About Us

Montebello Grounds Committee

The Grounds Committee was established in 2017 by the Board of Directors to research and recommend actions to preserve, maintain and enhance the natural and developed landscapes at Montebello.  Our charter is contained in the committee's Terms of Reference.

Working through the Board, Montebello management and contractors, the Committee's work has led to

• Adoption and annual update of 5-Year Grounds Restoration Plan

• Adoption of woodland management and related policies

• An inventory of over 2,000 trees on the property

• Reduction of invasive species that threaten our woodlands

• Reduction of erosion and stormwater flow into the Potomac River, including step pools and other structures to slow outflow

• Restoration and safety improvements on the woodland trail

• Planting of over 300 trees in the woodlands, most as the result of Arbor Day donations by residents

• Planting of perennial butterfly gardens to encourage pollinators and provide visual interest to residents

• Redesign of the "transition areas" behind the towers to beautify the approaches and improve accommodation for pet owners.

Volunteer projects.  Most of the large projects are carried out by contractors, but the Grounds Committee also provides opportunities for resident volunteers multiple times each year:

• Weed Wrangles® to remove invasive plants

• Citizen-science projects, using iNaturalist, analyzing the condition of our forest, etc.

Community education.

• Speakers and webinars to inform Montebello residents about the natural community at Montebello and other nearby resources

• Guided walks to view birds, wildflowers, and grounds projects underway

• Articles in the Times of Montebello and Montebello Voice

• The brochure Our Montebello Campus

• Historical marker: the 1790 Mount Eagle Mansion

• Annual Montebello Nature Photo Contest

• This web site:  MontebelloGrounds.com

Join us!  Membership in the Grounds Committee is open to interested residents.  Monthly meetings are open to all, and are held the first Thursday of the month at 4pm unless announced otherwise.  Zoom URLs are posted on the home page on the day of the meeting.  We are particularly interested in recruiting new members with writing, organizing, or computer skills as well as interest or background in natural history or our local environment.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Grounds Committee, please copy this membership form to your computer, fill it out, and email it to GroundsCommittee@Montebello.org.  You can participate in Grounds Committee meetings immediately, and, after you have attended two monthly meetings within a 6-month period, you become a voting member at the third meeting.

Write us at GroundsCommittee@Montebello.org.

Leadership for 2025:

Virginia Hodgkinson and Patricia Jacubec, Co-Chairs

Paul Zeisset, leader of Woodlands Working Group

Virginia Hodgkinson, leader of Picnic Hill Working Group

Patricia Jacubec, leader of Mount Eagle Drive Landscaping Working Group