Ecotone conducted a site search for a property suitable for developing a forest restoration project in 2004. A 104 acre parcel became available for purchase. The parcel included almost ¾ mile of Bee Tree Run, a high quality trout stream in Northern Baltimore County and also included an emergent wetland identified as potential bog turtle habitat. The farm was being operated as a cattle and field crop operation. Unshaded reaches of Bee Tree Run were devoid of woody riparian vegetation which provide shade and nutrient uptake along the stream.

Ecotone purchased the property with the intention of restoring the flooodplain of Bee Tree Run to forest conditions and to use the farm as a forest mitigation site. Working with Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management, the site was approved as a forest planting and forest retention bank in 2005. Ecotone developed an extensive planting plan which included a diverse mix of native hardwood trees and shrubs. The project, when implemented, would connect several adjacent forested parcels to provide contiguous forest habitat. Species were selected to provide food and cover for wildlife species. Clumps of native evergreen were incorporated into the plan to provide winter wildlife cover.

In addition to restoring forest to over 51 acres on the property and protecting the existing forest in perpetuity, Ecotone worked with the Land Preservation Trust to develop a long term protection program for the property which would preclude the property from ever being developed. A conservation easement was recorded on the property in 2005. 51 acres of native trees and shrubs were planted in 2005- 2007. All trees and shrubs were protected with trees and shrub shelters to enhance survival rates and to aid in maintenance of the property. Ecotone implemented an invasive species management program to suppress multiflora rose and oriental bittersweet, which were outcompeting native species within the forest planting areas. Environmental credits for the forest planting are provided to multiple participants in Baltimore County who purchase the credits to meet the requirements of the Maryland Forest Conservation Act. Bog turtle habitat areas were left unplanted with woody material to maintain existing emergent wetland habitat to the threatened bog turtle. Finally, Ecotone installed wildlife food plots outside of the forest planting areas to further enhance wildlife habitat.