By Greg Ellison

(March 10, 2022) Spring plantings and town clean-up efforts dominated discussions during the Berlin Parks Commission meeting last Tuesday.

Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said signup for the annual Backyard Tree Buffer giveaway is getting underway.

“I’ve already had 14 people sign up,” she said.

To this point, Worcester County has allocated 50 tree bundles for the program, which is orchestrated through the Maryland Forest Service.

Each bundle contains 20 seedlings with evenly divided selections including bald cypress, chickasaw plum, northern bayberry, southern crabapple and willow oak.

“If we need more, there’s more available,” she said. “We normally do 70-80.”

Buffer tree bundles will be distributed on April 9 from 9 a.m. to noon at Berlin Town Hall at 10 William St.

Bohlen said the program is open to all county residents, with property owners located near streams or waterways urged to participate.

“It’s not just Berlin, we are actually the host for Worcester County,” she said.

For more information about the tree buffer program visit  https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/pages/programs/backyard-buffer-program.aspx

Sign up forms are available on the Town of Berlin webpage under the Parks Department or email mbohlen@berlinmd.gov or call 410-641-4314.

Plans are also being developed for a “Spring Celebration” on April 16, which coincides with Easter weekend.

“We will have a lot of crafts,” she said.

Work is also underway to hold a “Cleanup Day” in Berlin on April 23.

“We’re just getting started on planning,” she said.

Bohlen said the trash and debris removal event is scheduled during “Take Pride in Berlin Week.”

Economic & Community Development Director Ivy Wells is spearheading the latter event.

Bohlen said Public Works Director Jimmy Charles would have crews on hand to assist with spreading mulch and would provide backhoe services where required.

“We will provide lunch for volunteers,” she said.

Bohlen said participants could bring their own trash removal supplies, but trash bags and gloves would be provided for those who need them.

“It’s kind of a spring cleanup for the park after the winter,” she said. “We have to ask Jimmy [Charles] to maybe stop cleaning the park so well so people have something to do.”

Residents are also encouraged to collect discarded items clogging drainage ditches or lingering near corners designated for regular trash collections.

“There’s more to it than just the parks,” she said.

Bohlen asked residents to inform the town of any cleanup efforts performed outside of area parks.

“We will come and collect the trash bags,” she said.

Leapfrogging into May, Bohlen highlighted Berlin’s “Spring Walk” slated for the morning of May 7.

“The health department was trying to come up with fun ideas for walks,” she said.

To that end, Berlin hosted a “Glow Walk” last fall starting from Stephen Decatur Park.

Other ideas considered included a “Color Walk.”

“Usually they’re color runs where people throw packets of chalk dust,” she said. “It’s a huge spectacle.”

Bohlen had doubts about that approach being well received downtown Berlin.

“I don’t think it will work well in town,” she said.

Bohlen is working with Wells to craft other plans for community walks.