Photo By Bryan Spann | An interpretive sign explains the importance of native vegetation for water quality,...... read more read more
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FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. – Two years after the Fort Meade Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division launched an effort to restore Burba Lake’s shoreline and create new wildlife habitat, visitors are beginning to see the project come to life.
What began as a plan to remove invasive plants, establish a native meadow, and create pollinator gardens has evolved into a flourishing environmental restoration project that is already attracting birds, pollinators, and curious visitors.
"The pocket gardens have all been completed," said Julie Adkins, the natural resources program manager with the Fort Meade Directorate of Public Works. "They've been planted with native flowers, and people walking by can already see them starting to bloom and watch things emerge."
The five pollinator gardens, located along the northern side of the lake, were designed to provide food and habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Temporary fencing with reflective ribbon currently surrounds the gardens to discourage geese from feeding on newly established plants.
"The fencing is just temporary," Adkins said. "It's there to help keep the geese out while the plants become established."
Native Vegetation Taking Hold The project's meadow restoration has also reached a milestone with its second growing season. The nearly one-acre meadow is beginning to display the diversity planners envisioned when the project began.
"Many native plants take two or three years to establish," Adkins said. "We're starting to see our second-year plants emerge. Black-eyed Susans and coneflowers are also beginning to bloom."
While visitors may notice an abundance of different types of grass throughout the meadow, Adkins emphasized that this is intentional.
"Meadows aren't just wildflowers; they're also made up of many native grasses," she said. "Those grasses provide food for birds and valuable wildlife habitat."
The ecological benefits are already becoming evident. DPW staff have observed a noticeable increase in bird activity around the restored area and hope to partner with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct future surveys documenting the number of pollinators now using the habitat, Adkins said.
Shoreline Improvement Continues Progress continues with shoreline restoration as well. About half of the lake's shoreline has been cleared of invasive vegetation, significantly improving habitat along the water's edge. The remaining section presents a more complex challenge.
"The second half of the shoreline has many more native plants mixed in with the invasive species," Adkins said. "Rather than clearing everything, we want to be much more selective so we can preserve the native plants and protect the existing seed bank."
DPW plans to continue that work during the fall, when conditions are most favorable for removing invasive vegetation while minimizing impacts to desirable native species.
In addition to the habitat improvements, visitors can now learn more about the area's natural resources through a series of educational signs installed around the lake.
"We've put up 12 interpretive signs around the walking trail," Adkins said. "They highlight the wildlife around the lake, the meadow habitat, native and invasive plants, and the different pollinator species people might see."
The signs encourage visitors to pause during their walk, learn about the restoration effort, and identify the plants and wildlife now returning to the area. As the restoration enters its next phase, DPW expects the meadow to become more colorful and diverse over the coming years as additional native species mature.
Together, the shoreline improvements, pollinator gardens, meadow habitat, and educational signage are transforming Burba Lake into both a healthier ecosystem and a living outdoor classroom for the Fort Meade community.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2026 08:53 |
| Story ID: | 570850 |
| Location: | FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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