Rail Trail Botanical Restoration Volunteering Opportunities:
- Identify and remove invasive species
- Plant natives species & learn about their positive impacts
Upcoming dates are:
- June 23rd 9-1, 26th 3-7, & 27th 10-1
Friends of Blackwater was awarded a grant from the National Forest Foundation to begin the Blackwater Rail Trail Botanical Restoration project, and we recently were awarded an additional grant from Dominion to help our efforts come along. Today, non-native “invasive species” like autumn olive, stilt weed, multiflora rose, garlic mustard, Tartarian honeysuckle, and Japanese barberry are choking out native plants like milkweed, an essential host for migrating Monarch butterflies.
Last fall and this spring we removed many of the worst invasive species — those that present the most harm to native plants and animals. We are so excited to be replanting the area with beneficial native species, many of which have been grown from seeds collected from existing native plant populations by our volunteers! This project wouldn’t be possible without the help of the in-person volunteers.
On each scheduled workday, volunteers should meet at the Buxton and Landstreet Gallery at 571 Douglas Rd, Thomas, WV 26292 at 9 am. We caravan to the Rail Trail and work until noon each day.
Visit our volunteering page and tell us how you’d like to help with this restoration project! Contact cheyenne@saveblackwater.org for more information.
