Leading a Nature Walk Can be a Walk in the Park

Text by Paige Edwards; photos by Toni Genberg.

On a warm and breezy Saturday in March, ARMN volunteers gathered at the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center in Alexandria for a nature walk in the neighboring Dora Kelley Nature Park to learn tips for leading their own walks. Although it seemed many of the park’s inhabitants had not awoken from their long winter’s naps, we humans got to experience the tranquility of the wind rustling the last of the fall leaves still hanging onto the American beech trees, lush moss, and peaceful ducks.

Dora Kelley Nature Park (DKNP) is a 50-acre oasis in the urban west end of the City of Alexandria. Visitors get a break from the sound of traffic and instead hear cardinals, woodpeckers, and crows along with the steady flow of Holmes Run stream as it continues the journey from its headwater near Merrifield, through Lake Barcroft, and to Cameron Run.

Before the walk started, participants learned some basic features of the park and its inhabitants, as well as helpful guides like IdentiFlyer Lyric, a tool to identify birds by sight or song. There is also a detailed online brochure that highlights various plants, animals, habitats, stream, and ancient geology of the park.

The participants used the nature trail map to learn about paved and unpaved portions in the park. The paved loop takes 30 to 45 minutes to traverse. The unpaved “upper trail” loops a hill above the paved portions and would take about another 20 minutes to explore. So, someone could hike through the whole park in about an hour. The group learned the longest and shortest routes for future walks they may plan.

The participants stopped to explore various features in and near DKNP that may interest future nature walk attendees. One stop was at the William Ramsay Elementary School’s baseball field next to Buddie Ford Nature Center to investigate tracks likely left by crows, dogs, and humans. 

The park’s marsh is a favorite stop on any walk where visitors may see ducks, frogs, turtles, and dragonflies.

The people on the walk discussed the diverse audiences who may attend hikes in DKNP and their various needs and focuses. For a group of kids at a birthday party, you may need to spend more time emphasizing proper park etiquette while at a hike focused more on adult interests like the first Friday bird counts or an invasive plant hike, you can go more in depth about different plant and animal species and their roles in the ecosystem. In all cases, safety is a top priority, so the participants explored all the trail options, including unpaved nature trails and how to access the paved trails from them. They were reminded always to bring a first aid kit.If you would like to join a future hike, information about upcoming programs can be found on Buddie Ford Nature Center’s website. To learn more about leading hikes and other volunteer opportunities, email Paige Edwards at paige.edwards@alexandriava.gov.