What may be the first program of its kind in the nation, the new Maryland Native Plants Program (MNPP) is now live. Developed through legislation ((HB950/SB836) passed in 2023 and effective July 1, 2024, the MNPP aims to bring more awareness about the benefits and importance of Maryland native plants to consumers, encourage consumers to purchase […] Continue reading "Maryland Native Plants Program"
NatureFest, now in its 5th year, is a fun, family-friendly celebration of the beauty and wonders of nature and wildlife. It’s all about creating meaningful connections with nature and each other. Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay (WOCB) is thrilled to be partnering with several local organizations – Neighborhood Creative Arts Center (NCAC), College of Southern Maryland […] Continue reading "Deeply Rooted in NatureFest"
Leonardtown, Maryland, is a lovely small town thanks to its location on the banks of Breton Bay. My friends and I enjoy the historic charm in its architecture and layout, with small shops and restaurants on either side of a park-like town square. Part of the town’s appeal is in the adoption of a self-guided […] Continue reading "Leonardtown Butterfly Trail"
“Earth Day on the WB&A trail in Odenton saw volunteers pulling out invasive vines and trees in the sweltering humidity. Despite the heavy concentration of invasive plants in this area, we found and saved several native trees, including oaks, sweet gums, and a river birch! Volunteers filled 14 fifty-gallon trash bags and one full-size truck […] Continue reading "Invasive Plants on the WB&A Trail"
During the Wild Ones Annual Membership Meeting on April 10,2025, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay and members were recognized for their contributions to the Wild Ones’ mission. We are proud of our members’ accomplishments! 18:11 Wild Ones’ support for seed libraries is growing. The … Chesapeake Bay, Maryland chapter supported seed libraries across St. Mary’s County […] Continue reading "Chapter Recognition at the 2024-2025 Wild Ones Annual Meeting"
Celebrate Earth Day with us! Join us as Kirsten Hoffman and Judy Fulton share the details of recent legislation that promotes native plants by creating the Maryland Native Plants Program and legislation that strengthened Maryland’s invasive plant laws. Both bills are currently being implemented, and they will provide updates on new resources that these laws […] Continue reading "April 2025 is National Native Plant Month!!!"
And sow it begins….. 2025 native seed propagation is underway at the USGS Bee Lab at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel! It all started on the first Saturday in February when volunteers were invited to participate in the 2025 Stratification-o-rama at the Bee Lab. On February 8, under the leadership of Sam Droege, members […] Continue reading "Native Plant Propagation at the USGS Bee Lab – 2025"
Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is deeply rooted in collaborating with and recognizing the like-minded organizations that share our passion for native plants and natural landscapes. At the College of Southern Maryland, we have the pleasure of partnering with Tracey Stuller and Madeline Kaba on numerous initiatives, including native seed cleaning workshops, winter sowing, and starting […] Continue reading "Media and Awards – 2025"
One of the keystone programs of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is youth empowerment. Our chapter President, Marlene Smith, has been mentoring Esther Bonney, WOCB chapter member and Founder/President of Nurture Natives, since the two met at a local University of Maryland Extension 4-H project on pollinators in January 2022. Together, the two have partnered on […] Continue reading "Building Habitat for Native Bees – Youth Empowerment"
In the past two blogs, we introduced Sam Droege and Dave Hunter, two of three guest speakers on the February 20th Wild Ones webinar on “Bees Beyond Honey, Understanding Native and Managed Pollinators” hosted by Sara Ressing, Wild Ones Education and Program Coordinator. In this third installment of this multipart series on “Bees Beyond Honey”, […] Continue reading "“Bees Beyond Honey” with Lora Morandin"