Did you know we have native cactus in Montgomery County? Vegetation Ecologist Ryan Colliton is back to explain how geology and plants are connected. Shale Barrens Conservation Park has a bedrock made of shale. As the bedrock breaks down, it creates the soil that vegetation grows on. Different types of bedrock create different types of soil, and therefore different vegetation communities. The shale at this park breaks down into a fine, kind of sandy soil. The fact that cactus can grow here indica

There are rare habitats in Montgomery County; if you know where to look! In our #AsktheExpert series, we chat with Parks colleagues to learn about how they protect our native habitats and keep our parks beautiful. Ryan Colliton is the Vegetation Ecologist at Montgomery Parks known for his rock collection. He uses geology to understand why certain plants grow in specific parks, including Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park in Potomac. The bedrock at this park is serpentinite created from the anc

We’re removing 461 non-native invasive trees from our parks over the next five years. These trees threaten the ecological health and biodiversity of native areas because they spread seed and outcompete native vegetation so aggressively. This is due to the fact that these species don’t have any predators or diseases that are able to restrict their spread. Forests then become saturated with one tree species, which doesn’t benefit wildlife and the local ecosystems. The types of trees that will be r