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Home2023-05-31T15:45:47-04:00

What FOSC does

Friends of Sligo Creek (FOSC) offers events year round in support and appreciation of Sligo Creek and adjacent parkland. Litter clean-up and invasive plant clear-out events are among the most popular FOSC activities in the spring, summer and fall. FOSC also sponsors guided outdoor explorations of different aspects of Sligo Creek flora and fauna. A wide variety of other programs throughout the year educate neighbors and users of the park about Sligo Creek’s strengths and challenges. FOSC also monitors the creek, advocating for civic policies that will support a healthier Sligo.

FOSC invites you to visit the creek, volunteer at an upcoming event, attend a program, advocate for the Creek, and join FOSC.

Thurs, June 8: The Invasion Curve – A Zoom talk by Sara Tangren, PhD. at this link.

Italian Arum is a fast-growing invasive new to our region.

Italian arum

Sara will talk about the Invasion Curve, the implications for recent plant invasions in our region, and the NCR PRISM (National Capital Region — Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) project to coordinate the cross-boundary fight against invasive species in D.C. and surrounding counties.

Sara Tangren, Ph.D., is the Coordinator of the National Capital PRISM at the Dept. of Energy & Environment, Government of the District of Columbia.

Wed, June 21 – Ask a Bumblebee: A Community Science Project on Bumble Bee Floral Preference

A Zoom talk with Jenan El-Hifnawi via this link.

A brown belted bumble bee on a purple coneflower.

brown belted bumble bee

Which flowers do bumble bees in Sligo Creek prefer? That’s what the Ask A Bumble Bee (AABB) community science project is trying to figure out!

Join us on Zoom with AABB coordinator Jenan El-Hifnawi of the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab as she presents the community science project looking at bumble bee floral preferences. She’ll tell us about the program, how to get involved, and some preliminary results about what bees rank as their top plants!

Sat, June 10 and Sat, June 24 – Green Streets project tours
Stormwater and native plant horticulturist Kit Gage is offering free tours of the Green Streets project in Sligo Park Hills and her own conservation landscape garden.

The Green Streets program installed neighborhood-wide stormwater-capture projects. Learn how they work at one of the tours. Each will last approximately an hour. There are gradual inclines on the streets, but no steps.

Register here for either date
The location will be sent to registrants a few days before the tour. These tours are offered through a grant-funded partnership with Nature Forward.

Change of date Thurs, June 15 at 7:30pm – Opening Reception of “Celebrating Sligo Creek” exhibit featuring of longtime Sligo Creek photographer Julius Kassovic and two other area artists. You are invited; no preregistration required. The show is at the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Ave, from June 15 through Sept 7.

Sligo Creek is “the source of creativity and inspiration” for the 3 artists in the show: Julius Kassovic/photographer, Lynn Alleva Lilley/photographer, and Steven Robinson/mixed media artist.

News & Updates

Join FOSC

FOSC logo

Sligo Creek connects us. Please Join FOSC and help protect and restore the Creek for everyone in our community. It’s simple to do and can be free if you wish.

You can make a donation too, either online (simple and secure) or by check to FOSC, P.O. Box 11572, Takoma Park, MD 20913. Thank you!

FOSC Action Hub

Sligo Creek Water WatchDog mascot

Report water pollution ASAP!
Send an email to:

[email protected]

You play an important role protecting Sligo. Please report any pollution you see in the creek or heading into a storm drain ASAP, with photos, which help County investigators.

Last winter’s results and our interpretation of them are on the Water Quality Salt Monitoring page.
Salt tester Allan Rogers shows how it's done!

SaltWatch tester Allan Rogers shows how it's done!

Running Bamboo is a problem invasive species in Sligo Creek park. A new Bill in Annapolis, HB 0090, Control of Running Bamboo, would require property owners to keep running bamboo from spreading to adjoining properties or a public right-of-way. Violations would carry a fine of up to $50 for a first offense, and up to $200 for a second offense. Maximum fines could not exceed $3,000 under the bill.

Bamboo is legal to sell in Maryland. The proposed legislation would require nurseries to label two species of NNI bamboo as tier 2 invasive though they could still be sold. If passed, this legislation would be a first step in addressing the sale of NNI plants in MD. Please tell your state delegate to support this bill.

Autumn forest of tall trees with leaves turning yellow, orange, and brown.FOSC Advocacy has been an active partner with the MoCo Forest Conservation Coalition to craft a bill to strengthen protection of MoCo’s remaining forests. Now, the full Council will consider the bill Tuesday, March 21. Please write to the full County Council expressing your support of the bill before the 21st.

For more information about the issue and the bill, and to get more information to write your own testimony, go to the Nature Forward (Audubon Naturalist Society) blog. You can use FOSC’s own written testimony as a guide for yours.

Graphic of proposed downtown Silver Spring redesign of Ellsworth DriveStill pending! Find out why FOSC opposes synthetic turf on Ellsworth Drive in DTSS. Write the County Executive to oppose abandonment of Ellsworth Drive unless healthy alternatives are used. Write to Marc Elrich, Montgomery County Executive.

Recent Videos

See many more on the FOSC Youtube Channel

Spring 2023 Top Invasives

    1. Garlic Mustard
    2. Bush Honeysuckle
    3. Porcelainberry
    4. Multiflora Rose
    5. English Ivy

Emerging Invasive: Italian Arum

Italian Arum is one of the new EDRR (Early Detection, Rapid Response) invasive species. It has many little “daughter corms” attached to its main corm which makes it difficult to remove completely. Dig it out carefully. Screen the loosened soil for small “daughter” corms. There is some evidence that spraying with glyphosate is effective at killing all its corms.

 FOSC on iNaturalist

Pine Siskins at Wheaton Branch Ponds by Stephen Davies

Heard about FOSC on iNaturalist.org but uncertain how to navigate the site or contribute your own observations? Expert birder and iNaturalist… Read more

FOSC on YouTube

Support FOSC

Donate to Friends of Sligo Creek

FOSC on Facebook

Get Involved

  • Participate in your community
  • Meet your neighbors
  • Improve your surroundings
  • Enhance your skill set
  • Advocate for the Creek
  • Arrange a group activity for your club or group
  • Receive the monthly eNewsletter
  • Get early notice of events and special opportunities
  • Have your name forwarded to your Section Steward for hands-on events
  • Contribute to special projects
  • Fund outdoor events, expert talks, equipment for invasive plant/litter removal, the kiosks in the park, water quality testing, and more
  • Support FOSC’s outreach to schools, civic groups, and all communities
  • Tell us about your experience at a FOSC event
  • Suggest an activity
  • Voice your concern about an environmental issue
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