You may ask, what does this have to do with the Catoctin Land Trust?

Well, the Antietam Creek watershed in Washington County was selected as one of Maryland’s Whole Watershed Act pilot projects! Conservation partners such as the Catoctin Land Trust, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Antietam-Conococheague Watershed Alliance (ACWA), Washington County Soil Conservation District, Washington County Department of Stormwater & Watershed Services, City of Hagerstown, DNR Forest Service, DNR Fishing and Boating Services, Chesapeake Conservancy, Seneca Valley Trout Unlimited, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Antietam Fly Anglers, Western Maryland Resource Conservation Development Council, Beaver Creek Watershed Association, and Maryland State Highway Administration are all collaborating on a full watershed approach to restoring and protecting the land. As your local land trust, we and our partners are stepping up conservation efforts by strengthening water quality monitoring, planting more trees in both rural and urban areas, and supporting regenerative farming practices. 

Photo by Maryland Department of the Environment

In Fiscal Year 2026, Catoctin Land Trust will focus its work in three priority sub-watersheds through a range of targeted projects. In Beaver Creek, efforts will focus on wild trout habitat creation, climate resilience, recreational enhancements, and septic system upgrades. Along Hamilton Run, projects will center on urban stream restoration, stormwater management, habitat and buffer creation, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation. Further north, work in Little Antietam Creek will focus on restoring aquatic habitat and riparian buffers while addressing declining water quality and stream habitats.

With support from the Whole Watershed Fund and partners such as Maryland DNR Forest Service, Catoctin Land Trust has expanded its conservation and restoration efforts across the region. Through the launch of the Antietam Watershed Afforestation Program (AWAP), the Trust is increasing tree-planting opportunities for landowners throughout the Antietam Watershed.

With a goal of planting 55 acres of new trees, we and our partners are committed to restoring the landscape and leaving the Antietam Watershed healthier for generations to come. To learn more and see if you qualify for incentivized tree plantings, visit our Antietam Watershed Afforestation Program (AWAP) page.