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Waterfront park construction began in late 2007, and some trees had to be removed for construction purposes. As a result, the final step in the waterfront project meant that trees of similar girth had to be planted. The park construction was budgeted at $80,000, but overruns drove the total cost up to about $98,000, and the mitigation project was expected to cost an additional $35,000. To save money the town decided to have the planting done by inmates whose sentences are nearly complete. Using the Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System, inmates for the park project helped to save money for the community and beautify the area. The only cost was the $2,600 for the trees, which was nearly eliminated with offer for free trees from Andover Acres. The state required that specific trees be used, and the final decision was to purchase 110 trees including eastern redbuds, pin oaks, bald cypresses, and red maples. The park is located west of the Chester River Bridge on the Queen Anne’s side of the river next to the town wastewater treatment plant.

The inmate labor program is just part of the bigger statewide picture. Pre-release inmates have been used to help plant 1,650 trees in Hurlock and 1,500 trees in the West Woods at Antietam National Battlefield. Hagerstown also received pre-release inmate labor for the planting of about 3,000 trees.

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