Kelley Park 7th Annual Cleanup

April 12, 2025

Meet at the pedestrian bridge at Kelley Park, 400 Victory Farm Drive. Wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, and closed-toe shoes or waterproof boots. Trash grabbers, gloves and bags will be provided. We will pick up trash on land, in the stream, and in the wetland. This is a family-friendly event and all ages are welcome! Young children must be accompanied by an adult. SSL hours are available for junior and high school students. The stream in Kelley Park is a tributary of Whetstone Run that flows into Whetstone Lake, then to Great Seneca Creek and eventually to the ocean. Plastics in particular are persistent pollutants that can travel thousands of miles in the ocean, and are lethal to animals who mistake it for food. Thanks for helping to keep our parks and waterways clean and beautiful! More information: Seneca Creek Watershed Partners senecacreekwp@gmail.com or City of Gaithersburg 301-258-6370 or environment@gaithersburgmd.gov

Free Native Trees - April 4, 2025

RAIN OR SHINE EVENT

Trees at Merikay’s address are now all gone (4 pm) except Silver Maple, Black Walnut, and Swamp White Oak. Sorry that they went so fast but it’s also good that so many people want to plant native trees. Visit Seneca State Park at 5:30 pm if you still want trees and couldn’t get them at Merikay’s.

Park Clean Ups

March 15, 2025

We now have the final plans for the native tree event on Friday, April 4. There will be two locations and two separate times for pickups. Each household may take up to 10 trees. (We may limit how many of any one species can be taken so more people can get at least one or a few of the more popular species.)

The trees are bare root and will need to be planted immediately in your garden -- the roots must stay moist but should not be put in water buckets as they also need air. Moist soil is the best solution -- even if it's just a pot or temporary planting spot. If you have newspaper, please bring it as that makes ideal wrapping when damp to keep roots moist until you get home and can plant.

Distribution from Merikay's garden begins at 3:30 pm and will go until dark (or until all trees are gone). 14909 Spring Meadows Drive, Darnestown.

Distribution from Seneca State Park (main office area) begins at 5:30 pm until the park closes.

Both sites will have an equal number and range of tree species. The following are what we expect to have: 

 50 seedlings each of swamp white oak, baldcypress, black walnut, buttonbush, red chokeberry, American plum, red osier dogwood, and pawpaw. 25 seedlings of possumhaw 

We just got the fact sheets for the trees we're giving away today. There are 3 large trees, some understory trees, and shrubs. Please read before coming to get your trees so you know what fits your space.

50 - Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

A deciduous shrub that grows only on wet sites, buttonbush is usually 3 to 12 feet tall with a spread of 4 to 8 feet. The seed is consumed by small birds and ducks. Buttonbush must be planted at the water's edge. Prefers full sun to partial shade.

50 - Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

A small shrub usually 3 to 10 feet tall with a 3 to 4 foot spread. This native prefers full sun to part shade and produces red berries eaten by birds and other wildlife. Foliage turns bright red in autumn.

50 - Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) – not powerline compatible

Black walnut usually matures in about 150 years. An average site will produce mature black walnut trees which are 70 to 80 feet in height and attain diameters of 2 to 4 feet when grown in a forest stand. On the best sites this tree may reach up to 150 feet tall and over 8 feet in diameter. It thrives in deeper, well drained, neutral soils. Black walnut is a shade intolerant species and must

have direct sunlight to grow optimally. A globular fruit is produced which contains a corrugated nut in its yellowish-green husk. The nut is usually 11/2 to 21/2 inches in diameter, containing an oil rich, sweet, and edible seed. The large fruit ripens between September and October. Upon ripening the husk softens and turns dark brown to black.

50 - Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) – not powerline compatible

A large, sun loving native deciduous tree with a tapered trunk that often reaches 130 feet tall.

Although commonly found in river swamps, wet stream banks, and wet depressions, this tree can grow in dry and compacted soils. It is valued for wildlife habitat and timber. Baldcypress is decay resistant and tolerant of strong winds, heat, and drought. Its fall color is usually quite attractive, turning needles a warm, reddish brown color. Cypress “knees” are produced only when grown in or near water. Bald cypress makes a great street tree.

50 - Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) – not powerline compatible. A medium sized native tree averaging 50 to 80 feet tall and 50 to 60 feet wide, swamp white oak tolerates poorly drained sites. It is drought tolerant, prefers part shade to full sun, and has a

copper to red color in the fall. The acorns are eaten by a wide variety of wildlife.

50 - Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) – not powerline compatible

A fast growing tree often found near waterways that matures at 100 feet with a spread of 35 to 70 feet. Full sun to part shade. Drought and air pollution tolerant once established. Valuable as a wildlife tree, it is also used for pulp and lumber. It is not recommended that this tree be planted near homes or heavy pedestrian traffic due to these species weak-wooded limbs. Fall color is usually unremarkable.

50 - American plum (Prunus americana)

This small, slow growing, multi-stemmed, shrubby, tree can grow as tall as 30 feet with a crown spread up to 20 feet. It produces white flowers blooming in April and fruit an inch in diameter maturing in July which is a valued wildlife food source. The Maryland native prefers full sun to part shade, is moderately drought tolerant, and has a yellow color in the fall.

50 - Redosier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) or (Cornus sericea)

Is a fast growing shrub, 10 to 20 feet tall and spread to 10 feet, often forming dense thickets.

Prefers moderate to full sunlight. Prefers rich, moist, poorly drained soils. Provides cover for birds and other small wildlife. Important food source for a variety of mammals.

50 - Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

A shrub or small tree that tolerates shade, pawpaw produces a fruit that is readily eaten by wildlife and humans. It has a height 15 to 30 feet, a spread of 15 to 30 feet, and prefers full sun to part shade and moist fertile soils. Often spreads by root suckers to form colonies or thickets.

25 – Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

Deciduous holly or possum haw is a small, deciduous tree or shrub,15-30 ft. tall, with pale gray twiggy, horizontal branches. Glossy, oval, toothed leaves remain dark green through autumn, finally turning yellow. Inconspicuous flowers precede clusters of persistant, red berries on female trees which provide winter color.

Diamond Farm Park Cleanup

Join Seneca Creek Watershed Partners on March 15 for a cleanup in Gaithersburg from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Parking is available along the road. Registration is optional but recommended for weather notification purposes. SSL Credit is available, and trash bags, grabbers, and gloves will be provided.

Please join us on March 15, 2025, from 11 AM to 3 PM.

Location: Diamond Farms Park, 857 Quince Orchard Boulevard, Gaithersburg

Register: https://forms.gle/cuXuKjKVJ12WWsJm7

This is a critical park to keep clean given its proximity just upstream from Clopper Lake, so thank you to our neighborhood leads for organizing this!