Fewer trail obstacles on the Suitland Parkway
It was a busy morning on the Suitland Parkway Trail last Monday. The WABA Trail Rangers, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Urban Forestry Administration and Earth Conservation Corp’s crew were out giving the trail a fall cleanup. The pole loppers, pruners, bow saws and chainsaw were out in full force as we worked to give more buffer between the trail and the encroaching hillside.
Built over a gasline to Andrews Air Force Base, the trail is on DDOT’s long term rehabilitation list. But in the meantime, the trail is still a more pleasant connection from the Anacostia River up the hills of Ward 8. As such, our goal was to make the trail as safe and pleasant as we could by making the entire trailbed passable. Parralleling a greenspace has many advantages but also a many challenges from invasive plants that are too good at growing sideways into the trail – mulberry, honeysuckle, porcelainberry. Good riddance!
Big storms tend to create a stream on the trailbed – we uncovered two storm drains that should reduce how much overflow happens.
Want to help out improving the city’s trails? We are looking for volunteers for our next cleanup on Ward 7’s Marvin Gaye Trail on September 24th!
Goodbye honeysuckle!
Pole saws are a lot of fun.
Chipping up the removed vegetation
Leave no trace.
Prepping to remove the dead tree
Gone!
The different pavement was the only indicator of a storm drain
Found it!
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