Author Archives: ARMN Publisher

Text and images by Laura Gilmore, except as noted. Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant’s core mission involves protecting downstream ecosystems. (Image captured near the plant’s outfall into Four Mile Run.) ARMN members exploring the Arlington Water Pollution Control Plant during their March tour. Early each morning, millions of gallons of wastewater begin an unseen journeyContinueContinue reading “From Flush to Four Mile Run: Inside Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant”

By Nancy Roeper Have you ever wondered how wood ducks got their common name? Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are among the few waterfowl species that perch and nest in trees (hence, “wood”). They cannot make their own nesting cavities, though, so they rely on dead trees or places where a branch has broken off andContinueContinue reading “Wood Ducks Love Wetlands”

Arlington Forest Park, designated by Arlington County as a natural resource conservation area for its rare oak savanna ecosystem. Photo by Dan Brown. Nature parks in our area are managed to support native plant communities, often the oak/hickory forest type. But some parks don’t much resemble the original landscapes because a key factor is missing:ContinueContinue reading “The Evolving Role of Wildland Fire in Virginia”