Patapsco Heritage Greenway partnered with residents from the Charlestown Retirement Community to remove invasive garlic mustard on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at several locations on the Charlestown campus (including the lake) and near the Herbert Run branch that runs into the Patapsco River.


Thirteen volunteers helped remove 15 bags of invasive garlic mustard plants from this area, weighing approximately 300 pounds in just about an hour and a half! The day was beautiful and sunny with temps around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. We could not have asked for more pleasant weather!

Garlic mustard was first recorded in the U.S. in the late 1860’s and was brought over here by European settlers to use as a cooking herb. Although it can still be used for that purpose, there are no natural controls for it here in Maryland and it is taking over. The deer don’t like it! It has displaced vast areas of native wildflowers and is toxic to the larvae of several native butterflies.

Recognition goes to our PHG Team members Betsy McMillion, Justin Carlisle, Pete McCallum, and Heather Wandell, who led the group, Joanne Heckman from the Sierra Club, and to all the amazing individuals who came out to help! We can’t say enough about how much we appreciate them!!


Special thanks to Bert and Linda Clergen, organizers from the Charlestown community, for inviting us to partner with them to help keep Charlestown beautiful! Your maps and well thought out plans really helped to make this a fun and successful event!. Thank you to Donna Ferrara for leading one team along the beautiful nature trail to the lake and introducing us to the troll in the woods. And at the end of the event, the wonderful Charlestown team treated us to a delicious buffet lunch in one of their gorgeous dining rooms. Thanks so much, Pat, for arranging this special treat for us!


Great work and again, a big thank you to all our volunteers for a job well done!