About Hellen Creek
Forest & Wildlife Preserve
Hellen Creek Wildlife Preserve
Located on the upper reaches of Hellen Creek in Lusby, the Hellen Creek Wildlife Preserve includes marshes, forests, streams and deep ravines. Together with the recently acquired The Nature Conservancy Hemlock Preserve the HCWP includes nearly 200 acres of the watershed under permanent easement. Our offices are located on the Preserve and our local Director is responsible for the upkeep and monitoring of it.
The focus of activities on the Preserve is to support biodiversity. Steps taken to further that goal include seasonal deer hunting to reduce the overabundance of that species. The understory of the forest is severely depleted by their grazing activities. As part of our habitat restoration effort we have regular invasive removal workdays and efforts to restore native species through plantings. We have healthy population white turtleheads along the streambed “garden” which includes other wildflowers and wetland shrubs.
The Forest Stewardship Plan for all properties within the Hellen Creek Wildlife Preserve is being implemented. Identification of invasive species and plans for their removal are a top priority.
View of the Hemlock Preserve from
Turner Road.
View of an Interior
Forest Scene.
View of the Hemlock Preserve from
Mill Bridge.
A gorgeous view during a fall hike.
A gorgeous view during a summer hike. Note the cattails.
Hellen Creek at flood stage.
Blue bird box monitoring.
Bluebird boxes sometimes get other clients. The Carolina Chickadee has a mossy nest with speckled eggs.
Wood duck box monitoring.
These are tree swallows. Their nests have lots of feathers.
Winter Snowfall
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Spring Blossom (pawpaw)
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Summer Swallowtails
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Summer Swallowtails
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Fall Colors
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Fall Colors
The Seasons at Hellen Creek
Forest and WildLife Preserve
Wildlife
Fox, deer, squirrels, groundhogs, box turtles, skunks, and lots of birds are some of the wildlife seen regularly at the Preserve.
Wildlife
Fox, deer, squirrels, groundhogs, box turtles, skunks, and lots of birds are some of the wildlife seen regularly at the Preserve.
Our Board of Trustees consists of the following:
Mike Gardner, President
CP, LNG
Ralph Eshelman, Vice President
MCC
Gary Ressing, Treasurer
MCC
Vacant, Secretary
Mike Rudy, Trustee
Community Member
Lila West, Trustee
SC
Ron Klauda, Trustee
SC
Frank Brayton, Trustee
CP, LNG
Chris Chenoweth, Trustee
Community Member
Robert Boxwell
Staff
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust (CPNHT) is a non-profit trust in Calvert County, made up of the Sierra Club, the Maryland Conservation Council, and the Cove Point LNG (one of the nation's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants). CPNHT's mission is to preserve and protect ecologically sensitive sites in Southern Maryland through land conservation and acquisition, research, and environmental education. The annual gift is part of a larger plan to give research education funds to area educational organizations that include the College of Southern Maryland, the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, and Morgan State University.
Environmental Education Outreach
The Trust has been providing programming to the local schools, scouts, and adult educational venues for the past five years. In addition to after school programs in Calvert and St. Mary’s County, the Trust has provide technical assistance, donated supplies, provided manpower, and funded several “green school” project in Calvert County. Cooperation with Chespax and Maryland Summer Camp are other venues to spread our message of environmental stewardship. If you have a school group, club, scout troop, day care, home owners association or other venue that would be interested in learning more about the Bay and the creatures that inhabit it, contact our Executive Director at 410.394.1300 or by e-mail at cpnht@comcast.net.