Supporting Friends; Informing the Public
In May 2025, FODMers joined our “sister” groups and a number of government agencies at two events:
All Things Trees, Topic of FODM Walk
On the April 12, 2025, tree walk, led by Jim McGlone, an arborist and forester, FODMers and friends studied tree bark, buds, flowers, stems, limbs, leaves, structure, size and more – all things trees.
FODMers Help Stabilize the Marsh
On March 24, 2025, FODM volunteers planted 50 native black willow (Sali nigra) tree stakes in Dyke Marsh, phase two of a project to help stem erosion and stabilize the tidal zone of the wetland. In 2024, FODMers planted 150 willow tree stakes.
181 Stalwarts Haul in Trash
It was billed as a mega-trash cleanup and it lived up to its name – all 2,505 pounds of it.
Mighty Mussels
They are rather nondescript, sedentary mollusks with hinged shells, but they are important. Mussels are nature’s “cleanup crew” and can help clean up the Potomac River’s water quality, FODMers learned at their February 23, 2025, meeting.
Reaching Out to the Larger Community
On February 8, 2025, the Friends of Dyke Marsh tabled at Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck's town hall meeting, the 38th Mount Vernon town hall meeting, an event initiated by the late Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland.
Dyke Marsh’s Winter Beauty
On January 5 and 6, 2025, Dyke Marsh was blanketed with six to eight inches of snow and became a shimmering, icy landscape riddled with varying shades of white, blue and gray.
Volunteers Continue to Combat Invasive Plants
On December 21, 2024, 13 eager volunteers were not deterred by the 35-degree chill along the Haul Road Trail in Dyke Marsh.
Blue Star Families Explored Dyke Marsh
On November 9, 2025, the Friends of Dyke Marsh and the National Park Services' George Washington Memorial Parkway staff welcomed 50 area members of the military’s Blue Star Families to Dyke Marsh.
Annual Fall Walk Highlighted Native Plants
On October 21, 2024, fall’s phenomena lured 20 nature lovers to the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve on a walk led by Alan Ford and Margaret Chatham with the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society.
Raptors Wow the Crowd
The birds were the stars on September 14, 2024, when around 450 people filled Fort Hunt Park’s Pavilion A to learn about six species of raptors.
Butterflies Boost Spirits
On the August 17, 2024, butterfly walk, when the sun came out so did the butterflies.
Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.