Woodley Hills Park

   Tree planting - A plan has been approved by the FCPA for several trees to be planted in Woodley Hills Park. In time, these trees will help reduce the amount of runoff leaving the park as well as beautifying the area.

    IMA - Our volunteer work in Woodley Hills Park under the IMA program will continue through the end of the year and will be renewed for next year. “What is the IMA program?” you may ask. Well, the Invasive Management Area (IMA) Volunteer Pilot Program is a community-based project designed to reduce invasive plants on our parklands. This unique, volunteer-led program gives residents an opportunity to connect with people while taking care of the natural resources around us. IMA enables community members to help protect the plants and wildlife of Fairfax County's forests while spending time outdoors, meeting new people and restoring natural habitats.

    IMA is more than just pulling weeds. Key components of this program are habitat restoration and a long-term commitment to the park. Invasive plant species are difficult to remove and control, but with the help of IMA volunteers, undesirable non-native, invasive plants are removed manually. Once the undesirable plants are removed, native species are planted in their place providing appropriate habitat and food sources for our local wildlife.

    So far in 2007 we have had 6 workdays of about 3 hours each for a total of over 150 man-hours. Many of these hours included several of our young, energetic members of the greater Woodley Hills community accumulating significant volunteer hours. Some of you may have seen the recent article in the Mount Vernon Gazette featuring the work being done. Take a walk over to the park and check out the progress!

Click here for more information about the FCPA IMA program.

Click here for more pictures!

    Parking - Over the years the “parking area” in the park (beyond the white storage building toward the school grounds) had increased in size such that cars were being parked under the trees and driven onto the lawn area. More disturbing was evidence that some folks had driven through the trees onto the school playground and athletic field. When these vehicles left they had been cutting across the lawn toward the tennis courts. What was meant to be a small parking area serving local residents had become something quite different.

    Working with representatives from the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), Public Schools (FCPS) and our neighboring citizens association Sulgrave Manor, WHCA agreed to a plan to restrict motor vehicle access within the park. The following work has been completed:

1. •The split rail fence at the park entrance will be extended along entire length of the driveway.
   

2. •Access beyond the white building has been restricted to emergency and park maintenance vehicles.
   

3. •The former “parking area” has been removed as best as possible and replaced with wood chips
   

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