Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation District

09/03/2026

09/01/2026

Join us for a w**d pull on September 8th 5-7pm at Chester Valley Park!

Register here: https://dash.pointapp.org/events/660809

Volunteers will be manually removing and bagging invasive plants from Anchorage's Parks. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Tools, gloves, and garbage bags will be provided by event hosts.

🌳Invasive plants of focus: European Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca)

📍Chester Valley Park; Street parking only or park at Mountain City Church parking lot.

For more volunteer opportunities: https://pointapp.org/orgs/5686

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

Thank you to the 92 amazing volunteers who joined us, Anchorage Park Foundation and Anchorage Parks and Recreation at the 14th Annual Invasive Species Smackdown!! Thank you to all the Anchorage Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (ANC-CISMA) partners who lent a hand to make this such a fantastic event. If you have photos from the event, send them to us to be featured on our website! The website will be updated with photos this week.

We are so grateful for the extra hands in Valley of the Moon Park. We are amid a 2 year project with an APF Community Challenge Grant to remove invasive cherry trees from the park and restore biodiversity by revegetating with Alaska native plants. In 2019, the 9th annual smackdown was held here, and we are excited to be able to continue the work that began over 7 years ago! More events will be taking place in the 2027 summer season.

Missed the smackdown? Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd to plant native plants to restore areas after the big removal. Want more tree pulling action? We have a few more w**d pulls throughout the month before the snow flies!

08/31/2026

Don’t miss our final native planting event this Wednesday, September 2nd, from 5-7pm at Valley of the Moon Park!

After a big weekend of invasive bird cherry removal, it’s time to bring native plants back to the forest.

Sign up early here: https://dash.pointapp.org/events/694550

08/28/2026

🌳🌳🌳3x Gift certificates from our friends at Tall Trees and Paul's Tree Service that you could win tomorrow (August 29th) during the Anchorage W**d Smackdown 10am-1:30pm at Valley of the Moon Park!!
Bring your friends, bring your family, we hope to see you there!! https://dash.pointapp.org/events/660808

08/28/2026

Want to spend an evening in the woods and support your community?🌲

Join us for a Native Planting Event at Valley of the Moon Park on September 2nd, 5-7pm!

We’ll be planting Alaska native plants to help restore areas where invasive bird cherry has been removed.

No experience needed, just come ready to dig in!

08/28/2026

Our invasive species crew was in Hope the last week of July helping land owners manage their prunus infestations. They were able to remove and treat 100+ mature bird cherry trees, which we consider a great success!
During their surveys they found a single patch of orange hawkw**d (OH NO!). Luckily they were able to remove the flowers and its roots before it went to seed!

08/27/2026

🚂Train ticket give away at the Anchorage W**d Smackdown!!
Join us on August 29th at Valley of the Moon Park from 10-1:30pm for the chance to win a trip for two from Anchorage to Seward with the Alaska Railroad.
Let us know if you'll be coming by signing up in the link or just show up!! https://dash.pointapp.org/events/660808