Tag Archive: education
New Public Space Recycling Stations Arrive in Wheaton!
If you have visited Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) office or downtown Wheaton lately, you likely have seen the latest additions to the neighborhood—new blue recycling stations! These
Stream Critters – Yellow Lance Mussel
Introduction Can animals that look like rocks and are capable of trickery and bloodsucking have a positive effect on water quality? What if those same animals had common names like
Stream Critters – Marbled Salamander
Introduction Marbled salamanders are marvelous critters. These thin-skinned, cold-blooded salamanders – and frogs and toads – survive winters without coats. That’s amazing. Salamanders can lose a leg or tail and
Stream Critters – Giant Stonefly
Introduction Picture this: an ancient adult stonefly lands on a stegosaurus. The stegosaurus doesn’t notice. The stonefly is looking for a mate, not a huge dinosaur, and it flies away.
Stream Critters – Acuminate Crayfish
Introduction “Look! Right there! Under that rock in the middle of the stream! Is that a lobster?” Nope. It’s a crayfish, the smaller freshwater cousin of the lobster. You can’t
Stream Critters
Introduction Eels have mystified people from Aristotle who thought they developed from earthworms to young Sigmund Freud who couldn’t find what makes a male eel a male and who switched
Extra Credit Opportunities: Learn about the climate this summer!
While MCPS may be out for the summer, there’s no need for students to pause their climate education. Numerous organizations are offering affordable, virtual camps and workshops focused on the environment and climate change. These educational opportunities are a great way for
Kemp Mill Shallow Marsh Wetland
Wetlands Provide Ecosystem Services Wetlands are often described as the “kidneys of the landscape.” They help remove pollutants from runoff and moderate the flow of water to mitigate floods and
Cicada Countdown
The Cicadas are Coming! You’ve no doubt heard by now that the periodical cicada Brood X will soon make its above-ground appearance in the local landscape. As the progeny of
Booze Creek Gets a Face Lift
Nearly 1400 young trees find a new home along Booze Creek As of April 2021, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection has completed more than three quarters of the
Fern Fronds Unfurl for Spring
As spring continues its procession, native ferns awaken to the sun and warming earth by unfurling their leaves, called fronds, that emerge from the base of the plant as tightly
2020 didn’t slow down the Watershed Restoration team
Its that time of year that our office has come to love. Time to submit our annual report to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for the County’s Municipal Separate
Winter starts the new garden year
Gardeners know: when the days start to lengthen, it’s time to get back to the garden. One of the typical garden activities of winter is ordering seeds and plants. Another
Signs of Spring: Fish!
Signs of spring are beginning to appear but, what makes it springtime? Who you ask will determine the answer you receive. If they are like most of my friends, it
Road Salt is a Problem
Salt is useful because it is inexpensive and somewhat effective in breaking down ice and snow on our roads. Following a storm, major roads need to be safe and passable.
RainScapes Rewards Program Pausing for a Few Months
We want to thank all that have expressed interest in our RainScapes Rewards program this year. We have received a record number of rebate applications, and at this time need
High School Student Designs Climate Education Course for Middle Schoolers
What happens when you combine a dedication to climate activism with a passion for helping others learn more about it? For Montgomery Blair High School senior Vivian Li, it meant
The Power of Scooping Poop
Have you ever heard of the Poop Fairy? No? Probably because there is no such thing. Pet owners across Montgomery County are responsible for picking up their pet’s waste when
Becoming a Beekeeper
How did I get started? I got interested in beekeeping out of a desire to make a small benefit to our yard and neighborhood. My wife and I have always
No One Wants Trashy Water: Pollution Prevention
What is the Problem? Litter in our communities is detrimental local wildlife as it pollutes streams. Litter can be any piece of trash that is not put into the correct
Caring for Sligo Creek Walking Tour
County Green Streets and RainScapes Rewards projects in the Sligo Park Hills neighborhood provided inspiration to representatives of local congregations who recently attended a walking tour hosted by the National
Monitoring Montgomery County’s Streams
Did you know that September 18th is World Water Monitoring Day? Since 1995 Montgomery County has maintained a stream monitoring program. As a result, the program has tracked water quality
Climate Education Resources
Incorporating climate literacy and education about climate change into schools is an important factor in making Montgomery County a more sustainable community and necessary to meet our goal of zero
Artistic Messages of Consciousness, Community, and Clean Water
If you look closely, you will find many beautifully painted storm drains across Montgomery County with messages highlighting the importance of clean water and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. These designs
Stormwater Best Management Practices
August is water quality awareness month. At the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the Watershed Restoration Division’ entire focus is water protection year-round! The Watershed Restoration Division is
Explore County’s water quality restoration work through interactive map and learn ways to save money!
This past June, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed an interactive web map with dynamic infographics. The interactive map displays the County’s restoration efforts that have taken
Streams of Consciousness: Knowing Where Our Stormwater Goes
Many storm drains in Montgomery County lead straight to streams, which then feed into larger streams and rivers and eventually lead to the Chesapeake Bay. We pass these storm drains
Clean Water Art Contest Winners!
Every year we host an art contest to help us with educating Montgomery County residents on the importance of protecting our communities and local waters – our rivers and streams.
Volunteer Champions: The Lewy Family
The Lewy Family was recognized as Volunteer Family of the Year during DEP’s 20th Annual Recycling Achievement Ceremony. Find out more about The Lewy Family in our series,
Register for a spring RainScapes training course!
The RainScapes program offers low-cost trainings to residents of Montgomery County, MD who are interested in using their property to improve water quality and provide habitat for wildlife. RainScapes, include rain
Putting the ART back in partnership
National Park Service and Montgomery County sign new 10-year agreement for shared management of Glen Echo Park. Glen Echo Park, famous for its carousel, Spanish ballroom, arts programs and Civil
The Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program is now OPEN!
The Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant program, offered by the Montgomery County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is now accepting proposals to support watershed restoration and outreach
Montgomery County stormwater summit for homeowners
On June 6 the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at the University of Maryland (UMD) hosted a Montgomery County Stormwater Summit for Homeowners at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. This event, part
The Montgomery County green infrastructure stormwater tour was a big success!
Chesapeake Awareness Week was the first week in June and the celebration kicked off with a Stormwater Tour! On May 31st, two busloads of landscape architects, designers, engineers, and environmental
Blue Spotlight On: The Anacostia Watershed
This is the first in an upcoming series where we put the “Blue Spotlight” on a local watershed. You’ll get a quick look at this watershed and some of the
Register for a spring RainScapes training course!
The RainScapes program offers low-cost trainings to residents of Montgomery County, MD who are interested in using their property to improve water quality and provide habitat for wildlife. RainScapes, include rain
MCPS students learn about bioretention gardens
Doug Marshall, a Watershed Planner with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, recently met with the members of the Green Team Club of Newport Mill Middle School to talk
Make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a day ON, not a day off!
MLK Day is a federal and school holiday, but more importantly, it has become an annual Day of Service celebrated across the country. Honor the memory and spirit of Dr. Martin
Saving dollars and watts: Highlights from Energy Action Month
One month ago, Montgomery County Council proclaimed October “Energy Action Month” in Montgomery County, as part of the national effort to raise awareness about energy. Here at the Department of
An avenue of discovery with SEEC and the Silver Spring Timebank
Have you heard of SEEC? — Their name is an acronym that sums up their mission: Seeking Equality, Empowerment, and Community for People with Developmental Disabilities. This summer, Brandon Davis, Phillip Chen,
DEP and MCPS team up to protect our waterways
On October 17th, fifth grade students from Strathmore Elementary School cut the ribbon to mark the officially completion of four Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) rain gardens. County Executive Isiah
Montgomery County hosts workforce development training for the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, WorkSource Montgomery and Montgomery College have partnered to sponsor a free training series to prepare workers in the growing green infrastructure industry. The
The 7th annual H2O Summit is Saturday
You’re invited to the H2O Summit this Saturday in Rockville! This free event is focused on connecting residents, nonprofit organizations and government agencies together to share ideas and programs focused on
Nominate to the Community Leader + Stream Volunteer Awards
Montgomery County takes pride in the selfless residents, businesses, civil servants, and students who donate thousands of hours to numerous community service opportunities. Our residents make up a vast community
Grant opportunity: Funding for community watershed restoration and outreach projects
The Montgomery County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announce a grant program to support watershed restoration and outreach projects throughout Montgomery County. The goal of this program is promote
Getting on the “Energy Express” with Montgomery County Public Libraries this summer
This summer, DEP is partnering with Montgomery County Libraries to help kids “Build a Better World/Construye un Mundo Mejor.” Every summer there is a different theme for the summer reading
BioBlitz 2017: fifth graders exploring nature, observing critters, and sharing findings
On June 7th, students from Clarksburg Elementary School attended a BioBlitz event collaboratively organized by Montgomery County DEP, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Parks and the Audubon Naturalist Society.
Creative thinking: using art to educate about storm drains and the Bay
Happy Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week! This week, DEP is focused on educating residents about the Chesapeake Bay and how we can all help protect this vital resource. Kicking off the week,
