DERWOOD, MD—As the annual Montgomery Parks Arbor Day celebration quickly approaches, the Montgomery County Department of Parks announces today that its signature tree mascot, Woody, is on the loose.
“Have you seen Woody?” asks Montgomery County Director of Parks Mary Bradford. “We can’t have an Arbor Day celebration without Woody the Tree!”
That’s right! The Department of Parks’ most recognizable costumed tree character, affectionately known as Woody, is hiding out in the county and the department is launching a countywide “Where’s Woody?” search to find him in time for the annual Montgomery Parks Arbor Day celebration, Sunday, April 27, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood.
“Our best intelligence suggests that county residents might help us find Woody at the following park events in April,” added Bradford.
- Maryland Arbor Day Celebration, Wednesday, April 2, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. The first Wednesday in April is Maryland’s Arbor Day. The visitor center will celebrate with activities, crafts and a FREE tree to take home and plant. This is Woody’s kind of party. (Registration fee is $4 per person, register at www.ParkPASS.org, course numbers 51199 and 51211.)
- Montgomery Parks Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony, Thursday, April 10, approximately, 11:30 am – 12:00 noon, Fairview Road Urban Park, 8900 Fairview Road, Silver Spring. The Montgomery County Planning Board takes a break from business to celebrate trees. Woody will certainly be there, golden shovel in limbed-hand.
- Tree Climbing Championship & Trade Show, Saturday, April 12, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Johnson’s Local Park, 18000 Washington Grove Lane, Gaithersburg. Woody will be cheering the Department of Parks professional tree climbers on as they compete against other area experts for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter International Society of Arboriculture title.
- Demonstration: Watch Us Work, Thursday, April 17, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Brookside Gardens (Azalea Garden), 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. What should you be doing in your own garden this spring? Woody will join other gardens visitors to find out from Brookside’s professional gardening staff. This FREE gardening demonstration is on transplanting shrubs.
- Earth Day Invasive Plant Pull, Tuesday, April 22, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm, Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. Woody will definitely join the park naturalists and visitors to do something good for the Earth on Earth Day.
- Garlic Mustard Challenge, Saturday, April 26, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm, Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda. Woody loves a challenge; and couldn’t refuse the chance to help weed out garlic mustard plants that are crowding out native plants and trees in the parks.
Also look for Woody at the Wheaton Ice Arena, Cabin John Ice Rink, Cabin John Indoor Tennis facility and throughout Montgomery County in April. Tell the Department of Parks where you’ve spotted Woody by emailing MCP-Parks@mncppc-mc.org. Woody loves a crowd and he just might show up anywhere!
For more on the Montgomery Parks Arbor Day Celebration, visit www.aghistoryfarm.org.
Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866