Montgomery County Council Proclaims May 27 “Rachel Carson Day” in Montgomery County

SILVER SPRING, MD-At approximately 9:00 am Tuesday, May 15, the Montgomery County Council will take up a resolution declaring May 27, 2007 “Rachel Carson Day” in Montgomery County in honor of Carson’s 100th birthday anniversary.

Rachel Carson, known as a key founder of the modern environmental movement with the success of her best-selling book Silent Spring, was a resident of Silver Spring.

“The County Council urges the residents of Montgomery County to honor Rachel Carson by discovering in nature a sense of wonder not only on Rachel Carson’s birthday but every day thereafter,” as noted in the County Council’s written resolution.

County residents and area visitors can get a jumpstart on discovering their sense of wonder during the Montgomery County Department of Parks’ two-day Rachel Carson Greenway Celebration, Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20.

“We’re throwing a huge party to honor the enormous contribution of Rachel Carson’s life work and her personal commitment to the conservation of open green spaces, such as our county’s parks,” said Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford. “As a Silver Spring resident, Rachel Carson frequently enjoyed the parks and green spaces of Montgomery County near her home. This celebration is a great chance to get outdoors and discover, or rediscover the natural world with friends and family.” 

The department’s Rachel Carson Greenway Celebration will include Saturday park naturalist-led “Sense of Wonder” hikes of one of the most popular sections of the Rachel Carson Greenway at Burnt Mills Dam in Silver Spring, Underground Railroad Experience Trail hikes at Woodlawn Cultural Park in Sandy Spring and a “Contemplating Nature” hike at Rachel Carson Conservation Park in Brookeville on Sunday. The celebration will also include activities for the kids, such as a real-life show and tell of the different kinds of fish and critters in the Northwest Branch Stream at Burnt Mills Dam, free trolley rides and Rachel Carson films at the National Capital Trolley Museum and walks to showcase the big tree champions at the Trolley Museum.

A special feature Saturday evening at Woodlawn Cultural Park, 6501 Norwood Road, in Sandy Spring will include an evening talk on the night sky and the Underground Railroad by renowned Historian Anthony Cohen. Saturday evening’s event will conclude with a night hike at Woodlawn led by Anthony Cohen and night sky stargazing with Montgomery College Astronomer Dr. Harold Williams through telescopes provided courtesy of the college. 

On Sunday, the department’s celebration will wrap-up with a birthday party for Rachel Carson at the Rachel Carson Conservation Park, 22201 Zion Road, in Brookville. The day’s event will also include nature fun for kids, such as fishing in a barrel, a recycling game and making a big birthday banner; birthday cake will also be provided for all attending.

As part of the celebration, a team of hikers from REI will also hike the entire length of the 25-mile Rachel Carson Greenway over the course of the two-day event.

All events for the greenway celebration are free. Former Montgomery County Planning Board Chairman Derick Berlage is honorary event chair and current Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson will also be on hand for the festivities.

“The importance of Rachel Carson is apparent within our parks system by the two special places we have named in her honor,” said Chairman Hanson. “A few years ago, the Board approved a plan that will make the Rachel Carson Greenway the longest continuous trail in Montgomery County when it’s completed-so celebrating the greenway for Carson’s centennial is a befitting expression of our commitment to the principles of her work.”

The department’s 400+ parks system includes both the Rachel Carson Greenway and Rachel Carson Conservation Park. Three different segments of trail along the Rachel Carson Greenway are currently open and signed. Over the next several years, additional segments of the greenway will be completed to make the trail continuous, according the trail corridor plan approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board in 2005.

For a complete schedule of events and more information on the department’s Rachel Carson Greenway Celebration visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.