Adam and Michelle Friedman have not lived in Frederick for long, but have already worked to make a positive impact on the city. The Friedmans moved to Frederick in February from Raleigh, N.C.
‘‘Frederick reminds me of my hometown growing up,” Adam Friedman said.
The Friedmans spent Saturday morning alongside other volunteers, and local and state officials digging holes and planting trees in Waterford Park.
Waterford Park, located off of Meadowdale Road on the western end of Baker Park, is 18 acres of open space that includes walking paths.
Members of Friends of Waterford Park, volunteers with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Potomac Conservancy, and area residents joined together to plant native trees and shrubs in an effort to increase the yardage of the riparian buffer and revamp the park. As part of the Potomac Conservancy’s ‘‘Growing Native” program, hardwood tree species and shrubs are being planted all around the Potomac Watershed area. The Potomac Conservancy provided about 100 trees, bushes and shrubs as replacements for trees that had died and some new plantings.
Volunteers who planted trees used a tool called a ‘‘tree stick” – essentially a heavy, bright orange wedge with a handle.
‘‘You want to get rid of any air pockets,” John Leaf, a forest ranger, said as he stomped on some dirt next to a Red Bud seedling, filling in the gaps left by his tree stick. ‘‘You use the tree stick like a lever to push the dirt up next to the seedling.”
Oak trees, which need a drier area to grow, were planted on elevated areas; persimmon trees, which grow better in wetter areas, were planted closer to Rock Creek; red bud trees were planted along the outermost edge because they are pleasing to the eye and work well as a streamside buffer.
Ginny Brice, president of Friends of Waterford Park, said she and other volunteers work hard to control invasive species and grow plants that are aesthetically pleasing and helpful to the surrounding environment.
Honeysuckle and rose bushes, according to Brice, are invasive species that take up a lot of space.
‘‘We’re getting rid of the honeysuckle and rose bushes, and residents don’t like that because they like the smell and look of them,” she said.