Montgomery Parks honored four Weed Warrior volunteers this week for their efforts to protect local parkland from non-native invasive plants.
The volunteers were recognized during a special appreciation event for donating their time to removing invasive plants and helping maintain parks and natural areas throughout Montgomery County.
This year’s award recipients are Jesse Swart and Jill Fonda Allen, who were both named Supervisor Rookie of the Year; Jeff Schloss, recognized as the Certified Weed Warrior Who Will Volunteer Everywhere and Anywhere; and Ed Murtagh, who supervised the most Weed Warrior events.
The Montgomery Parks Weed Warrior Program was established in 1999 to give community members an opportunity to assist park staff with managing non-native invasive plants on parkland.
“Weed Warrior volunteers do much more than remove invasive plants; they inspire environmental stewardship by educating others and strengthening connections with nature,” Montgomery Parks Director Miti Figueredo said.
Last year, more than 2,275 Weed Warrior volunteers contributed 13,943 hours and removed invasive vines from more than 18,175 trees in parks across Montgomery County. According to Montgomery Parks, the work represented an estimated $509,089 in savings, equivalent to the work of six full-time employees.
“Our Weed Warrior volunteers are critical in maintaining a healthy ecosystem in our parks,” Corinne Stephens said. “We simply could not manage the monumental invasive species problem that threatens our parks without them.”
The Montgomery Parks Volunteer Appreciation event was supported by a donation from the Montgomery Parks Foundation, the nonprofit partner of Montgomery Parks.
