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Weed Warriors at work. Volunteer Events

Special Project Weed Warriors

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What You Need to Know
 Upcoming Events
Ongoing Events
Future Projects

Garlic Mustard Challenge 2010 - Winners!
Thanks to the many amazing volunteers and Park Staff who made this year another great success. Get the details here.

Invasive species present one of the greatest threats to the health and biodiverstiy of our parklands. These unwelcome plants disrupt the ecology of natural ecosystems, displace native plants, impact native wildlife, and degrade the wonderful diverse wild lands of Montgomery County.

Search Volunteer Listings

To help fight the battle against invasive plants, we are looking for you to lend a helping hand! Join us for one of several invasive plant pull projects in a number of different parklands. With the help of your muscle power, and pruners, we will manually remove non-native vines and shrubs and save the mature trees and other native plants that the invasive plants are strangling and out competing.

  • Are YOU interested in joining in a Weed Warrior project for a day? Click here to search for individual volunteer listings.
  • Is your GROUP interested in joining the fight? Click here to search for group volunteer listings.

NOTE: No experience is necessary; we will train you on-site. Your help during one of these projects could make a difference for years to come!

Do you have a group that would like to join in the effort? Contact: Paul Carlson at Paul.Carlson@montgomeryparks.org or 301-962-1343

What You Need to Know

  • You must register to participate in these project days
  • Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
  • Organized groups are welcome. Please call ahead if you are bringing a group.
  • We are Student Service Learning (SSL) approved.
  • Wear clothes that are good for working in the out-of-doors.
  • Bring gloves, pruners, and water - we will have extras on-site if you don't have them.
  • We work rain or shine, however, thunderstorms do cancel the project.
Projects Contact Information

Let us know if you are joining us or get additional information by contacting the event project leader. If no project leader is listed for an event contact Lynette Scaffidi, Natural Resources Specialist:

Upcoming Events

Little Bennett Regional Park Trails - There are two upcoming projects at this spectacular 3,700 acre park!

  1. Saturday, July 24th from 9AM to 12Noon – Rain or shine.
    Meet at the gravel parking lot at the intersection of Clarksburg Road (Rte 121) and the old Hyattstown Mill Road at 9am. Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, David Fryauff, as we manually remove invasive vines from this special biodiversity area and top natural area. During this project, you will work with David removing Mile a Minute vine. This annual vine is best removed using metal rakes. Please bring a metal rake if you have one. Help us project our largest Montgomery Park from the threat of losing native trees to invasive vines.- map
  2. Saturday, October 23 from 9AM to 12Noon – Rain or shine.
    Meet at the trail head to Browning Run Trail along Clarksburg Road (Route 121) at 9 am. Work with Weed Warrior Supervisor, David Fryauff, in another wonderful section of Little Bennett. During this project, you will be working on removing multiflora rose, barberry, bush honeysuckle, and Russian olive in the open fields. Bring your folding saws or borrow ours. Your work will help to keep Little Bennett Regional Parks natural areas free from the pressures of invasive plants.- map

Ovid Hazen Wells Recreation Park New Project!
The 1st Tuesday of each month from 9AM to 11AM
Meet at Red Wiggler Community Farm 23400 Ridge Road, Germantown, MD 20876. Join Montgomery Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Beth Van Leer, as we manually remove invasive plants and vines from the wetlands and woodland areas. Red Wiggler Community Farm has partnered with M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks at the Ovid Hazen Wells Park since 2006 on both wetland restoration and reforestation projects. These projects are working to build native integrity by providing much needed native nectar and wildlife habitat for our native species. Please join our efforts to establish these restoration areas and preserve one of Maryland's natural treasures! For reservations or inclement weather please call 301-916-2216.

Rachel Carson Conservation Park
Sunday June 27 from 10AM to 12Noon - Rain or shine
Meet at the gravel parking lot at off Zion Road – 22201 Zion Road, Brookeville, MD 20833. Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Mimi Abdu, as we manually remove invasive vines from this special biodiversity area and top natural area. Help us keep it that way by removing newly invading invasive vines.- map

Ongoing Events

  • Capital Crescent Trail
    The 1st Wednesday of the month - Rain or shine.
    June thru September at 8:30-10 AM - October thru May at 10-11:30 AM
    Meet at the gravel parking lot at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave and Little Falls Parkway at 8am. Help us save the magnificent native trees along Little Falls Stream! Help us save the magnificent native trees along the Capital Crescent Trail! Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, David Brooks, as we manually remove the invasive vines from trees along this well loved trail. English ivy vines cover the trees, slowly killing them. The vines also harbor a bacterial leaf scorch that affects a wide variety of native and ornamental trees. Other invasive vines completely engulf the trees, shading them out and overburdening them with added weight, causing the trees to topple. Help us save them!!- map
  • Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park
    The 1st Saturday of the month: September through December at 10AM – 12 Noon.
    Inclement weather number for the day of the project – 301-962-1480.
    Meet at Brookside Nature Center 1400 Glenallan Ave. Wheaton, MD  20902.  Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisors, Margie Richards and Judy Ziems, as we manually remove invasive plants and vines from the woodlands surrounding Brookside Nature Center . Montgomery County Park Naturalists, along with many volunteers,  have worked for years to save Brookside’s  trees and woodland wildflowers from the overgrowth of non-native invasive vines. Their efforts have created an oasis that is enjoyed and loved by many.  Please join the effort to help save the trees from the threat of non-native invasive plants - map
  • Burnt Mills Dam in the Rachel Carson Greenway (along Northwest Branch stream)
    The 4th Saturday of each month at 10AM– 12 Noon. Cancelled in the event of rain.
    Meet at 10 am at 10711 Colesville Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20901 – at the Burnt Mills WSSC parking lot where Route 29 crosses over Northwest Branch Stream (same side of the road as Trader Joes and California Tortilla). Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Larry Hush, as we manually remove invasive plants and vines from the woodlands along the Northwest Branch Stream. We will hike along the rocky fall line of the stream to our work area, so be prepared to walk on rocky, uneven trails for about ¼ of a mile . This is a spectacular section of the stream, come help protect this Montgomery Parks treasure. Please join the effort to help save the trees from the threat of non-native invasive plants - map
  • Garlic Mustard Challenge 2010 - Winners!
    Thanks to the many amazing volunteers and Parks Staff who made this year another great success. Get the details here.
  • Little Falls Trail
    June 19, July 17, August 7 & 21, September 11 & 25, October 2 & 23 from 8AM – 10AM – Rain or shine.
    Meet at the gravel parking lot at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave and Little Falls Parkway at 8am. Help us save the magnificent native trees along Little Falls Stream! Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisors, Lynnwood Andrews and Suzanne Richman, as we manually remove the invasive vines from trees along this stream valley park. English ivy vines cover the trees, slowly killing the trees from the base upwards. The vines also harbor a bacterial leaf scorch that affects a wide variety of native and ornamental trees. Other invasive vines completely engulf the trees, shading them out and overburdening them with added weight, causing the trees to topple. Help us save them!! Co-sponsored by Montgomery County Parks and Little Falls Watershed Alliance. - map
  • Ovid Hazen Wells Recreation Park
    The 1st Tuesday of each month from 9AM to 11AM
    Meet at Red Wiggler Community Farm 23400 Ridge Road, Germantown, MD 20876. Join Montgomery Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Beth Van Leer, as we manually remove invasive plants and vines from the wetlands and woodland areas. Red Wiggler Community Farm has partnered with M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks at the Ovid Hazen Wells Park since 2006 on both wetland restoration and reforestation projects. These projects are working to build native integrity by providing much needed native nectar and wildlife habitat for our native species. Please join our efforts to establish these restoration areas and preserve one of Maryland's natural treasures! For reservations or inclement weather please call 301-916-2216.

Future Projects

Fall 2010

  • Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park - hosted by Friends of Sligo Creek (FOSC)
     Each weekend starting again this Fall. Dates, times and meeting locations along Sligo Creek Stream Valley will vary - Rain or shine. - Check the Friends of Sligo Creek (FOSC) website: http://www.fosc.org/RIPEventSched.htm to learn about events this fall. Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park is home to a very large and active Friends group called Friends of Sligo Creek or FOSC.  Montgomery Park’s Certified Weed Warrior Supervisors that are also FOSC members lead NNI removal projects all along the Sligo Stream Valley, and FOSC volunteers regularly participate in these projects.  But they need your help to continue their efforts to preserve the large mature trees of the park.  Please join them. 
November 2010
  • Capital Crescent Trail
     Theses events will reconvene in November. The 1st Wednesday of the month – Rain or shine.
    October thru May at 10AM– 11:30AM. Meet at the gravel parking lot at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave and Little Falls Parkway at 8am. Help us save the magnificent native trees along Little Falls Stream! Help us save the magnificent native trees along the Capital Crescent Trail! Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, David Brooks, as we manually remove the invasive vines from trees along this well loved trail. English ivy vines cover the trees, slowly killing them. The vines also harbor a bacterial leaf scorch that affects a wide variety of native and ornamental trees. Other invasive vines completely engulf the trees, shading them out and overburdening them with added weight, causing the trees to topple. Help us save them!!- map
  • Meadowbrook Local Park along Rock Creek Stream Valley
    Theses events will reconvene in November. The 1st Saturday of each month from 10AM to 12Noon – Rain or shine. Meet the first parking lot on Beach Drive just south of the intersection of East-West Highway and Beach Drive. Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Jeremy Arling, and Montgomery County Sierra Club as we manually remove invasive vines from the mature and reforestation trees along Rock Creek Stream . Montgomery County Parks has worked for years to save the many trees along this stream from the overgrowth of non-native invasive vines. After years of work, the Parks reforested the area to replace the trees we were not able to save. Help us preserve the existing mature trees and the newly planted trees from the same fate of the mature trees that once stood in it’s place. - park info
  • Underground Railroad Trail at Woodlawn Mansion
    This event will reconvene in November. The 2nd Saturday of each month from 10AM– 12Noon – Rain or shine. Meet at the parking lot behind Woodlawn Mansion at 16501 Norwood Road. Join Montgomery County Parks Certified Weed Warrior Supervisor, Jeremy Arling and Montgomery County Sierra Club as we manually remove invasive vines from along the Underground RR Trail. - map

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