The Glades
Maryland's largest and most open mountain peatland

As a large, unfragmented natural area, The Glades Preserve harbors many uncommon plant, animal, and bird species.

Visiting the Preserve
The Glades mountain peatlands are fragile, so the preserve is only open to scientific research with prior permission from The Nature Conservancy.  Thank you for your understanding and help in protecting this important part of Maryland's natural heritage.

Location
Western Maryland

Plants

• State-rare Sphagnum and polytrichum mosses, cranberry, and bog clubmoss.

Animals

• Uncommon breeding birds include Nashville warblers and alder flycatchers.
• Because of its large area, The Glades also provides habitat for large mammals such as black bears and bobcats.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The Glades' 601 acres is of great scientific interest because it is an ombrotrophic system (fed solely by rainwater), contains peat up to 9 feet, and is one of the oldest examples of mountain peatland in the Appalachians.

What the Conservancy Is Doing Here

• In a three-year project, 120 volunteers transplanted 14,000 red spruce seedlings into historical habitat
• Coal mine reclamation: installed new, state-of-the-art SAPS (Successive Alkalinity Producing System), replacing a twenty-year old series of treatment ponds. Downstream of treatment area already recovering!
• Volunteer Weed Watchers monitor site for new weeds