(October 16, 2012) – Continuing its commitment to environmental stewardship, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is planting hundreds of trees as part of a massive 42-acre ICC reforestation project.  The new trees, placed on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) property in Prince George’s County, will enhance the Anacostia Watershed.

“This reforestation site is designed to quickly establish forest habitat for a variety of wildlife species and provide other benefits such as soil erosion control, water quality improvement, aesthetics, recreation, pollution reduction, and carbon storage,” explained SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters.  “By filtering agricultural run-off from BARC and sediment loads in the Indian Creek and the Beaver Dam Creek watersheds, the site will specifically improve water quality in the Anacostia watershed.”

Through its contractor McDonnell Landscaping, SHA will clear invasive species prior to planting native trees. Work on this site will begin later this month and will be completed by late 2012/early 2013, depending on weather conditions. SHA will monitor the newly planted trees for two years to ensure the reforestation effort is successful and also survey the survival rate of the planted trees and replace those that do not survive.

To minimize the impact on BARC’s existing agricultural landscape, SHA has designed environments that are similar to the existing forested areas found on the property. Tree plantings will occur in areas that are not suitable for agricultural research. This project will not change the significant features of the BARC Historic District.

“We’re delighted BARC will be the recipient of SHA’s reforestation program,” said BARC Director Joseph Spence.  “This will enhance the programs we already have in place to protect the Anacostia River and reduce the flow of crop nutrients and sediments into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.”

The $602,000 contract for the reforestation project, known as REF-22, was awarded to McDonnell Landscaping. More than $370 million, or 15 percent of the overall ICC project budget, is dedicated to environmental stewardship. Of that total, $109 million is dedicated to projects that benefit the communities and natural resources that are directly or indirectly affected by ICC construction.

For more information about the project, persons may call the ICC Community Outreach staff at 1-866-462-0020 or visit the ICC project website at www.iccproject.com.

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