Glover Archbold Resilience: Pilot Restoration Site
The Glover-Archbold Pilot project will restore approximately six acres of successional floodplain forest in a Piedmont section of Rock Creek Park. The site is bound by Hoban Street, the creek, and Reservoir Road.
This project, in particular, provides an opportunity to test restoration in an area close to neighboring homes and with significant edge invasion. Strategies from the Rock Creek Forest Resilience Framework will be used, planting climate-resilient woody plants to fill gaps created after removing invasive species.
Fun Fact: This site is located within a major recreational corridor: Glover Archbold trail connects to the C&O Canal, extending the 184.5 mile towpath by another 5.7 miles through northwest DC
Size: 6.75 acres
Status: In progress since summer 2024
Primary issue: An infestation of mature Doublefile viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum) has taken over the entirety of the floodplain, outcompeting native trees and shrubs.
Restoration Actions
March- April 2025: Contracted invasive plant treatment across the full site.
January 2025: Volunteers work to uproot invasive pachysandra and periwinkle from the forest interior.
October 2024: Contracted removal of invasive snowball viburnum from the floodplain.
August 2024: Contracted treatment of invasive species across the full site, focusing on arborized vines on the forest edge and within light gaps.
July 2024: Baseline monitoring to measure the extent of invasion and document existing native or rare plants
Species Planted:
Look for a list in fall 2025!
In January 2025, volunteers remove Japanese pachysandra on MLK day.
In fall 2024, the floodplain was cleared of 100% cover by snowball viburnum, preparing the site to be replanted with a palette of native trees and shrubs.
In fall 2024, contractors treated invasive vines, focusing on intense arborized porcelain berry and bittersweet cover on trees at the forest edge.
Before work began in 2024, the floodplain was completely covered by mature invasive shrubs - mostly snowball viburnum and wineberry.
