The Charles County Extension Office is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; no appointment is required.
Please call the office at 301-934-5403, if you need to leave a message.
Thank you!
Nurture Natives: A Youth-Led Service Project
In late 2021, NCAC, Charles County 4-H, and Charles County Master Gardeners were awarded a grant to train teen pollinator ambassadors. As part of that project, 18 teen ambassadors learned about the importance of pollinators, challenges they face, and ways they can be supported. Teens used that knowledge to develop fun, interactive activities to teach younger children and adults about pollinators at schools, camps, and outreach events. Through their efforts a total of 665 people; 447 youth and 218 adults learned about pollination.
Three ambassadors, Esther, Samantha, and Abigail, attended the national 4-H Agri-Science Youth Summit in March, 2022. There they were challenged to develop a project that would use their new knowledge to address an agricultural issue within their community. The girls decided to launch the Nurture Natives initiative. Their issue: invasive trees that displace local farmland and attract invasive species. Their solutions: 1) Inspire youth to take action through educational programs, 2) Increase the number of native trees and pollinators within our community by hosting a native tree giveaway, and 3) Encourage customers to make educated purchases by providing local nurseries with Nurture Natives guides.
Nurture Natives was selected by the National 4-H Council as one of twelve “lead to change” projects nationwide to receive $2000. With a portion of their award, they purchased 150 native trees and shrubs through Butterfly Alley—a local native plant stand located in Hollywood, Maryland. Esther worked with Butterfly Alley to select and order the trees/shrubs in the spring, then drove to Environmental Concerns on the Eastern Shore to pick up them up just days before the event.
On Saturday, October 15, with the assistance of the Charles County Master Gardeners, 150 trees and shrubs were unloaded and organized for distribution. Approximately 65 families came through to pick up their trees and get expert advice from Master Gardeners Marlene Smith, Carol Teets, Marguerita Harding, and Matthew Perez and his son, Malachi. Attendees also enjoyed other family-oriented activities. Children were able to play pollinator games organized by Charles County 4-H, create collages and mobiles from nature items collected around the park, visit Abigail at the honey-tasting station, and speak to Samantha about honeybees and beekeeping.
Our 2021 Annual Report is ready for your review! Take a look at how the Charles County Extension impacted the Community!
Our Vision: University of Maryland is the preeminent Extension organization in the nation by providing the residents of Maryland with the highest quality of public service, distinguished educational programming, and cutting-edge research that addresses their needs.
Our Mission: To enhance the quality of life for people and communities by disseminating unbiased, research-based, educational information.
Who we are... Extension is a national partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state land-grant universities, and county government. In Maryland, Extension comprises the off-campus educational arm of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Maryland, College Park. As faculty members of the university, county Extension agents and educators teach residents research-based information concerning agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development in their communities.
University of Maryland Extension has continued to provide science-based solutions for over 100 years and our goals have never wavered. We are passionate about building healthier families, homes, and communities, improving our agricultural production systems, instilling valuable life skills in our youth, and creating a sustainable environment and Chesapeake Bay.
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Location - Charles County is on the Southern Maryland peninsula. It is bordered by Prince George's County to the north, St. Mary's County to the south, Calvert County to the east and the Potomac River to the west. It is 30 miles south of Washington, 61 miles southwest of Baltimore and 96 miles north of Richmond.
From MD Interstate 95...take exit 7 Branch Avenue South towards Waldorf; Branch Avenue will turn into Crain Highway (Route 301 South); Follow Crain Highway into Charles County. Once across County Line go approximate 17 miles. We will be on the right in the Historic Bel Alton High School, near mile-marker 10.