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Montgomery County honors Weed Warriors; council hears native-plant, invasive-species bills
Summary
The County Council recognized the Weed Warrior volunteer program and introduced legislation to restrict invasive plants and require native species in new landscaping, citing volunteer contributions and a recent budget increase to support volunteer services.
Montgomery County Council members recognized the Weed Warrior volunteer program on June 17, praising hundreds of volunteers who remove invasive plants across county parkland and announcing related legislative steps to curb invasive species and encourage native planting.
Councilmember Andrew Glass presented the proclamation and thanked volunteers for their work protecting local ecosystems. “You do a lot of unsung work,” Glass said, noting volunteers are visible around the county in bright yellow shirts. Parks Director Mittie Figueredo told the council the program and its volunteers are “a balm for the soul” and thanked program leads Corinne Stevens and Molly Gallant for their work. Figueredo also said the council provided additional funding in the fiscal 2025 budget to add a position in the volunteer services office.
The proclamation text included program facts: the Weed Warrior volunteer program was created in 1999, works across more than 37,000 acres of county parkland, and volunteers have logged about 147,000 hours. The council officially “congratulate[d] the Weed Warrior Volunteer Program and the dedicated environmentalists who work tirelessly to protect and restore our natural ecosystems,” presented by Council President Kate Stewart and Councilmember Glass.
Separately, Councilmember Glass introduced bill 26‑25, the Native Plant Protection Act, and a companion zoning text amendment (ZTA 25‑10) that would ban the sale of invasive bamboo and require native plants in new construction and landscaping across the county. Glass said the proposals aim to “promote biodiversity, build climate-resilient landscapes, and support pollinators,” and tied the policy proposals to the volunteer stewardship the Weed Warriors provide. Planning staff had no additional comments at introduction.
The bills were introduced for committee consideration; public hearings were scheduled as noted in the council packet. If enacted, the proposals would add sale restrictions and landscape requirements in county code and in zoning rules. The recreation and parks department will remain the operational partner for volunteer coordination; Figueredo’s office will use the added volunteer-services staff capacity for outreach and training.
Community members and councilmembers framed the measures as complementary: volunteer removal of invasives now, regulatory limits on invasive sales and planting in the future. The bills will go through committee and public hearing processes before any final action.
