Mattawoman Creek

[Ken H.]

Local efforts to preserve Mattawoman Creek for future generations to enjoy are being threatened by Charles County’s plans to build a four lane highway through the watershed. If you have never fished, kayaked or just watched the abundant wildlife there, you may have missed the kind of memorable outdoor experience that could be ruined for future generations.

In 2005, several local fishermen/conservationists formed the Mason Springs Conservancy to protect the fishing access area where Mattawoman Creek passes under Hawthorne Rd. in Charles County, MD. We wanted to preserve one of the most popular and productive shore access points in the entire watershed for fishing, kayaking, bird watching – whatever the public wanted to do there besides litter and destroy it. Each of us put up a share of the purchase price and invested considerable sweat equity. We obtained grants to plant trees, improve the parking lot, and keep vehicles away from the banks to discourage the dumping of large objects, like cars, into the stream. We removed the cars, refrigerators, tires and other debris from the stream and the banks. We provided signage and a trash can to encourage public stewardship of the creek. Local schools use the site for field trips as part of the Yellow Perch Hatch, Raise and Release project.

All of this is at risk if the County is allowed to construct the road, especially if they are not required to provide a true, peer reviewed, impact study of the threats. Thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, you have an easy way to help preserve something special. You can go to Convio: Site Not Found
and ask Governor O’Malley to ensure that protecting this watershed becomes a public policy priority.

Just go to the link above and follow the simple directions. CBF has provided a wealth of information about the project and a painless way for us to make a difference. Hats off to CBF.

Ken Hastings
Mason Springs Conservancy

[J.P. Williams]

Thanks, Ken. That Convio: Site Not Found link looks like it won't work, but it will. Just try it.

Also, for a first-hand report on Mattawoman, read Angus Phillips's column from Sunday's Washington Post:

Angus Phillips - Angus Phillips Writes About the Outdoors - washingtonpost.com

Best, JPW

[Tawn]

Typical Charles County planning - that's why I moved to Calvert 2 years ago