Parks to Visit in College Park
From the Tree & Landscape Board
Hollywood Playground (4812 Hollywood Road)
A small shaded playground park in North College Park, this petit park packs a punch with White Oaks, several Red Oaks, two Black Tupelo, and a Red Maple–all of which are native to Maryland! The Black Tupelo, for example, is adaptable to various soil types and conditions across Maryland, including wet and dry areas, making it the perfect addition to any landscape. These trees have grown and evolved with our climate and place, and thousands of species have grown along with them, making them an essential resource for shelter, food, and nectar. Bordering the playground and the road, there are young, (but growing!) Redbud and Serviceberry trees. Both of these trees are outstanding for their ability to bloom in early spring, providing essential resources for pollinators emerging from winter dormancy.
Calvert Hills Playground (4601 Calvert Road)
A large Wax Myrtle greets you at one of the entrances, and the playground is interspersed with a smattering of trees spanning various ages, all of them are beneficial natives! Willow Oak, Sweetgum, American Sycamore, Small Hackberry, American Persimmon, and White Pine can be inspected up close as their growing leaves or needles are still at eye level. Calvert Hills Playground also boasts a wonderful native plant installation! This eye-catching display showcases towering swamp milkweed, blue vervain, cut leaf coneflower, beardtongue and two young river birches. After all the flooding, the athletic field was very soggy, but the area around these native plants was dry; that’s because these native plants are well suited to soak up water quickly.
College Park Woods Clubhouse (4535 Marlbrough Road)
The trees right along the road are a mix of old and new. The site is officially open as of this March, and new trees have been planted alongside the road by the entrance to grow with the hearty older Oaks and Elms already there. Recently, six Eastern Red Cedar trees were recently planted for a Good Neighbor Day project. Swamp White Oak and American Elm can be found on site, and a Norway Spruce was planted this year for Arbor Day. The road is at the top of a hill, and the Clubhouse is at the bottom, so more work is planned to help with stormwater mitigation. Native plants are especially suited for this, as they often have deep root systems that help stabilize the soil, which reduces erosion and prevents sediment from being washed away during heavy rains. Dense vegetation cover slows down rainwater as it falls, reducing the speed and volume of surface runoff–similarly, leaves and branches intercept rainfall, allowing water to drip slowly to the ground, which reduces the immediate impact on the soil.
