In the spring of 2022, a small band of neighbors gathered at the bottom of Vermont Avenue and surveyed the ugly piece of land that lay between them and Old Dominion Drive. Could anything be done? Did they dare to take on such a huge project?

It could and they did! On October 7, the same group gathered again to celebrate as landscapers planted a new forest of trees and shrubs in the onetime eyesore.

And we are going to keep on going with your help because the job isn’t finished! And we have already begun to push on into the wooded area further south along Vermont Avenue, where invasive weeds threaten to overwhelm the existing trees and plants. Lots of new plants will be needed.

Our goal is not only to beautify the gateway to our neighborhood but to restore a once-vibrant habitat for birds and other wildlife. We need your help to continue this work! We are glad you are here to help shoulder some of the cost and appreciate whatever you can give!

How nice it will be as you drive into the neighborhood to pass by a beautiful “island” of land unlike anything else in McLean! This kind of community effort is one of the things that makes living in this neighborhood so incredible!

Gateway Restoration in Franklin Park

By Urban Forest Alliance

Gateway Restoration in Franklin Park

Let's keep pushing forward!