Preserve, restore and sustain the natural environment of Cheverly and surrounding areas as intact and healthy ecosystems, through a community participatory process, balancing the fulfillment of human needs and protection of the natural environment.
This plan will help guide future development, redevelopment, and investment policy decisions in a proactive and sustainable manner within and around the Town of Cheverly.
The Full Text of the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan
Light the Ground, Not the Sky
No, No Nandina!
This winter many of us may be planning our gardens for the spring, so let’s talk about one plant that should not be in your garden.
Nandina domestica, commonly known as nandina, heavenly bamboo or sacred bamboo, is a species of flowering shrub from Asia. It is not really a bamboo. It is evergreen, has bright red berries, and is used widely as an ornamental. It grows well in our planting zone, is shade-tolerant and deer-resistant.
So what’s not to like?
Nandina is invasive, and escapes into forests from old plantings where it displaces native vegetation. Nandina is included on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Do Not Plant List.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture has done a Weed Risk Assessment on Nandina and considers it a High Risk as an invasive plant.
Nandina leaves and berries are toxic to livestock, birds, and other animals.
Nandina is not permitted to be sold in Maryland without written warnings.
What can we plant instead?
Winterberry holly (Ilex verticilata) is an evergreen shrub native to our area, provides berries that last all winter that are good food for birds, and is a host for pollinator species. You will need both male and female plants to get berries.
Remember, it is best to look for the true native plants rather than cultivars.
How Do You Use Our New Park?
Bay-Wise Certification
- Control stormwater runoff: install rain barrels, rain garden
- Provide food, water, and shelter for wildlife
- Reduce or eliminate use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers
- Compost yard clippings, leaves, and vegetable scraps
- Use native plants and trees
- Convert your lawn to a conservation landscape
- Protect your neighboring stream or seep
Maybe this is your yard already. Maybe you need just a little encouragement.
Using the University of Maryland Extension’s Bay-Wise Maryland Yardstick you can get credit for your environmentally-friendly landscape practices, even a cool sign for your yard.
The Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee and Maryland Master
Gardeners are helping promote the Bay-Wise program right here in Cheverly. Click here for more about the program.
Let’s make Cheverly a Bay-Wise community. How many of our Cheverly yards can we certify?
Be wise, be Bay-Wise!
Bay-Wise Cheverly is off to a great start! So far 10 yards have been certified, and more are on their way.
Ward Four is now ahead in yards certified.
You can help show us the bamboo in your own neighborhood or wherever you explore in Cheverly. Just complete the simple form.
The form can be filled in anonymously, or you can provide your e-mail address in case we need to contact you for clarification.
The Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee will use the information to help the Cheverly Town Council understand the nature and extent of the bamboo population.
A Meadow Comes to Cheverly Right of Way
If you see Pepco contractor trucks mowing in the “Wayne Street” right of way about the end of January, it will be the beginning of a new meadow in Cheverly. Update: Pepco has postponed the project to 2019.
This is the right of way running from near Magruder Spring to Parkway extended, parallel to route 50 and a stretch of Woodworth Trail. It runs along Wayne Street, a paper street.
In the past Pepco has mowed the right of way about every five years, to make sure trees do not interfere with its power lines. Now, with Pepco, the Town of Cheverly, and the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee working together,
Pepco will now manage the area as a natural habitat -- a meadow, or low-profile shrub/scrub plant community. That should mean no more mowing in the future.
Meadow management of the right-of-way is among the recommendations of the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan adopted by the Town of Cheverly in 2011.
The first stage of the project will be an initial mowing of existing vegetation to one-foot high. The area to be mowed is shown in pink cross-hatching on the map above. The mowing will be done in winter to protect ground nesting birds and
other wildlife. This will be the only part of the project to require vehicles. Any further maintenance will be done on foot. No mowing will take place on the banks of the step pools created at the outfall near Magruder Spring. Instead,
Pepco will cut the tall growing trees out by hand, leaving the viburnum, a low growing plant compatible with the power lines. That area is shown on the map in green cross-hatching.
What happens next? Each Spring, probably in May, herbicides will be used selectively to suppress the growth of trees which typically grow tall. The plan is to promote the growth of forbs, grasses, and shrubs in place of trees. Pepco will
prescribe an aquatic herbicide mix which is safe to use in wetland areas with standing water and just treat only the tall growing tree species that start coming back up. After a few cycles of the application, once the tall growing tree species
have been managed, longer periods will elapse between applications. Invasive shrubs, such as Autumn Olive, will be removed. Vines growing on power-line poles and guy wires will be treated. Pepco will do no planting. Invasive
herbaceous plants will generally not be treated.
The intent of the project is to encourage a low-growing plant community that will not have to be disturbed periodically. Among the locally rare plants found in the right of way are Maryland meadow beauty (Rhexia mariana) and yellow
passionflower (Passiflora lutea). Fuller inventories of plants in the area.
Cody Hesseltine, Pepco arborist, will supervise the operations. So if you see him working, stop by and say hello.
Streaming Cheverly
2017 Photo Contest -- Cheverly's Streams, Springs, and Wetlands, and all who live in, on, or near them.The Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee invites you to celebrate the richness of life in Cheverly and help inspire its protection and conservation.
This year the focus was on Cheverly’s streams, springs and wetlands – and all that live in, on, and around them.Tour the Green Trail
Green Infrastructure Committee Meetings
The Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee meets the first Monday of the month. See the calendar above for upcoming meetings.
7:30 PM, Cheverly Community Center, large conference room
All meetings are open. We suggest you contact sheila.salo (at) gmail.com to request a copy of the agenda.
All are welcome at any of the meetingsWe Implement the Cheverly Green Plan
February 28, 2013. Neighborhood Design Center presents draft Town Park Master Plan revision to the Town Council.
September 11, 2012. Annual report of Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee activities presented to Cheverly Environmental Forum.
May 2, 2012. Cheverly residents reported on current uses and desired changes to Town Park at a public meeting with the Neighborhood Design Center.
November 19, 2011: The Green Plan Implementation Kick-Off Event featured green actions for homeowners and activities for all ages.
November 10, 2011: The Town Council voted to register for the Sustainable Maryland Program.
October 13, 2011: The Town Council established the Green Infrastructure Committee to oversee implementation of the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan.
September 22, 2011: The Town of Cheverly voted to join the Baltimore Washington Partners for Forest Stewardship.
At the September 8, 2011 Town Meeting the Town Council voted to “adopt the Recommendations of the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan as a framework to inform investment and activities of the town.” Read the resolution.
Learn about the outreach and education activities that involved the steering committee, community organizations, the Cheverly Town government and staff, and Cheverly citizens in creating the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan
View the presentation.
NEW Hear Doug Tallamy talk about sustaining wildlife with native plants in your garden
Cheverly's Streams, Springs, and Wetlands.
Want to build a rain garden? See tips and links here.
New web site
Find news and observations of nature in our town at Cheverly Nature.
Cheverly Vegetable Garden Plots
See the planning projects page for county-wide green and planning projects and information on hearings and other meetings.