Americana Park
Native Meadow Restoration

Thank you to all the hardworking planting volunteers!

Where: Americana Park, 4301 Accotink Parkway, Annandale, 22003

On Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18th, the Friends of Accotink Creek participated in a native restoration project to create native habitat and restore a wetland area in the Accotink Creek floodplain at Americana Park.*

Volunteers from Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia Master Naturalists, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin and Cub Scout Pack 1683 also joined, providing a much-appreciated boost.

Volunteers had their choice of wetter or dryer working areas in this perennially soggy spot. Some came equipped with rubber boots, while others shed their shoes and socks to work barefoot in the paddy-like central puddle.

Braddock District Supervisor John Cook stopped by to offer words of encouragement.

Fairfax County Department of Public Works & Environmental Services provided expert guidance and funding, while Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District and Fairfax County Park Authority lent support in preparation.

Over two 3-hour workdays we together planted almost one thousand native plants and shrubs where before there was only mown grass. DPWES also contracted for professional seeding of native grass and wildflower seeds and for planting of several species of native trees along the perimeter.

More:
See all the planting photos on our Facebook page
See the story on the Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin Facebook page
See the Channel 16 video report on YouTube
- April 27, 2015

The Americana Park native meadow planting plan. Click for full size.

*Read about the developments motivating this project.