Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.
Weed Warriors in Action – credit, Montgomery County Parks.
Wash. D.C’s ‘Weed Warrior’ Volunteers Tackle ‘Mile-a-Minute’ Invasives to Save the Capital’s Trees
Around the capital beltway or Washington’s famous Rock Creek Park, you may see a group of people ripping up vines along the treeline beside the roads.
If you have then you’ve glimpsed superheroes who traded in their capes for gardening gloves and their time for the satisfaction of terminating an invasive species and saving a native tree.
Washington D.C’s “Weed Warriors” are a group of volunteers going back to 1999 that work for free to keep hundreds of species of invasive shrubs, vines, and climbers from taking over native ecosystems.
Among the 600 or so non-native invasive plant species found in and around our nation’s capital, some, like Polygonum perfoliatum, also known as the “mile-a-minute” vine, can be devastating. Suffocating trees by overgrowing the leaves in their canopy branches, a mile-a-minute can kill thousands of trees every year.
Since 1999, Weed Warrior volunteers have logged over 135,000 hours of time weed whacking in Montgomery County alone. Anyone can become a Weed Warrior; the group works in units for two-hour spaces removing weeds or planting native species in their place.
These invasive species management events are led by specially-trained volunteer Weed Warrior Supervisors and/or staff from the Montgomery Parks Dept. Warriors can get certified to de-weed in their spare time or lead events on their own. They can even have their own unique patch of ground in the D.C.-Metro area to control.
Why would anyone want to trade their free time for laboring hours away for free doing something our tax dollars are supposed to do for us? The answer is simple: it’s addicting.
“If I have any good mental health, it’s due to Weed Warrioring,” said 74-year-old area resident Barbara Francisco. “You have a sense of accomplishment.”
Francisco spoke to Justin Moyer of the Washington Post, who found the volunteer groups were filled with people who were happy to get out into nature and make a meaningful impact on biodiversity.
The Weed Warriors website states that non-native, invasive plant species (NNIs) can alter the complex webs of plant-animal associations that have evolved over thousands of years to such a degree that plants and animals once familiar to us are eliminated.
In meadows, for example, NNI monocultures can threaten butterfly populations because they can no longer find the native host plants they depend on for survival. In forests, NNI vines can strangle and smother trees. NNI shrubs can displace and shade out native plants that provide birds and other wildlife with food and shelter.
Recent research has even shown that NNIs can alter soil chemistry and disrupt the growth of the mycorrhizal fungi on which healthy forests depend.
Anyone who feels this is something they want to contribute their time to can go to the Montgomery County Parks website here and look at the upcoming Weed Warrior events—the next one is October 21st.
The good news is there are folks who care enough to spend their own time in saving indigenous plant life. Today’s JohnKu talks about investment. I hope you have a super weekend.
Volunteer by John W. Howell © 2023
Scratch a volunteer,
And underneath, you will find . . .
Passion, strength, and love.
Fiction Favorites 
Who finds selfless warriors in the weeds?
You do!
Great story Boss. Another one!
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Thank you, Pilgrim. Love your comment.
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Love the story, Sheriff
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A wonderful and uplifting and hopeful post, John! Thanks so much for sharing just when I was beginning to think good news was a thing of the past. Bless every one of these folks!
Because I haven’t been out often in the last three years, I don’t know the current state of the kudzu vines that took over much of the south some years back. I HOPE they’ve been visited by a few warriors of their own, and if I were in better shape (or even allowed out of the house right now), I’d become a Weed Warrior, myself.
As always, your JohnKu is right on the mark! 😀 ❤
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Thank you, Marcia. I love to share stories that make us feel better in times of stress. We all have has three years of hell and who knows when it will be over.
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We have, indeed, and I try to tell myself things WILL change for the better before too much longer, but myself is having trouble believing me. Doh! Still, I cling to hope! 😊
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We all should cling to hope. In the face of world conditions that is all we have right now.
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Another great report. Invasive species are terrible. We’re having an outbreak of quagga mussels on the Snake River right now.
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We have razor mussels here in out lakes. They pretty much take over if left unchecked.
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I can see how being a weed warrior would be a very satisfying and rewarding experience. I’d never heard of mile-a-minute vines. Yikes! They sound worse than the infamous kudzu.
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I wonder if the kudzu is still a problem?
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If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that it probably is.
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I think you are right.
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YAY for the WW! YAY for the TREES! ❤
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I agree, Annette. Thank you. 😁
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A wonderful story. Anyone who supports the care of this planet has my support.
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Mine too, GP. Thank you. 😊
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Wonderful work they are doing. I always wonder just how these invasive species find their way here. Accident? Someone thought they were cool and brought them over, only to realise that it was a bad idea… like the various bugs brought in for one reason, only to create more trouble.
Wonderful story, John. Happy Friday!
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I wish I knew how that happens too, Dale. I know under certain conditions invasive species have been introduced by well meaning “experts.” Thanks.
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No doubt!
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Thanks for sharing this wonderful story, John. I loved your JohnKu.
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Thank you, Jill. It is relaxing when I write one. 😁
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Great news for sure! Fabulous JohnKu too! Thanks for sharing this, John. Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs 🤗💕🙂
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Thank you so much. I hope you have a peaceful weekend as well, Harmony. 🤗
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That’s so cool, John. In the south, kudzu was brought in and it took over, destroying many native plants. Russian Olive trees are another problem for the southwest. Both are proof that nature should be left alone and not tampered with. Good to see these volunteers doing their part to keep the ecosystem the way it should be.
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I agree, Joan. You have to wonder what people are thinking when an invasive species is introduced. I hoe you have a super weekend.
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Wonderful post, John. Your JohnKu perfectly captures the goodness of the volunteers – and the potential for each of us to add our services in one way or another. 😊
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An excellent point, Gwen. We all have the opportunity to make a mark so to speak. Thanks for the terrific comment. 🤗
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This is very good work these people are doing. I have a tough enough time pulling Bittersweet and Virginia Creeper out of our shrubs.
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It is good you do though. The shrubs are grateful I’m sure. Thanks, Dan
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Those vines are amazing. They twist together in pairs and sometimes three and four, so they can go higher and reach into trees.
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I’m glad you are on it.
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Good news, indeed! Thanks for sharing this. My family lives in this area, and we’ve volunteered to pick up trash in parks. And it’s wonderful to read about other volunteers who are pulling up the non-native invasive plants in the parks.
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I was very glad to see this story, Dave. Thanks.
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Just about all plants want to be invasive. It is all out warfare for light and water. Whoever is the tallest wins. It is not just ‘Non Native’ native invasives are just as bad – poison ivy, thistle, grape vines, and many more will do all they can to take over. And no kudzu has not quietly gone away. And with global warming it is slowly marching north. And once established ‘eradication’ becomes a pipe dream. Seeds and roots are just waiting to bounce back and take over an area. Good story John.
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Thank you for all the info, John.
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It’s good to hear about people volunteering for a worthy cause, and working to save forests is certainly worth the work it takes. Thanks for sharing, John.
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It is good to hear about these folks for sure. Thank you Tim.
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Think I’ve seen groups like that around here. Although the big threat lately are the spotted lantern flies. Everyone is being asked to smash them on sight.
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We don’t have any of those (I think).
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Another great story about what selfless people will do to improve our world. It’s very uplifting to read about this! Not that I am inclined to drive to Washington to weed! Got enough of them around here!
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Thanks, John, for spreading this good news! I see it as a win-win, helping the environment while helping themselves, too. Surely nothing wrong with that!!
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I agree, Debbie. Getting out to do good is good for all. Thanks.
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The JohnKu is perfect.
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Thank you, Steve. 😁
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What a fantastic uplifting post. Not only are these warriors doing good for the environment, they are also getting a dose of nature therapy. Thanks, John!
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The kudzu here in FL is out of control. Our power company went through town butchering, I mean trimming back, all the trees that were growing into the electrical wires. Heck, you can drive down any street and see kudzu not only wrapped around poles and trees but making its way across the street on the power lines. Gotta be a way to get rid of that. Good on the Weed Warriors!
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We have a group who works on this here with the Scott brush. Lucky to have selfless volunteers.
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Yes indeed. Thanks for sharing, Denise.
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Love that!
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Thanks, Pam.
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Lovely. I guess everywhere has its terrorist NNIs
We’ve had well meaning botanists since the Victorians doing that to us. One we have – Japanese knotweed- is a bamboo that can cause damage to building foundations. It’s not a problem in Japan because it has a mite that eats it. We could introduce the mite but when it’s sorted out the knotweed… such a bugger. I did laugh in New Zealand when I was there as one of their worst are lupins. We spend a fortunate trying to keep them in the UK and their colours are stunning. Such a weird old world
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It is a weird old world indeed.
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Not just a great story, but a really beautiful Johnku!
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Thank you, Marie. 🤗
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That’s a wonderful thing to do. Thanks for sharing, John. Hugs.
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I’d never heard of Weed Warriors before, John. Thank you for sharing about this wonderful concept and the organization behind it!
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It is a great story. Thanks for reading and the comment. 😁
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Yeah to the weed warriors… People after my own heart x
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They are the best.
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❤
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Weed Warriors – great name and great cause. I admire those that volunteer to keep up public gardens /spaces. This group certainly has a purpose.
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I would say they do, Jo. Thanks
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Great news, dear John! We must responsible for the planet we live on. 🍻🍤🍤🍤💖
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I think so too.
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I love this story, John. I’ve SEEN houses swallowed by mile-a-minute. (We call it kudzu where I’m from, or “Ka-choo” “bless you” in our family.)
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I like that name “Ka-Choo” “Bless you.” Thanks, Vera.
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A nice idea for the preservation of species. I like the story.
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Thank you. 😊
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I hadn’t heard of this, but what a wonderful program! I can see how it would be rewarding. Thanks for sharing it, John!
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I think thee should be more of these folks around.
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This is a wonderful story, John. I can understand why the volunteers are passionate about what they do. Have you heard about the goats that eat away all the poison ivy at Arlington Cemetery?
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I have heard of the goats. My grandfather is buried there so I tend to keep track of the Arlington news. Thanks, Jennie.
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That’s wonderful! You must be very proud.
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I am. Thank you, Jennie.
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You are welcome, John. 🇺🇸
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Wonderful!
Perfect JohnKu!
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Thank you so much Resa. OX OX OX OX 🌹
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🌹OX OX OX OX 🌹
I’ll be back!
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🌹OX OX OX OX 🌹🌺
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🌺🌹OX OX OX OX 🌹🌺
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🌺🌹OX OX OX OX 🌹🌺🌸
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As someone who does not particularly enjoy yard work, especially weeding, I am way impressed. I do love trees and flowers, though, so good on them!
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I’m impressed too.
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Great movement to save the environment. Thanks for sharing the information, John! Have a beautiful week! xx Michael
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Thak you, Michael. You as well.
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