Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, November 7, 2021

It was hard work today.  Ten of us worked to remove the as much as we could of the False Indigobush

and other bushes from Section 4.  We removed several bags of trash.

The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed False Indigo bush and thorny vines.  

 Dug out several False Indigo bush stumps.

 Pressed past the 1st Bald Cypress to the west, but didn't get far. 

 Picked up 3 bags of trash, especially from Section 5. 

Notes: Tasks for the 2022  Figure out how to remove stumps - hire a grinder?  Monthly - knock down bush growth in Section 4  False Indigobush is a native but it's unruly and big.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall, remove plants when young.     Remove (dig) all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3  Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing.    Work on a Viewing Area plan, section 4.  Be on guard to remove Bush Honeysuckle and False Indigobush from all sections  Spring: Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites.   Plant switchgrass

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Work continued on removing the bushes from the edge of the river.  Nine volunteers,

including two from a DC volunteer group, 

The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed a significant patch of False Indigo bush and thorny vines.  

 Picked up trash along the seawall - many plastic bottles.  3 bags full. 

Bioswale Special Work Session 

Sunday, October 21, 2021

Bioswale  EXTRA  Work Session 

Sunday, October 10, 2021

 After a year with no work sessions (COVID-19) we have been trying to catch up all of 2021.  Two extra work sessions were scheduled to help with this.  Five of us tackled the area we've been focusing on in the middle of section 4, including Jeff and Susan, two non-members of the boathouse community, who saw our request for help on a DC list.  

The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed False Indigo bush and thorny vines.  

 Cleared under Red Twig Dogwoods, Viburnum and Magnolias.

 Tried out a new tree puller, learning techniques for effectively using it. 

Jim and Paul learn how to use the big new tree puller

Jeff and Susan did a great job clearing

around dogwoods and viburnums

The view of the river has really opened up!

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Andy, Paul and Harold worked well together, and cut down many false indigo bushes and went past the Bald Cypress.  They were joined by a high school girl named Vera, who's father is a paddler, and she was getting volunteer hours for school.  Jim signed the paper for her.

The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed a significant patch of False Indigo bush and thorny vines.  

 Created a significant brush pile for Corps to help with

 Picked up trash along the seawall - many plastic bottles.  3 bags full. 

The cleared section past the Bald Cypress with the pile of debris getting bigger.

Area where false indigo has been cut down.

Cleared section all the way to the sea wall.

Notes: Tasks for the October 2021 & future work sessions:  

 Keep working on the heavy stand of black locust, section 4 

 False Indigobush is a native but it's unruly and big.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall, remove plants when young.   

 Remove all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3

 Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing.  

 Work on a Viewing Area plan, section 4. 

Be on guard to remove Bush Honeysuckle and False Indigobush from all sections

 Spring: Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites.   Plant switchgrass - med sized pots 

Bioswale SPECIAL Volunteer Work 

Tuesdays, Volunteer Jill

New CRC sculler Jill Barker has been working on her own, alone, to remove invasive vines (Clematis and Porcelainberry) from around the bioswale sign (section 4).  Jill is an Arlington Regional Master Naturalist, and a volunteer park steward at a park in Arlington.  We are delighted to have Jill's help and grateful for her interest in working along the edge of the river. 

BEFORE:  Clematis (white flowers) entirely cover the Sweetspire bushes.

AFTER:  Free the Sweetspire!

Jill's 'Trophy pile'!   What an effort!  THANK YOU JILL!

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, August 29, 2021

A productive work session,   Nine volunteers continued the work to clear the middle of section 4 and other areas. We tried out a different tree grubber to tackle stumps and small trees, We decided a stump grubber is not going to work on False Indigo Bush.  The multiple branches are hard to get ahold of, and the plant tends to break apart easily. 

The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed a significant patch of Black Locust 

 Assembled the new small stump puller (new in box)

 Tried out the stump puller to remove  stumps under 1.5 inches - successfully.

 Used new 4-prong hooks to grab vegetation - helps with pulling out vines.

 Removed Autumn Clematis & other vines

 Effectivly widened the gap in the overgrowth.

Notes: Tasks for the August 2021 & future work sessions:  

 Keep working on the heavy stand of black locust, section 4 

 False Indigobush is a native but it's unruly.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall, remove plants when young.   

 Removing all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3

 Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing.  

 Work on a Viewing Area plan, section 4. 

Be on guard to remove Bush Honeysuckle and False Indigobush from all sections

 Spring: Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites 

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, July 25, 2021

We had another great work session today!  Eight volunteers tried out some new equipment to tackle stumps and small trees in Section 4 (continued from last month). The small stump puller, after some experimentation, worked well to pull out small trees (<1.5").  We still need something to handle larger sized trees/stumps.  

June 24

 The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed a significant patch of Black Locust 

 Assembled the new small stump puller (new in box)

 Tried out the stump puller to remove  stumps under 1.5 inches - successfully.

 Used new 4-prong hooks to grab vegetation - helps with pulling out vines.

 Removed Autumn Clematis & other vines

 Effectivly widened the gap in the overgrowth.

July 25.  The gap widens ... the River comes into view!  

Harold and Jim figured out how to put together the new stump puller.

Beautiful Hibiscus bloom along the river.

The work is hot & hard and yet our volunteers get it done!

Notes: Tasks for the August 2021 & future work sessions:  

 Keep working on the heavy stand of black locust, section 4 

 False Indigobush is a native but it's unruly.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall, remove plants when young.   

 Removing all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3

 Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing.  

 Work on a Viewing Area plan, section 4. 

Be on guard to remove Bush Honeysuckle and False Indigobush from all sections

 Spring: Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites 

The stump puller worked very well on trees this size and slightly larger

Saving the hibiscus, Julia pulls out vines and cuts back False Indigobush

Buttonbush is in full bloom now that it's July

Native Hibiscus buds - so cool

Mary often makes scones for a treat for the volunteers after the morning work. 

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, June 27, 2021

What a great work session today!  Twelve volunteers did a terrific job of tackling the thick stand of Black Locust and part of the False Indigobush.  THANK YOU Everyone!  

Carrie, Andy and Caden - hard at work removing roots!

The following tasks were accomplished:    Removed a significant patch of Black Locust and stacked the branches in the brush pile.  Worked hard digging out stumps  Removed a volunteer Willow from section 3 near the Bioswale sign.  Clearing wineberry - nasty thorns  Removed Autumn Clematis as it was   Cleared vines and pruned native bushes along the parking lot  Cleared vines and pruned the Sweetbay Magnolia in section 1  Picked up several bags of trash, plastic bottles etc from all sections   Such a huge job after 15 mos of COVID.  Go Jim!

A friendly Black Rat Snake rests on Buttonbush  Marc makes headway through a willow

Bioswale Work Session 

Sunday, May 30, 2021

 The morning was rainy and gray, but regardless, four volunteers worked very hard today, mainly in section 1.  We continued the work started last month to clear the Bush Honeysuckle out completely.  Also tackled vines, etc from only the rocks and some going up into the trees.

	The following tasks were accomplished:    Removed most of remaining Bush Honeysuckle and Black Locust from section 1.  Removed Autumn Clematis and Porcelain berry  from section 1  Cleared the rocks of most vegetation, such as catalpa and cottonwood saplings, porcelain berry and much more  Made numerous trips to the dumpster with wheelbarrow loads  Removed vegetation cropping up next to the big tent side, & corner	Carrie pulls vines from Bald Cypress
	Notes: Tasks for the May 2021 work session:   Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites  Remove heavy stand of black locust, section 4 False Indigo Bush is a native but it's unruly.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall,  remove plants when young.    Removing all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3  Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing.   Work on Viewing Area plan, section 4. Be on guard to remove Bush Honeysuckle and false indigobush from all sections

AWS Earth Day Clean up 2021 and April Bioswale Work Session

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Fifty six volunteers from AWS and ACBA spent the morning bagging up trash and recyclables.  AWS had two special project for the day, #MASKS and #SkipTheBottle.  Jim Smailes led the ACBA volunteers on a successful Bioswale work Session, and Mary Ellsworth worked with the ACBA volunteers to pick up trash along M Street SE and the Hiker/Biker trail across the tracks.  Group leaders were Jamey Dumas, Paul Flack, & Stacy Crevello.   Jennifer Dumas and Katie Fleming manned the registration & t-shirt tables. 

  The following tasks were accomplished:

 Removed 90% of Bush Honeysuckle and Black Locust, sec 1.

 Removed Autumn Clematis from sections 1,2,3

 Picked up litter from all sections   

 Picked up 40 bags of drink containers for #SkipTheBottle

Picked up 39 bags of trash.

Collected 15 face masks from road & trails

Trash and recyclables

Removing invasive species 

   
 Notes: Tasks for April 2021 work session: 

 Removing all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3

 Continue to remove Bush Honeysuckle from all sections

 Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites

Remove heavy stand of black locust, section 4

False Indigo Bush is a native but it's unruly.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3, religiously deadhead in late summer/fall,  remove plants when young.  

 Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Ask for mowing. 

April FaceBook event page: https://fb.me/e/1l7KEO7xh

COVID-19 precautions are in place

Bioswale Work Session - 2021 Kick off

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Seven volunteers did a terrific job of clearing behind the boathouse today.  Dense vegetation included bush honeysuckle, Autumn clematis, porcelain berry vines and English ivy.  A shadbush tree was discovered under a ton of clematis vine.   

The following tasks were accomplished:  Removed vines and saplings from behind the big tent.  Hauled all cuttings, litter, etc to the dumpster  Picked up litter from sections 1 and 4.     Consumed more than 1 dozen blueberry scones 🫐

Litter brought in by high tides, section 1

Notes: Tasks for the April 2021 work session: Work Session Summaries 2022  Devote early sessions of the year to removing all Clematis vines in all sections, in particular #2&3  Remove Bush Honeysuckle from all sections, in particular #1 - all green showing in picture right  =>  Eradicate invasive Lesser Celandine and Phragmites  Work on viewing area plan, section 4. False Indigo Bush is a native but it's unruly.  Create a plan for managing this species in the bioswale:  Dig roots from sections 2 and 3,  religiously deadhead in late summer/fall,  remove plants when young.    Stay ahead with the work under the big Pine. Request mowing.