Watershed Ecology

The Parkers Creek Watershed is a hot spot of ecological diversity which thrive on its preserved, contiguous lands. Its habitats include forested uplands, forested wetlands, mesic stream valleys, tidal freshwater and saltmarsh wetlands, pocket beaches, and fossil-bearing sea cliffs.

On any given day, eagles, heron, osprey, deer, beaver, otter, songbirds and other native and migrating species can be spotted in the woods and marsh. For the best wildlife sightings, join us for a guided canoe trip or hike the trails early in the mornings or just before sunset.

Land Management and Habitat Improvement

Birds, Mammals and Fish: ACLT is currently conducting a comprehensive survey of bird and fish populations to better inform our habitat support and improvement programs (Spring 2017). The National Audubon Society deemed the Parkers Creek Watershed an “Important Bird Area” for statewide conservation and describes the it as “the most diverse relatively undisturbed multi-ecosystem left on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.”
Forest: Working with our Science Committee, we’re designing a method of taking inventory of our forest species diversity and monitoring how they change over time. Forests types include old growth, dry upland, coastal plain, mesic mixed hardwood and wetland. Plant life is bountiful and varied including several endangered species.
Insects, Reptiles and Amphibians: Because of the large forested areas around vernal pools, a wide variety of these species thrive in the Parkers Creek Watershed including several notable rare and endangered species.
Water Quality Monitoring: For more than 20 years ACLT has continually sampled the waters of Parkers Creek to ensure its health. Currently, the watershed exceeds all standards set for the county and is one of the healthiest in the region.

For a broader overview of current land management activities, see Establishing a watershed baseline by Autumn Phillips-Lewis, ACLT's Land Manager, on page 8 of the Winter 2017 issue of Watershed Observer.

Additional References:

http://md.audubon.org/sites/g/files/amh621/f/parkers_creek_iba-july_2016.pdf

https://dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Documents/SWAP/SWAP_chapter4.pdf