Field Trip: Talk & Walk  (11 am to 1 pm)

Leader: Lynne Wheeler

Join us at historic Mount Aventine situated within Chapman State Park, a 2200-acre forest. This is a joint event hosted by our new local chapter Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, a national non-profit focusing on incorporating native plants into our landscape, presented by Lynne, Membership Chair for Southern Maryland Audubon Society and Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay. The event starts with a 40-minute talk at the historic Mount Aventine, an 1840 antebellum home, about the unique forest ecology of Chapman Forest. Come and learn about how native plant communities are a direct result of their ecology. As they say: location, location, location. The combination of deep ravines, calcareous soils, and close proximity to the Potomac River has produced a remarkable flora predominately composed of species typical of the inner piedmont and carbonate areas of the Appalachians that are otherwise are to absent on the Coastal Plain, especially in association. Chapman Forest is considered to be Maryland’s largest and finest example of this natural community type. It is also designated as an Important Bird Area by Audubon. After the presentation we will take a 60 – 90-minute walk into the forest looking for spring ephemeral plants and birds.

RSVP required. Space limited to 15.

RSVP at Signup Genius or to Lynne at somdaudubon@yahoo.com or text to 301-751-8097.