Oregon Ridge wildlife habitat mistakenly mowed, fueling outrage in Baltimore County

BALTIMORE - People with the Oregon Ridge Nature Center are upset after Baltimore County workers mistakenly mowed a meadow filled with grass and flowers used for wildlife.

That meadow, tucked behind lush trees along Shawan Road in Cockeysville, was the habitat for pollinators and birds at the heart of the nesting season. Because of the mistake, the wildlife will have to find a new place to nest.

"Usually it's a late fall or winter timeline, so there's plenty of time for the meadow to grow appropriately and it should have happened in that timeline and it did not," said Bob Smith, Director of Baltimore County Recs and Parks.

Smith said the mowing was an honest mistake. 

However, outrage ensued online from nature advocates.

Smith said he is working with stakeholders to ensure this mistake doesn't happen again.

"It was nothing malicious," Smith said. "Unfortunately, mistakes were made. Our task now moving forward is to establish protocols and processes to bring the control of park maintenance to the recreation and parks agency and put a park maintenance lens on what we do there."

Smith said he has talked with the President of the Oregon Ridge Nature Council and plans to meet with other stakeholders in the coming days. 

"And our Office of Environmental Protection, as well as the Office of Sustainability, to work on paths forward to make corrections and work together moving forward," Smith said.