National Capital Weed Wrangle
In celebration of National Public Lands Day, the National Capital PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) hosts an annual Weed Wrangle from mid-September to mid-October. The National Capital Weed Wrangle is an area-wide volunteer-powered effort to protect our natural areas through removal of invasive plant species. We focus on removing invasive plants from Rock Creek and parks throughout the DC region with partners including: Montgomery Parks, Arlington County Parks, and many of the national parks in DC and beyond.
Get Involved with Weed Wrangle
Volunteers help restore the forests and natural areas of the National Capital region. As Weed Wrangle events are scheduled, they will be added to the calendar below. If none are available at this time, we encourage you to view our full calendar here for more volunteer opportunities.
If you are a Weed Warrior Leader, PRISM member, or other natural resource manager interested in joining the effort by hosting an event during this timeframe, contact us at volunteer@rockcreekconservancy.org and include the date, time, location, and registration link for your event.
Reflecting on the 2024 Weed Wrangle
Our fourth annual National Capital Weed Wrangle ran from September 14 through October 12 and was a huge success! Thanks to all of the 452 volunteers who took part in this amazing people-powered restoration.
We are excited by the Weed Wrangle achievements of our volunteers and partners. Here is what we achieved around the National Capital Region:
Rock Creek Conservancy organized 26 events with 452 volunteers who spent a combined total of 808 hours protecting our forests by removing 148,925 square feet of invasive plants.
Arlington County Parks hosted 21 events with 140 volunteers.
Montgomery Parks hosted 342 volunteers who spent 1,015 hours freeing 1,201 trees during 39 Weed Warrior events.
Woodend (Nature Forward) held 5 events with 14 total volunteers who notched up 28 volunteer hours, removed 10,000 square feet of invasive plants, and freed 10 trees (mostly young saplings). Species of focus: porcelain berry, multiflora rosa, bush honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, wineberry, wisteria, Japanese snowball viburnum, burning bush.
Volunteers at various other National Capital Region parks, including Prince William Forest Park and George Washington Memorial Parkway (Friends of Theodore Roosevelt Island) held 4 events and mobilized 44 volunteers who spent 90 hours removing invasives from roughly 108,000 square feet of parklands.
Volunteers at various other National Capital Region parks, including Prince William Forest Park and George Washington Memorial Parkway (Friends of Theodore Roosevelt Island) held 4 events and mobilized 44 volunteers who spent 90 hours removing invasives from roughly 108,000 square feet of parklands.
