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…
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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,…
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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…
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Wasps and Beetles and Flies (Oh My!): They’re Pollinators and Much More
Text by Becky Hamm; images by Kent Anderson (aka “surfman”) in his iNaturalist entries, except as noted. Ah, summer: Warm breezes, colorful flowers, and lots of pollinating butterflies, bees, and … beetles? Oh yes, and flies and wasps too. While they might be overshadowed by pollinating insects that are cuter…
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ARMN and the Alexandria Library System Enjoy a Tidy Collaboration at Four Mile Run Park
Text and photos by Susan Berry, except as noted. On Saturday June 3, 2023, ARMN co-hosted a successful tour and clean-up of Four Mile Run Park in Alexandria. This was the second time in 2023 that ARMN partnered with the Alexandria Library system to host a nature-based event. And we’re…
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Stream Monitoring Volunteers Track the Health of Arlington’s Streams
Text by Shay Pratt; photos by Colleen O’Hara How can you tell if a stream is healthy? One of the best ways is to look at the tiny organisms that live in it. The flies, larvae, and worms found there can tell the story of a stream’s overall health, if…
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Teaching Children About Nature Through the Magic of a Loupe
Text and photos by Eric Weyer Nature is a never-ending source of wonder, offering an abundance of intricate details, some so tiny they can barely be seen with the naked eye. That makes “loupes” (or hand lenses) one of the most important tools in any naturalist’s arsenal. During a recent…
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The Call of the Wild—Knowing When an Animal Needs Our Help
By Colleen O’Hara This is the time of year when baby animals make their entrance into the world, and often times, into our hearts. Who can resist a fluffy baby bunny? Or a sweet, speckled fawn? Very often we see baby animals on their own in the wild and wonder:…
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Join the 2023 City Nature Challenge, April 28-May 1!
by Caroline Haynes Mark your calendars for April 28 through May 1 to participate in the 2023 City Nature Challenge (CNC). Join your friends, family, and neighbors in this fun annual nature event. What is the City Nature Challenge? The CNC encourages interest in discovering urban nature by having individuals…
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Phenology: Timing Nature’s Clock
by Rosemary Jann Spring came unusually early to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic this year, including here in Arlington. Many of us have been delighted to see trees, shrubs, and plants emerging early all over our area because of our unseasonably warm winter. For scientists who study phenology, these seasonal variations…
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ARMN Winter Book Share: Food for the Body, Mind, and Spirit!
Text by Lori Bowes; photos by Rodney Olsen Once or twice a year for the past decade, ARMN members and friends who enjoy nature writings meet at a local restaurant for a Book Share event. In February, we met in the Ballston Quarter food court where everyone could select their…
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Fighting a “New” Non-Native Invasive in Town: Reports from the Front Line on Removing Italian Arum
Text by Kit Britton; photos by Jim Bly, unless otherwise noted. The February 26 Italian arum eradication event at the grounds of Culpepper Garden senior living community was the kickoff of a stewardship activity to last one year. A plant that was likely spread to the site as an escaped…
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Restoring Nature by Whittling Away at Woodlawn Park’s Invasive Plants
Text and photos by Devin Reese, except as noted. I joined a group of volunteers recently who were getting ready to attack exotic invasive plants on the banks of Lubber Run stream. The site—Woodlawn Park—is a small park tucked into a residential neighborhood in Arlington. Perhaps its diminutive size explains…
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The Grass Seeds, My Friend, Are Blowin’ In the Wind
Text and photos by Noreen Hannigan, unless otherwise noted. Yes, grass seeds are blowin’ in the wind, but they’re not necessarily producing a pretty song! The list of non-native invasive grasses that escape cultivation from yards and gardens keeps growing. The 2022 edition of Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas,…
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English Ivy, a Deadly Invasive, is a Winter Target for Removal from Local Parks
Text and photos by Nancy Cleeland Like rust, English ivy never sleeps. It escapes yards and creeps down embankments and over rocks and up trees all year long. Planted by colonists in the 1700s and still sold in garden centers as a carefree ground cover, this ivy smothers the ground…
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What is Killing Our Oak Trees and What Can We Do to Help?
By Colleen O’Hara Oak decline has been a growing concern in our region. In fact, many of us have experienced this outbreak firsthand in our own back yards or neighborhoods. But why are these oak trees dying and what can we do about it? How do we know that we…
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Harbingers of Spring
by Colleen O’Hara You could argue that no flowers are more patient than spring ephemerals—waiting all year to pop up for only a week or two when the weather starts to warm. Keep an eye (or an ear) out for spring peepers, wood frogs, and salamanders, too. As the weather…
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Lacey Woods Park Grape Vine Discovery!
Text, photo, and video by Nora Palmatier In late January, ten volunteers met at Lacey Woods Park in Arlington to remove English ivy and porcelain berry vines from the edge of the managed area next to the forest. This is an area we’ve long neglected in favor of the natural…
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Nature Two Ways at Green Spring Gardens: A Wildlife Hike, and “Birds, Blooms, and Beasts” Photography Exhibit
By Elaine Kolish Although the weather on January 8, 2023 was chilly and overcast, the mood of the 15 or so ARMN members who turned out for the back-to-back events at Green Spring Gardens (GSG) was warm and sunny. Organized by Cynthia Ferentinos, the afternoon began with an hour-long hike,…
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Martin Luther King, Jr., Weekend – Nature Volunteering Events
Come volunteer to help heal the environment on Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service Weekend, Jan 14-16, 2023! You’re invited to join Arlington Regional Master Naturalist (ARMN) Park Stewards to remove non-native invasive plants and help restore the natural ecosystem, while enjoying time outdoors with community members in…
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WHERE TO FIND WINTER’S WONDERS
Text and photos by Barbara J. Saffir Hibernation is for big, ol’ hairy bears—NOT humans. Bundle up and head outside to discover winter’s wonders! It’s downright easy to spy our hometown Bald Eagles nesting in leaf-bare sycamores and other mammoth trees. And you might catch a sly Red Fox prancing through…
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How Animals Survive in Winter
Text by Colleen O’Hara. Photos by Ken Rosenthal Have you ever wondered how a duck can tolerate swimming in icy water? Or what happens to wood frogs when the temperature drops and the cold winds blow? Animals have a variety of ways to survive the cold winter months when food…
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Trees Taking Root in Ben Brenman Park
Text and Images by Devin Reese Recently I participated as an ARMN volunteer for a tree planting event at the Ben Brenman Park in Alexandria. The event was hosted by the Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria. When I arrived, an impressively large group of volunteers was watching a tree…
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Clipping, Pulling, and Uprooting Invasive Plants to Restore Fort Scott Park
Text and photos by Devin Reese, unless otherwise noted. When I arrived to volunteer for a recent invasive removal event at Fort Scott Park in South Arlington, I was drawn to Park Steward Terri McPalmer’s wheelbarrow full of gloves, poison ivy protection, clippers, and other essentials. It also contained a…
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ARMN Ozone Bio-indicator Garden: Report From the 2022 Growing Season
by Leslie Cameron The ozone bio-indicator garden at the Walter Reed Community Center (WRCC) is concluding its second full growing season. Arlington Regional Master Naturalists installed the garden in 2020 and are collecting data on the impact of tropospheric or ground level-ozone air pollution on plants, in cooperation with NASA,…
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Arlington County Fair: Candy Worms, Native Plants, and a “Spotted Lanternfly” Make a Fun Event for Visitors and Master Naturalists Alike
Text and photos by Marj Signer More than two dozen ARMN members shared their love of nature with numerous visitors at the Arlington County Fair, August 19-21 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center. The ARMN exhibit space provided an opportunity for members of the public to learn about their master…
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Catch that “Running Bamboo” in Fairfax County or Risk a Fine!
By Elaine Kolish During the dog days of summer, it may be difficult to look ahead to January. But for property owners and tenants in Fairfax County with “running bamboo” in their yards, January 1, 2023, is an important date to mark now. On that date, a Fairfax County Bamboo…
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Arlington’s Native Plant Nursery Restores Our Area’s Native Flora
Text and photos by Leslie Cameron. (Photos were taken on a July 12, 2022 workday unless otherwise noted.) Historically, Arlington County is home to 28% of the native plant species in Virginia—representing substantial plant diversity in the county’s 26 square miles. Unfortunately, Arlington has lost an estimated 200 of these…
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Getting to Know You: Three Extraordinary Members of ARMN’s Fall 2021 Class!
By Elaine Kolish After a bit of a hiatus in our GTKY series, we’re introducing you to three more individuals in our ARMN family. Let me present Tina Dudley, Dan Huddleston, and Elise Milstein, who completed their Master Naturalist training AND certification requirements in Fall 2021. According to Janet Siddle,…
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ARMN Summer Chapter Meeting Highlights the Four Mile Run Conservancy Foundation and Mini Bioblitz
Text and photos by Rod Mackler, unless otherwise noted. ARMN held its summer chapter meeting in Alexandria’s Four Mile Run Park. The “Arlington Region” for the Arlington Regional Master Naturalists includes Alexandria, Falls Church City, and parts of Fairfax County, as well as Arlington County. It was a glorious day,…
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Stemming Erosion and Shoring Up a Learning Space in the Jerome Buddie Ford Nature Center Pollinator Garden
Text and photos by Devin Reese Explains Master Naturalist Valerie LaTortue who stewards the Pollinator Garden at the Jerome Buddie Ford Nature Center, “Today, we are working on a teaching area and rainwater garden. When it rains hard, water pours off the roof, and the flow moves everything downhill.” Valerie…
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It Takes a Village: Native Plant Sale at Long Branch Nature Center
Text and Photos by Devin Reese Lots of customers came to Long Branch Nature Center on Saturday, May 7th, to pick up plants they had pre-ordered from the biannual Arlington County Native Plant Sale. When I first arrived to volunteer, I saw several people already working behind the table and…
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When Gardening for Wildlife, Pick Local Natives Over Cultivars Every Time
By Nancy Cleeland and Kasha Helget. Photos by Toni Genberg unless otherwise noted. Looking to attract more insects, birds, and other wildlife to your garden by planting native species? Bravo! With only about 10 percent of our region dedicated to conservation lands, private native gardens are essential for maintaining healthy…
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Transforming Upton Hill Regional Park
Text and photos by Devin Reese unless otherwise noted. Many people know Upton Hill Regional Park for its popular recreational facilities—batting cages, mini golf, water park, and new climbing structure. The Park has its share of history, too, as a strategic vantage point used by both the Union and Confederate…
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: “A Day On, Not a Day Off” in Potomac Overlook Regional Park
Text and photos Leslie Cameron unless otherwise noted. Created in 1994 through federal legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Harris Wolford and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the National Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is observed across the country each year and is referred to as “A Day On, Not…
Keep reading2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Environmental Events
Please join your friends, neighbors, and fellow environmental stewards in participating in the following habitat restoration events during Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Enjoy the satisfaction of helping to restore these natural areas. Dress in layers for cold weather, bring work gloves, your own tools, if possible, your own water,…
Keep readingA Wild Turkey Moves to South Arlington
Text and photos by Leah Pellegrino, unless otherwise noted. In mid-November, residents of a South Arlington condo community welcomed a new, if unusual neighbor—a female Wild Turkey! No one quite knows where she came from, and no male (Tom) turkey has been spotted along with her. She spends her days…
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Impact of White-Tailed Deer on Arlington’s Forests
by Leslie Cameron and Bill Browning In mid-November, ARMN members Bill Browning, Jeff Elder, Steve Young, and Leslie Cameron met with Arlington Parks and Recreation Conservation and Interpretation Manager Rachael Tolman to evaluate a deer “exclosure” in Gulf Branch Park. The deer exclosure was built in 2017 as part of…
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ARMN Ozone Garden Work Continues at Walter Reed Community Center
by Barbara Hoffheins, Todd Minners, Terri McPalmer, and Jon Bell In 2020, Arlington Regional Master Naturalist (ARMN) volunteers initiated the Ozone Garden with the cooperation and support of Arlington County Parks at Walter Reed Community Center (WRCC) located at 2909 16th St S, Arlington, VA 22204. (The beginnings of this…
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Habitat Restoration at the Fairlington United Methodist Church
Text and images by Leslie Cameron, unless otherwise noted. On a recent sunny workday in October, volunteers worked to remove invasive plants and plant native shrubs in a habitat restoration area adjacent to the Fairlington United Methodist Church (FUMC), at 3900 King Street in Alexandria. In 2018, FUMC designated the…
Keep readingOn-going LDS Volunteering Having a Huge Impact in Five Arlington Parks
By Tina Dudley Since October 2020, Cindy Lund has been assigning young men and women from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to work with ARMN Park Stewards for on-going, weekly volunteer service. Master Naturalist Glenn Tobin first met the LDS missionaries and Cindy, an LDS coordinator,…
Keep readingRestoration for the Ages – RiP in Arlington’s Haley Park
Text and images by Devin Reese, unless otherwise noted. A decade ago, the five-acre James W. Haley Park above Gunston Middle School was a mess. Bill McLaughlin, then Curator of Plants for the U.S. Botanic Garden says, “When I walked my dog in Haley Park, I didn’t like what I…
Keep readingARMN at the Arlington County Fair!
By Devin Reese During the weekend of Aug. 21-22, ARMN volunteers staffed an information table at the Arlington County Fair. Adjacent to the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and 4-H Youth Development tables, we were in a great spot for collaboration and outreach with the Fair’s visitors. The ARMN table offered…
Keep readingBattling Invasives at Glencarlyn Park
Text and Photos by Devin Reese, except as noted. Arlington Regional Master Naturalists have a vendetta against invasive plants because of the damage these invaders do to ecosystems. Invasive plants outcompete native plants, disrupting age-old relationships with insect pollinators and typically reducing the biodiversity of an area. Go on an…
Keep readingRevitalizing the Pollinator Garden at the Buddie Ford Nature Center
Text and photos by Leslie Cameron Arlington Regional Master Naturalists joined Extension Master Gardeners and community volunteers on July 17th in an ongoing effort to revitalize the pollinator garden next to the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center in Alexandria. This hillside pollinator garden contains native plants local to the area,…
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Paddling for Litter on Four Mile Run Stream
by Devin Reese Arlington Regional Master Naturalists find ways to improve their local ecosystems not only on land, but also on the water. The Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation hosts regular stream clean-ups by kayak. All you need to bring is yourself, your enthusiasm for a cleaner stream, and a…
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Periodical Cicadas! What You Should Know About Them and More
The periodical (17-year) cicadas are most definitely here. And there has been a lot of information floating around about them. If you’re confused about where to get the most accurate details, look no further than here! Below are links to three items: a blog piece and two videos—all by renowned…
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Two Honors! Glenn Tobin Earned the 2020 Bill Thomas Volunteer Award, and ARMN is presented the Virginia Chapter of the Wildlife Society’s 2021 A. Willis Robertson Award
Glenn Tobin is the 2020 Bill Thomas Park Volunteer Award Winner On April 20, 2021, Glenn Tobin received Arlington County’s Bill Thomas Park Volunteer Award for the year 2020. The award recognizes an individual or group whose efforts show ongoing dedication and tangible benefit to Arlington’s natural resources, parks, and…
Keep readingThe Ozone Bio-indicator Garden Project: A Cooperative Effort Between ARMN, Arlington County, NASA, and Harvard
By Jane Metcalfe, Louis Harrell, Nicolasa Hernandez, and Barbara Hoffheins ARMN has been working with Arlington County, NASA, and the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Science Education to build and maintain a “bio-indicator” garden as part of a project to monitor the impact of ozone air pollution on plants. Bio-indicator…
Keep readingThe Virginia Opossum: An Extraordinary Marsupial in Our Own Backyards
by Sandy Sohns The Virginia opossum is much maligned, and has a reputation as being a repulsive, aggressive, dirty, garbage-eating pest that should be avoided or killed. Sadly, it is misunderstood and is unappreciated for its contribution to the environment, public health, and science. The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is…
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