P L E N T Y SUMMER 2019 Plenty Summer 2019-joomag copy | Page 46

tolerate the increasingly wet conditions as well as
several beneficial pollinator host species to add.
The farm owners, along for the hike, were agree-
able to all ideas floated except Dick Thoms, firmly
and with a wry smile noted: NO BOX ELDERS. He
relays that elder bug’s prodigious swarms through
the years had greatly dimmed their initial affec-
tion for that tree. Yet, Bev Thoms added that the
farm, secured by several preservation easements,
was a natural for the program as their desire
was to protect the Little Monocacy, provide for
greater biodiversity and up the Reserve’s already
impressive game in helping the region address the
climate crisis.
Within several weeks of the site survey, local
landscape contractor and native planting special-
ists, Gardens by Garth, had staked the planting
site. Garth Seely’s planting plans mirror natural
forest growth patterns while providing good
space for mowing as needed between rows. The
trees (sturdy 5-6 footers), and woody shrubs from
Maryland’s Schott’s nursery were delivered to
higher dry ground adjacent to the barn, intriguing
curious sheep: food or foe? The white deer tubes
and stakes lay ready for placement. Aftercare of
the young forest, including protection from deer
damage and encroachment from invasive plants
will be key to the programs’ success.
A stiff dry wind pushed and pulled at the
grouped pots of hundreds of sycamores, red
maples, river birches, redbuds, tulip trees, black
willows... the tender leaves held fast as their
homes along the river bank were made ready. 
Caroline Taylor, MCA’s executive director
writes: “Last minute update: The pilot planting
of nearly two acres is completed and, happily, we
have over 90 acres of stream corridor acreage
offered to host the next generation of climate
stabilizing forests in the Ag Reserve.”
Re-Leaf’s mission: support the County’s important plan
to meet the challenges of climate crisis. Planting and
nurturing healthy forests along waterways will:

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Better protect water quality,
Manage storm water flow,
Provide habitat, 
Promote biodiversity, and
Increase capacity for carbon sequestration (trees
capture carbon in the atmosphere, which is key to
tackling climate change).
The International Union for the Conservation of
Nature notes: Forests are one of the most important
solutions to addressing the effects of climate change.
Forests absorb approximately 2.6 billion tons of carbon
dioxide, one-third of the CO 2 released from burning fossil
fuels, every year.
Re-Leaf the Reserve
is made possible through
a partnership between
Montgomery Country-
side Alliance (MCA) and
the Montgomery County
M o C o A l l i a n c e . o r g
Planning Department.
Since 2001, MCA, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has
promoted sound economic land-use and transportation
policies that preserve the natural environment, open
spaces and rural lands in Montgomery County’s Agricul-
tural Reserve for the benefit of all Washington Metro-
politan area residents. The Montgomery County Planning
Department is part of the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and works to improve
quality of life by conserving and enhancing the natural
and built environment for current and future generations. 
To learn about opportunities to enroll, sponsor or
volunteer at Re-Leaf the Reserve and other tree pro-
grams, visit: Mocoalliance.org.
PLENTY is part of an exciting reforestation effort though PrintReleaf, an organization in partnership with
our magazine’s printer, Publication Printers in Denver, CO. PrintReleaf calculates our paper consumption
and the equivalent tree quantities of paper consumed and collects appropriate funds to help reforesta-
tion organizations around the world plant the appropriate number of trees. Our consumption for this
issue will go to plant 92 trees on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota where the local
workforce of Native Americans is trained to care for and plant tree seedlings. There is a large designated area within two historical
fire areas (totaling 20,000 acres) to plant, which allows for room to expand reforestation efforts there in the years ahead.
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PLENTY I SUMMER GROWING 2019