For Lou Witt, Oregon Ridge isn’t just a park he visits – it’s a place that has grown to be a part of his life. He first came to the Ridge in the late 1970s for simple picnics and hikes. What began as casual outings quickly became something deeper. By the early 1980s,...

This fall, we've received numerous comments about the Woolly Bear Caterpillars in the park, and it appears that there are more than usual. Many parents have been overheard explaining to their children that the colors of the Woolly Bear caterpillar can predict the...

One way the Friends of Oregon Ridge promotes environmental stewardship is through its annual scholarship program. For the past 31 years, the Oregon Ridge Nature Center Council which which has changed it name to the Friends of Oregon Ridge has awarded college scholarships to graduating seniors from Baltimore County and Baltimore City who plan to major in environmental studies.

Judy Breitenbach, Maryland Master Naturalist. In 1634, Maryland was almost 95% forested (Seeing the Forest through the Trees). As the State was inhabited by colonists, wood was considered a commodity and used for building homes, firewood, etc. Trees were cleared for crop production.

On June 2, 2025, the Oregon Ridge Nature Center Council (ORNCC) celebrated its volunteers and scholarship recipients at its Annual Council Meeting. This meeting is meant to bring together Board members, membership and special Baltimore County guests to acknowledge the...

We are very excited for the opportunity to take our composting program full circle again this year by way of our Compost Fundraiser. We will be selling several products manufactured by Veteran Compost. We think it is pretty cool that some of these products are created...

The Results are in for the 2023 City Nature Challenge. Despite a dreary and drizzly weekend, April 28 to May 1, Baltimore placed 59th overall out of 482 participating cities AROUND THE WORLD! Baltimore also placed 5th among cities of similar geographic size.

When asked their views at a late 2022 Oregon Ridge Master Plan public input meeting, it was no surprise that participants overwhelmingly chose a new trail network as their highest priority. People come from all over the region to hike at Oregon Ridge Park, and we can...

Help us come up with a better Oregon Ridge Nature Center Council Speaker Series program for next year! Please take this 5-minute survey by January 31.