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The Maryland Native Plant Society

The Maryland Native Plant Society

Before and After

  • Volunteers Clean up at Ruth Swann Park

    01/09/2009 11:00 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Starting in 1999, volunteers have removed almost all of the English ivy, Japanese stiltgrass, Chinese privet, Swedish ivy, Asiatic bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, Japanese honeysuckle, and other plants from Europe and Asia to rescue native violets, ferns, orchids, asters, St. Andrew’s cross, and other native American plants that contribute to global biological diversity. These native plants provide ecosystem services that reduce CO2 emissions and storm water and nitrogen runoff to the Chesapeake Bay. Invasive species, especially vines, generally can survive the new climate better.

    Our happy volunteers have something to show you:
    Three volunteers stand behind a huge pile of Japanese honeysuckle.
    Miranda Vargas, Madeline Pinckert, Erin Curran with Japanese honeysuckle pile at Ruth Swann Park on 10 January 2009 (photo by Bruce Kirk)

  • Little Paint Branch, Garlic Mustard Cleanup, Spring 2007

    04/01/2007 12:00 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    In 2007, volunteers from MNPS worked to clean up the woods around Little Paint Branch Park. See what some areas looked like before and after the clean-up.

    Area heavily infested with garlic mustard in front of large tree; volunteer hands seen in background pulling weeds
    Before cleanup: garlic mustard abounds. Garlic mustard is the tall plant with the white flowers at the top.

    Cleared area showing no garlic mustard in front of tree
    After cleanup: we can now view the native plant, poison ivy. Poison ivy is the thick vine crawling up the tree trunk.

    Volunteers working to clear patch of garlic mustard
    Before cleanup: volunteers are knee-high in garlic mustard.

    Volunteer admiring area cleared of garlic mustard
    After cleanup: looks good, doesn't it?

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