Discover Delmarva: Adkins Arboretum
RIDGLEY, Md.- Adkins Arboretum in Ridgley, Maryland has 400 acres of land within Tuckahoe State Park. This land is used to educate the public on the importance of conserving the land in which we live. The education and appreciation come from the art and recreation people enjoy throughout the grounds.
WMDT met up with the Executive Director of Adkins Arboretum, Ginna Tiernan to tour the grounds and learn more about their mission. “We focus on native plants; and educating people on native plants and their importance,” says Tiernan. The educational aspect is an important mission for Adkins since it’s the only Arboretum focusing solely on the native Mid-Atlantic plants, with over 600 species calling it home.
We arrived and took a quick walk towards the welcome center across the Wetland Boardwalk you may find frogs, turtles, and even some nesting birds. Tiernan says they take pride in providing a high-quality experience traveling throughout the trail “You’re going to be walking in very naturalized areas. Well-maintained trails the beauty is evident.”
Taking one of these trails from the welcome center, you’ll find an overlook offering an enlightening and fresh view over the landscape. Tiernan says ” It’s just an incredible view that you would never get. If you were walking through this meadow the grasses, it can be five to six feet tall.”
This overlook allows a distinctive point of view overtop of the meadow. Makes this a great spot to learn about the importance of controlled burns and natural vegetation on our lands. You may even find a variety of wildlife hiding within the tall natural grasses! Tiernan says the range of wildlife is expansive “You can see turtles, herons, beaver, muskrats, foxes, and deer.”
The pavilion which is a short walk up the meadow trail provides some time out of the sun and plenty of space for a picturesque picnic. A small opening to the woods leads to the Blockston Branch Walk – taking you on a trail deep into the woods with an abundance of different sights and sounds.
Tiernan says “We have a lot of biodiversity here. We’re an important bird area.” One of the plants you may see is paw-paw which is a native plant. This plant is of no interest to deer and produces a large edible fruit for humans.
Tiernan says this is one of the most unique times of the year to visit “Of course you see the colors changing. They are already changing. The weather is cooling down it’s very comfortable to be here.”
The mission is the promote environmental stewardship and preservation. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset and leashed dogs are welcome too! For more information about your visit or their class offerings check out their website.
