SILVER SPRING, MD—With the launch of a new initiative called “Wild Montgomery,” the Montgomery County Department of Parks with partners such as the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Seneca Creek State Park, C&O Canal National Historical Park, Montgomery Bird Club, Montgomery County Sierra Club and Audubon Naturalist Society are giving thanks for the county’s wild, natural spaces this Thanksgiving.
“We have a lot to be thankful for here in Montgomery County when it comes to great natural areas,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Natural Resources Manager Rob Gibbs. “Not just for fun, our wild areas reduce air and water pollutants, alleviate ?ooding, control erosion and provide habitat for wildlife.”
As part of the “Wild Montgomery” initiative the county parks department with its partners have identified 14 of the best green getaways in the county including, for example, the C&O Canal National Historical Park as the best place for spring wildflower viewing, McKee Beshers Wildlife Area as best for wildlife viewing and Little Bennett Regional Park and Rachel Carson Conservation Park as the best places to get away from it all. The new www.WildMontgomery.org site provides information, resources and little known facts about the abundance of natural spaces in Montgomery County. From this site, those interested in immersing themselves in the county’s natural treasures may also download a printable map of the best green getaways selected.
“Our parks offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy, protect and celebrate what’s wild about Montgomery County year round,” added Gibbs.
“Wild Montgomery” resources in county parks include the variety of nature-based classes and programs offered at the department’s four nature centers, miles of natural surface trails running through the parks, award-winning public gardens and volunteer opportunities throughout the year to help make a difference by protecting the county’s natural areas.
Partnering organizations similarly provide opportunities for county residents and visitors to get out and explore the best of Montgomery County’s natural areas. “We offer programs for school kids, adults, for people from practically cradle to grave,” said Stephanie Mason, senior naturalist with the Audubon Naturalist Society. “We want to get people outdoors and we often use county parks as destinations for our field trips to share the richness of these wild resources so close-in to our urban area.”
Montgomery County cable subscribers can learn more about the Audubon Naturalist Society and the “Wild Montgomery” initiative this month on The Parks Show, which is airing now through November 30 at least two times daily on County Cable Montgomery, Comcast Channel 6. The show is also available online from www.MontgomeryParks.org.
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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
(301) 650-2866