Sweep the Creek Litter Clean-Ups this weekend
Sat, April 20 and Sun, April 21
Whether you’ve got a few minutes or a few hours…please join your neighbors to Sweep the Creek of litter and debris!
FOSC volunteers will be at 10 different sites at various times throughout the Earth Day weekend to hand out gloves and bags, and loan some trash grabbers too.
This cleanup has a major impact on the health of the creeks and parkland by removing plastic, which leaches pollutants into the soil and water, cans, bottles, auto parts and furniture and other items.
Wonder how and why Earth Day got started? Check out the Sweep the Creek page, where you can also see just how effective the Sweep is – FOSC is #1 in Montgomery County for removing litter!
The schedule is below: (click on it to see a larger version, or go to the Sweep the Creek page to see the schedule, a map, and other info as well.)
Note: Section 10 cleanup at the Long Branch Community Center has been postponed. Please join a cleanup at another section!
Takoma Park Earth Day Celebration
Sat. April 20, 10am – 2pm in the park
The Takoma Park Earth Day celebration coincides with the first day of the Sweep the Creek event, and FOSC will be there with hands-on activities for kids and adults. You’ll have a chance to try water quality testing, sweep litter from the park, touch and ID invasive vines and weeds which strangle our trees, a macroinvertebrate search in the creek, and more.
Please join us – it’s going to be a blast for all ages!
Summer Water Quality Testing – Looking for Volunteers!
FOSC and Anacostia Riverkeeper will be conducting Water Quality testing at 6 sites in Sligo/Long Branch this summer, every other Wed from May to September. You only need to attend one training to be qualified to participate in this program!
Two training sessions are available:
Wed 4/24 – Virtual training 9am-10am. Register here and join the training via this Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/yuu-vosc-tzp
Sat 4/27 – In person training 11am -12pm at Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Ave, Silver Spring, MD (follow the signs for the detour during construction). Register here.
News & Updates
Sligo Trail Improvements in upper Sligo Creek
Planned Sligo trail and other improvements to Sligo Creek parkland at the Colt Terrace Neighborhood Park (at the headwaters of Sligo Creek) will be presented by Montgomery Parks [...]
President’s Day Sweeps pulled a huge amount of litter from Sligo
Mini-sweeps at 3 trash hot spots yielded an impressive amount of trash from the creeks over the President's Day weekend. Altogether, 101 volunteers hauled 118 bags of trash, [...]
Faring well? Sligo and Long Branch in a warming climate
Faring well? Sligo and Long Branch in a warming climate How healthy are Sligo, Long Branch and NW Branch? The Water Quality Committee of FOSC invites you [...]
FOSC Listservs on
Friends of Sligo Creek – Main 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!
FOSC Action Hub
Spring 2024 Top Invasives
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- Multiflora Rose
- English Ivy
- Bush honeysuckle
- Italian Arum
- Multiflora Rose
- English Ivy
- Bush honeysuckle
- Italian Arum
Invasive: Italian Arum
Italian Arum is back in force around Sligo Creek and Long Branch. 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.
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