Middle Patuxent Environmental Area
Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks manages the 1021-acre Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) in cooperation with the Middle Patuxent Environmental Foundation. This natural area is home to a diversity of wildlife, including an impressive list of about 150 species of birds, over 40 species of mammals, and numerous amphibians, reptiles, fishes, butterflies, plants and other wildlife. The primary components of the MPEA’s mission are natural resource conservation, environmental education, research, and passive recreation. The area is managed using ecosystem management concepts to restore and protect the diversity of communities found in this region. Five and one-half miles of hiking trails, with two interpretive nature trail brochures, give visitors an opportunity to enjoy and learn about the area.
Ongoing natural resource management projects in the MPEA include meadow habitat restoration, natural resource inventories (bird surveys, vegetation surveys, etc), forest management, deer population management, stream water quality monitoring, and the volunteer program. The objective of the MPEA volunteer program is to involve members of the community in many aspects of the MPEA’s management. Volunteers can become involved in the development and maintenance of our trail system, help fight the invasive exotics that threaten our native species, study the diverse flora and fauna communities, participate in habitat management projects, and/or help develop educational programs.
To find out more about MPEA programs and management activities, contact MPEA Natural Resources Manager, Cheryl Farfaras at 410-313-4726 or email cfarfaras@howardcountymd.gov.
Middle Patuxent Environmental Area Comprehensive Management Plan Executive Summary
Conservation Stewardship Project (CSP) 2008 CSP Program Schedule
Southwind Trail Interpretive Nature Walk
Welcome to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) virtual interpretive nature trail. The MPEA, established in 1996, is 1021 acres in size and contains a diversity of habitat types. There are upland and bottomland hardwood forest, fields, wetlands, ponds, and riparian (riverine) habitats. The primary components of the MPEA's mission are natural resource management, education, research and recreation. There are 5.4 miles of hiking trails in the MPEA. This brochure will guide you on a virtual tour through the Southwind Trail (2.3 miles), including the grassland restoration area and a wetland area. Numbered markers along the trail (see map) correspond to the numbered interpretive point pictures. ENJOY!
This is a very large file (1 mb); please allow a few minutes for it to open with Adobe Acrobat. MPEA Virtual Tour
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