Arden Bog in Anne Arundel County, Maryland was the largest natural population of S. purpurea within the Virginia and western shore of Maryland area.  The site is located within a State Natural Area purchased to protect the pitcher plant population.  Despite warnings by Meadowview that beaver were damaging the bog in August 2007, it took Maryland state authorities one year to start breaking beaver dams by which point the entire population of over 1000 plants was lost due to flooding.  Fortunately propagation efforts of native pitcher plant seed had been initiated by our Maryland partner Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center.  Meadowview is now maintaining hundreds of plants in ex-situ conservation for repatriation to the site once conditions stabilize and appropriate protection measures are in place.

Arden bog prior to beaver damage.

Arden bog after beaver dam removal. Note complete loss of pitcher plants and most associate plant taxa.

Preparing seed propagated native Arden pitcher plants for transfer from Arlington Echo to Meadowview for ex-situ conservation.

Repotted Arden pitcher plants at Meadowview awaiting transport to conservation bed.