Green Plan Final web - 5

Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan

Building on Accomplishments

The Cheverly Green Infrastructure Plan is strengthened by and builds on past and current efforts and accomplishments of town government, community groups and citizens, and regional initiatives.

The Town of Cheverly has acquired natural areas; instituted mandatory recycling and introduced electronics recycling. It collects yard waste and converts it to mulch for local use. In 2010 rain cisterns were installed at Town Hall, and a wind turbine at the Department of Public Works, the first of its kind in the county. The town also conducts street and residential tree plantings; and it supports community and citizen initiatives such as the creation of the Cheverly Community Gardens, stream cleanups, and education programs including rain barrel and composting workshops.Since 2004, Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek has recruited volunteers for stream cleanups; restored native plant species; removed invasive species and trash from our parks; and installed and maintained trails in Woodworth Park. It has been an advocate for better county policies. It has organized nature hikes and school field trips; stream, plant and animal surveys; water quality research; annual bird counts, and published Birds of Cheverly.The Cheverly Garden Club links people to the environment through gardening and education. It conducts an annual plant sale featuring many local native species. Progressive Cheverly’s Environmental Committee promotes active participation in green initiatives via green home and garden tours, and rain barrel and composting workshops. It instituted Cheverly’s green home certification program, and led the establishment of the community gardens in Boyd Park in 2009. The Cheverly Community Market has been offering fresh food and strengthening community since its founding in 2007. Other community groups and citizens have been active in a range of activities, including installation of storm drain signs across Cheverly.

The Cheverly Green Plan contributes toward implementing the Prince George’s Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan, the Water Resources Functional Master Plan, Tuxedo Road-Arbor Street-Cheverly Metro Area Sectional Map Amendment, the Subregion 4 Master Plan, and the Countywide Master Plan of Transportation. It is also broadly in keeping with the Maryland Wildlife Diversity Conservation Plan of 2005.

The Cheverly Green Plan also addresses Chesapeake Bay Program restoration recommendations, including reduction of residential stormwater runoff, decrease in residential fertilizer use, reduction of pet waste runoff, and support for watershed organizations. It will also help the Town of Cheverly, Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland to meet specific new “pollution diet” limits now being established for the Chesapeake Bay.

Cheverly by the Numbers

The Green

5 wooded areas of 8 to 34 acres each

6 open waterways totaling 2.3 miles of stream

3 known active springs

3.5 acres of wetlands

68 total acres of contiguous back-yard and alley woodlands

The Gray

27 acres of flat-roofed industrial, institutional, and apartment buildings

41 acres of impervious-surfaced parking areas

Photo Dave Kneipp