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ECOPHOTO_3_Patuxent_Research_Refuge
This photo was taken along Cash Lake in Patuxent Research Refuge. Patuxent Research Refuge is a natural space only about 10 miles from UMD’s campus. It was established through an executive order by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, and contains 13,000 acres of protected forests, wetlands, and fields. The existence of the refuge helps in achieving the UN’s SDG #15: Life on Land. This goal aims to restore and maintain the world’s natural landscapes, recognizing the ecosystem services that they provide to us as humans. Located just along the I-95 corridor between Baltimore and D.C., this protected area provides essential habitats for all kinds of species. Without protection of this land, it would certainly be urbanized and developed, considering its prime location within the DMV. Instead, it contributes many services to the surrounding and downstream communities. Home to a portion of the Patuxent River, the natural riparian zones in Patuxent Research Refuge serve to filter water before it reaches the Chesapeake Bay. Connected floodplains, wetlands, and areas adjacent to the river have saturated, anaerobic soil conditions, which increase denitrification, removing soluble nitrate and decreasing rates of eutrophication. The wetland areas throughout the refuge decrease the velocity of incoming water and increase residence time, promoting the uptake/immobilization of pollutants from surrounding urban areas that runoff into the watershed. This lessens future wildlife and human interaction with harmful pollutants, interactions which disproportionately impact socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The refuge also has 30 miles of trails for public use and 2 lakes for fishing, making it an important center for recreation and reconnection with nature for people. Overall, Patuxent Research Refuge is a prime example of why SDG #15: Life on Land is important, providing a wide array of ecosystem services for people, and
You can find more information about the refuge at:
www.fws.gov/refuge/patuxent-research
ECOPHOTO_3_Patuxent_Research_Refuge
This photo was taken along Cash Lake in Patuxent Research Refuge. Patuxent Research Refuge is a natural space only about 10 miles from UMD’s campus. It was established through an executive order by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, and contains 13,000 acres of protected forests, wetlands, and fields. The existence of the refuge helps in achieving the UN’s SDG #15: Life on Land. This goal aims to restore and maintain the world’s natural landscapes, recognizing the ecosystem services that they provide to us as humans. Located just along the I-95 corridor between Baltimore and D.C., this protected area provides essential habitats for all kinds of species. Without protection of this land, it would certainly be urbanized and developed, considering its prime location within the DMV. Instead, it contributes many services to the surrounding and downstream communities. Home to a portion of the Patuxent River, the natural riparian zones in Patuxent Research Refuge serve to filter water before it reaches the Chesapeake Bay. Connected floodplains, wetlands, and areas adjacent to the river have saturated, anaerobic soil conditions, which increase denitrification, removing soluble nitrate and decreasing rates of eutrophication. The wetland areas throughout the refuge decrease the velocity of incoming water and increase residence time, promoting the uptake/immobilization of pollutants from surrounding urban areas that runoff into the watershed. This lessens future wildlife and human interaction with harmful pollutants, interactions which disproportionately impact socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The refuge also has 30 miles of trails for public use and 2 lakes for fishing, making it an important center for recreation and reconnection with nature for people. Overall, Patuxent Research Refuge is a prime example of why SDG #15: Life on Land is important, providing a wide array of ecosystem services for people, and
You can find more information about the refuge at:
www.fws.gov/refuge/patuxent-research