Invasive Plant Removal Outings

Plant Removal Listings By Location

Danielle Seely removes invasive stilt grass RuthSwanPark 6.2010webInvasive weeds have been brought to the US from other continents. Most alien plants don’t spread, but a few with no natural predators will take over and cover everything. Invasive species are the biggest threat to our native plants and animals after habitat loss.  Learn to identify native plants versus invasive weeds and use hand pulling or other techniques to control their spread. Join in at a location near you!

Please see the individual links below for each Maryland county that has submitted information.  Be sure to contact each sponsor to confirm locations and schedules.

See also the information below for additional regional opportunities.


Invasive Plant Removal in Northern Virginia

National Park Service, George Washington Memorial Park
Various rolling locations: Turkey Run, Glen Echo, Fort Marcy, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Jones Point, Roaches Run, Daingerfield Island, Dyke Marsh, Fort Hunt
Every Friday: 9 am to 11 am

Join our team in identifying and removing non-native plant species that are negatively affecting our National Parks. Help us reduce the threat of non-native invasive plants, protect rare species and restore the biological and cultural integrity of National Park Service lands. Invasive plant removal requires walking on uneven and occasionally rocky terrain, and using hand tools (hand-saws, bow-saws, loppers, or hand-clippers) to cut invasive plants. Additional physical demands occasionally include the use of shovels and trowels while planting native plants, hauling excess debris, and standing for prolonged periods. Please wear work clothes (long sleeves and boots, etc.); we will provide tools and gloves but feel free to bring your own. Experience not necessary but we will be providing more formal training sessions in April.

We will feature a different location every week. For specific information, please contact us to join our list serv. Exact and advance schedule announcements will be sent out to those on the list serv.

Contact:
Kenneth J. Adams, Biological Science Technician for George Washington Memorial Parkway
Kenneth_Adams[@]nps.gov, Work: 571-384-0133


Dumbarton Oaks Park

Volunteer Days:

  • April 9, 2016 from 9-11:30. This is also our annual Park Celebration with a ceremonial re-opening of the Park gates and a community fair from 12-2:30.
  • April 23, 2016 from 9-1. This is our Earth Day volunteer event.

Meet at the top of Lovers’ Lane on R Street NW.  (Lovers’ Lane is the paved, gated path off of R Street NW in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is located in between the Dumbarton Oaks estate and Montrose Park.)

What: Take part in the restoration of Dumbarton Oaks Park. We’ll remove invasive, non-native plant species from the historic landscape. Added benefits include learning some differences between native and non-native plant species, getting healthy exercise in the great outdoors, and meeting new people.

Bring: Yourself, friends, and a brown-bag lunch if desired.
Wear: Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear close-toed shoes, not sandals.
We Will Supply: Tools, gloves, water, snacks, and training.
RSVP: please email info@dopark.org to RSVP.
For More Information: Please email info@dopark.org.

Upcoming Events: Our volunteer days are ongoing and occur on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Community and Corporate Groups

Are you trying to find a volunteer opportunity for your school class, church, business, or work team? Several times each year, special groups assist us in our restoration efforts. For more information, please contact info@dopark.org.

Ecological/Historical Studies

Dumbarton Oaks Park is a vibrant, urban park, designed by Beatrix Farrand, America's first female landscape architect, between 1920-1940. The Park is the wild garden of Robert and Mildred Bliss's estate, Dumbarton Oaks. The formal gardens, owned by Harvard University are well known, however it is in the wild garden you will stroll along a romantic stream with 18 small waterfalls and through garden rooms of forest, meadow and stream side communities. DOPC is actively restoring the Park in partnership with Rock Creek Park to ecological health and beauty.The Park was succumbing to the effects of urban stormwater runoff and invasive plants when DOPC intervened in 2011. DOPC will work with you to facilitate your research and study ideas. Please contact info@dopark.org for more information.

For more information on volunteering, contact info@dopark.org.


Rock Creek National Park

Rock Creek Conservancy

Description: Rock Creek Conservancy protects the lands and waters of Rock Creek and revitalizes Rock Creek Park for people to treasure and enjoy. We invite volunteers to join us for our year round volunteer events that include invasive species removals, trash cleanups, storm drain markings, and many more. Please visit our website calendar for more information: http://bit.ly/1oiltxX

Contact: John Maleri, volunteer@rockcreekconservancy.org, 202-237-8866, www.rockcreekconservancy.org


Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)

Environmental Stewardship

The Patuxent River, Maryland's longest river, runs through the heart of the state and serves as the source of drinking water for one third of WSSC’s customers. As part of WSSC’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the Community Relations office coordinates opportunities for groups to take part in protecting this important resource. If your group is interested in participating in a stewardship project, please contact the WSSC Community Outreach department at communityoutreach[@]wsscwater.com or call 301-206-8100. Note that WSSC is an approved service learning facility for students in Howard, Montgomery and Prince Georges County.


The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/District of Columbia

The local chapter of The Nature Conservancy offers several outdoor volunteer opportunities, from invasive species removals to preserve monitoring to tree plantings. If you would like to be notified about these field projects, please contact Kate Arion at karion[@]tnc.org or (301) 897-8570 extension 204. You can also look for upcoming events on www.nature.org/dcevents.


Invasive Plant Removal Day – Register Your Site TODAY!

All across the mid-Atlantic states

Invasive Plant Removal Day started as a statewide event in Virginia aimed at engaging volunteers in managing invasive plants in natural areas across the Commonwealth. We're proud to have expanded the effort across the mid-Atlantic region to include seven states (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA, WV). Groups such as Master Naturalist chapters and neighborhood organizations plan, organize, and run invasive plant removal events in their local communities. The events are posted on a central site, and volunteers are invited to find an event near them, and contact the event's organizer to register. Visit www.maipc.org/iprday to register a site or find a site near you to join.


Potomac Conservancy

Potomac Conservancy's Growing Native is a year-round volunteer project that helps to restore and protect rivers and streams in the Potomac River watershed. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds participate in Growing Native by collecting native tree seeds and planting trees along streams and rivers across the region. Not only are participants creating forests for tomorrow, they are also learning the important connection between healthy, forested lands and clean water.

Since Growing Native's inception in 2001, nearly 30,000 volunteers collected more than 94,000 pounds of acorns, walnuts, and other hardwood tree seeds. These seeds have generated seedlings that will be used to restore sensitive streamside lands.

Growing Native's efforts culminate in the fall, when we do large scale outreach to individuals, community groups, and local businesses to get involved while seeds are dropping on the ground! We invite people to volunteer by acting as Growing Native ambassadors, seed collection event coordinators, and Drop-off site coordinators.

More information: Contact Kate McNamee, Outreach Coordinator, Potomac Conservancy, 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 612, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301.608.1188 x211. Website: www.potomac.org.


Class: Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal

Organizer: Casey Trees
Venue: Casey Trees Headquarters
3030 12th St NE, Washington, DC, 20017, United States

Come learn about non-native, invasive plants and how they are threatening our native landscapes. Participants will learn how to identify and control species of non-native, invasive plants found in the Washington, DC area including garlic mustard, mile-a-minute, and bush honeysuckle. Native alternatives to common non-native, invasive plants will also be discussed. The course consists of two parts on two different days: a 2.5 hour classroom session at the Casey Trees headquarters followed by a 3-hour field session in Rock Creek Park.

Getting There:

The Metrorail station is Brookland-CUA (Red Line) which is a 10-minute walk. The Metrobus stop is near the intersection of 12th and Irving Street NE (served by the H8) or the Brookland-CUA Metro station (served by the H2, H4, H6, G8, R4 and 80). At our office, there is ample street parking and we accommodate bicycles on-site.

Instructors:
Ana Chuquin, Rock Creek National Park
Mary Farrah, UDC Cooperative Extension Service
Damien Ossi, District Department of the Environment

Who Should Attend?
Open to the general public for those interested in learning to identify non-native, invasive plants found in the region and how to control these species.

Meals
All attendees will be provided with a light dinner. Please note your dietary preferences and/or allergies when registering so we can attempt to accommodate your needs.

Continuing Education Credits
ISA Continuing Education Credits pending.


District of Columbia Cooperative Weed Management Area (DC-CWMA)

Our mission is to restore natural habitats and ecosystems and to protect biodiversity by working to eliminate invasive plants in DC through a coordinated effort across political and ecological boundaries.  Learn more at doee.dc.gov/DC-CWMA.