The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is a nationally recognized day of service. ARMN welcomes members of the public to join master naturalists for a number of earth-friendly projects to honor the spirit of Dr. King. Here is a list of activities both for the weekend prior to MLK Day as well as the official holiday, Monday January 18, 2016. We hope to see you at one or more of these events that will make a significant difference to the health of our local environment.
- Culpepper Garden Invasive Plant Removal
Join neighbors and ARMN volunteers in bringing the grounds of Culpepper Garden back to a healthy natural state. Culpeper Garden is a model, nonprofit senior residential community in the heart of Arlington.
Times: 9:30 am – 12 pm and/or 12 – 2 pm, Monday, January 18
Location: 4435 North Pershing Drive, Arlington
Contact Pat Findikoglu (Patfindikoglu@gmail.com) or Caroline Haynes (chaynesarmn@gmail.com) if you plan to attend.
- Arlington Habitat Restoration at Long Branch Nature Center
Help out LBNC’s old growth forest by removing invasive exotic plants in and around it. The event is open to age 8 and up. No registration is required.
Time: 2 – 4 pm Monday, January 18
Location: Long Branch Nature Center Park, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington (Meet in parking lot.)
Contact Steve Young (frazmo@gmail.com), 703-966-2966, or Long Branch Nature Center, 703-228-6535 for information.
- Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve Invasive Plant Removal
Join the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and the Friends of Dyke Marsh to help remove invasive plants from beautiful Dyke Marsh.
Time: 10 am – 12:30 pm, Monday, January 18
Location: Meet in the South Parking Lot of the Belle Haven Picnic Area of Dyke Marsh. See the Friends of Dyke Marsh website for more information about the marsh and for directions (http://www.fodm.org/).
Contact: Daniel Saltzberg (dsaltzberg@nvct.org), 703-354-5093 by Monday, January 11.
Notes: Dress in layers and bring water, gloves, and clippers if you have them (if not, they will be provided).
- Alternative Plant Removal Date for Madison Manor
See details below for invasive plant pull at Madison Manor Park on Saturday, January 16. In case of inclement weather, the event will take place on January 18.
Can’t volunteer on MLK Day itself? Consider these other service opportunities on Saturday, January 16, of the holiday weekend:
- Winter Tree ID and RiP Invasive Plant Pull at Tuckahoe Park, January 16
ARMN member Mary McLean will conduct a winter tree identification and follow it with removal of invasive plants at Tuckahoe Park.
Time: 9 – 9:45 am (tree ID); 10 am – 12 pm (invasives pull), January 16
Location: Tuckahoe Park, 2400 North Sycamore St., Arlington
Contact: Mary McLean (marydmclean@verizon.net), 703-966-2047
- Madison Manor Park Invasive Plant Removal, January 16
Resume work on a beautiful park in need of additional attention.
Time: 2 – 4 pm, January 16
Location: Meet at the Madison Manor sign near 11th Road North, 12th Road North, and Ohio Street
Contact: Jo Allen, (jo.allen@comcast.net), 703-474-2671
Notes: Some tools will be available, but bring pruners, loppers, and work gloves if you have them. In case of inclement weather (below freezing, heavy rain, dangerous ice), meet instead from 2 – 4 pm. Monday, January 18, at the same intersection.
- Fraser Preserve Barberry Plant Removal January 16
Join ARMN volunteer Margaret Chatham who will lead two efforts to remove barberry plants from Fraser Preserve, a Nature Conservancy property in Great Falls.
Time: 12 – 3 pm, January 16.
Location: See details in “Contact,” below.
Contact Margaret Chatham (margaret.chatham@verizon.net) both to confirm your place in the day’s crew and where we’ll be meeting that day, which may be either at the entry to the preserve (park at the corner of Allenwood & Springvale Road) or at Camp Fraser (drive all the way to the north end of Springvale: take the hilly gravel portion of the road very slowly!)
Notes: Plan to remove any red berries from the plants (bags provided), then get the crowns out of the ground. Wear heavy leather gloves, in addition to dressing for the weather and being off trail in the woods. Bring a garden fork if you have one, water, and any snacks you’ll need. Work can progress with snow on the ground, but will be canceled if the ground is frozen or the weather is really nasty. If weather is questionable and you are uncertain about a cancellation, please call Margaret Chatham ONLY after 11AM on the day of the event at 703-785-8175. (Phone inoperative at other times.)
Thank you for adding Tuckahoe Park to you list for MLK’s Day of Service. I’m proud Tuckahoe had the privilege of being one of the featured sites on MLK Day a few years ago. Consider the human communities you serve in addition to the other fauna and the flora on this special day that also honors nonviolence. The community served by Tuckahoe Park includes Tuckahoe Elementary School, Bishop O’Connell High School, tennis players, softball, soccer and lacrosse teams, families visiting our destination playground, dog walkers from near and far, Metro commuters to East Falls Church, the neighborhood of East Falls Church and ARMN members too!
Gratefully,
Mary McLean
Sent from my iPhone
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