Category Archives: News

The State of ARMN in 2011

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Monique Wong

In the ARMN 2011 Annual Report, President of ARMN Caroline Haynes shares a snapshot of ARMN volunteer effort last year. The numbers are impressive:  127 ARMN volunteers provided a combined 9,000 hours of volunteer service that reached out to over 10,803 individuals.

While the total number of volunteer service hours is often the first question we are asked about the ARMN program, the types of service ARMN members provide and the groups ARMN partners with are also significant.  ARMN volunteers engage on a daily basis in environmental education and outreach, in stewardship projects, in citizen science projects, in basic training, and in advanced training.   Dozens of ARMN partner groups include nature centers, county parks, public schools, Earth Sangha, National Park Service, National Aboretum, The Smithsonian, and The Nature Conservancy.

ARMN members are urged to report their volunteer hours, including the types of service and the partner groups for which the service is provided.  Those who have reached master naturalist certification levels recently will be recognized at the July 29 chapter meeting and cookout at Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, Virginia.

We Love Inflation!

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By Jennifer Frum

During the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington’s celebration of Earth Month, they encouraged members to keep tires properly inflated, which saves money, gas and reduces pollution. This is a free service that My Organic Market provides to shoppers twice a year at their stores.

Jennifer, Andre and Howard at the tire inflation volunteer service.
Photo by Bob Denniston.

 

Everyday is Earth Day for ARMN Volunteers

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By Monique Wong

“Everyday is Earth Day for ARMN volunteers,” Robin Davis, ARMN Outreach Committee Chair, remarked at the April ARMN Board Meeting.

How right she is! Since ARMN’s mission is to provide environmental education, research, citizen science, outreach, and stewardship of Virginia natural resources and public lands, everyday is indeed Earth Day for all ARMN members.

Wherever you are volunteering your time on Earth Day 2012, enjoy your day, rain or shine!  E-mail armneditor@gmail.com to share photos, including the name of the photographer and a caption of your Earth Day 2012 volunteer service.

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Apply Now for Arlington Tree Canopy Fund Group Planting

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By Nora Palmatier

If you are planning to get canopy trees planted in your neighborhood, you have to submit a letter of intent by April 13, Friday evening for the group from your neighborhood, condo, church, temple, etc. to apply for trees!  And don’t forget there is an information session for those applying on Monday, April 23 – 7:00 p.m. at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22206.  Link to submit the letter of interest and all information is below.

http://arlingtonenvironment.ipage.com/community-action/tree-canopy/

Looking for the Perfect Native Plant?

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Spring 2012 Native Plant Sales

Green Springs Gardens, Garden Markets
April 7, 14, & 21, 9 am to 1 pm
4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria, VA
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/events.htm

Long Branch Nature Center Native Plant Sale
April 21, 1 – 3 pm
625 S. Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington, VA  22204
http://www.arlingtonva.us/calendar/#

Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale
April 28, 9 am to 2 pm
3601 Valley Dr., Alexandria, VA
http://www.parkfairfaxnativeplantsale.org/

Earth Sangha Native Ecotype Plant Sale
May 6, 10 am to 2 pm
Earth Sangha Wild Plant Nursery, Franconia Park, Springfield, VA
www.earthsangha.org/wpn/wpn.html

Green Spring Gardens Plant Sale
May 19, 9 am to 3 pm
4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria, VA
http://mgnv.org/events/may/

Download the flyer for native plants sources and to learn more about native plants.  Many thanks to Jen McDonnell and her colleagues for sharing the information.

ARMN Sponsors “HOG” Pull on the State-wide Invasive Plant Removal Day

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Come one, come all!

ARMN will be sponsoring the “HOG” pull for the fourth annual state-wide invasive plant removal day on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to noon at Haley Park.

“HOG” Pull:  Haley Park, Oakridge Elementary School, Gunston Middle School Invasive Plant Pull

Number of volunteers needed:  50.

ARMN Contact: Jennifer Frum (703-300-2496, frumjb@gmail.com)

This is an area used by the Elementary School and the Middle School for nature programs, and we would like to have it more truly representative of our local native plants!  Volunteers will be freeing up some native plants which are overrun (and removing some trash).

The work is mostly on rough terrain, steep hillsides, with uneven footing.  We will focus on ivy, honeysuckle, wisteria, and garlic mustard.  Continue reading →

Save My Neighbor’s Virginia Pine

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By Leigh Pickering

I’d like to share a story to remind Master Naturalists how important it is to advocate for trees in our neighborhoods.

Recently, a builder began to construct a new home on a lot across the street from the Walter Reed Firehouse.  On the corner is a huge (for the species) mature Virginia Pine.

This Virginia Pine shall live!
Photo by L. Pickering.

I watched this project and one day I saw pink tape around the tree.  Fearing the worst, I took my tree ID book and a clipboard (for show) over to the site and asked to speak the the boss on the site.  I was pointed to the builder who happened to be building the house for himself.

I introduced myself as one of his future neighbors and said I noticed that he had taped the tree.  He said that he was thinking about cutting it, because he felt it was “scraggly” and uneven and had decided to take it down.  I told him that it was a Virginia Pine and that it was actually huge and well-formed for its species.  Continue reading →

Gulf Branch Welcomes Mr., errr…Ms. Owl

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By Catherine Howell

Can you spot Ms. Barred Owl?
Photo by David Howell.

The guest of honor didn’t have much to say, but that didn’t bother any of the Friends of Gulf Branch Nature Center who came out on the evening of March 10 to celebrate ”Mr.” Owl and the handsome house the barred owl occupies on the center’s upper terrace.  The ecologically friendly wood-and-mesh Owl House, built with private donations, hugs a gentle slope and is just the right size for a growing juvenile Strix varia.

Dozens of GBNC enthusiasts visited with the newcomer, who came to the nature center following the unexpected demise of Gulf Branch’s previous resident barred owl last year.

Mr. Owl, it turned out, was honored under somewhat false pretenses.  Continue reading →

Tree Lovers’ Dream Project: Arlington County Street Tree Inventory

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By Kathy Philpott Costa

On March 13, a group of volunteers made up of Arlington Master Naturalists, Tree Stewards and Americorps members met with Arlington County Forester Vincent Verweij for basic training on how to conduct a street tree inventory. These volunteers will soon contribute to an ambitious project to update information on more than 21,000 street trees in Arlington County–including more than 1,000 empty planting spots–in its database.

The County’s street trees are those that have been designated as County-owned and are in a County right-of-way, or along the edge of streets and sidewalks.  Trees on private, federal or state property are not Arlington “street trees.”  Volunteers were interested to learn that Arlington County’s ownership of its street trees stands in contrast to much of Virginia, where the Virginia Department of Transportation owns and maintains most spaces adjacent to streets.  Needless to say, local ownership leaves the County with an overwhelming responsibility to maintain its trees and plant new ones where old ones are removed. Continue reading →

ARMN Volunteers Share Expertise at February Mini-symposium

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By Julie Speers

Many of our ARMN volunteers have a great depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for special areas of interest.  On February 27, 2012, following the ARMN Chapter meeting, four Master Naturalists–David Garcia, Leigh Pickering, Darcy Reid, and Trevor Self–shared their passions at a mini-symposium.

David Garcia shared a discovery he made during his studies regarding the concept of deep ecology and earth transformation. Continue reading →