Residents Spring In To Action: Spring Stream ReLeaf 2011

What an exciting season it was for Stream ReLeaf!

This season saw a jump in demand for the ReLeaf program – with three dozen residents planting over 1,300 trees and shrubs.  With each of those 1,300 plants that were installed, the environment benefits. How? In immeasurable ways, but let’s start off with some of the biggies:

• Stream buffers help prevent streambank erosion.
• The vegetation traps much of the sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants, preventing them from entering our waterways.
• In addition to stabilizing the soil, the plants utilize most of the trapped nutrients.  (Note: An effective buffer will use of to 80% of the phosphorous and nearly 90% of the nitrogen, two of the biggest pollutants of the Chesapeake Bay.)

These environmental benefits are complemented by countless other ones, such as providing habitat and supplying food for wildlife, and carbon sequestration.

The installation of these plants can also be looked at from an economical point of view.  At a time when many stormwater management facilities are in need of maintenance or repair, the additional plants can help reduce the velocity of the stormwater, thereby allowing more of the water to be absorbed in to the earth.  Any reduction in the volume of water that these facilities need to handle helps from a management and upkeep perspective.  And there are other economical benefits, too; for example, a reduction in streambank erosion can help maintain the value of a property.

The demand for this important program demonstrated the need to expand and become more user-friendly.  The intent is for the next season to bring some changes to the program – both in terms of how orders are handled and funding.

First, this summer we will be working towards developing a website for the program where people can research the trees and shrubs and place their orders.  This on-line ordering will also facilitate the agreement that residents are required to sign in order to receive their plants.

Second, due to the demand for plants, as well as the vital importance of enhancing the riparian buffers in Howard County, the Administration has increased funding for the program from $17,500 to $25,000.

Interested in learning more or even participating?  Check out the ReLeaf website.

I am looking forward to the fall season and improving our streams one plant at a time.