Join Us and Get Involved!

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Neighbors of the Northwest Branch (NNWB) is driven by volunteers and supported by donations. The verdant stream valley of the Northwest Branch is beautiful to behold, but seriously threatened by pollutants, invasives and litter that affect our watershed and the health of the Anacostia, Potomac and  Chesapeake. There are lots of ways you can take action to protect our local watershed with. NNWB and individually:

Donate: Any donation is appreciated and supports our local education and watershed protection & restoration efforts (invasive removal, native plantings, clean ups, water quality testing). You can donate online here or send a check to P.O. Box 4314, Silver Spring, MD 20914. Thanks!

Become a Member: You can become a member ("Neighbor") of Neighbors of the Northwest Branch by making annual donation or joining any of our work events (cleanups, invasive removal, water quality testing, etc.) and signing up for our member e-newsletter to receive information on upcoming activities and ways in which we all can protect the NWB.  

 
Join an Action Team and Participate in Events:  NNWB has a Action Teams (committees) that organize Clean Ups and Invasive Removal/Native Planting events, and we partner on water quality monitoring. You can join join an Action Team, clean up, invasive removal or water quality event any time. We also have organized hikes. See our events page for upcoming events. We're also happy to help you organize clean ups, hikes, and other events.

Join our Groups.io listserv to connect with other interested neighbors, share information about the atershed and learn about events and other ways to take action, 

Attend a Meeting: We have member meetings with a speaker or interactivity activity approximately once per quarter. We announce these on our Groups.io listserv  and events page. 

Serve on the Board: NNWB is governed by a volunteer, elected board that meets monthly. We are currently seeking new members.  Please contact us to learn more about the activities and responsibilities of board members. 

A great way to begin protecting our local streams is to ensure that the stormwater falling on your property or neighborhood does so in the most beneficial way possible. That means the water must not rush off the roof into the gutters and down the street directly into the streams, but be allowed to seep into the ground to be filtered and cooled before doing so. There are many steps you can take to facilitate this process. Some are simple. Others may be more complicated and expensive, but include options for rebates. Let us know if you have questions about these options.

Create Eco-friendly Yards 

• Install rain barrels or cisterns.
• Install a rain garden or other conservation landscaping.
• Choose native, “Bay friendly”, plants when planting or, better yet, replace part of your traditional lawn with native plants, as they’re better adapted to local conditions. 

Change Lawn Care Habits

• When possible leaves can be mulch mowed, and if they’re raked, it should not be into the streets and gutters.
• Avoid fertilizers near gutters, storm drains or streams.
• Do not fertilize before a rain.
• Compost yard waste. 

Plant Trees

• Planting trees on your property is one of the most effective ways to retain and properly treat stormwater run-off.
• Trees provide shade in stream beds, which is needed to moderate water temperature. Water that is too hot has a negative impact on aquatic life.
• Trees and vegetation along stream banks provide habitat and food for wildlife. 

Pick up Pet Waste

• Some of the most serious pollutants in the Northwest Branch are excess nutrients and bacteria from pet waste. This originates not only along the trails, but from the streets and sidewalks and even from your own backyard. Picking up after pets, whether in public or at home directly contributes to the health of our streams.

Reduce Litter

• Trash in the streets ends up in the streams and that Styrofoam cup can be lethal to wildlife, so dispose of your trash properly.
• Recycle everything possible. 

And, If You Are Really Serious!

• Install a green roof.
• Replace your paved, impermeable surface driveway with permeable pavers that allow rainwater to soak through.      

Become a Member: You can become a member of Neighbors of the Northwest Branch by making a annual donation or joining any of our work events (clean ups, invasive removal, water quality testing, etc.). As a member you will support our ongoing work and receive information on upcoming activities and ways in which we all can better protect our streams.  Additional donations are welcome, of course!

Attend a Meeting: We have member meetings with a speaker or interactivity activity approximately once per quarter. Join our Groups.io listserv for notices about the meetings .