CANCELLED due to inclement weather: Fort Dupont Joint Field Trip of Maryland Native Plant Society and the Anacostia Watershed Society

Sponsoring Organizations: Maryland Native Plant Society and Anacostia Watershed Society

This walk has been CANCELLED due to inclement weather. New dates will be posted if it is rescheduled.

The park comprises almost the entire area of Fort Dupont subwatershed which is approximately 460 acres; about 11% is impervious. It is the least populated subwatershed and the one with the highest level of forest cover in the Anacostia watershed, with a forest cover of 63.9%. The park and the entire subwatershed are located within the Coastal Plain physiographic province, although the park topography is quite hilly which explains why a military fort was built during the Civil War era.

We will walk through the park trails, especially the Hollow Tree Trail, the Hiker Biker Trail and the Ridge Picnic Areas. Botanists and conservationists from the Maryland Native Plant Society and the Anacostia Watershed Society will identify the park's wonderful flora and its amazing natural history.

Location: We will meet up at the park's Activity Center which is located on Fort Dupont Drive, SE, off Randle Circle, SE, which is off Minnesota Avenue SE. You can park in the Activity Center's parking lot.

Bring: We strongly recommend to wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and closed-toe shoes (hiking or waterproof). This helps minimize skin exposure to poison ivy and ticks, which are found in the park (If clothing can also be light-colored, it’ll be easier to spot ticks.). We recommend bringing along a repellant designed to repel both deer ticks and mosquitoes, your brown bag lunch and a bottle of water. Don’t forget to bring your plant and wildflower field guides, a hand lens and enjoy one of the best urban greenspaces in the nation!

Note: The event will go on through a light rain but will be cancelled if there is a downpour.

More Information: Jorge Bogantes (AWS), (301) 699-6204 or (202) 560-6107 (better phone number if calling on the day of the event).