By Greg Ellison

(Nov. 5, 2020) Ocean Pines last week received nearly a quarter of the 300 hardwood trees donated to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program this summer.

Coastal Bay Executive Director Kevin Smith said the Maryland Department of Natural Resources back in June invited agencies aligned with its mission to take advantage of excess stocks from Clear Ridge Nursery in Carroll County.

“They had a bunch of trees they had grown out … that they just weren’t going to sell,” he said.

With the unsold trees reaching 10 feet or higher, the decision was made to share the bounty.

“Instead of just chipping them up, they decided to make them available to the Department of Natural Resources,” he said.

Smith said after catching wind of the DNR offering, Coastal Bays officials chimed in and had about 300 trees delivered back in July.

“We held them over the summer because it is not a good time to plant a tree,” he said. “We didn’t want them going out and just dying.”

As temperatures began trending cooler, the tree stash was offered to an array of regional partners and municipalities.

“This fall we made them available to different communities and partners,” he said. “The state park took some, the national park took some and Ocean Pines took a lot.”

OPA Director of Amenities and Operational Logistics Colby Phillips said Coastal Bays officials turned over 70 trees last week to Director of Public Works Eddie Wells.

“He had the guys pick them up and we will be plating around various parks and green spaces,” she said.

The batch of deciduous hardwood trees includes river birch, sycamore, black oak, sweet gum and tulip poplar.

Phillips said the saplings would be planted strategically this fall and could prove useful in locations with subpar drainage.

“We can put them around some of those areas and the roots will help absorb water,” she said.

Phillips also said the fresh plantings will bolster beautification plans General Manager John Viola is coordinating for next spring.

“We will take pictures and show Kevin Smith where they were placed,” she said.

Smith said after awarding Ocean Pines its allotment last week, another load of hardwoods was sent to Lower Shore Land Trust and Executive Director Kate Patton this week.

“We’re now down to about 40 trees,” he said. “We just wanted to make them available to our partners and municipalities. If they needed them, here they are.”