BES Woodland Stewardship

Healthy Woodlands for Future Generations

Bannockburn Elementary is fortunate to have ~3 acres of wooded natural areas on its grounds. These areas provide wildlife habitat, shade, outdoor learning opportunities, and natural beauty.

Our woodlands are under pressure.

Like many fragmented urban woodlands in the DC metro area, the ecological value of our school grounds has been diminishing due to non-native invasive (NNI) plants and overabundant deer pressure.

Without intervention, invasive plants form monocultures, suppress native regeneration, create persistent canopy gaps, and establish seed sources that spread throughout the wider community.

Woodland stewardship is our community’s long-term effort to stabilize and restore these natural systems.

Stewardship At a Glance

4+ Years
Thousands of invasive shrubs and vines removed. 30+ stewardship workdays hosted.

Native Regeneration Protected
30+ desirable native saplings protected from deer and landscaper damage. Small native woodland edge garden planted and protected under grand White Oak tree, behind the soccer goal.

Outdoor Learning Enabled
Nature trail established. Tree ID signs installed. Teacher ‘outdoor learning’ professional development hosted onsite. Bannockburn’s Living Woodlands Mural painted. Earth Day woodland seedballs. Reforest Montgomery 6 trees planted.

Our Values

  • Ensure ecologically healthy wooded school grounds for future generations.
  • Be a good neighbor by reducing the spread of Non-Native Invasive (NNI) plants into the wider community.
  • Support student environmental learning opportunities.
  • Demonstrate that our community values the school grounds.
  • Welcome participation from anyone in our community (with safety limitations for minors). Note: due to safety procedures required when removing invasive plants, minors can only participate during specific workdays scoped for their involvement. To get added to the notification list for stewardship group activities, send an e-mail to David Hecht (dwhecht@gmail.com) requesting addition.

Educational and Community Impact

The results of sustained stewardship are now visible:

  • Nature Forward hosted teacher professional development workshops on ‘outdoor learning’ at BES.
  • Teachers and the community are using the nature trail along the soccer field.
  • A new vibrant mural depicting and celebrating native species found on campus has been installed on school grounds.
  • The stewardship effort was desired by other communally owned woodland areas in Bannockburn, and as such the woodland stewardship group moved to the Bannockburn Civic Association. Enabling stewardship activities with 3 additional communal woodland landowners.
  • Reclaimed wooden benches installed to enable additional outdoor learning locations.

Four years of consistent effort are beginning to translate into student engagement and community impact.

The Ecological Challenge

As of 2022, large portions of the woodlands were dominated by invasive shrubs, climbing vines and some trees.

These NNIs:

  • Kill or suppress native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants
  • Form dense monocultures
  • Create “seed factories” that reinfest surrounding areas
  • Prevent normal woodland regeneration
  • Create thickets on edges that deny student accessibility and community engagement.

The overabundance of deer compounds the issue by preventing delicious slow-growing native species, such as oak and hickory, from successfully regenerating.

Without intervention, the woodlands around Bannockburn would likely have experienced long-term canopy loss with minimal opportunity for natural succession.

Ecologically: What Has Been Accomplished

After sustained stewardship efforts:

Invasive Plant Reduction

  • Hundreds of mature Bush Honeysuckle, Burning Bush, Multiflora Rose, and other invasive shrubs removed.
  • Hundreds of mature Porcelain Berry, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Honeysuckle, English Ivy, and Wintercreeper vines removed.
  • Mature Tree of Heaven and Persian Silk Tree removed.
  • Dozens of Norway Maples removed prior to canopy takeover.

Native Plant Promotion

  • 30+ desirable native tree saplings protected.
  • Oak and hickory seedlings protected with cages and tree tubes.
  • Dogwood saplings preserved near the front of the school.
  • Woodland edges protection installed from mowing encroachment after invasive removal.

We are closing in on the milestone of removing all mature non-native invasive climbing vines. Our native tree canopy will breathe a long sigh of relief.

Our Stewardship Approach

  • Recurring, sustained volunteer workdays.
  • Prioritization of high-impact invasive species.
  • Protection of next-generation native trees and shrubs.
  • Collaboration with BES administration/maintenance staff and central office MCPS.
  • Practice Woodland Management Best Practices outlined by UMD Extension Office and MD DNR Forest Service.

This is not a one-time clearing. It is long-term stabilization.

Stewardship Effort: Updates

Stewardship Workday Record

Get Involved

Anyone from our community can participate.

To join the notification list for stewardship activities, email:

David Hecht
dwhecht@gmail.com