Introducing a New Book All About Serpentine at Soldiers Delight
Soldiers Delight Conservation, Inc. is excited to introduce a new book all about the serpentine barrens at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Owing Mills, Maryland. Read all about it here!
Non-native Invasive Plants Finally to be Illegal to Sell in Maryland!
SDCI is excited to share the welcome news that many non-native, invasive plants widely used in landscaping and available at big box stores everywhere will soon become illegal to sell in the state of Maryland. So many of the invasive shrubs and trees slated to become illegal to sell are plants that routinely threaten our rare and endangered native flora at Soldiers Delight Environmental Area. Read all about the new law and what plants it includes here.
Make Your Voice Heard!
Baltimore County voters will decide whether to strengthen protection of the county’s rural areas in 2026, as the County Council has agreed to put on the November 2026 ballot a question of whether to make it more difficult to move the county’s Urban-Rural Demarcation Line, known as the URDL. Soldiers Delight Conservation, Inc. believes it is important to vote in favor of this legislation, as it is of critical importance to protect the county’s water supply, farmland and natural spaces, including land surrounding the Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Owings Mills.
Soldiers Delight Conservation Year-end Wrap-up
Here's a look at how 2025 went for Soldiers Delight Conservation, Inc.!
Geology Talk at Holbrook Community Association in Randallstown
On October 6, 2025, Laura Van Scoyoc, president of Soldiers Delight Conservation, Inc., was invited by the Holbrook Community Association to attend their monthly meeting at the Wards Chapel Methodist Church in Randallstown to give a talk on the geology of chromite at SDNEA. Laura was happy to oblige, and took with her a slide show she prepared and talking points she developed from discussions with our resident mining historian, Johnny Johnsson, and our resident expert on Soldiers Delight serpentine geology, ecologist R. Wayne Tyndall. Laura also took several copies of Dr. Tyndall's new book, All About Serpentine at Soldiers Delight, along with several booklets promoting native pollinators in the home garden, some native milkweed seed packets, and some living invasive plants to teach listeners how detrimental to various ecosystems planting non-native landscaping can be.
The group of about 20 residents was enthusiastic and receptive to the information and Laura's messaging, and at least one person bought a copy of Wayne’s book. Several took home pollinator booklets and native seed packets.
We are happy to speak at your group's next function for a modest donation to be mutually agreed upon beforehand. Fill out our website contact form and tell us what Soldiers Delight-related topic you'd like to hear about!
STEAM Festival at Lyons Mill Elementary School!
On September 30, 2025, Soldiers Delight Conservation, Inc. was invited for the second time to have a display at Lyons Mill Elementary School's annual STEAM festival. We were overjoyed to be invited back. Here's how it went...
SDCI Delights Owings Mills Residents at National Night Out!
SDCI had a great evening at our tent on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, during the 2025 National Night Out event hosted by the Owings Mills New Town Community Association!
