Piscataway Park
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Our Trees

The Native Tree Arboretum
Located on a hillside on the Maryland shore of the Potomac River is an unparalleled vista of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. In 1988, this hillside, cleared long ago to grow tobacco, was planted with trees and shrubs which had been documented by the first European settlers of the Chesapeake Bay region in the 17th and 18th century. This planting was named the Accokeek Foundation Native Tree Arboretum.

The Arboretum exists as a living monument to the rich mix of natural and cultural histories of the Potomac region. There are 108 trees and shrubs representing 85 species. Historically, these plants provided humans and animals alike with food and shelter-many still provide these services today.

The arboretum provides an excellent opportunity for repose and learning. In this managed setting, each specimen is marked with a sign that indicates its common name, as well as its genus and species. On the hillside above the arboretum is an early succession forest adjacent to a climax forest with many naturally occurring specimens of enormous size.

The American Chestnut
Until the early 1900s, one out of every five trees in the forest of the Potomac region was an American chestnut. The tree's wood was used for furniture, construction, musical instruments, and fencing. The nuts were prized for their fine flavor and were eaten by humans and numerous species of wildlife. Today, a wild American chestnut is almost impossible to find. A fungus blight, introduced to North America in the early part of this century, has virtually wiped out the American chestnut.

The Accokeek Foundation has grown American chestnut trees for the past 40 years. The chestnuts at the Accokeek Foundation, now in the 4th generation of offspring, have developed a trait that seemingly allows them to temporarily resist the effects of the blight. These chestnuts grow a little bigger and live a little longer than other chestnuts, but still succumb to the blight. The return of the American chestnut may take decades, and in the mean time, the Accokeek Foundation will continue to propagate a pure strain of American chestnut.

Riparian Forest Buffer
When European Settlers first came to this region in the 17th century, almost all of the land was covered by forest. This forest was crucial to the health of the Potomac River and, in turn, the Chesapeake Bay. The forest protected the land from erosion, filtered sediments and pollution from entering the waterways, moderated water and air temperatures, and provided necessary habitat for plants and animals. Over the past 300 years, this vast forest has been cleared to make way for agricultural, residential and commercial development. This clearing had far-reaching effects on the environment of the region.

Teachers and students volunteer to plant trees.

The area of trees, shrubs and other plants located next to a body of water is called a riparian forest. This area is often referred to as a buffer because of the protection that it affords the water along which it lies. The buffer also provides a corridor for animals to move along the water's edge and provides necessary habitat for terrestrial animals. Unfortunately, the land along the Potomac River has been prime residential and agricultural property for thousands of years. The area that is now Piscataway Park has been farmed since prehistoric time. Historically, the riparian forest was cleared to the river's edge for farmland. Today, the riverbank is a mosaic of small patches of forest mixed with open crop and pastureland.

The Accokeek Foundation undertook the exciting but challenging task of reestablishing six acres of riparian forest buffer over a mile of shoreline along the Potomac River. This addition completed a continuous three-mile stretch of wooded area. The buffer area is developing as an educational area, and has a trail (Riverview Trail) and informational signs. Approximately 2,000 trees and shrubs were planted, with a plan to add wildflowers and grassland species over time. Almost 60 species of trees and shrubs have been planted in the buffer. All of the plant species used are ones that would have been present in Maryland prior to European arrival. An emphasis was placed on the creation of a buffer that mirrors the surrounding forest in diversity and number of species. Planting occurred from 1999 through 2002 with volunteers providing a majority of the planting work. On July 30, 1999, the Accokeek Foundation received a "Friend of the Potomac" Award, from Friends of the Potomac, Inc., for our work on this project.