Brushing Work Party – Thursday, June 6th, 2024 (Birch)

This is a sign-up for a brushing work party in Forest Park.

When: Thursday August 3rd, 2023 from 9am to 12pm.

Where: WW @ Germantown TH (Parking is limited, carpooling is encourage!)

What: Brushing is the act of creating a “trail corridor,” or hallway of negative space along the trail, by trimming back the vegetation on either side. Not only does this improve visibility and help prevent the trails from becoming overgrown or impassable, it also helps guide users to stay on the trail and ultimately helps to prevent erosion of the trail edge.

Preparation: Please wear long pants and closed-toe/closed-heel shoes, and bring a personal water bottle. Dress appropriately for the weather while following these guidelines — don’t forget to check the weather and bring a rain jacket if needed!
If you usually carry any emergency medications with you on hikes (e.g. Epi-Pens, inhalers, etc), please bring those too.

We provide: Coffee, snacks, water for refilling your bottle, gloves, tools, training, and fun!

Activity info: Brushing work parties typically hike 1.5-4 miles within three hours; participants will need to walk over uneven and/or steep terrain while carrying hand tools. We grasp and swing tools with both hands; bend; squat; and throw bundles of vegetation off the trail. Participants are encouraged to walk and work at a pace that is comfortable for them, and to take breaks or switch tasks when feeling fatigued; but the nature of this work is physical — you’ll get a workout!

This activity takes place outdoors in the open air, and though participants often pass each other on the narrow trail, we have lots of room to spread out. With that in mind, masks and vaccination are not required for this activity. However we require volunteers to stay home when feeling any symptoms of illness (regardless of COVID-19 test result) and fully support participants’ choice to wear a mask if desired.

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If you have questions, please email us!