Jones Falls Trail & Restoration Effort
Jones Falls in Baltimore County is the most productive natural trout stream in the State of Maryland.
The Maryland Chapter of Trout Unlimited has a forty year history of involvement with the watershed and its residents. We are proposing a parking area adjacent to the stream and a restoration project to restore the adjacent concrete channel to natural habitat.
A trail adjacent to this his section of the Jones Falls along with the benefits proposed by the parking lot and restoration project can offer an array of benefits beyond the immediate biological benefit of improved trout stream habitat. These benefits include:
- Supports Trout Unlimited’s national K-12 program – Trout in the Classroom and Thomas Jefferson University’s Project BioEYES with their curricula focusing on water quality, stream habitat, conservation, and watershed ecosystems issues. (See schools listed at the end of the proposal).
- Provides an opportunity to fulfill the State of Maryland’s Life Science Initiative through environmental science and environmental studies focused on curricula in biology, chemistry, and geology, and for fostering career tracks in “green” professions.
- Will be a venue in the State of Maryland’s proposed Children in Nature Partnership and its Every Child Every Year recommendation providing a meaningful outdoor watershed experience as defined in the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.
- Is consistent with the No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 co-sponsored by Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes and its goal of providing environmental education, particularly to develop rigorous standards, train teachers, and to develop statewide environmental literacy plans.
- Will provide a supplemental nature experience and “advanced” fishing venue to Baltimore City Recreation and Parks and Maryland Chapter of Trout Unlimited through their City Catch Program, which exposes city youth to trout fishing, watershed issues and park use.
- Will bring other non-profit watershed, park, and land use stakeholders together in a common purpose. These include — but are not confined to — The Jones Falls Watershed Association, Parks and People Foundation, Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
- Will serve as a model in national, state, county and local jurisdictional collaboration in watershed restoration.
- Will contribute to increased outdoor recreational activities linked to wellness and healthy lifestyles – a sound investment in a time of escalating health care costs associated with sedentary lifestyles. (Hopewell Cancer Support and Brightwood Community and Rehab Center are adjacent to proposed trail)
- Will be a catalyst for enlarging the Jones Falls Master Plan and linking existing parks ( Robert E. Lee Park and Meadowood Park ) , historic cultural resources ( Jones Falls Mill Valley, Brooklandville Grist Mill and the Greenspring Valley Historic District — Chattolanee means “clear water” in Piscataway) ) , and trails together ( Jones Falls Trail , current “dog trail”, Meadowood trails) . Economic benefits from increased “eco” and “heritage” tourism would result ( recreational sports retailers, restaurants, interpretative centers/museums, lodging, travel services) .
Slade Run Brook Trout Restoration
TBD