From the Susquehannock Wildlife Society:
(Bel Air, MD) – – Susquehannock Wildlife Society has partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for management of a newly acquired Harford County property, to protect and enhance the sensitive habitat and begin work on what will become the region’s first dedicated wildlife center.
The property – now officially known as the Hopkins Branch Wildlife Management Area (WMA) – was purchased by the state of Maryland this spring through Program Open Space funding. In an effort to alleviate manpower and maintenance costs for the state, DNR entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Susquehannock Wildlife Society to oversee year-round maintenance of the property and structures.
The site is bisected by an important tributary of Deer Creek, contains vernal pool, open meadow, woodland, and wetland ecosystems, and provides habitat to numerous species of wildlife, including the rare and declining state insect, the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly.
At Hopkins Branch WMA, Susquehannock Wildlife Society will protect threatened habitat, monitor and enhance existing natural attributes, use the property to provide wildlife interpretation and education to the public, and conduct native wildlife rescue and rehabilitation operations.
An existing house and barn on the site will be renovated and converted by Susquehannock Wildlife Society into a first-of-its-kind local wildlife center and rescue and rehabilitation facility. Within the wildlife center, visitors will be educated and entertained by museum-quality displays, hands-on activities, and live-animal education ambassadors. Having a permanent facility will also allow Susquehannock Wildlife Society to expand its already active and successful wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts – offering space for licensed wildlife rehabbers to care for and house local injured and orphaned animals until they can be released back into the wild.
Once open to the public, visitors will be able to hike more than a mile of trails along a creek, past a pond, and through meadow and woodland; offering excellent bird- and wildlife-watching opportunities and scenic views of the countryside.
With this announcement comes a direct appeal from Susquehannock Wildlife Society to the public in search of funding and donations to support the maintenance and operation of the wildlife center as well our existing education and conservation endeavors. Susquehannock Wildlife Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and your contribution is a fully tax deductible donation. You may send a check or donate securely online through our website.
For more information about this or other local wildlife issues, contact the Susquehannock Wildlife Society at 443-333-WILD (-9453) or visit our web site at http://www.suskywildlife.org.
This is such a fragile and important ecosystem that I am concerned that the Susquehannock Wildlife Society does not have the credentials to manage it appropriately. Typically in a DNR/MD ST. PK. property, especially sensitive ones like this, management defaults to a DNR employee who has extensive field experience and a research field degree such as wildlife/fisheries or similar scientist credentials.
I am very concerned for the long term preservation of this property so I did some research and want to share the credentials of the Board of Directors of the SWS who will be managing this facility as the article states:.
Scott McDaniel (pres.) – B.A. in Electronic Media and film, Towson
Brian Goodman (v.p.) – B.A. in Journalism, University of Maryland,
president editor of the Dagger
Bob Chance (environmental advisor) -B.S. in Geography, Towson,
ex school teacher CMW – HCPS,
Chris Todd (volunteer coord.) – Associates Degree (2 yr.) general studies, Harford Community College
Melissa Goodman (Rescue Coord.)- Associates Degree – General Studies, Harford Community College,
Veterinary Technician at local vet
Nicole Eller (Conservation Project coord.) – No college degree
Hunter Howell (Field Research Coord.) – Harford Christian H.S., No college degree
Andy Adams (Education Coord.) – B.S. in ecology and environmental science, Central Conn. University,
Affiliate (non tenured part time) professor at Loyola college
Not a field scientist or research degree in the bunch, there are two members with science degrees(education centered), but the vast majority either have a degree totally unrelated or did not finish college or receive a 4 year degree, some did not even attend.
I really do not feel the state should put this sensitive public land into the hands of this group and ask them to monitor and manage it as they may have the will but not the knowledge nor tools for real deal conservation management.
I commend the group for the interest and initiative but in reality no one on the board is qualified to manage a wildlife management area with at least 2 named endangered species and an ecosystem that could disintegrate with one too many rehab fox scats (poops).
As for the rehab center being constructed on the property, that is a bad idea as well for these two reasons: 1. you will be introducing more stress on the sensitive ecosystem by: construction and renovations, nutrient impact and load increase due to the number of animals brought there to rehab… all of their waste is introduced into the ecosystem (some organisms can die with a very slight increase in nitrate or other nutrients), pollution and compaction of soils due to increased vehicle traffic, to name a few. The second reason is that there is no one, again, qualified to run a rehab center or legally handle/treat protected species. The article says “offering space for licensed wildlife rehabbers to care for and house local injured and orphaned animals until they can be released back into the wild.” still though, there is not a licensed wildlife rehabilitator on the board.
It doesn’t smell right in these woods to me and its not Bob C. haha … I also see permanent state maintained structures (free facilities) for SWS, and I bet all stand to get paid. Did you know that the average salary for a non-profit organization Board of Directors member in the USA is currently $75,000 annually? Think about it.
It is public land and that means it is also my land and everyone’s in our great state which means I may just go take a hike through this week and see what it is all about before it is gone, even though the article says it is closed to the public.
Brain Goodman, as the editor and president of the Dagger I urge you to uphold your Journalistic Oath and honor my freedom of speech and opinion by not erasing this comment. Feel free to comment back or debate but it would not help anything if this were to disappear. I know you from back in the Days of Subsist.
Many small non profit Board members receive no compensation at all. I know because I’m one of them. In fact, there are no perks at all and the whole purpose is for me to give to the organization rather than take from it. I’d be surprised if this non profit Board had any compensation as well, and if they did, it is no where near the average you’re citing. You’ve done all their research, so what’s their budget? You think they have a few hundred thousand to pay these people?
Also, Board members are brought on not just for the expertise, but for many other reasons as well, including sound judgement and networking/fundraising ability within the community. Obviously there needs to be a certain level of expertise, particularly in something like this, but you’re implying that there are no staff or other volunteers at this organization who hold it, or that they have no plans to obtain those people, which may or may not be true.
“honor my freedom of speech and opinion by not erasing this comment”
Hey dumbass freedom of speech only applies when you are dealing with the government.. If you are going to use the Constitution at least read and understand it.
You have no freedom of speech here don’t like it? start your own online blog.and you can delete whatever doesn’t please you.
Disregard my post. I’m a rather, hysterical and deranged unkiltered individual.
In the interest of journalistic ethics, I think a disclaimer mentioning Brian Goodman’s affiliations with both The Dagger and Susquehannock Wildlife Society should have been included in this article.
If it is wild lands, why does it need management? And should humans not be allowed in to protect the wilderness?
I commend the people in this group for taking their hard earned time and efforts to make a difference, lets not bash efforts to do something positive. Ask yourself, what have you done for the community, for the environment? Do you have to have a P.H.D. to make a difference? Anybody can make a difference.
This is a prime example of why public service sucks. Here you have a great group of educated folks willing to give of their time for the good of us all and the do nothing arm chair critics piss on their efforts.
What do you plan to do about it?
Oh we will keep on as always with assholes like you wrapped around our legs limiting forward progress.
What do you plan to do, though?
Interesting how I was able to reply to you without profanity.
In the real world, the Board of Directors of an organization, whither it be a business, a non-profit, a school, what have you) rarely has anything to do with the day-to-day operations of said organization. Their job is to look at the big picture and to do what is best for the organization to make the big picture happen. In this case, the making the big picture happen will entail getting people with the expertise necessary to make the science happen properly and doing the fundraising necessary to get those people. So while the original respondent has valid concerns about the management of the new Wildlife area, I believe that his/her misunderstanding of the purpose of a Board of Directors has caused undue stress related to those concerns.
Heck I’d say you really want something done well hire the guy with the passion over the guy with credentials. Knowledge is always obtainable…passion is within.
@ Keep Northern Harcourt Wild
There will be ample opportunities for those such as you, with superior educational achievement, epic wildlife rehab experience, and advanced conservation management skills. Volunteers will be invaluable to the cause as these dedicated activists continue their good works. Note please, I said activists. Some just enjoy nay saying and bloating. I am sure that isn’ t you, so I look forward to seeing you hard at work alongside the rest of us, as we put ourselves out there to support the work of this committed group.
Well said. I just wanted to call him an asshole. lol
I applaud the efforts of every individual devoted to this project. Clearly, as stated, DNR and SWS have worked together to create a goal of common objectives. Without this partnership, it is very likely the state funding would never materialize to care for this area. And what is blatantly overlooked in the negative commentary is the value this project will provide in terms of public education. Unless the public is inspired to appreciated nature, all the PhDs in Maryland won’t be able to save it.
Although the life of a person is in a land full of thorns and weeds,
there is always a space in which the good seed can grow.
You have to trust God.~Pope Francis
You don’t change the world by hiding in the woods, wearing a hair shirt, or buying indulgences in the form of ‘Save the Earth’ bumper stickers. You do it by articulating a vision for the future and pursuing it with all the ingenuity humanity can muster. ~ Alex Steffen
Questioning anything and everything, to me, is punk rock. ~Rev. Rollins
To the Editor:
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Nothing is going to get better
It’s not. ~ T.Geisel
TO ~”Keep Northern Harco Wild”
your arguments are not strong enough to have the punch you intend.
Here are two that stick out,
You say because the Board of Directors has varying Education levels – you have fear for the preservation of the land.
your conclusion is pulled from facts that do not convey your conclusion’s idea. –
lack of education does not make for poor land husbandry and preservation.
Jane Goodall was chosen by the anthropologist L. Leaky at a young age to study chimps. She, many years later graduated from Cambridge in a “special program” with a PHd all done while she was in the jungle…. Leaky wanted other scientist to recognize Jane, and pushed the degree just for that purpose. not to make her better at her research. She had been in the jungle well before the need for credentials.
” I also see permanent state maintained structures (free facilities) for SWS, and I bet all stand to get paid. Did you know that the average salary for a non-profit organization Board of Directors member in the USA is currently $75,000 annually?” to simply place the first sentence next the the second one does not make the first a fact. and as far as read is not an intent SWS.
.I am sure you have very valid concerns, try and provide proof that SWS will cause harm -not facts that are loosely strung between fears and ideas.
correlation without causation is not a basis for an argument.
because rescue animals produce scat and scat produces environmental nutrients the environment and eco system will be at risk –
.
you have assumed that the excrement will be introduced directly and without intervention.
Just because the first two ideas are factual and loosely linked the third is not assumed true for idea one and two.
plus arguments like this do not take into account the other 1000 variables possible.
the same logic can be used for your scat.
plus hiding behind the first amendment and a fictitious Journalistic oath so your identity is protected is soft.
if you have feelings this strong, own them and be proud don’t hide it makes your intent and motivation very questionable.
# GreenLivesMatter #GodisAwesome #Only_God_Knows_Your_Destiny
PS
Argue, yell, debate this publicly instead. – the bel air turtle race.
…hint the first line is the best place to start…because we’ve been doing it for years it makes it ok and plus were urging all… imagine if we could trust the power of an urge……
We love our turtles — and having a turtle derby has been a feature of this event for decades. We recognize the sensitivity of the issue of treatment of wild animals, and we urge all participants to honor their turtles by caring for them properly, safeguarding them from possible pathogens, and returning them to the proper environment as soon as possible. The Bel Air Independence Day Committee thanks the greater Bel Air Community for its attention to these matters and for its cooperation and fellowship.
your opinion matters however
i will not return to read anything, reply, or be part of the debate.
you can say what you wish about me or my ideas
this is just my opinion. and a few real facts
I have a great idea lets open a bring your own wildlife petting zoo.
Seems logical.
I’ll see if the rabid beaver can make it..