If the forecast models are accurate, we’re in for a doozy of a storm this weekend, plus several days of frigid temperatures. Capital Weather Gang reports the snowfall totals could be the largest since 2016, when a storm dubbed “Snowzilla” buried the region under 17 to 32 inches. Longtime Washingtonians know to stock the pantry. […]
Reminder: It’s illegal (and bad for plants and animals) to dump pumpkins and Christmas trees in parks and forests
by Kathy Sykes Area park managers and stewards have been telling us for years that parks and forests are not suitable places to dump pumpkins and Christmas trees. View this post on Instagram A 2022 post shared by Rock Creek Conservancy (@loverockcreek) The people who do this are likely well-intentioned, and may have heard that […]
These plants are climbing and destroying our trees. Winter is a good time to stop them.
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 […]
UDC took people on a campus tour to highlight needs for tree-care money and expertise
by Kathy Sykes The University of the District of Columbia has many trees on its Van Ness campus. They are in need of expert care, and on November 18th, UDC held its first community walk to demonstrate the need and generate support for a commitment to fund the university’s tree care plan and bring in […]
This Sunday is Sun Day, a chance to learn about harnessing solar power at home, even if your home is an apartment.
by Barbara Green Every spring since 1970, on the day of the spring equinox, people around the world have been observing Earth Day, a celebration and acknowledgement of what a privilege it is to live on this planet. This Sunday, just ahead of the autumnal equinox, we will mark Sun Day. We know that because […]
Opinion: DC’s environmental agency faces “destructive” budget cuts
by Marlene Berlin In 2014, the DC Department of Energy and the Environment, armed with federal funds, completed the daylighting of the long-buried Broad Branch stream, and the restoration of the Linnean stream. That our neighborhood got two very pleasant walking trails out of these two ambitious projects was only a side benefit. The streams […]
Stream and stormwater updates: Broad Branch’s bad report card, Linnean trail work, and the late arrival of some of our favorite seasonal neighbors
Broad Branch stream health Alicia Ritzenhaler, environmental protection specialist at the DC Department of Energy and the Environment, says the stream has a new water quality sensor. The data it collects is used to score the stream’s health. DOEE’s Stream Condition Index assigns A-F letter grades, and the Broad Branch report card not looking good. […]
How much are clean DC streams worth? UDC researchers need our help to figure out the answers.
We have an opportunity to assist UDC with some research on water quality and recreation in DC’s rivers and streams. Volunteers don’t have to conduct any water testing. And they don’t have to know anything at all about water quality. What the researchers want are our perspectives on the value of these local assets based […]
Why a construction crew is back in the Soapstone Valley
by Marlene Berlin Construction work is under way in the Soapstone Valley for the first time since DC Water wrapped up the bulk of its sewer rehabilitation project in 2024. This time, it’s for a different project. It’s happening here, between Linnean Avenue north of the park and Soapstone Creek: And the reason it’s been […]
Food waste collection is now a year-round fixture on Saturdays in Van Ness
The UDC Van Ness farmers market does not operate year-round, but its food waste drop-off stand now does. The Department of Public Works has bins and staff outside the UDC Student Center on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Another change you might have missed is that the sites accept more than vegetable scraps. […]