Upcoming Events

image235

November Stream Cleanups

NWB Stream Cleanup at W. Hyattsville Metro
November 2, Saturday, 10:00 a.m.- Noon
Leader: Maurie Kathan, maurie.kathan@gmail.com

Long sleeves, long pants, and water are the order of the day, and those shoes that are still muddy from your last cleanup.  Find Maurie with the bags and gloves and sign-in just beyond the back Metro gate on the NWB trail.


NWB Stream Cleanup near the University of Maryland in Lane Manor and University Hills parks.

November 9, Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Leader: Ben Simasek, bensimasek7@gmail.com 


Meet at the University Hills Duck Pond Pavilion  at 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville, MD 20783. Again, long sleeves, long pants, shoes that can get muddy, and your water bottle if you need it. The leader warmly invites us all to participate and experience a new section of the Northwest Branch!

Recent Event: 10/1/19 Program: Mechanized Bikes/Scooters

image236

 Our  October 1 program featured Mr.  Charles Kines,  AICP, CPRP, Park  Planning Coordinator, who explained the Montgomery County pilot program  allowing mechanized bikes and scooters on paved park trails.  If you  missed the program, you can find information about it on the MoCo Parks  website at: Montgomery County's pilot program to allow mechanized bikes and scooters on paved park trails.  You can also find the slides from Mr. Kines' presentation  linked below. (Photo by Laura Turbe of a scooter abandoned beside Pine Lake in Wheaton Regional Park.)

Recent event: August 6 general meeting

The NNWB August meeting included reports on the beltway-I-270 expansion plan and a proposal to build a new middle school in the NWB floodplain in Hyattsville, both  using Public-Private Partnerships (P3). We also discussed the Montgomery Parks pilot project to allow certain mechanized bikes and scooters on paved park trails and NNWB plans and speakers for the fall.

image244

Recent Event: Impact of Plastics on the Northwest Branch

image245

Wednesday, June 12, 7:30 - 8:45 p.m.: Impact of Plastics on the Northwest Branch

FEATURED SPEAKER Tiffany Boone-Hines, a Montgomery Blair High School student, spoke about her participation in One Montgomery Green's Clean Headwaters Program and what she has learned about the impact of plastics waste in marine environments through her hands-on study of the Northwest Branch and its tributaries.


Overall, plastic micro- and macro-pollution in waterways is a huge problem, and the Northwest Branch has its share of plastic waste.  The team, using a sieve to isolate particles which they then viewed under a microscope, found tiny bits of plastic foam and synthetic fibers.  Rather than rely on recycling plastics, we must reduce our use in the first place.   It appears that our removal of all those plastic bottles and cups from the NWB has been beneficial, however, as the amount of particles in the water was not overwhelming.  The slides from Tiffany's presentation can be viewed below.


One Montgomery Green is a local nonprofit fostering partnerships to support environmental sustainability and promote the development of a green economy. 

Pictures from the June 12, 2019, Impact of Plastics program

Macro and Microplastics pollution- Tiffany Boone-Hines (pdf)

Download

Recent event: Deer Management in Montgomery County

October 3, 2018: A crowd of more than 20 residents heard from Ryan Butler, Principal Natural Resources Specialist at Montgomery County Parks, about deer impacts on our parks and on people.  He outlined current and ongoing deer population management projects near the Northwest Branch Stream Valley and said that Northwest Branch Stream Valley Unit #4 and Sligo Creek Stream Valley Unit #5 will soon be added to Park Police-based sharpshooting operations.  He stressed that before a shot is fired, the sharpshooter must track where the bullet will land and ensure there is a backstop. Participants raised the question of birth control rather than culling. This is not deemed currently feasible for such a mobile and unconstrained  population.  Park police telephone numbers to keep handy:

 Emergencies - 301-949-3010. 

Non-emergencies, i.e., to report a wounded deer, 301-949-8010. 

Find out more-link to parks deer program

Recent Event: Stream Clean-Up at W. Hyattsville Metro

July 1, 2018:  An enthusiastic team of five volunteers led by board member Maurie Kathan removed 9 bags of trash and 8 of recyclables from the stream and banks of the NW Branch behind the Metro station.  Many thanks to those who braved the very warm morning to improve the health and beauty of the Northwest Branch! 

Recent Event: Raingarden Plants that Attract Pollinators and Birds

Chris Lewis, Professional Horticulturist and manager of the garden shop at Behnkes, showed pictures and discussed the attributes of plants that do well in soggy sites.

See pictures

Recent Event: Earth Day Stream Cleanups

NNWB sponsored three cleanup sites: Burnt Mills, Broad Acres Local Park, and the stretch of the NW Branch behind the W. Hyattsville Metro station.

See pictures

Recent Event: Exploring the African American legacy in the NWB, Mar. 17, 2018

A group of 13 explored the Underground Railroad within a remaining patch of woods along the NWB, concluding with a visit to the Sandy Spring African American Slave Museum and Art Gallery.

See pictures

Recent Event: Rethink your Yard with Rainscapes, Mar. 7, 2018

Ann English, Rainscapes Planner for Montgomery County spoke to our group of about how to turn yards into sponges to reduce polluted runoff into our streams, and how to tap into the county's program of rebates that help offset some of the cost.

Find out more

Recent Event: "Sense of Wonder" virtual bird walk, Feb. 7, 2018

A group of over 20 participants were treated to a sight-sound match of birds and their songs, along with interesting information about the birds' habits and talents.  Many of these birds are ones we can expect to see on our outdoor bird walk April 7, 9 a.m., Burnt Mills dam.

See pictures