Marvin Gaye Trail

A Few of My Favorite Things

| Ursula Sandstrom
Every job comes with its inherent specialities and institutional knowledge, and the Trail Ranger program is no different. As the DC Trail Ranger Coordinator, I’ve spent a lot of time on the trails we maintain and serve – specifically the Marvin Gaye, Anacostia River, Suitland Parkway and Metropolitan Branch trails. I know a lot about how the trails have changed over the last five years of the program and collectively, we’ve spent hundreds of hours on each of the trails. But what is gained is more than knowledge of broken-glass patterns (always an increase after DC United games on the Anacostia River Trail). It is an appreciation of the smaller details of a trail, built up over repeated shifts. Like that one quiet shift when things feel a little boring and you finally stop to actually observe the flowers. There are special attributes to all of the trails but on the Marvin Gaye Trail, I’ve particularly come to appreciate:

Early Mornings in the Spring

Early morning in the spring is an absolutely magical time to be on the trail. The world is quiet except for the chattering of birds. The Marvin Gaye Trail follows the Watts Branch, the largest tributary of the Anacostia River in DC, from the easternmost corner of DC to Minnesota Ave NE. The trail is entirely within the boundaries of a city park. Marvin Gaye Park and Trail is particularly great for birds because a lot of work has been done to restore native plants and repair the stream corridor – including 10,000 new trees and plants in 2012 alone. A healthier forest and stream ecosystem mean more food, shelter and space for birds. It’s easy to hear which birds have moved in or are visiting during the early mornings when most birds are the most talkative. Sand and greenery in the foreground, a clear rocky stream is flowing behind it. Everything looks prestine

Herons and Beavers

Well, one heron, one time. Herons are a pretty common sight on the Anacostia River Trail, especially near Kingman Island. But one time – I saw a heron at 42nd St. and Hunt Pl. NE in the stream and it was majestic! Though there is certainly work to be done with trash removal along the stream corridor, the amount of trash surrounding the heron was less inspiring. A far more common sight are the presence of beavers – especially their tell-tale cut down stumps. They are really good at logging! And the beaver dam is pretty (dam) cool. Lots of underbrush greenery and dead leaves on the ground. To the right is Watts Branch Stream but the photo is focused on the beaver cut sharp stump in the middle of the photo.

Nannie Helen Burroughs

At one-and-a-half miles long, the trail is in a history-rich environment. A DC boundary stone is just off the eastern end of the trail and the Crystal Room where music legend Marvin Gaye first performed is mid-way through the trail (now Washington Park and People’s Riverside Center). But for historic legacy, it’s hard to beat the campus and gates of the National Training School for Women and Girls on Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE. Founded in 1909 by Nannie Helen Burroughs, the prominent 20th century African-American educator and civil rights activist, the school’s location went against the common thinking of the time that a vocational boarding school was more appropriate in the south. The school proceeded to educate thousands of African-American students with Nannie Helen Burroughs as principal until her death in 1961. Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue is particularly notable since many nearby major roads still honor slave-owning families that used to own much of the land around Deanwood (notable examples include Sheriff and Benning). Front white gate of a fence with peeling white paint. THere is an gold image of Lincoln on top of the arch and it reads "Progressive National Baptist Convention" in black cursive font.

Playground at Marvin Gaye Recreation Center

Musical-themed splash park and playground at a recreation center named for Marvin Gaye, and the result of hard work by the community for neighborhood amenities. Need I say more? A playground on a sunny day. there is a giant guitar in front and the slides structure behind has keyboard printed roof. There is a water splash park.  

Trash On Trails: More Than An Annoyance

| Ursula Sandstrom
Trail Rangers do lots of different trail projects: promote trails, answer questions, clip back vegetation, ride trails (and write the word “trails” a lot). Why do Trail Rangers spend some of their time removing trash? We want more folks wanting to feel trails are welcoming and use trails. People don’t like walking or biking through trash – it’s not fun to look at or be around. Studies have found that litter on trail decreased trail use by 20%. Trails are appealing for a number of reasons but being outside in the natural world is a common one – does this look appealing to you?
Another study found that how folks perceive safety is influenced by trash – eliminating litter from an image increased the perception of safety 30%. It’s hard to encourage more folks to enjoy trails if they feel unsafe or that it’s not a pleasant place to spend their time. Trash can cause problems. It’s much easier to pick up a whole glass bottle just off the trail now before it breaks and causes flat tires. And it’s no fun to fall because you hit a carryout container just right and then–whee, sideways! We want a healthy environment. All of our trails are part of the Anacostia River watershed, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Trash in the river has been so bad in recent years that the Anacostia River was declared “impaired by trash” by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act. Whatever we don’t pick up will eventually likely go into the bay and from there into the ocean (unless it’s picked up by a few trash traps or the DC Water skimmer but they only make a dent). Plastic and manmade materials are not part of the ocean ecology – let’s keep them out!  

So how do you help the team and encourage more folks to be on the trails?

Don’t litter. We’d rather be doing something else! Save us a step. Request a trash can! There are definitely places along the trails and roads that have higher incidence of litter because people expect there to be a trash can (ex: Stanton Rd and Suitland Parkway). There is a whole category in the city 311 reporting system on requesting new trash cans More info about effective 311 reports here. Join the team for a cleanup! We do public cleanups a few times a year to make a bigger impact. The next one is January 15th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. More details and signup here.   Get updates for all of cleanups by joining our email list. Yes!
Also lots of other organizations are involved in trash reduction efforts so if you’re not near a Trail Ranger trail, there is probably something going on close to you!

We built a park

| Ursula Sandstrom
For the second year, there was a bit more green space on Minnesota Ave NE as the WABA Trail Ranger team celebrated Park(ing) Day, part of an international effort to reclaim our public space and think creatively about its best use. In collaboration with DDOT Urban Forestry, Capital Bikeshare, and Anacostia Park & Planning Collaborative, we built a park! Out went parking for one car. Instead the 8′ by 20′ spot was home to tables for eating lunch, trees, a bike fence and native plants. We had a number of pollinators visiting us all afternoon, snacking on the goldenrod, asters and other flowering plants from Urban Forestry. Anacostia Park and Planning brought a satellite map of the river corridor and we had great conversations about the nearby trails and how connectivity or lack thereof affects trail use.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the park and all of our fabulous park partners!

A Day in the life of Trail Ranger

| Ursula Sandstrom
WABA’s Trail Rangers are a near-constant presence on DC’s trails, and they work harder than just about anybody else around here. Here, for the first time, is your chance to experience a day in the life of a Trail Ranger. Enjoy! Interested in keeping in touch with the team? Sign up here! Yes!
Photo credit: 501pix Photography
All is quiet at 6:30 am
Grabbing the tools for the day
Checklists are a vital part of a smooth operation (who remembers everything at 6:30 am?!) Part of having 10 part-time team members means we need organized written communication
We recycle what we can but contamination means we must trash some recyclables as well. Paper bags for glass, clear bags for recycling and thin & thick black bags for trash.
We go through a lot of sunscreen
Checking the shift details clipboard one last time
Trailers require careful navigation
For the next 6 hours, the team will be on the bikes.
And we’re on the trail now – Frederick Douglass Bridge on the Anacostia River Trail
First task of the day: remove the popup trail etiquette signs we had installed on the Anacostia River Trail for a busy weekend before heading to Marvin Gaye Trail, the assigned trail for the shift
The first trail etiquette sign of the day
The new Kenilworth section of the Anacostia River Trail is a pretty great place to be
And now its off to Marvin Gaye Trail. First task, assessing what trimming is needed – it’s a balancing act. Trail maintenance standards call for 2′ vegetation free buffer on the side and 10′ tall but we also want to maintain the habitat and shade of the trail.
We strive to deposit trash on site as much as we can – less to bike around!
Trash and glass make riding unpleasant and unsafe
Marvin Gaye Trail is busy!
Documenting another blowdown from a summer storm
Clearing up the leaves
Mission accomplished!
Lunch at Marvin Gaye Recreation Center (not pictured: an excellent musical themed splash park)
Back on the Marvin Gaye Trail. The flagging tape is useful to warn other road and trail users of our long broom handles
Trails are not just where we work, they are also good connectors to the other trails we ride. Up the Metropolitan Branch Trail back to the office.
Whew, back to the office to finish up reports for the day, put the supplies away and clock out at 2:30 pm.
Thinking through the shift to report on what we did – exactly how many people did we talk to? On the wall: our six bike fleet is a tight fit but we have bikes in all sizes to fit a varied team
All vegetation gloves are washed before being used again to stop the transfer of potential poison ivy oil
Behind the scenes (L-R): Tom (DC Trail Ranger/501pix Photography), Ursula (Program Coordinator), Daniel (DC Trail Ranger) and Trey (DC Trail Ranger)
Whew! That was quite a ride, wasn’t it? Next time you see a Trail Ranger be sure to give them a wave and a smile. They’re working hard to make the trail better for all of us. Full photo shoot can be found here.

Halfway Through the Summer: A DC Trail Ranger Report

| Ursula Sandstrom
The DC Trail Ranger team has been up and running this year since the beginning of April – riding the Metropolitan Branch, Anacostia River, Marvin Gaye and Suitland Parkway trails doing outreach and maintenance with our distinctive green bikes and yellow trailers (say hi if you see us!). We’ve organized guided bike tours, joined massive festivals, popped up with ice water on hot days, and played hundred of games of trail etiquette trivia. But in between the bigger events, the team is out on the trails keeping them safe and passable – glass removed, vegetation trimmed, trash gone. What does 275 hours of trail cleanup look like?
Blackberry vines encroaching on the Metropolitan Branch Trail
A job well done – on to the other fence!
Ethel Kennedy (Benning) Bridge often has a layer of glass and gravel
One shift later, its the cleanest that bridge has been in a while!
Vegetation on the Anacostia River Trail on the west bank near Sousa Bridge
Voila!
I think there is a sidewalk under that?
Yep! We moved as much as we could with hand tools
Nope
Much better
Vines encroaching on the already narrow sidewalk of the Frederick Douglass Bridge on the Anacostia River Trail
A free sidewalk
The creek banks at Kenilworth Park on the Anacostia River Trail are full of fast growing invasive plants
Clear for now (give it a few weeks and we’ll be back)
The Paul Meijer Tulip Garden…
has boxwood plants too!
A notoriously narrow section of the Suitland Parkway Trail (Alabama Ave is ahead)
A bit more wiggle room for trail users
This trailside resident took a fall in our last storm
It was a three person job – but the tree is off the Marvin Gaye trailbed.

You Know What Was Cool? Bike To The Pool!

| Nick Russo
On a Saturday afternoon a couple weekends back, we went for a bike ride in DC’s Ward 7. But it wasn’t just a normal bike ride — it involved splashing, swimming, and a few games of Marco Polo! We rode along the Marvin Gaye Trail and stopped off at the Watts Branch Playground Splash Park, then headed over to the Deanwood Recreation Center Pool (which has an AWESOME slide). Here are some pictures from the day:
Departing!
Hopping on the Marvin Gaye Trail
Riding along the Marvin Gaye Trail
Check out that crew!
Made it to the splash park!
SplishySplashy!
On our way to the Deanwood Pool!
Boom! We’re there.
Time for a quick snack!
See you on the trail!
Maybe you want to give it a try this weekend? Well, here’s a map of places to swim and splash in DC: Connect all the dots!

Recap: Clearing Kudzu on the Marvin Gaye Trail

| Ursula Sandstrom
What happens when you spend a few hours pulling vegetation? Good plants have an easier chance of growing, you get to know your community better and the trail is a more inviting place to be. Trail Rangers and volunteers had a fabulous time last weekend uncovering a section of Marvin Gaye Park from destructive plants. In the process of removing a massive mound of vines, we saved trees from being choked to death, gave saplings a fighting chance for survival and turned a blanket of green into a healthier habitat. It was incredibly satisfying to give trees new life and find a park.
Somewhere, underneath the greenery, is the trail corridor we want.

Somewhere, underneath the greenery, is the park we want.

But it was not just the plants that benefited from our efforts – we had the pleasure of introducing the trail to more people and more trail users to the Trail Ranger program. And all before lunch! If you’d like to join us, our next cleanup will be on the Suitland Parkway Trail later this month. Sign up here.
Removing vines
And the pile of removed vegetation grows larger.
Meeting a curious neighbor.
Diana tackles some porcelinberry.
Many hands, less vines.

Looking for a fun ride? Try the Marvin Gaye Trail

| Garrett Hennigan
Marvin Gaye Trail Ride Live anywhere long enough, and sticky habits will develop.  We end up at the same grocery stores, weekend hangouts, and parks.  One morning’s commute can look just like the rest, and even a fun bike ride can look a little too familiar.  We all need to branch out once in a while, so this weekend, our Trail Rangers lead a small community bike ride along the Watts Branch creek on the Marvin Gaye Trail.Hard at work Starting in Lady Bird Johnson Meadow, near the Minnesota Ave. Metro, we took a relaxed ride along the trail and through the nearby neighborhoods of Deanwood, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook towards DC’s Eastern corner.  Along the way, we passed a few historical landmarks just blocks from the trail, enjoyed a few hilltop views, and even found the easternmost boundary stone where Eastern Ave. meets Southern Ave just two blocks from the end of the trail. Some of the Marvin Gaye trail’s most enticing features are the tree canopy, restored creek beds, and green space it passes through.  Around every corner we found perfect spots for a picnic.  It takes constant work, though, to keep all that green in check, so  we put on some gloves and grabbed our tools following the ride.  With some sweeping here and trimming there, the trail is looking great!
Relaxed riding and trail work are even better when followed by Chipotle! Thanks Chipotle!

Relaxed riding and trail work are even better when followed by Chipotle! Thanks Chipotle!

Every bike ride is better when followed by a hearty lunch, and thanks to our friends at Chipotle Mexican Grill,  everyone who came on the ride and helped out with the cleanup enjoyed a burrito when we finished.  Thanks Chipotle! If you missed out on Sunday’s ride, but want to try it yourself, here is a map of some of the spots of current and historical significance.  We’ll be back for another community ride in a few weeks too!  Need convincing, check out some photos.

The Suitland Parkway, Now With 15% More Enjoyment!

| Garrett Hennigan
Sometimes the best way to get to know a place is to roll up your sleeves, take a look around, and set to work making a small part of it better.  This weekend, an intrepid crew of volunteers joined our Trail Ranger team to do just that on the Suitland Parkway Trail. The aging trail –  stretching from the Maryland line to near the Anacostia Metro – certainly has its share of difficulties, but after Saturday’s efforts it has a little more spring in its step. Beginning with a short ride from Yards Park near National’s Stadium to the trailhead, the group saw firsthand the somewhat odd route from the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to the trail alongside the Suitland  Parkway. Seeing it on a map is one thing.  Experiencing it from the ground level helps explain why the trail is underutilized.  The fact is, it can be hard to find.  The recently announced future trail connection will be a huge step forward for mobility on and around the parkway.
Suitland Parkway Cleanup

A few super volunteers reclaiming pavement like pros

Once at the trailhead, our focus turned to improving the trail that we have today.  Armed with rakes and shovels, loppers and saws, our team dug back over 100 feet of trail edge from an eroding trailside, removed a quarter mile of overgrown branches, and cleared another quarter mile of trail debris, gravel, and trash.  Thanks to our volunteers the Suitland Parkway Trail is in better shape than it has been in months!

Next up: Come Celebrate the Marvin Gaye Trail!

On Sunday, July 27, join us for a community ride and trail cleanup on the Marvin Gaye Trail in NE DC.  Beginning with a relaxed ride through the quiet streets of Deanwood, Hillbrook and Lincoln Heights, we will take a spin through the Marvin Gaye Trail’s creekside greenery and playgrounds.  After a short break for lunch, we will finish the morning with a little trail work to keep the trail looking its best.  We hope you can join us! Click here to sign up. and learn more.