Introduction

The Adkins Arboretum site is a one acre (0.1 acre forest, 0.4 acre scrub-shrub, 0.5 acre emergent) wetland restoration located on the Choptank River Area - Tuckahoe Creek (02-13-04-05) watershed of Caroline County.           

Construction

Between Fall 2000 and Spring 2001, the Maryland Department of the Environment, in conjunction with Adkins Arboretum, State Highway Administration, and Eastern Shore Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) converted this pond into a wetland through grading and planting.             

Status

This site has developed into a successful wetland system and provides valuable wetland functions including providing wildlife habitat, water quality improvements, headwater wetland storage, recharging groundwater, and recreational opportunities.  Since this wetland is adjacent to the park visitor center, it provides excellent educational opportunities.  Park volunteers also help maintain the biodiversity of the wetland, by removing invasive or aggressive plant species.  When MDE scored this site in 2009 using the newly developed Mitigation Site Scoring Method, the site received the score of 96/100.  This site is on public land.