Why is the South River Greenway Important?

The Greenway is rich in both natural and cultural resources.

Natural Resources

The undeveloped land provides watershed protection for the South River and the Chesapeake Bay.
Undeveloped forests cover 10,000 acres, of which 6,000 are identified by Maryland DNR as natural resource forest hubs and corridors, and 2,400 are interior forest.
MD DC Audubon identified a portion of the Greenway as an Important Bird Area. Eighteen species of Forest Interior Birds (including several species at risk) nest in the Greenway.
According to a report of biodiversity in the Mid Atlantic region by US Fish & Wildlife Service and the US Geological Survey, the Greenway is a regionally important area for reptiles and birds.
The Greenway is a high priority forest block as identified by MD DNR’s Green Print Program and the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Resource Lands Assessment Report.
In 2009, the Greenway was chosen as one of the top five regional conservation priorities by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance. See the Alliance’s report “A Call to Action” here. (http://www.sgalliance.org/documents/RCPL_2009.pdf)
The Greenway contains a historical spawning area for migratory fish, including yellow perch and river herring.
Fifteen different wetland types cover 800 acres in the Greenway.

History

The Bacon Ridge Natural Area contains three 19^th century historic archaeological sites, including one large mill stone that has been recovered by Anne Arundel County. The mill race and many foundations are still visible. An 1878 map indicates
Prehistoric Indian sites are frequently found in the terraces overlooking Bacon Ridge Branch.
Colonial barges once plied up Bacon Ridge Branch several miles above Route 50 to load hogs for shipment to England; the remains of a colonial wharf are still visible.
Crownsville Hospital opened in 1911 to serve African American patients needing psychiatric care. Today there remains a hospital cemetery with over 1,800 patient’s graves, marked only by numbers.