Give back to the earth, exercise your body, spend time in nature and meet cool people with the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy.

Known as a busy commuter route between central Washington to its eastern suburbs, the parkway is also a nature preserve, flanked on each side by over 300 acres of forested hillside. These woods shelter the many hilltop apartment buildings from the noise and pollution of the roadway below and include streams, rock outcroppings, and views across Southeast DC.

Sadly, the woods of Suitland Parkway have suffered from years of neglect and are plagued by littering, illegal dumping, and invasive vines.

Since 2018, Ward 8 Woods Park Stewards and volunteers have removed more than 300 tons of trash from the woods of Suitland Parkway and cut vines from more than 1,000 trees. But much remains to be done, especially in the Maryland sections of the parkway.

On the first Saturday of each month, we deploy to a different part of the parkway to clean up trash and save trees from being smothered by invasive vines.

Gloves, trash bags and tools are provided.

Please wear work or hiking boots, full-length pants, long sleeves and clothes you won't mind getting dirty. Please bring a water bottle.

Documentation of community service hours provided upon request.

If you need to reach us for any reason before, during or after the event, call Nathan Harrington at 202-520-2742

To learn more about Suitland Parkway, visit: https://ward8woods.org/suitland-parkway/