Friends of Sligo Creek is a nonprofit community organization dedicated to protecting, improving, and appreciating the ecological health of Sligo Creek park and its surrounding watershed.
Recent Event
What’s in the Water? Water Quality in Sligo Creek
The Water Quality committee presented a program of 7 speakers on different aspects of Sligo’s water at its first annual public meeting Monday night. View the video here and on FOSC’s Youtube channel.
Updates on the state of Sligo Creek included issues of concern like microplastics, sediment pollution, and bacteria loads, as well as some updates on wildlife in and around the Creek, the citizen-powered Water Watchdog program, recent stormwater events in the area, and advocating for the Creek. The Committee then opened things up for questions, observations, and suggestions for Friends of Sligo Creek’s water quality program.
Please share your concerns and interests with us if you’d like.
— Pat, Anne, Paul, Dean and Chris of the FOSC Water Quality Committee
wq at fosc.org
Support FOSC!
Sligo Creek connects us. The varying murmurs and roars of the Creek, the raindrops glistening on the tree leaves, the surprising plant and animal life all offer opportunities for reverie and reflection, comfort and respite.
Friends of Sligo Creek works to protect and restore Sligo Creek. We organize neighbors like you to:
- remove non-native, invasive plants in Sligo Creek Park;
- monitor water quality and report illegal pollution;
- present Zoom programs on Sligo’s natural history and other topics, such as our Dec. 14th meeting on Sligo Creek water quality;
- promote stream litter clean-ups;
- manage local stormwater projects and educate our community about stormwater management;
- advocate for Sligo-friendly practices to local, state and other officials; and more.
Please help support Friends of Sligo Creek for everyone in our community. Join and make a donation today. Donating online is easy and secure.
Or donate via check to: FOSC, P.O. Box 11572, Takoma Park, MD 20913.
Thank you very much.
-Mike Smith, President of FOSC
News & Updates
January 2021 Newsletter
Great Blue Heron at the Wheaton Branch Ponds Dec 2020 photo by Stephen Davies
- January 28 Meeting: Learn About the Sligo Stewards […]
December 2020 Newsletter
Snowy Sligo at Sunset photo by Michael Wilpers
- What’s in Sligo Creek Water? Presentation on Dec 14
- Wheaton […]
Local jewelry artist transforms Sligo glass into jewelry
Local jewelry artist Lauren Reynolds recently sent a check to FOSC from the sales of her recycled Sligo glass jewelry in her Etsy shop. Thank you, Lauren! We’re applying it toward the monthly email […]
November 2020 Newsletter
November 2020 Newsletter Leave Your Leaves & Help Nature: Zoom Talk Nov. 18 Bennington Tributary Restored FOSC Joins Anacostia Riverkeeper to Monitor Sligo's Water Quality Migrating Birds Rest & Refuel in Sligo
Leave the Leaves
Nov 18 online event
Why? Kit Gage, FOSC Advocacy Director, explained why during a Nov 18 online presentation co-sponsored by FOSC and the Takoma Horticultural Club: to enrich the soil, and give butterflies and other insects, small mammals, toads, salamanders, and other critters a place to overwinter.
-Best: Leave some leaves on your lawn and let them blow into your garden beds, where they will decompose over the winter, enriching your soil far better than a bag of … [read more]
From the Fall 2020 Individual and Family Sweeps of Litter in the Creek
See photos and stories from the Sweep the Creek efforts this fall.
Ideas for Habitat Improvements at Wheaton Branch Stormwater Ponds
Friends of Sligo Creek recently recommended to the County three ways to improve the natural habitat at the Wheaton Branch stormwater ponds.
These ponds support fish and macro-invertebrates that attract many species of birds including night-herons who depend on crayfish. The surrounding land provides grasses and wildflowers for bird nesting and nectar sources for a diversity of pollinators.
- Reduce Mowing: Mow only once a year along the northern pond banks to allow for the growth of grasses and wildflowers throughout the spring, summer, and fall, to support wildlife. Mid-summer mowing destroys habitat for food, shelter and raising young.
- Restore the bird-nesting boxes: These used to be in place on tall poles within the ponds (for example, in the northeast quadrant of the pond complex). They attracted breeding pairs of Tree Swallows, which no longer nest in the area and are rarely seen there. Consider also adding boxes along the banks for Eastern Bluebirds, which are likely to nest in this area.
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Explore expanding the habitat around the ponds: More square footage would allow more dense habitats to grow and increase the structural complexity of those habitats to support greater numbers of species.
