Eliot Soderholm

Reston, VA Volunteer at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Length of Service: 1 year Resource Naturalist

Eliot Soderholm’s work at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park has resulted in healthier forests for native plants and animals and the protection of an important historic cultural site. Many happy patrons have commented on the excellent shape of the trails. He leads by example, and his true love of working at the park inspires everyone around him to take pride and joy in their work. He is always ready to tackle difficult tasks and is an integral part of the ECLP team. Soderholm has helped remove hundreds of invasive plants from around the Walney Visitor Center and Historic Loop Trail. He has been active in trail maintenance, trimming overhanging branches and vines, mowing trails, and clearing culverts to improve drainage. He also helped clear the historic barn site of damaging vegetation and worked to prepare a new section of the forest for a controlled burn. His dedication has significantly impacted the amount of work the Natural Resource department has been able to perform.