2003 Potomac Watershed Project Field Tour Agenda Day One - Thursday, May 8th 2003 (Note! Postponed - Future date TBA.) 9:00 am Busses Depart : Urbana Park and Ride, I-270 exit # 26, nr. Montgomery/Frederick County line. Shady Grove Metro Parking Lot 9:30 – 10:00 Introduction to the Potomac Watershed Partnership Albert Todd, USDA- Forest Service, Don VanHassent, MD Department of Natural Resources 10:00 Incorporating Forest Conservation Practices in Residential Development Maryland’s Forest Conservation Act works to reduce the number of forested acres cleared when land is changed from forests or agriculture to residential, commercial, or industrial development. This has been a win-win solution ever since -- for developers, for residents, and especially for the plants, wildlife, and water quality that depend on healthy forests. Providing an integrated suite of various types of technical services helps assure that forest conservation happens on the ground. 11:10 Urban Greenway Programs As sprawl continues to disconnect open space in urban areas, it has become increasingly important to provide people and wildlife with ribbons of green space. This discussion will showcase how urban greenways provide water quality benefits wildlife habitat and corridors for movement, as well as recreational opportunities for harried city dwellers. Backyard Buffers Program Conservation begins at home. This panel will showcase how citizens can work to protect the Potomac Watershed by creating buffer zones right in their own backyards. This improves water quality and riparian habitat, while involving and educating persons not participating in more traditional programs. Even the smallest conservation effort counts! 11:45 - Lunch - 12:30 Urban Forestry, IKONOS Imagery These days, forest stewardship has entered the space age. IKONOS satellite imagery is being used to help foresters monitor woodland conditions, identify degraded areas, and develop future rehabilitation efforts. Hear how this technology is helping to restore urban forests in the Potomac Watershed. 1:10 Frederick City Watershed Forest Stewardship Plan and Fishing Creek Corridor The forests around Fishing Creek, near the city of Frederick, Maryland, provide unspoiled scenic vistas, rushing waterfalls, and shaded trails. Efforts are under way to protect the Fishing Creek corridor and surrounding forests from the sprawl that is enveloping this rapidly urbanizing area. 2:00 Wildland/Urban Fire Interface Issues and Community Response Plan Protecting communities from the threat of wildfire is an essential part of forest stewardship, especially as urban centers encroach on once-distant forestlands. Specific projects include making people aware of hazardous conditions; enlisting residents’ help in reporting arson and suspicious activities; and educating residents about forest fire protection strategies. 3:25 Riparian Forest Buffer Planting & Stream Monitoring An essential step toward ultimate protection of the Potomac River is monitoring the watershed’s streams and buffer zones to determine the value of restoration actions. Streams run through many land uses, creating a patchwork of buffer characteristics and showing where some buffers could be restored with streamside forests. After forest buffers have been planted, stream monitoring quantifies the environmental benefits of restoration. 4:25 Wetland Restoration Wetland restoration is a key part of the Potomac Watershed Partnership’s mission. By restoring and protecting hundreds of wetland acres, the partnership has enhanced the region’s water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, the drinking water supply, and river-based recreation. PWP works with local landowners to tailor wetland restoration projects to their unique landscape and resources. 5:00 Reception Enjoy the opportunity to sample locally produced foods and beverages while visiting with the landowners and other tour participants. 6:00 Travel (Porterstown Rd. to Trego Rd. to Rt. 67, to Rt. 340) to Cliffside Inn at Harpers Ferry. Day Two - Friday, May 9th 2003 (Note! Postponed - Future date TBA.) 8:00 am Bus leaves Harpers Ferry for New Market 9:30 Multi-Benefit “Signature” Project – King Property Nestled in the shadow of Massanutten Mountain, the property of Bill and Ginny King includes frontage on Smith Creek, a major tributary of the Shenandoah River and a vital part of the Potomac Watershed. Working with the Potomac Watershed Partnership, the Kings have committed to an ambitious program of conservation enhancements, such as wetland restoration, streambank stabilization, and more. Their story proves the power of landowners to make a difference in the Potomac Watershed. • Streambank Restoration/Stabilization Project • Wetland Restoration Project • CREP Plantings • Permanent Protection Opportunities and Options - Ensuring Long-term Restoration 11:00 - Lunch - 12:00 Wildland/Urban Fire Interface Issues and Education Program With fire danger extremely high in Virginia and West Virginia, the Virginia Department of Forestry developed the Shenandoah Valley Fire Prevention Team to address the watershed’s fire prevention needs. As suburban communities edge ever closer to forested areas, protecting residents from the threat of wildfire becomes increasingly important. Hear about the Team’s award-winning fire prevention education programs. 1:00 Road Rehabilitation Work and Handicapped Hunting Access Areas Stewardship of forests and improvement of forest health mean knowing when to close roads and trails and when to rehabilitate and open roads. In addition to providing environmental benefits, such as limiting sedimentation, improving roads and trails provides easier access for foresters, firefighters, hunters, and other users – especially those whose access to forests has been traditionally limited. 2:00 CAT Survey Area; Liming of First Order Stream to Address Acid Rain Concerns Acid deposition (which often occurs in the form of acid rain) has contributed widespread damage to trees, plants, and forest soils. In addition, acid rain can harm or kill individual fish, reduce or eliminate fish populations, and decrease biodiversity. To counteract this process, the Partnership had undertaken a liming project to add calcium carbonate to raise the pH of an acidified stream, encouraging the regrowth of degraded habitat and improving water quality. 3:00 Urban Greenway/Hawksbill Stream Rehabilitation and Trout Habitat Restoration As urban areas get more congested, both people and wildlife have come to depend on urban greenways, which provide ribbons of connected habitat. These corridors often exist around streams, where streamside trees can shade the water and shape the food sources that fuel the aquatic community. The Partnership is involved in stream habitat rehabilitation activities that have direct effects on important species that occur in the Potomac Watershed, such as trout. 4:00 Cullers Tract Allotment Proposed Fencing and Monitoring Projects For restoration to be meaningful, replanting projects must be monitored to determine the health of the watershed and the extent to which restoration activities are working. The Cullers Tract project serves as a showcase for the types of monitoring systems the Partnership employs for all its replanting and restoration activities. This project also illustrates how fencing out cattle prevents the deposition of sediment and animal waste in critical streams and rivers of the watershed. 4:30 Return to Washington D.C./Harpers Ferry