SGR to participate in Earth Day project

SGR members plan to participate in the Clip-the-Trees of English Ivy event sponsored by Friends of Sligo Creek (FoSC), a local environmental group. The event is in celebration of Earth Day and will take place on Saturday, April 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

SGR members plan to meet at the bleachers across from the golf course on Sligo Creek Parkway between Colesville Road and Forest Glen Road, where there are 180 ivied trees to be clipped.

Sally Gagne, the FoSC member who is heading the project, said people can help in two ways. One option is to greet volunteers as they arrive in the first hour. These participants would hand out gloves, point out what poison ivy looks like and take groups of about four to a "Weed Warrior," who will then explain what volunteers need to do. The other option is to grab gloves and start tackling the job of clearing out the English Ivy in the immediate area.

FoSC hopes people of all ages will come out of and help rid Sligo Creek of English Ivy. Even if volunteers can only come for half an hour or an hour, FoSC would be greatly appreciative of any help. Gagne said the purpose of the activity is "to call attention to ivy on trees in neighborhoods as well as in the Park." She explained that in the last few years, ivy has begun to take over many tree trunks in Sligo Creek. The vertically growing vine is destructive to trees since it adds weight to the trunk and tends to close in moisture. On the ground, the vine replaces native Spring Beauty and other plants.

To help, e-mail Sally Gagne at sgagne@starpower.com or call her at 301-588-2071. She will send further details to those interested students as soon as possible. For more information about ivy, click here.