Invasive and EDRR Plant Survey on the Black Horse Trail

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On Saturday, June 14th from 10am-12:30pm, help the National Capital Region Invasive Plant Management Team, Rock Creek Park, and Invader Detectives survey for Epipactis helleborine ( Broad-leaved Helleborine ) . Instances of this invasive plant have been observed in Rock Creek Park. We will be hiking and recording any instance of this plant on the Black Horse Trail, going south from the Rock Creek Park Horse Center and north along Rock Creek itself. Our goal is to search for and understand the extent of this species so we can assess potential responses.

Park at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center or the nearby Rock Creek Park Nature Center. If you plan to take public transit, there are nearby bus stops at Military Rd NW & Oregon Av NW/Glover Rd NW that are a 10-minute walk from the meeting point. Plan to meet a representative from the NPS Invasive Plant Management Team Rock Creek Park Horse Center between 9:45am and 10:00am. No prior knowledge or skills are required for this event, but volunteers should have the iNaturalist app downloaded on their phone before arriving at the event.

Volunteers who sign up will receive an email with further details about the event the evening before its start. If you are under 18 or plan to bring someone who is under 18 to the event, please contact the site contact ahead of time.

Volunteers should bring water and snacks for themselves and wear long sleeve shirts, long pants, and close-toed shoes (preferably with ankle support). Hazards present at this event include ticks, poison ivy, steep and uneven trails, spiky plants, and variable weather. Bathrooms and water fountains can be found at the nearby Rock Creek Park Nature Center.

Start Date - 2025-06-14

End Date - 2025-06-14