Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar
Here's what else is happening around town...
πΏ Recent Productive Garlic Mustard Pulls
We have had a very productive season keeping combating invasive plant species! With support from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and our incredible volunteers, we have successfully executed multiple pulls along the trails' edges in the past month of garlic mustard, which is listed as the highest level of threat on the WVDNR list of non-native invasive plants.
Noah Porter and Laura Clark stand poised with the bags of garlic mustard after the May 28 workday (minus Laurie Potteiger as the photographer)
On the May 28 Workday, 3 volunteers spent 1.5 hours together pulling garlic mustard along the Paw Paw (light green) trail in Woodpecker Woods. This group removed 3 bags of garlic mustard!
The 5 volunteers take a break from pulling garlic mustard to show off an unlucky one just pulled during the June 13 workday. Pictured from the left: Carter Hughes, Carol Robbins, Carol Carter, Laurie Potteiger, and Sam Prevratil.
On the June 13 Workday, 5 volunteers spent 1-2 hours together pulling garlic mustard along the Paw Paw trail and the Woodpecker (red) trail in Woodpecker Woods. The group pulled 6 bags of garlic mustard!
For more info about invasive plants and the role they play in disrupting the balance of the ecology of our native flora and fauna, visit the WVDNR Invasive Plant Species List.
πΏ Multiple Upcoming Invasive Removal Workdays
Want to experience firsthand removing invasive plant species? The Trail & Town Alliance of Harpers Ferry & Bolivar with support from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club have multiple invasive removal workdays planned!
What to bring: Closed shoes with tall socks, long pants and long sleeves (essential for tick prevention), sunscreen, a water bottle, and your neighbors! We will provide gloves and trash bags on-site, though you are welcome to bring your own.
π₯Ύ Evolving Adopt-a-Trail Program
We are officially in the heat of summer, which means vegetation is growing rapidly along our trail corridors. While many sections need string trimming 2-4 times yearly to maintain clear paths, the program is steering toward a holistic approach that is more mindful of both protecting native plants and controlling invasive plants. To get introduced to some of these important practices, we highly encourage all trail adopters to attend one of our upcoming invasive removal workdays!
We Need Adopters! We currently have a trail section open for adoption. If you want to claim a piece of our local trail network and help keep it clear and healthy, please reach out to our Adopt-a-Trail Coordinator, Carter Hughes, at carterhughes286@gmail.com.
π§ Byron Bridge Update
The Byron Bridge as a passageway between the C&O Canal and Harpers Ferry will be closed for about three to four weeks for final installation. At the moment, the Byron Bridge remains open, but the latest update is that the closure of the temporary stairway to install the new stairway will start late June or early July. During closure, Harpers Ferry NHP will provide a shuttle between the NPS Visitor Center and C&O Lock 34. The ATC Visitor Center will also help coordinate volunteers who wish to shuttle, so contact John McGraw (jmcgraw@appalachiantrail.org) if interested in helping shuttle or if interested in any volunteering with the ATC Visitor Center.
June 27 (8β10 AM): Woodpecker Woods Monthly Bird Walk. Join local birding enthusiast Deb Hale for a walk to view and hear local and migrating bird species. In places trails are steep and may be muddy and slippery. Hiking shoes, hiking poles with blunt tips, and water bottle are recommended. Bring binoculars if you have them (we'll have some extra). Sorry, no pets. The event is free. Meet at the Old Furnace Rd gravel parking lot. Group size is limited; please sign up by emailing ecologyhf@gmail.com. Sponsored by the Ecology Committee of the Trail & Town Alliance.
July 4 (12 PM - 3 PM): 4th of July Celebration. Organized by the Town of Harpers Ferry, join your neighbors for a fun afternoon of music, food, and community in celebration of our nation's 250th birthday! Located at the Harpers Ferry Gazebo (575 Washington Street). The Rohrersville Band plays at 1 PM. The Women's Club of Harpers Ferry will have a grilled hot dog, chips, cookie, and drink meal available for purchase for $2 (cash or check only) with watermelon and water offered free of charge.
The Trail & Town Alliance of Harpers Ferry & Bolivar was formed by the towns of Harpers Ferry and Bolivar in 2008.
We're a group of volunteers who care about the future of our towns. We work for sustainable economic development, partner with our National Parks and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and make our townsβ outdoor resources even better for residents and visitors.
We also serve as the steering committee for the town's involvement in the Canal Towns Partnership and as a designated Appalachian Trail Community.
We meet monthly and always welcome new faces. Come say hello and learn what's happening in town! And feel free to forward this to a friend.
Trail & Town Allianceof Harpers Ferry & Bolivar Hi neighbors, Hope to see you at our next meeting! β Our June meeting When: Monday, June 15 at 5pm Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar Here's what else is happening around town... π«Ά May 17 Volunteer Workday was a Palooza! A huge thank you to the 6 amazing volunteers who joined the Trail & Town Alliance for our multi-tasking volunteer work palooza on Sunday, May 17! Together, we spent 1.5 high-impact hours giving our local...
Trail & Town Allianceof Harpers Ferry & Bolivar Hi neighbors, Hope to see you at our next meeting! β Our May meeting When: Monday, May 18 at 5pm Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar Here's what else is happening around town... π«Ά Our Rt. 340 Entrance is Prettier! The entrance from Rt. 340 into Bolivar looks sparkly clean and we have a wonderful group of neighbors to thank! 11 volunteers joined us on March 28 to pick up over 14 bags of trash and a vehicle exhaust pipe shaft...
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