President’s Message and Recap of 2026 Highlights

Dear Friends of Ten Mile Creek and Little Seneca Reservoir,

It has been fourteen years since the ‘Save Ten Mile Creek Coalition’ formed in 2012 to thwart massive development proposals in the watershed. Friends of Ten Mile Creek and Little Seneca Reservoir was born in 2014 from that initial effort with the mission to be the long-term guardians of the creek and its watershed. Because our watershed lies at the interface between the Agricultural Reserve and urbanization, we are faced with constant development pressure. Our role is to prevent encroachment into our rural watershed to safeguard Ten Mile Creek and its tributaries, forests and wetlands, and consequently protect water quality flowing to Little Seneca Reservoir, our region’s back-up water supply for 5 million people.

Many dedicated individuals work to keep our organization going so that we can protect the land and share the gift of the land with others. I am grateful to serve with five founding members which constitute half of our current board. However, it is with great sadness to report that we lost our eldest founding board member, Norman Mease, on August 22nd after a long period of declining health. Our deepest condolences go out to his family. We will all miss Norman dearly. In 2025 Norman generously gifted 52 acres of his land, encompassing both sides of the creek, to our organization. We will continue to care for the land as his family has done since 1932.

Operating our non-profit organization requires constant vigilance and work by volunteers, and a steady flow of income. We hope you will donate your time and money to support the protection of this special watershed and our regional back-up drinking water reservoir.

Scroll down for highlights from 2026 to see what your support has helped make possible.

Thank you for standing with us and helping protect Ten Mile Creek for generations to come.

May each of you enjoy the Beauty and Bounty of the season.

With Appreciation,
John Parrish, President
Friends of Ten Mile Creek & Little Seneca Reservoir

As always, your donations and participation are what keep us going!!

2026 Highlights

Here’s a short recap of the year’s activities. Click on the links to our website where you can learn more and see photos.

Norman Mease, 1936-2026

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Norman Mease on August 22, 2026. Norman had been a FoTMC Board Member since its inception and had been fighting for the preservation of the forest and watershed long before. Norman and his family have had a large presence in Boyds, and in the larger Ag Reserve community, for 8 decades. He will be sorely missed. Learn more >>

Eyes on the Creek & Trash Clean-Up

FoTMC members are always working to keep the Ten Mile Creek area trash-free. As a participant in the “adopt-a-road” program, we regularly haul away trash dumped along West Old Baltimore Road, and our hardworking volunteers also remove a lot of trash from the Creek at the stream ford, including car parts, appliances, and various other items. Learn more >>

Monitoring Water Quality

FoTMC works with a Water Quality Monitoring team of volunteers that regularly monitors the biological health of Ten Mile Creek by assessing the macroinvertebrate population. At Ten Mile Creek events, the monitors set up tables, water samples, and microscopes by the ford so that people can experience first-hand the invertebrate life of the creek. Water quality monitoring is one of FoTMC’s many volunteer opportunities. Learn more >>

Property Tax Exemption Approval

After a yearlong back and forth with the State Department of Assessment and Taxation and the Montgomery County Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board, as of July 1, 2026 FoTMC finally received approval for a property tax exemption status based on the merit of the educational activities we provide to the public. Learn more >>

Spring & Fall Wildflower and Forest Walks

Thanks to John Parrish, our knowledgeable and intrepid botanist, FoTMC has been leading annual Spring Wildflower and Fall Forest walks to introduce people to the unique flora of the Ten Mile Creek Watershed and to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding forest and streams. April 18th was a perfectly beautiful Spring day for exploring diverse habitats in the Watershed and the adjacent Ten Mile Creek Conservation Park. The next walk is our Fall Forest walk, on Saturday, October 24. Learn more >>

Work & Play Days on the Land

We’ve been having Work/Play days on our new land. Some of the tasks included in the ‘work’ part include clearing paths, removing non-native invasive plants, taking down old deer stands. But we also make time to ‘play’ in the creek and take short hikes to explore different parts of the land. Working and playing on the land helps people connect to this special place and learn about the importance of the creek and reservoir, both as unique ecological treasures and as integral components of our regional drinking water system, and advocate for its protection. We have had 5 work/play days this summer, with more to come in the fall and winter. Learn more >>

Protecting Ten Mile Creek from Ongoing Developments

Ongoing developments and other activities continue to threaten Ten Mile Creek and its watershed. These threats are a constant reminder that we must remain vigilant and be active if we are to preserve and protect the forests, streams, and wetlands of this unique place and the water quality of the Little Seneca Reservoir, which is the region’s back-up water supply and recreational and wildlife resource. Learn more >>

• Clarksburg Gateway Sector plan: The Clarksburg Gateway Sector plan was approved by the Planning Board (The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission) in April 2026. FoTMC had worked with Planning staff from 2023-2026, and testified on several occasions, offering detailed recommendations to minimize the destructive impacts of the proposed development on the forests and streams in the Clarksburg sector area, which abuts the Ten Mile Creek watershed, Ultimately, our recommendations fell on deaf ears.

• Sewer applications: This summer, a property owner on Clarksburg Road, in the Ten Mile Creek Watershed, filed a sewer category change request, which is currently under consideration. The applicant is seeking to build a 40-bed assisted living facility. This would not be permitted under the 2014 Ten Mile Creek Area Master Plan Amendment, as the property is zoned RE-1 (1 home/acre). If built, this project would result in additional impervious surfaces and lead to more stormwater runoff into the watershed and degrade water quality. This request, if approved, sets a concerning precedent for more sewer and water category change requests and other uses that do not conform to the Master Plan and would negatively impact the watershed.

• Meadow Planting Proposal: This spring we were alarmed to learn about a meadow planting project in the upper watershed meant to comply with a forest conservation plan as part of the approved Ashford Woods housing development. The proposed meadow planting along the tributary would have required cutting down forest to access the site to plant and maintain the meadow.

Outreach to Local Schools

As the new owner and caretaker of 52-acres of land entirely in a Forest Conservation Easement, FoTMC is in a unique position to offer a broad array of educational activities to local schools. We have a number of projects we are currently working on that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students wanting to take a deeper dive into the local ecology. Learn more >>