Last Updated on May 15, 2017
The Nature Trail continues to be a serene place to take a walk on the Charlestown campus. During the summer it has been at least 10 degrees cooler than upper, sunnier areas. A couple of trees came down across the western end of the Trail in July, but they were quickly removed by Grounds personnel.
The Butterfly Garden at the front of the Nature Trail had its usual seasonal beauty, with the flowers left to go to seed for the birds which enjoy them. The new Wildflower Garden on Erickson Way across from the Herbert’s Run building has been a successful show of color. It has sported a 10 foot tall specimen of Horseweed which we named “Goliath”, and it was left in place due to its unusual size. (The weed normally grows no higher than 7 feet tall.) The weed was topped when it started going to seed, since it’s considered a noxious invasive species in some states.
Swamp milkweed was planted last year in a narrow Monarch Garden above the Lake, and several varieties also are in the Butterfly Garden and the Wildflower Garden. These plantings were done to encourage Monarch butterfly populations, whose larvae feed only on milkweed. Monarch populations have been dwindling in recent years, and we like to try to do our part to support them. More than 20 Monarch caterpillars were seen this summer in our gardens.
The Nature Trail Committee also hosted a talk entitled How Many Trees Does It Take to Make a Forest? by local forester Jim Himel. Jim has supervised the planting of more than 500 trees in the Catonsville area.
The Nature Trail Committee meets on the third Wednesday of the month (except August and December) at 10:00 a.m. in the Cross Creek Crafts Room on the Charlestown campus. Please join us as a member or guest.