Volunteer Programs

Adopt-A-Spot is an exciting new program available to CA’s certified Weed Warriors. The program recognizes spots in open space where Weed Warriors have been removing non-native invasive plants and replacing them with native plants through repeated Pull and Plant Events. The Adopt-A-Spot program also provides Weed Warriors with the opportunity to work with CA staff and select new spots to begin the process of removing unwanted non-native invasive plants and replacing them with more desirable native plants.

To adopt your own spot, please fill out this form.

During Pull and Plant events, groups of volunteers are taught how to remove specific non-native invasive plants in CA Open Space and replant the area with native plant species. These events are offered throughout the year. Check out CA’s Events Calendar for upcoming Pull and Plant events and details.

In partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, CA offers residents the opportunity to help sample the local streams. Each year in March and April, several Columbia stream sites are sampled for macroinvertebrates. These insects can provide an index of overall stream health. While on-site, we also remove litter, measure water chemistry, and plant life. These markers are helpful in reducing erosion.

Columbia Cleans Day is a long-standing tradition, giving everyone in the community the opportunity to help the environment in their own backyard. Every spring on a pre-selected day, each village holds its own trash pick-up and nature clean-up event. With the help of grant money from the Forever Maryland Foundation, each village holds its own trash pick-up and nature clean-up event in the beginning of May (unless otherwise noted), all sponsored and supported by CA.

Additional group trash removal events or stream clean-up activities can be scheduled by emailing OpenSpace.ResourceRequests@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Weed Warriors are trained in hand tool safety, personal protection against insects and toxic plants, non-native invasive plant identification and removal techniques, and native plant replacements. Certified volunteer leaders, who complete CA’s training program and meet specific requirements, may supervise and “lead” groups of volunteers onto the open space to perform designated invasive weed removal tasks. Weed Warriors may also work independently if that is their preference.

Weed Warrior training happens twice per year.