The Potomac Conservancy is collecting native hardwood seeds all over the region this fall as a part of their Growing Native project. Here is a description of one of their more interesting events.
Growing Native seed collection at Arlington National Cemetery this Saturday, October 10 from 10 am- 2 pm.
Spend the day at one of our nation’s greatest landmarks collecting, indentifying and bagging native hardwood seeds. The collection will take place on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
Growing Native is a project, managed by Potomac Conservancy, which emphasizes the connection between clean water and healthy forested land. Each fall, thousands of volunteers throughout the Potomac River watershed collect native hardwood seeds, which are donated to state nurseries, and used to restore streamside forests along the Potomac and its tributaries.
Pre-register by calling Deanna Tricarico, Director of Outreach, at (301) 608-1188 x204, or show up and register at the event when you get there.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Clean the Stream for Halloween in the Northwest Branch
From a press release sent out by the
Neighbors of the Northwest Branch
Clean the Stream for Halloween Event
Come join the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch for the Clean the Stream for Halloween Event!
Clean the Stream for Halloween Event
Come join the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch for the Clean the Stream for Halloween Event!
You can make a spooktacular difference for our stream!
Grab your family, friends, and neighbors and participate in cleaning up the truly scary amount of trash and litter that can be found along the Northwest Branch. The trick is to reduce trash in our watershed in order to enjoy the treat of a clean Chesapeake Bay.
Be sure to wear long sleeves and pants. If you have waterproof boots, bring them. We'll have extra gloves, but bring yours if you have heavy-duty waterproof gloves. Younger children are welcome to join in the cleanup with a parent or adult guardian accompanying them.
The Clean the Stream for Halloween Event will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 10:00 am until 12 noon.
We have three sites participating in this event along the Northwest Branch.
Directions to the sites and contact info for the site coordinators are as follows:
Randolph/Kemp Mill Rd Site: Contact Glenn Welch at glenn.welch@yahoo.com
Directions: From New Hampshire Ave./Randolph Rd. intersection, go west on Randolph Rd. and left at the light at Kemp Mill Rd. Park along Kemp Mill Rd near Glenallan Ave. From the Randolph Rd./Georgia Ave. intersection, go east on Randolph and right at the Kemp Mill Rd. traffic light, then as above. Look for us at the NWB trailhead on Kemp Mill Rd. near the foot of Glenallan Ave.
Burnt Mills Site: Contact Larry Hush at lchush@verizon.net
Randolph/Kemp Mill Rd Site: Contact Glenn Welch at glenn.welch@yahoo.com
Directions: From New Hampshire Ave./Randolph Rd. intersection, go west on Randolph Rd. and left at the light at Kemp Mill Rd. Park along Kemp Mill Rd near Glenallan Ave. From the Randolph Rd./Georgia Ave. intersection, go east on Randolph and right at the Kemp Mill Rd. traffic light, then as above. Look for us at the NWB trailhead on Kemp Mill Rd. near the foot of Glenallan Ave.
Burnt Mills Site: Contact Larry Hush at lchush@verizon.net
Directions: From I-495 head West on University Blvd. Turn right on Rte. 29/Colesville Rd. In ~1/2 make a u-turn at the Citgo station. Park in the lot behind the red brick building on the right.
West Hyattsville Metro Site: Contact James Graham at iceagewasa@verizon.net
Directions: Take either Riggs Rd or Queens Chapel Rd to Ager Rd and the West Hyattsville Metro is on the west side of Ager Rd. We will meet in the Metro parking lot and access the clean-up site via the Northwest Branch Trail.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Kensington Bans Kids over 5 from Reinhart Park
Question: When is a public park not really for the public?
Answer: When that park is in the town of Kensington, MD.
I was alerted by email about a little controversy that is brewing over in the neighboring suburb of Kensington. Because I’m an outspoken supporter of both parks and recess for all children, this story really grabbed me. Seems the town council has officially banned anyone over the age of five from using the playground at Reinhart Park, which has the playground next to the Safeway, during midday hours from 9am -4pm Monday through Friday.
Now why on earth would any self respecting town council do such a thing, unless they are they ran that creepy fictional town from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang??? (Remember, the town where Dick Van Dyke drives up in his old beaten up noisy car and finds that all the kids were put into an underground dungeon?)
To get one version of the story, you can visit this Channel 7 news clip:
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1009/664957_video.html?ref=newsstory
I think this entire thing seems fishy. In addition to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I’m reminded of the sheriffs in the old wild west movies who would only give protection to those store owners that paid extra money each month…
I’ve been around that park during the day, and I’ve seen those girls playing. They are always well supervised by teams of teachers, and always polite to other visitors that come to the park. In fact, I use that park about once a week and I have never seen any real damage that would cause undo expense, such as broken swings, graffiti, or the like. It seems much cleaner, actually, than a lot of county parks because it is usually free from litter.
I also tend to think that having a really well run school like Brookewood in the middle of town is a real asset. I wouldn't go doing things (if I was on the town council I mean) to chase them off.
Meanwhile, if I worked for the Brookewood School, I’d be calling around and asking about county policies regarding park use by other schools. (I have a feeling those law supersede any Kensington Town Council votes.) I’d be finding out if there are laws governing open park usage and public space accommodations. (I know for a fact that several of the nearby county public schools use the county public parks and fields quite actively for recess and gym all day long. I am not aware of any extra fees imposed for such a use. This includes some schools within just a few miles of this school and this park.)
Furthermore, I’d be out at that park taking surveys of all the families that come every week. I’d ask those parents what they think of this new restriction.
Oh and one final thing: if this was some big scheme dreamed up by the Kensington town council as a way of making their little burg seem really unwelcoming to families, it sure is working!
Answer: When that park is in the town of Kensington, MD.
I was alerted by email about a little controversy that is brewing over in the neighboring suburb of Kensington. Because I’m an outspoken supporter of both parks and recess for all children, this story really grabbed me. Seems the town council has officially banned anyone over the age of five from using the playground at Reinhart Park, which has the playground next to the Safeway, during midday hours from 9am -4pm Monday through Friday.
Now why on earth would any self respecting town council do such a thing, unless they are they ran that creepy fictional town from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang??? (Remember, the town where Dick Van Dyke drives up in his old beaten up noisy car and finds that all the kids were put into an underground dungeon?)
To get one version of the story, you can visit this Channel 7 news clip:
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1009/664957_video.html?ref=newsstory
I think this entire thing seems fishy. In addition to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I’m reminded of the sheriffs in the old wild west movies who would only give protection to those store owners that paid extra money each month…
I’ve been around that park during the day, and I’ve seen those girls playing. They are always well supervised by teams of teachers, and always polite to other visitors that come to the park. In fact, I use that park about once a week and I have never seen any real damage that would cause undo expense, such as broken swings, graffiti, or the like. It seems much cleaner, actually, than a lot of county parks because it is usually free from litter.
I also tend to think that having a really well run school like Brookewood in the middle of town is a real asset. I wouldn't go doing things (if I was on the town council I mean) to chase them off.
Meanwhile, if I worked for the Brookewood School, I’d be calling around and asking about county policies regarding park use by other schools. (I have a feeling those law supersede any Kensington Town Council votes.) I’d be finding out if there are laws governing open park usage and public space accommodations. (I know for a fact that several of the nearby county public schools use the county public parks and fields quite actively for recess and gym all day long. I am not aware of any extra fees imposed for such a use. This includes some schools within just a few miles of this school and this park.)
Furthermore, I’d be out at that park taking surveys of all the families that come every week. I’d ask those parents what they think of this new restriction.
Oh and one final thing: if this was some big scheme dreamed up by the Kensington town council as a way of making their little burg seem really unwelcoming to families, it sure is working!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
What's in Bloom: Swamp Sunflower
The Swamp Sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius) are out in full glory today. The sun came up cold, but still no frost. And as the morning wore on, the light picked up each bright yellow petal like stained glass.
In the past I tried incorporating this flower into a hedgerow I've formed in my yard. I had this idea that it would look great between the highbush cranberries and the arrowwood shrubs. But it seemed crowded and sad there.
So, last fall after it had finished blooming, I moved it over to be next to two another tall native perennials, the Joe Pye Weed and the Ironweed. These three plants seem really happy together. They all soak up the excessive wash out that occurs under the one rain spout in my back yard that lacks a rain barrel. And they all can get big and tall and lean over in old which way with complete abandon. No shrubby branches to bump into.
In the photo you can see, for example, the that the swamp sunflower is leaning over my pineapple sage. This is no accident. In fact, this is one piece of garden choreography that I am very proud to say I planned. The sage waits all season to bloom. Then, just when October hits, those red flowers burst forth like fireworks. At that exact same time, the swamp sunflowers are ready to blossom, too. Both are also wonderful for wildlife. Bees and birds love the sunflowers and the migrating hummingbirds make the most of those tubular red sage blossoms.
People complain a lot about how the garden can be boring in fall. I think this is one of the key reasons to plant native stuff. If you do you discover that fall is one of the best seasons of all to be outside. You can find interesting seed heads, ripening berries, fantastic leaf patterns and fall colors, and of course, late blooming flowers. Plus, all of the above are used by the wildlife that is preparing for the long cold season ahead, making the fall garden crazy, vibrant and colorful. A fall garden full of native plants is not ever sad or forlorn.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Just in time for Halloween: Cornell's Spooky Birds
Funny how often birds are considered scary in fictional movies and literature. Groups of crows, for example, are called "murders." And Edgar Allan Poe was haunted by a raven. Then there's the whole thing with that classic Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds...
The people at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology think the "scary" bird behaviors people see in their own backyards can easily be explained. In fact, they are challenging people to take photos, do a painting, write a story or poem, even shoot a video showing crows, pigeons, starlings, an owl, or any kind of bird doing something puzzling or strange. They will then reveal what the behaviors are really all about.
"There’s usually a perfectly natural, non-scary explanation!" they say on their website.
This seems like a great activity for school groups, homeschoolers, and parents who want to do some backyard naturalist activities in fall. You can find more info on their website at: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/challenge
The people at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology think the "scary" bird behaviors people see in their own backyards can easily be explained. In fact, they are challenging people to take photos, do a painting, write a story or poem, even shoot a video showing crows, pigeons, starlings, an owl, or any kind of bird doing something puzzling or strange. They will then reveal what the behaviors are really all about.
"There’s usually a perfectly natural, non-scary explanation!" they say on their website.
This seems like a great activity for school groups, homeschoolers, and parents who want to do some backyard naturalist activities in fall. You can find more info on their website at: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/challenge
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Cash for Lawnmowing Clunkers
We once had a friend who couldn't bear to give up anything old. He hated to throw away stuff, and although most of the time that kind of thriftiness can add up to an enviro ethic, in this particular case it sometimes caused a lot of pollution... because he even refused to throw away his father's old lawn mower from the 70s. His dad had died some fifteen years earlier. The mower, unfortunately, just kept on ticking away, spewing out clouds of horrible, smoky exhaust year after year. We used to tease him and say that his old mower was responsible for all of the "code red" bad air days in our county.
I was thinking about that old mower and that old friend today when I got an interesting email from a friend up in Baltimore. It would be great to replicate this kind of event down here in Montgomery County. For one thing, it would provide me with a great discount on a wonderful new battery powered mower, including one of those Neuton ones. Those things are SOOO cool.
Anyhow, here's the low down on the mower trade in event:
CA$H for Lawn CLUNKERS
Lawnmower Trade-In Event AND Native Plant Sale –
two ways to save and go green!
Trade in your old, noisy, gas-guzzling lawn mower for a coupon worth up to 1/3 off the cost of a brand new battery-powered, cordless, rechargeable, electric mower.
Sunday, October 18, Noon to 4:00 pm
@ Herring Run Nursery
6131 Hillen Rd., Baltimore in the Mount Pleasant Golf Course
@ Herring Run Nursery
6131 Hillen Rd., Baltimore in the Mount Pleasant Golf Course
Help clean up the air and local water, make your community a healthier (and quieter) place, provide for birds… and save money at the same time!
Event presented by Together Green, Audubon Maryland-DC, Herring Run Watershed Association, Herring Run Nursery, Neuton Mowers, and Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
Event presented by Together Green, Audubon Maryland-DC, Herring Run Watershed Association, Herring Run Nursery, Neuton Mowers, and Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
Need to know:
• Only push mowers will be accepted, no riding mowers at this event.
• Your mower must be drained of all oil and gas – recycling facility and assistance provided onsite if needed. Or drain in advance and properly dispose of fluids (such as at Baltimore City Household Hazardous Waste event October 10 -11
• Coupon is for $110 off of a specific brand of mower plus free shipping.
• Limit one mower/ coupon per household.
Need more information?
Lawnmower Event: email aahmaryland@audubon.org or call (410) 271-2481
• Only push mowers will be accepted, no riding mowers at this event.
• Your mower must be drained of all oil and gas – recycling facility and assistance provided onsite if needed. Or drain in advance and properly dispose of fluids (such as at Baltimore City Household Hazardous Waste event October 10 -11
• Coupon is for $110 off of a specific brand of mower plus free shipping.
• Limit one mower/ coupon per household.
Need more information?
Lawnmower Event: email aahmaryland@audubon.org or call (410) 271-2481
Native Plant Sale including inventory and prices: http://www.herringrun.org/
County Council votes to keep Golf in Sligo Creek Park
Just got an email from The Sligo Creek Golf Association as follows:
The SCGA applauds the County Council's 7-2 vote today to keep the 9-hole course open through June 30, 2010. SCGA also looks forward to participating on the 17- to 19-member task force that will recommend a long-term financial plan for the course by Jan. 19.
The course had been slated to close on October 1...
...Councilmember Valerie Ervin authored the resolution forming the task force, which will include representatives from the Sligo Creek Golf Association, Friends of Sligo Creek and the North Hills of Sligo Civic Association as well as county officials and representatives of veterans’ organizations.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Duchy Trachtenberg. Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Nancy Navarro also supported the $150,000 supplemental appropriation proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett.
“The people in the community surrounding Sligo Creek Golf Course and golfers from around the county should be commended for their advocacy and the efficacy of their advocacy,” said Ervin. “We’ve heard you. We’ve hard you loud and clear. We understand that Sligo Creek Golf Course is really a jewel in our community. So we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Berliner, who was the last undecided member of the Council, said he went over to the course Monday to talk to Sligo Creek golfers. “People were clearly enjoying it and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds were enjoying it. That is one of the things that strikes you immediately,” said Berliner.
{end quoted part of press release}
Well, I'm glad anyhow. I've been advocating all along to keep it as a golf course. I'd love to see the whole place turned into a green model, complete with low impact design and low fertilizer use, native plants and more trees. We'll have to see about that. At least for now it won't be heavily developed, heavily lighted, or otherwise built up.
For more info visit the SCGA website by clicking here.
The SCGA applauds the County Council's 7-2 vote today to keep the 9-hole course open through June 30, 2010. SCGA also looks forward to participating on the 17- to 19-member task force that will recommend a long-term financial plan for the course by Jan. 19.
The course had been slated to close on October 1...
...Councilmember Valerie Ervin authored the resolution forming the task force, which will include representatives from the Sligo Creek Golf Association, Friends of Sligo Creek and the North Hills of Sligo Civic Association as well as county officials and representatives of veterans’ organizations.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Duchy Trachtenberg. Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Nancy Navarro also supported the $150,000 supplemental appropriation proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett.
“The people in the community surrounding Sligo Creek Golf Course and golfers from around the county should be commended for their advocacy and the efficacy of their advocacy,” said Ervin. “We’ve heard you. We’ve hard you loud and clear. We understand that Sligo Creek Golf Course is really a jewel in our community. So we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Berliner, who was the last undecided member of the Council, said he went over to the course Monday to talk to Sligo Creek golfers. “People were clearly enjoying it and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds were enjoying it. That is one of the things that strikes you immediately,” said Berliner.
{end quoted part of press release}
Well, I'm glad anyhow. I've been advocating all along to keep it as a golf course. I'd love to see the whole place turned into a green model, complete with low impact design and low fertilizer use, native plants and more trees. We'll have to see about that. At least for now it won't be heavily developed, heavily lighted, or otherwise built up.
For more info visit the SCGA website by clicking here.
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