It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to free some trees from nonnative invasive vines. Winter is a great time to this work, says National Park Service-certified Weed Warrior Kathy Sykes. At one chilly invasive removal event at Reservation 630, she explained to the volunteers that the winter dieback makes it easier to spot […]
Albemarle Street reopening is the latest Soapstone sewer project milestone
Now open: Albemarle Street east of Connecticut Avenue, for the first time since a major DC Water closed the section of roadway to vehicle traffic in September 9th, 2024. Tuesday’s reopening was one of the final and largest steps toward completion of the Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation project. Last week, road crews repaved and repainted […]
Photos: Rock Creek Park after the season’s first snowfall
by Marlene Berlin Last Friday, the first measurable snowfall of the season dusted the region with around an inch of snow. And what a welcome sight it was. I set out that morning, eager to enjoy the beauty of the falling snow in Rock Creek Park. My route took me down Davenport Street and across […]
Getting Around: Albemarle Street repaving dates; Weigh in on DDOT’s Strategic Bikeways Plan on Dec. 10 or online
DC Water’s Soapstone sewer rehabilitation project is almost done. Since the project started in March 2022, the century-old system of sewer lines running through the valley have been sealed and strengthened with new linings. Soapstone Creek has been reconstructed to protect the sewer system and watershed from stormwater erosion and damage. The most recent milestone, […]
Volunteers have started to clean up a weedy corner of Forest Hills Park
by Tracy Zorpette At the Brandywine Street entrance to Forest Hills Park, a patch of long-neglected overgrowth looks somewhat tidier. Good Clean Fun, a project of Van Ness Main Street and a steward of the park and playground, organized an invasive removal event on Saturday, November 8th. It partnered with Mary Farrah, the invasive plant […]
Do something good for Rock Creek Park (and for yourself) at upcoming invasive plant removal events
by Kathy Sykes Fall is a great time to enjoy Rock Creek Park – and to save it. The park recently celebrated its 150th birthday, and its birthday wish was for volunteers to come join in the fun of removing harmful invasive plants and vines. These plants can take down trees and crowd out native […]
A call for volunteers to remove invasive plants from Forest Hills Park
by Tracy Zorpette Did you know that the greenery that grows (and grows and grows) along the 3100 block of Brandywine Street is part of Forest Hills Park? Some of this vegetation is good for wildlife, but this stretch is chockablock with invasive species that are harmful to native plants and animals. Van Ness Main […]
Backyard Nature: A hiker’s pain is the squirrels’ gain as slippery acorns drop in large numbers
by Marlene Berlin Autumn in Rock Creek Park is a paradox. You want to lift your gaze to behold the unfolding beauty of autumn. But if you don’t watch your step, you could slip on an abundance of acorns. Have you hiked on a trail virtually carpeted in acorns? It is like trying to walk […]
A ‘significant milestone’ in DC Water’s Soapstone sewer project, but completion is still weeks away
The Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation project has taken a big and “important step” toward completion. “We are pleased to share that the Soapstone project has reached a significant milestone with the successful [September 26th] installation of Shot #10, the final segment of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP),” wrote DC Water on October 2nd. “This achievement marks an […]
The government shutdown and the national park next door
In case you did not know, many Rock Creek Park facilities are closed, and services such as trash pickup are suspended for the shutdown’s duration. That means the Rock Creek Nature Center and Peirce Mill are not welcoming visitors, and Friends of Peirce Mill does not yet know whether its Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair will be […]