Ecotone was made aware of an existing farm for sale in Northern Baltimore County which included two headwater tributaries to Piney Run, a high quality trout stream with naturally reproducing populations of brook and brown trout. The streams on the property had been previously ditched and access to the floodplain had been compromised by historic agricultural practices. Ecotone saw tremendous opportunities for environmental restoration on the property. After conducting an environmental inventory of the property and determining the potential market value of restored resources, Ecotone purchased property in late 2006 to develop the restoration potential of the property.

Ecotone developed restoration plans to reforest sensitive riparian areas and upland ridges on the farm as well as stream and wetland restoration plans to restore wetland hydrology to adjacent floodplain areas. Working with Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management, the site was approved as a forest planting and forest retention bank in early 2007. Ecotone developed an extensive planting plan which included a diverse mix of native hardwood trees and shrubs. 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. The stream restoration plans involved relocating the existing channels and raising the invert of the stream to reconnect floodplain areas.

In addition to restoring forest to over 29 acres on the property and protecting the 19 acres of existing forest in perpetuity. 29 acres of native trees and shrubs were planted in 2007. All trees and shrubs were protected with trees and shrub shelters to enhance survival rates and to aid in maintenance of the property. 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. Finally, Ecotone installed wildlife food plots outside of the forest planting areas to further enhance wildlife habitat. The stream and wetland restoration work is scheduled for construction in the spring of 2009.