Earth Day 2022 is Friday, April 22 and Rockville has an important environmental milestone to celebrate this year. Rockville joined the ranks of hundreds of U.S. cities on Jan. 10 as the Mayor and Council approved the city’s first plan for addressing climate change. Read more at www.rockville.gov/climate.
Rockville will celebrate Earth Month and the adoption of the Climate Action Plan with events from March through May, including the following free activities:
Monday, March 7: The Mayor and Council are scheduled to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Hour and Earth Day in Rockville during their 7 p.m. meeting.
Thursday, March 10: How to Maintain a Healthy, Organic Lawn (Virtual). 7 p.m. Learn how to maintain an organic lawn without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, understand soil health, and discuss organic soil amendments with Mary Travaglini of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Register at bit.ly/OrganicLawnCare2022. Part of the Climate Solutions Speaker Series.
Saturday, March 19: Little Explorers, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center. $8/$10. Ages 2-5. Go on hiking adventures with naturalists, play games and discover the fun that can be had outdoors. Spaces are limited. Dress for the weather and wear a mask. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Other dates include Saturdays, April 30 and May 28. Register.
Saturday, March 19: Go Electric, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Montgomery College, Rockville Campus, Campus Drive. Join the clean electric energy revolution. Learn about electric leaf blowers, electric cars, energy bill savings, solar rebates, and more. Visit https://mygreenmontgomery.org/event/goelectric.
Saturday, March 26: Earth Hour. Earth Hour encourages people to turn off all non-essential lights in their homes and businesses for one hour, from 8:30-9:30 p.m. The city will participate by turning off all non-essential lights at the city’s Gude maintenance facility. Learn more and find ways to participate in Earth Hour every day at www.earthhour.org/take-part.
Tuesday, April 5-Wednesday, April 6: Annual Montgomery County Energy Summit, in Silver Spring. Learn more at www.mcenergysummit.org.
Thursday, April 7: Sustainable Home Landscaping 101, 7-8 p.m. Virtual. Learn first steps and practical tips for creating a beautiful and sustainable home garden with Beth Ginter, executive director of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council. Topics will include planning and design tips, choosing plants, using natives and reducing invasives, and creating wildlife habitat. Register at bit.ly/SustainableLandscaping2022. Part of the Climate Solutions Speaker Series.
Saturday, April 9: Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Stream cleanup sites include:
- Croydon Creek Nature Center, 852 Avery Road, 10 a.m.-noon.
- Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway, 9:30-11 a.m.
- Maryvale Park, 812 First St., 10 a.m.-noon.
City staff will greet volunteers. Gloves and bags will be provided. Student Service Learning hours are available. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. To register, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/Adopt-a-Stream.
Saturday, April 23: iNaturalist Training, 2-3 p.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center, 852 Avery Road. iNaturalist is an easy-to-use citizen science app and social network that helps you to identify living organisms and record biodiversity. Learn how to use iNaturalist to identify and map local species and improve your natural history knowledge. Download the app to your mobile device for free on the App Store or Google Play before April 23. Register for Course #22665 at www.rockvillemd.gov/registration after March 3.
Sunday, April 24: Rockville Science Day, noon-5 p.m. at Montgomery College, Rockville Campus, 51 Mannakee St. Learn more at www.rockvillesciencecenter.org/rscd.
Sunday, April 24: Exploring Vernal Pools, 1-3 p.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center. Ages 8-12. $8/$10. Discover what makes a vernal pool and who lives in one. Hike off the beaten path to see the best vernal pools in the Hayes Forest Preserve. Wear good hiking shoes and dress for the weather. This program will be entirely outdoors. Register for course #22662 at rockvillemd.gov/registration.
Outdoor Nature Club, Wednesdays, April 6-May 18 at Croydon Creek Nature Center. $40/$50. Ages 6-8. Spending time in nature builds resilience, self-confidence and creativity. Form a nature exploration pod and spend an hour outdoors investigating and learning about nature. Dress for the weather and be prepared to spend 60 minutes in the great outdoors roaming the forest preserve with experienced naturalists. Meets every other week for four sessions. To register, search “Outdoor Nature Club” using the filter bar at at rockvillemd.gov/registration.
Sunday, May 1: Invasive Species Pull, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center. Help remove invasive plant species and improve the Hayes Forest Preserve. SSL hours available. Register for Course #22666 at www.rockvillemd.gov/registration after March 3.
Saturday, May 7: 20th Annual Spring Festival and Native Plant Sale, 10 a.m.-noon at Croydon Creek Nature Center. Bring the entire family and enjoy the wonders of nature in an urban setting. Activities include woodland hikes, spring native plant sale, nature games/crafts and children’s entertainment.
Thursday, May 12: Building and Living in Montgomery County’s First Certified Net-Zero Energy Home. 7-8 p.m. Virtual. A middle-income family living in a 1951 Twinbrook Cape Cod remodeled their home to be 100% powered by the sun. Learn from Clark Reed, chair of the Rockville Environment Commission, how his home became Montgomery County’s first certified net-zero energy home and utilized colonial architectural features to improve climate resiliency. Register at bit.ly/NetZeroHome2022. Part of the Climate Solutions Speaker Series.
Saturday, May 21: Kids to Parks Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center. The National Park Trust and the City of Rockville Department of Recreation and Parks invite the community to spend time in the Hayes Forest Preserve and celebrate Kids to Parks Day. Free drop-in activities while supplies last. Learn more at https://parktrust.org/kids-to-parks-day.
Ongoing Opportunities
Plog Rockville. Pledge to clean up litter while you walk, jog or run through Rockville and receive a free plogging bag while supplies last. For more details and to take the pledge, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/environment.
Self-Guided Litter Cleanup. Volunteer to complete a self-guided litter cleanup to help keep Rockville free of trash and earn SSL hours while doing it. Learn more and register at www.rockvillemd.gov/volunteer.
Weed Warrior Workdays. Join Rockville Weed Warrior Leaders for a non-native, invasive plant removal workday. SSL hours available. Space is limited. Find upcoming events and register at www.rockvilled.gov/weedwarriors.
Looking for more to do both outside and virtually? Croydon Creek Nature Center offers programs throughout the year including camps, hikes and school programs. Learn more at www.rockvillemd.gov/croydoncreek.
Don’t forget to sign up for the “Environment and Sustainability News” email newsletter to get the speaker series announcements, news about Rockville’s Climate Action Plan, and tips for living greener year-round. Visit www.rockvillemd.gov/newsletters and selecting “Environment and Sustainability.”