Last Updated on November 20, 2024
Nature Trail Club
Bonnie Kawecki, Leader
Donna Ferrara, Co-Leader
The NTC works to preserve and enhance the beauty of the Nature Trail, the Butterfly Garden, the Rock Garden, and the Wildflower Garden by eliminating invasive plants and adding native plants and trees. Our interests extend to helping maintain the beauty and trail of the Lake Charles area including the Old Stone Bridge Trail. We also help the Charlestown community appreciate its natural environment.
Nature Trail Table at the September 2023 Fruits of Our Labor.
| SCHEDULE | TIME | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Wednesday (Except December) | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Music Room |
See information of their activities:
History of the Nature Trail
As Marie Brinsfield wrote in her brief history of the trail, it was the vision of Paul Gaudreau, a retired architect and early resident of Charles town. Once it was determined that the trail would cross Herbert’s Run, Paul researched bridge designs and produced the sketches from which the covered bridge on the trail was constructed. A plaque at the Cross Creek entrance to the trail is dedicated to him.
John Erickson was an enthusiastic supporter of the trail, and his assistant, Dick DeLottinville, worked closely with Paul Gaudreau to make the trail a reality. With the help of the Grounds Department, the covered bridge and the wishing wells were built and installed, the 4 x 4 timbers that form the curb of the trail were laid, and the banks of Herbert’s Run were stabilized. Later, residents using the wood shop contributed the several benches along the trail. Members of the Maryland Forest Service identified and tagged the 26 species of trees found along the trail.
Several other early residents of Charlestown made significant contributions to the development of the trail. Bill Bowles, Marie Brinsfield, Sally McBride, Ruth and Tom Hopkins, and Lou Romatowski worked to discover, identify, and mark plants and wildflowers, eliminate weeds, and strip ivy from tree trunks. Ruth Hopkins worked to eliminate poison ivy along the trail. Dorothy and Howard Jones planted over 130 ferns. Carl Tongier planted dozens of tiger lilies.
Howard Jones made and installed numbered markers every 25 feet on the curb of the trail. Over the 25 years since the creation of the trail, numerous residents have contributed to its preservation.
Where to Find the Trail
The Nature Trail on the Charlestown campus follows the course of Herbert’s Run, the stream flowing through the wooded ravine behind Brookside.
One entrance to the trail is behind the Cross Creek Station lobby. From this entrance, the path curves downhill to the right and a short walk leads to one end of the trail. To the left, the trail curves downhill, leads across the covered bridge and exits at the Butterfly Garden on Erickson Way. This entrance to the trail is across from the Lake.
The Nature Trail Committee
Paul Gaudreau formed the first Nature Trail Committee made up of the residents who helped to develop the trail. The current Nature Trail Committee meets once a month. It works with the Grounds Committee of the Residents’ Council and the Grounds Department to maintain the Trail, enhance the environment of the Trail, and preserve the numerous native wild flower species.
The Nature Trail Committee is currently made up of a Coordinator, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and about 15 other members, several of whom have assumed responsibility for, among other things, the Butterfly Garden, the Rock Garden, the Wildflower Garden, tree and flower signs, and invasive species. In the Spring, the Committee also stages Nature Fest in conjunction with the celebration of Earth Day.
All are welcome to enjoy the trail and to join in its continuing upkeep and preservation.
Please contact Bonnie Kawecki or Donna Ferrara, with any questions about the Committee. See their contact information in the Resident Directory.
Butterfly Garden and Milkweed
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.