Section5 | Section4 | Section3 | Section2 | Section1 |
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.
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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.
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Bioswale Special Work Session Sunday, October 21, 2021 The Army Corp of Engineers brought a barge down to the edge of the river and hauled away several brush piles we've been making during work sessions. Whoever was on hand helped load the barge. Click here to watch the ACE barge pull away from shore. |
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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.
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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! |
Tall Bald Cypress are mostly clear of vines - looking good! | Three brush piles resulting from this summer's work. The Army Corps of Engineers has promised to help us remove these. |
Vera and Andy trimming the false indigo. |
Bioswale Work Session Sunday, September 26, 2021 It was a good day yesterday, and the workers felt they made an impact.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.
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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!
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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.
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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 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 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. 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.
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