A Leafy Way to Spend a Saturday

This past Saturday, more than 70 volunteers of all ages joined AWS staff and interns to plant trees on the hillside surrounding the Bladensburg Wetlands!

Many thanks to the wonderful volunteers pictured below, as well the others who have joined us in the last two weeks! As a direct result of their hard work, we have planted more than 100 of the 900 trees planned for this location.  

We still need your help! Tree plantings with AWS are scheduled for every Saturday in April! Click here to visit the calendar to sign up, or call our Volunteer Coordinator at 301-699-6204 ext. 109. 

See you there!

Austin (AWS intern) helps two volunteers break up soil that has been compacted over the years, giving roots room to grow!

Volunteers from the Earth Affinity Constellation Group dig their hole!

It's a family affair! Mother and daughter work together to fill a bucket with compost, meant to improve the soil to increase the chances of tree survival.

Volunteers from Gallaudet University work together to stake a tree shelter. Shelters constructed of chicken wire protect tiny trees from hungry deer and other wildlife.

University of Maryland volunteers put on waders to gather water out of a nearby retention pond. Water from the pond was used to give trees their first drink after being planted in the ground. These volunteers found a variety of wildlife, including frogs, crayfish, and a snapping turtle!