Litter Hotspot Cleanup – Green Meadows Park
Saturday, April 26, 9:00 – 11:00am
6301 Sligo Pkwy, Hyattsville, MD 20782
Join Friends of Sligo Creek and the Potomac Conservancy for a litter hotspot cleanup at 6310 Sligo Parkway, near the Park building. Look for the FOSC at work sign! Make a difference as we work to clean up Sligo Creek!
We will provide all the event supplies (trash bags, gloves, trash grabbers, etc.), but bring your own if you have gloves/trash grabbers.
FOSC at the Takoma Park Earth Day Celebration
Sat. April 26, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sligo Creek Parkway at Kennebec St, Takoma Park
This event was a big success last year, and we look forward to being a part of it this year. FOSC will have a table with natural history artifacts, info about invasive plants and native alternatives, and an opportunity to try your hand at water quality testing.
Whether you’re passionate about climate action, interested in learning about green initiatives, or simply want to enjoy a day outdoors — there will be something for everyone! Free snowcones, art, games, guided tree walk, EV car display, and more.
Sligo Fest
Saturday, May 3 from 11:00am – 3:00pm
Sligo Creek Parkway between Dennis Ave. and University Boulevard
FOSC will be there! The Montgomery Parks’ Sligo Fest is a one-mile street festival featuring multiple stages of music and entertainment, kids’ activities including touch-a-truck and tree climbing, roving entertainment, food and drink vendors, and hands-on activities and demonstrations from over 15 different Montgomery Parks groups. Check out the Sligo Fest webpage for the bands and times/stages, details about activities, the food and drink vendors, and more.
There will be restrooms, the festival is ADA accessible, and pets are allowed on leash.
There are plenty of ways to get to Sligo Creek Fest! Whether you bike, walk, hike, drive, or skate, MoCo Parks has detailed directions, including trail access, public transportation, and parking options for bikes and vehicles, on their plan your visit page.
News & Updates
Water Quality Monitoring
Summer Water Quality testing with FOSC as part of the Anacostia Riverkeeper (ARK) program will begin in mid May. Though the training event is over, if you’d like to join the team, please let us know at [email protected]. ARK will have other training times. You can participate as your summer schedule allows. We’ll include more details in the April newsletter. Become a FOSC member to get the newsletter!
The FOSC Winter Salt Monitoring Program season is over. Our indefatigable testing team measured extremely high salt levels throughout Sligo Creek, Wheaton Branch, Long Branch, and Takoma Branch starting with our first snow storm and continuing to the end of March. We have over 550 data points! The final report will be available on the Salt Monitoring Initiatives page under the Water Quality Monitoring programs tab. Thank you, testers! You did a great job during difficult weather and over an intense and extended season!
County Proposes 4% cut to Parks Dept’s 2026 Budget Request
FOSC is testifying in person and through written submission for full funding of Parks’ 7% requested increase for its 2026 budget. That requested increase is similar to proposed increases that other county agencies have made and received.
The Council’s public hearings on the operating budget are scheduled for April 7 and April 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Those interested in testifying at the public hearings in person or virtually can sign up on the Council’s webpage or by calling 240-777-7803.
FOSC in the News: Bring Your Own Bag Bill
Update: the County Council passed the Bring Your Own Bag Bill (Bill 24-24) on Feb 11th. The bill will go into effect Jan 1, 2026. FOSC had testified in favor of the bill and encouraged President Stewart to sign it.
FOSC’s efforts to support the plastic bag ban at the County Council hearing last Tuesday were noted in Bethesda Magazine’s Jan. 14th article, Supporters turn out for proposed plastic bag ban, citing environmental impact. Several members of the FOSC Advocacy committee testified in favor of the ban. Similar bans in Prince George’s and other nearby counties have been successfully implemented with little drama.
FOSC Listservs on
Friends of Sligo Creek – Main Listserv
FOSC Advocacy Listserv
FOSC-Stewards Listserv (for Section Stewards only)
FOSC-WeedWarriors Listserv (for Weed Warriors only)
Join FOSC
Sligo Creek connects us. Please join FOSC and help protect and restore the Creek for everyone in our community. It’s simple to do and can be free if you wish. Membership gives you early notice of events and the FOSC newsletter.
You can make a donation too, either online (simple and secure) or by check to FOSC, P.O. Box 11572, Takoma Park, MD 20913. Thank you!
Support Friends of Sligo Creek and help the creeks thrive in 2025!
Your support is key to our success.
-Weed Warrior work sessions to remove non-native invasive plants threatening the parklands
-Sweep the Creek and Litter Hotspot clean-ups to reduce pollution
-Salt, E. coli, and other testing to understand threats to water quality in the watershed
-Advocacy work on many issues to protect the creeks
-Water WatchDogs pollution reporting as you see it occurring
-Natural history posters for the kiosks
-Outreach to neighbors in English, Spanish and Amharic
FOSC Action Hub
Spring 2025 Top Invasives
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- Bush honeysuckle
- Multiflora rose
- English ivy
- Porcelainberry
- Bush honeysuckle
- Multiflora rose
- English ivy
- Porcelainberry
Invasives alarm: Italian Arum and Incised Fumewort
Italian arum
Italian Arum is back in force around Sligo Creek and Long Branch. It has spread from nearby yards. One of the EDRR (Early Detection, Rapid Response) invasive species, it has many little “daughter” corms attached to its main corm which makes it difficult to remove completely. Dig it out carefully. Screen the loosened soil for small “daughter” corms. There is some evidence that spraying with glyphosate is effective at killing all its corms.
Incised fumewort (Corydalis incisa) is a fast spreading invasive plant from East Asia. First discovered in NY in 2005, it has rapidly spread northward as well as southward into PA, MD, DC, VA, NC, IL, and TN. Dig it out in April when the telltale purple flowers appear, before it flings its seeds up to 10 feet from the flower stem. It has a tuber which is difficult to dig out completely, but it’s worth doing because it forms a dense mat that can easily double in size each year. Dr. Christina Andruk, Associate Professor of Biology at Iona University, who has been studying and battling it in Westchester County, NY, says “It’s not only a threat to your yard, it [leads to] reduced native plant diversity, reduced nutrient cycling, reduced diversity of animals…it’s going to affect the whole ecosystem.”
Don’t be fooled by its appearance – Corydalis incisa is a tough invader. See this UMD Extension article for more information on this USDA designated High Risk plant.
FOSC on iNaturalist
Heard about FOSC on iNaturalist.org but uncertain how to navigate the site or contribute your own observations? Expert birder and iNaturalist… Read more