CA kicks off Natural Resource Management Plan process, invites community participation
Columbia Association (CA) has officially started the process of developing a Natural Resources Management Plan (NRMP). This plan will provide best practices and recommendations on a number of CA’s operations in open space, including native and invasive plant management, reforestation, wildlife management, resiliency planning, watershed management and more.
“CA is proud to own and maintain 3,600 acres of open space across the community and is committed to keeping that space accessible and vibrant for many years to come. Developing an NRMP is just one way we’re committed to being responsible and proactive stewards of this land,” said CA Vice President of Community Operations Jeremy Scharfenberg. “We look forward to having a comprehensive plan that reflects our internal expertise, the community’s priorities and guidance from outside consultants.”
In late March, CA hosted a community charette to begin gathering feedback on residents’ environmental priorities. This included a survey open to anyone in the community (click here to take the survey). CA also surveyed the community’s priorities at GreenFest – Howard County’s largest celebration of Earth Day – at Howard County Community College this past weekend.
“Community input is invaluable as we embark on this process. For instance, CA’s charette revealed that trees and preserving native plant species are top priorities for our residents,” said CA Sustainability Manager Danielle Tyeryar. “We look forward to continued community engagement during this process. The NRMP will guide our sustainability initiatives and planning for the future, so we are excited for the next steps.”
The next step is finding a qualified consultant to help CA draft the proposed plan. The organization will engage in a competitive RFP process to bring on the firm that best fits the scope of work.
The intended schedule is to bring on a consultant to begin drafting the plan over the course of this summer. The community will have more opportunities to provide input in the fall, and CA hopes to finalize the NRMP by early summer 2026.
