But Who’s Counting?

In case you’re looking for something to do, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources would like to count turkeys. Wild Turkeys. (No, not the bourbon.)

PLEASE REPOST: If you see wild turkeys from July 1 through Aug. 31, please report them using this online form: ow.ly/TtpZ50Suzbe. The more sightings reported, the better the data we have to analyze. A summary of the results will be sent to everyone that submits data.

Image from Maryland DNR social media

I’ve heard of backyard bird counts, but…turkeys? It turns out that, in 2022, Maryland started what is billed as “the first comprehensive study of wild turkeys ever conducted in the state. The 3-year research project aims to answer many questions about factors potentially impacting turkey populations.”

Groundbreaking Wild Turkey Research Set to Begin in Maryland, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, December, 2022

It seems that our wild turkey population is declining. Folks at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources would like to learn why so they can devise successful interventions to support these native birds. So if you see wild turkeys around HoCo this summer, you can help them out by reporting it here.

Speaking of counting…

Local nonprofit Upcycled is celebrating 8000.

Image from Upcycled social media

These milestones are coming quicker and quicker! 8000 pounds of plastic waste UPCYCLED! That’s 4 TONS! Hundreds of thousands of single-use plastic items that will NEVER see our oceans, rivers, or landfills! This is why we do it. Let’s GO!

Founded in 2019 by Orlando Goncalves and Alfred Striano, Upcycled uses number 2 and 5 plastics gathered in the community to make structures such as picnic tables, benches, and garden beds. They even make coasters now - - and they are colorful and gorgeous. I’ve written about the Upcycled initiative before.

If you want your number two and five plastics to be Upcycled, go to this page on their website to learn how to drop off your items. Hint: they have a collection bin at the Community Ecology Institute’s Freetown Farm.

One last number for you. Although it’s not in HoCo, I’m a big fan of Scrap Bmore. Their mission is creative reuse. Sound familiar?

Essentially, they take donations of craft materials that people don’t want anymore, and sell them at a discount. After eight years they are marking not just their anniversary but also that they have been able to keep 69.5 tons of craft supplies out of landfills. That’s definitely worth celebrating.

Scrap Bmore is located at 913 W. Barre Street in historic Pigtown. Everyone is welcome; it’s not just a Baltimore thing. So pay them a visit and browse whatever cool stuff is on hand.

Are there any other numbers out there I should know about? What are you counting lately?

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