Piney Orchard Nature Preserve, Nature preserve in Odenton, Maryland, US
Piney Orchard Nature Preserve is a 45-acre protected wetland forest with five large ponds and miles of walking trails, bordered by the Little Patuxent River to the south. The landscape combines open water, forest, and grassland areas that support different types of wildlife throughout the seasons.
The preserve originated in 1987 as a restoration project to heal wetlands damaged by sand and gravel mining operations that occurred during the 1940s and 1950s. This recovery effort transformed industrial land back into functioning natural habitat.
The preserve functions as a learning space where schools and community organizations study local ecosystems and habitat recovery. Visitors can see how dedicated land management brings back natural environments that had been damaged.
A small paved parking lot at Sandy Walk Way offers access to 5 miles of trails suitable for walking through varied terrain. These paths connect to the larger Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail system for extended exploration.
The preserve hosts 768 plant and animal species, including 165 bird species with 26 threatened or endangered ones such as bald eagles. The return of these powerful raptors demonstrates how successful the habitat recovery has been.
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