way to help clean up the river! Our main concern was the observance of some sudsy type bubbles that we saw in some places near housing developments which we suspect may be phosphates washed out from treated lawns and soap suds that went down the storm drains! Take a look at our adventure and hope you will join us for our next expedition along another section of the Patapsco River!

Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway partnered with employees from Tri Cerat, Inc. to clean up a section of the Patapsco River off of Ilchester Road in Ellicott City. Eleven volunteers removed an estimated 4,500 pounds of trash from this watershed! A lot of twisty metal pipes of various diameters and lengths, as well as truck tires were removed by this energetic group! Special thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help and make this another successful cleanup in the Patapsco Valley!

Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway sponsored another stream cleanup on a hot and humid Friday morning in June. Even with the 90 degree weather, 31 volunteers helped remove an estimated 2,530 pounds of junk from a section of Herbert Run, off of Hollins Ferry Road, that flows into the Patapsco River in Halethorpe. Twenty nine employees from the SC&H Group participated in their annual community outreach day by helping to clean up a section of stream that had a lot of embedded items in the water! Volunteers dug out and removed a variety of items including car tires, truck tires, motorcycle tire, tire rims, lots and lots of shopping carts, part of a computer, plastic chair, old Walmat scanner, drain pipe, carpet pieces, scrap metal, safety cone, steel drums, baby mobile, baby beads, wood bridge, cardboard, underwear, including ladies lingerie! There was an abundance of wild life around and volunteers observed several variety of birds, a duck, sun fish, minnows, ground hog, and fresh deer tracks near the water. The most unusual find was a beheaded stuffed duck, left behind by hunters. Even with the extreme heat, these determined, hardworking volunteers were determined to dig out the big items out of the stream! Thank you and congratulations to the SC&H Group and Patapsco Heritage Greenway members for a job well done!

Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway sponsored another watershed cleanup on a beautiful Friday morning in June. Thirty-three volunteers helped remove an estimated 4,255 pounds of junk from a section of Patapsco State Park, close to an unnamed stream that flows into the Patapsco River in Ellicott City. Twenty seven employees from the Reznick Group participated in their annual community outreach day by helping to clean up what looked like an old dumping ground dated back to the 1960s-1970s. College Avenue resident Wes Foley allowed us to use his driveway to haul the trash away by our park staff friends. Volunteers removed a variety of items including steel drums, bikes, antique tricycle, lawn mowers, riding mower, lots of tires, old laundry tubs, refrigerator, propane tank, old time cold cream container, car parts, axil, dashboard, kitchen sinks, wooden rabbit or chicken cages, old wringer washing machines, motor scooter, wooden door, lots of antique glass bottles, pile of shoes, spoons, forks, ladel, toy house, toy hot dog, old lantern, gasoline cans, toaster, folding chair, mattress sprin, desk, antique grape press, old time Coke and Pepsi bottles, and discovered, but were not able to remove, an old car, metal roofing and tractor. Nature finds include a fox, garner snake, butterfliers, large slug, toads, mice living in a tank, and they could hear a woodpecker nearby. The largest amount of trash picked up in one day this year! Thank you and congratulations to the Reznick Group, Patapsco Heritage Greenway members and neighbor volunteers for a job well done!

Stream Watch Captain Melissa Moore directs her YMCA camp group to conduct cleanups along the Soapstone Branch and its adjacent trail in the Glen Artney Area of Patapsco State Park. In the next several weeks, the group will clean up trash along the stream and trail, beginning at Rolling Road and ending inside the park. The group will also be taking water quality data. Thanks to the group for helping keep this troublesome section of the Soapstone Branch trash free!