Growing Forward with Nature (Continued from page 7)
radish, crimson clover, and cereal rye
aids in controlling weeds, decreasing soil
erosion, fixing nitrogen into the soil,
breaking up soil compaction, increasing
plant diversity, and creating a nutrientdense
green manure.
We are further advancing our vegetable
production through construction of a new
Agriculture Education Building that will
serve as the hub of our growing operations
and farmer education with the goal of
extending the growing season in 2020.
Funding for the Coverdale Farm Preserve
Master Plan Implementation Projects has
been made possible by the generosity of
foundations, corporations, and individual
donors including: Crystal Trust,
Longwood Foundation, Welfare Foundation,
Marmot Foundation, Patagonia,Corteva,
NextEra, Harvest Market,Calvert Retail,
Brinsfield Family Foundation,
Allen Marsha Barnett, Francis Bayard,
Hank & Mary Davis, Margaretta Frederick
& Michael Martin, Barbara Greenewalt,
Dr. H. Theodore Harcke, Bill & Melinda Hardie,
and June Robbins.
Land & Biodiversity Management in Coverdale Farm Preserve
• Two pair of American Kestrels are nesting in
boxes this spring and each pair has produced
five eggs. Two of these adults were banded
last year at nearby Mt Cuba Center. The eggs
and nestlings will be monitored by staff and
volunteers until fledging.
• Controlled burns were performed. Our fall
burn was used as a field study for fire
school students.
• A 7-acre native meadow was installed
in 2019, providing improved habitat for
meadow nesting birds.
• 100 cedar trees were planted within our
Red Cedar Grove which is a great habitat
for owls. Two Long-eared Owls were found
in the grove this past winter.
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to
nature, it will never fail you.”
~ Frank Lloyd Wright
• A grove of invasive alien Ailanthus trees
was removed to reduce the food source of
invasive Spotted Lanternflies.
• A large American Chestnut tree was
discovered in fall, 2019. The tree’s DNA will
be analyzed to determine if the tree is 100%
American Chestnut or if it is an American
and Chinese Chestnut hybrid.
• Sandhill Crane and Summer Tanager
migrated through this year increasing the
total bird species list for Coverdale Farm
Preserve to 190.
8
Burrows Run Preserve of Coverdale Farm Preserve - Photography by Christi Leeson