“Earth Day on the WB&A trail in Odenton saw volunteers pulling out invasive vines and trees in the sweltering humidity. Despite the heavy concentration of invasive plants in this area, we found and saved several native trees, including oaks, sweet gums, and a river birch! Volunteers filled 14 fifty-gallon trash bags and one full-size truck bed with invasive plant material!! 
If you’d like to learn more about invasive plants in our region and how to properly remove them, check out this link:” ~ Miranda Yourick, Vice President Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails
Well done!
Thank you for helping our county shine this Earth Day.
The following is an excerpt from the April 2025 edition of Trail Talk.
As you walk the trails, what do you notice about the plants you see? Do some seem to be everywhere, covering the ground and the trees? Most likely you are seeing a non-native invasive species (NNIS) which is a non-native that causes harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Not to mention, NNIS tend to take over the native landscape, making it less pleasing to the eye. A main culprit on the trails is Asian Bittersweet, which is the thick, trunk-like vine responsible for strangling and toppling trees.
Once you start looking, you will see them everywhere! But don’t be discouraged; this is a problem humans created that we can help fix!
What YOU can do!
-Read up on NNI plants and practice your ID skills while using the trails.
-Join a Friends or other organization’s invasive plant removal event.
–Remove NNIS from your property and replace with natives. And yes, NNIS WILL escape your yard; that’s how they spread in the first place!
-Nearly all NNI plants were intentionally introduced over time by the nursery or agricultural trade. Many can still be bought today! Provide feedback to local nurseries that you, a customer, care about removing NNIS from their inventory.
Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is proud to have Miranda as one of our chapter members who is dedicated to the Wild Ones mission of promoting native plants through education, education, and collaboration action. As Vice President of Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails, Miranda leads the WB&A Trail, is editor for their monthly newsletter Trail Talk, and is their Make a Difference Day Coordinator.