The Trail #9 Mini-Oasis sits in the heart of Rock Creek Park. This site has had extensive work completed by the Rock Creek Conservation Corps and is still in need of significant invasive plant removal and maintenance work.
Fun Fact
Trail #9 is the official name of the trail that marks the boundary of this site.
Size: 3.45 acres
Status: Currently restoring this site.
Primary issue: Invasive plant removal and understory restoration
Site Details
This site is bordered by Rock Creek Park Drive and falls in the heart of Rock Creek Park near the Equitation Field on Ridge Rd NW.
The site borders the Western Ridge Trail stemming from the intersection of Broad Branch Rd NW and Beach Drive NW. To the North, is Ridge Rd NW winding around towards the equitation field. To the East, Cross Trail #9 marks the border. South of the site is bordered by Beach Drive NW and Rock Creek.
The site features a hilled, forest area of Rock Creek Park made up a secondary growth mature trees. The site also drains directly into Rock Creek and features a stormwater channel that accommodates stormwater during large rain events.
Upcoming Work
Shrub Maintenance: The site requires regular efforts to weed tree cages, water the shrubs, mulch the shrubs, and maintain deer fencing.
Invasive Plant Removal: Plots of winged burning bush still remain on site. Volunteer efforts, with coordinated outcomes to chemically treat and remove the woody materials, will also be coordinated within this site.
Planting Natives: This site will benefit from more native shrub and tree plantings. Shrub and tree plantings will help to increase native biodiversity and habitat for local wildlife, it would support the control of stormwater runoff as the last buffer before Rock Creek, and help improve the ecological health of the forests of Rock Creek Park.
Recent Restoration Efforts
Rock Creek Conservation Corps Work - This site has been home to extensive invasive plant removal work completed by the Rock Creek Conservation Corps in the summer of 2016 and 2018. What was once a hillside taken over by invasive winged burning bush is now a cleared understory. In total, Conservation Corps members removed over 1500 individual burning bushes, all of which were removed and chipped per Park Service regulations.
Shrub Planting - To support the restoration of Trail #9, Rock Creek Conservancy planted 25+ native shrubs within the understory of the site. These shrubs included Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Arrowhead Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).