Welcome to White Marsh Park

Welcome to White Marsh Park. . , Funding for this park was provided by Program Open Space. The park hosts a combination of athletic facilities and natural areas for park visitors to enjoy. , The southern end of the property has been planted with native grasses and wildflowers. Often underappreciated and over-looked, native grasses and wildflowers provide critical habitat for declining grassland dependent wildlife. Unfortunately, only about 1% of grasslands remain across North America., Large meadows like the one in front of you can have a huge impact on grassland wildlife. They may not have looked exactly like this centuries ago, but native grasslands or woodland savanna's maintained by fire have been a part of Maryland's landscape for a long time. Captain John Smith in 1664 noted, "…a man may galop a horse among these woods" and was able to navigate through the landscape "…by the abundance of fires all over the woods." Native Americans used fire to maintain an open landscape. Captain John Smith described fire hunting by the Accawmacks, "having found the Deare, they environ them with fires, and betwixt the fires they place themselves.....The Deare being thus feared by the fires…". These frequent fires allowed native grassland and early successional habitats to thrive throughout the region., In addition to providing much needed habitat, grasslands filter and trap excess nutrients and sediments helping to keep our waterways clean, stabilize soil preventing erosion, promote soil health, and provide rich and unique recreational opportunities for nature enthusiasts., Grassland plants grow deep and extensive root systems trapping large amounts of carbon underground., Native Plants Make a difference , Ecosystem services: cycle and move nutrients, maintain biodiversity, protect watersheds, provide aesthetic beauty, provide recreational opportunities, 1. Blue Vervain | 2. Foxglove Penstemon | 3. Common Milkweed | 4. Partridge Pea | 5. Wild Bergamot | 6. Butterfly Weed | 7. Purple Coneflower | 8. New York Ironweed | 9. Broomsedge | 10. Spotted Beebalm | 11. Black-eyed Susan