Howard County Conservancy

Howard County Conservancy
Howard County Conservancy
Type	Non-profit land trust, nature center
Location	10520 Old Frederick Road; Woodstock, Maryland
Coordinates	39°18′56″N 76°52′27″W / 39.31556°N 76.87417°W
Area	232 acres (0.94 km2)
Created	1990
Operated by	Howard County, Maryland
Website	hcconservancy.org

The Howard County Conservancy is a non-profit land trust that operates a nature center in Woodstock, Maryland. Founded in 1990, the center is is located at the historic 300-year-old, 232-acre (0.94 km²) Mt. Pleasant Farm,^[1] and also maintains an additional nature center at the nearby Belmont Manor.^{[citation needed]}

History

The center was founded in 1990 as a private land trust with the goal of protecting and preserving farmland and historic sites in Howard County.^[2] The conservancy currently also manages legal easements on an additional 1,600 acres of land. In 2014, the conservancy started a second nature center at Belmont Manor.

Mt. Pleasant Farm Center

The Mt. Pleasant farm dates back to 1692 when Patuxent Ranger Thomas Browne II built a log house on a land grant "Ranters Ridge". Owners and descendants Ruth and Francis Brown died in 1990 and 1992 respectively requesting their estate be preserved and used for educational purposes. James Eacker, George Reynolds, Joyce Kelly and Senator James A. Clark, Jr. completed tasks to acquire the farm and have the state and county pay estate expenses.^[3]

In 1997, the center hired its first full-time director.^[4]^[5]

In 2005 the Gudelsky Environmental Education Center opened.

In 2008, the center started an exhibit on solar energy, promoting it as a way of reducing energy costs.^[6]^[7]

In 2010, the center obtained an owl as part of a program to teach children about environmental threats to the owl species.^[8]

A historic barn from Mt. Joy in Ellicott City has been relocated to the site.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Gallery

Stuffed foxes on display
Turtle

References

^ Peklo, Lisa (February 12, 2009). "West Friendship teacher goes to Inaugural Neighborhood Ball". Howard County Times. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
^ "In Brief: Conservancy Gets Greener". The Washington Post. May 22, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
^ Allison Eatough (1 April 2015). "Howard County Conservancy marks 25 years with big plans". The Baltimore Sun.
^ Norland, Emma; Somers, Cindy, eds. (March 2006). Evaluating Nonformal Education Programs and Settings. Jossey-Bass. p. 52. ISBN 978-0787985424.
^ Hedgpeth, Dana (July 25, 1997). "Howard Co. Conservancy hires director, elects board". The Baltimore Sun. p. 5B.
^ "In Brief: Solar Power on Display". The Washington Post. June 5, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
^ Shannon Baylis Sarino (June 12, 2008). "Society marks 50th with Flag Day event". The View from Ellicott City. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
^ Mary T. Robbins Phelan (February 3, 2010). "Hoot, there it is! A barred owl is the newest addition to the Howard County Conservancy". Columbia Flier. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
^ Allison Eatough (1 April 2015). "Howard County Conservancy marks 25 years with big plans". The Baltimore Sun.
^ Amanda Yeager (21 August 2014). "The keepers of Howard County history". The Baltimore Sun.
^ "HO-145 Mountjoy Farm" (PDF). Retrieved 22 August 2014.