By Elaine Kolish As green tree leaves change to crimson, orange, and yellow and our evenings become cooler, our thoughts turn to autumn and its glories. For some, pumpkin spice dominates the season, while for me, apples, in particular apple crisp and cider, fill my thoughts. Apples in turn make me think of the AmericanContinueContinue reading “October: A Perfect Time to Plant a Tree or Create a Bird Sanctuary”
Author Archives: ncleeland
It Takes a Community to Nurture a Habitat
Text and photos by Jackie Rivas Our natural world is under siege by invasive plant species that outcompete native species for sunlight and water, quickly overwhelming the native habitat and eliminating food and shelter for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. We have a biodiversity crisis, and these invasive species are part of the problem. Fortunately,ContinueContinue reading “It Takes a Community to Nurture a Habitat”
Nature’s Notebook Recognizes ARMN Citizen Scientists
By Rosemary Jann, Phenology Program Leader For the second year in a row, ARMN’s phenology project has been recognized as a top contributor of observations for Nature’s Notebook’s “Nectar Connectors” campaign. Nature’s Notebook, the database tool of the USA National Phenology Network, enables volunteer citizen scientists to submit observations that chart the timing and intensityContinueContinue reading “Nature’s Notebook Recognizes ARMN Citizen Scientists”
ARMN Ozone Team Hosts Event for the International Day of Clean Air
By Barbara Hoffheins ARMN’s Ozone Bioindicator Garden at Walter Reed Community Center (WRCC) in Arlington was recently the site of an event to commemorate the International Day of Clean Air. This occasion corresponded wonderfully with the objective of the ozone garden: to collect data on the impact of tropospheric or ground level-ozone air pollution onContinueContinue reading “ARMN Ozone Team Hosts Event for the International Day of Clean Air”
Bluebirds Find New Homes in Barcroft Park
By Liz Macklin Early this spring in Arlington’s Barcroft Park, in clearings far from busy athletic fields, volunteers installed two boxes for nesting Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Painted white to minimize heat from the sun, the boxes sat atop tall metal poles with baffles attached to prevent hungry snakes and other predators from climbing. WireContinueContinue reading “Bluebirds Find New Homes in Barcroft Park”
Meet Virginia’s Three Venomous Snakes, and a Common One That’s Harmless
By Colleen O’Hara Photos by John White/Virginia Herpetological Society Snakes love summer’s heat, so you’re more likely to spot them these days while out on a hike or even in your yard. But don’t worry: There’s typically nothing to fear from these encounters. Of the 34 snake species and subspecies in Virginia, nearly all are harmless toContinueContinue reading “Meet Virginia’s Three Venomous Snakes, and a Common One That’s Harmless”
Volunteers Share the Joy of Local Nature at the Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market
By Eric Weyer It is tempting to think of nature as something that exists only in wild, untouched places: the forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the salt marshes of the Eastern Shore, or the flood-swept islands of the Potomac. But the wondrous beauty of nature can be found even in the most developed ofContinueContinue reading “Volunteers Share the Joy of Local Nature at the Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market”