Woodend Restoration Watch: Pachysandra Patch Restoration

In the forest, south of the stream that flows through Woodend, is an area formerly known to the ANS Restoration Department as the pachysandra patch, due to the pervasiveness of Pachysandra terminalis. Japanese pachysandra is an herbaceous evergreen perennial that has blanketed this area of the forest with its deep… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: Stream and Trail Restoration Updates

Our Woodend Nature Sanctuary stream restoration project is finally complete! Extending from the “old well” to the Rock Creek trail, a total of 44 step pools have been installed. These step pools were made from log and stone weirs with root wads buried in the pools to capture stormwater, increase… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: Native Plants in Native Meadows

Healthy meadows are composed of native grasses, sedges and wildflowers that support crucial pollinator species such as bees, birds, and butterflies. Not only can meadows be established by planting native plants in areas such as an underused grass lawn or an agricultural field, but also emerge from a disturbance in… Continue reading

Francis Newlands, Racial Segregation, and the Land of Woodend

This article was published in our Autumn 2020 Naturalist Quarterly special edition, “Healing Our Land – The Election Issue.” Please visit www.anshome.org/naturalist-quarterly to see the rest of the stories in the issue.   What does a white supremacist, silver baron Senator from Nevada have to do with Woodend Nature Sanctuary?… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: American Chestnut Update

Last spring, we planted 24 American chestnut seeds to assist The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) in testing the offspring from their over 30 year breeding program. We had some success with these seeds, especially those more exposed to the sun (pictured below), but unfortunately, only half of them survived through… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: Strawberry Bush Edition

Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), also known as hearts-a-burstin’ or wahoo, is a native shrub beloved to naturalists and wildlife alike. Occurring in eastern woodlands, often found in sandy thickets or alongside streams and rivers, this shrub can grow up to 12 feet tall. Its small green leaves grow opposite each… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: Secrets of the Woodend Forest Revealed

Woodend Sanctuary, like most of the Mid-Atlantic area, was historically a mixed hardwood forest dominated by oaks and hickories. With European settlement, the forest was cleared for agriculture. In the mid-1900s it was left to return to forest, but its natural trajectory was influenced by the spread of invasive species… Continue reading