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…
Keep readingSometimes the Small Things Tell the Real Story: Windy Run Park
Text and photos by Glenn Tobin I was Zoom talking with a small group of ARMN Park Stewards the other day about what inspires us as we help restore ecosystems in our parks. (ARMN Park Stewards are volunteer leaders who work with local park management and staff to help preserve,…
Keep reading2021 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, filled reusable water bottle, and…
Keep readingYellow-rumps: A Bird Watcher’s Delight in the Winter, Spring, and Fall
Text and photos by Ginger Hays (except as noted) Yellow-rumped warblers ((Setophaga coronate) are a very abundant species of the Wood Warbler family—those small, often brightly colored birds that bird watchers go crazy about during spring and fall migration. Bird watchers affectionately call them “butter butts.” There are two primary subspecies of…
Keep readingHow Your Very Own Wildlife Habitat Can Bring Ahhhhhh to These Troubling Times
Text and photos by Toni Genberg What a wild ride. The past eight months have been a roller coaster of unprecedented challenges—seemingly insurmountable ones at that. I think I can state with a fair amount of confidence that we’ve collectively experienced anxiety, frustration, and also heartbreak. Maybe a bit of…
Keep readingDon’t put all your fallen leaves out for curbside pickup; build a firefly habitat instead!
by Phil Klingelhofer Gardeners often don’t realize that gardens make for great firefly habitat, helping to replace their lost natural habitat. The common firefly—the Big Dipper Firefly (Photinus pyralis)—readily takes to an organic habitat. The trick is to make your garden as inviting as possible for fireflies to take up…
Keep readingLiving in the Fall Zone
by Rosemary Jann Although we may not be aware of it, we live in a region of borderlands. Of course, our area is politically shaped by the explicit borders of the District, Maryland, and Virginia. But the diversity of our plant and animal life derives in part from the fact…
Keep readingARMN: Blog Getting to Know Beth Kiser
By Alison Sheahan I’d be hard-pressed to think of a more terrific way to spend a wintry afternoon than my (pre-pandemic) tea (& goodies!) at Silver Diner with Beth Kiser early this year. I knew of Beth from her efforts to organize the Park Stewards program (Adopt-a-Park leaders who oversee…
Keep readingFall Native Plant Sales are Still On!
Text and photos by Kasha Helget Think there are no opportunities to purchase native plants this fall? Think again!! Below are locations where you can indeed buy the perfect plants to benefit local wildlife and spruce up your yard, too. Autumn is the best time to install new perennials, trees,…
Keep readingDC/Baltimore/N. VA “Cricket Crawl,” August 21st: A Fun Citizen Science Project for the Whole Family!
by Louis Harrell Every year, Discover Life invites citizen scientists of all levels to identify the calls of crickets and katydids in the District of Columbia, the Baltimore area, and Northern Virginia. This year’s annual “cricket crawl” will be on the evening of August 21, 2020, any time after 8:30…
Keep readingRoaming Charges: The Environmental Costs of Outdoor Cats
by Rosemary Jann Domesticated cats have lived in human communities for so long that they may seem like an integral part of our natural landscape. However, cats are non-native animals that can pose a significant threat to native wildlife, in the process undermining biodiversity and disrupting the balance of our…
Keep readingBirds of A Feather: The Making of a Video on How to Identify Local Birds
by Joan Haffey (ARMN), with input from Charlie Haffey (helpful brother) When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the programming coordinator for a senior services center near me asked if I would do some “Bird Zooms” for isolated seniors. Their clients are often locked down in their apartments or worse, in their…
Keep readingMy Little [Carolina] Chickadees
Text and photos by Noreen Hannigan I learned from renowned entomology professor and author, Doug Tallamy, that native host plants are critical sources of insects for birds to feed their young. One of the earliest Continuing Education events I can remember attending after I graduated ARMN training in 2015 was…
Keep readingThe Secret Lives of Chipmunks
By Rosemary Jann We have always lived peaceably with our backyard chipmunks. I knew that they had burrows under the cement pad for the AC and behind the garden shed. But when I found a new burrow hole right up against the foundation of our house, I confess I had…
Keep readingWhy Do the Mockingbirds Rage? And Other Backyard Mysteries
by Rosemary Jann It must be an indication of how preoccupied I’ve been lately: I didn’t realize the mockingbirds were nesting again until their scratchy chat call exploded over my head as one buzzed me crossing the yard. Northern Mockingbirds are fond of the native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) in our…
Keep readingVirtually Exploring Virginia’s Flora and Fauna
Text by Kristin Bartschi; Logo collage by George Sutherland I don’t enjoy being inside. Getting out in the open air and enjoying nature with my husband and a few friends brings me true joy, so adjusting to quarantine was challenging. Outside of walks around the neighborhood, I spent the first…
Keep readingWhite-tailed Deer and Forest Health in Northern Virginia
by Bill Browning Deer are a natural and beautiful part of our forest. They are Virginia’s largest herbivore, and despite their size, they are fast, agile, and graceful. They are an integral part of our ecosystem. However, their population has grown to the point where they unfortunately are overwhelming other…
Keep readingFlying Squirrels—They’re Still Here!
by Kasha Helget A couple of years ago, I shared a story about a wonderful program that Long Branch Nature Center runs each year about our local flying squirrel population. Among other things, we learned that these are southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans), 8-10 inches long (including their tails), and…
Keep readingSpring Ephemerals Are Blooming Now. Enjoy Them Before They’re Gone!
Text and photos by Caroline Haynes. In this time of “physical distancing,” while on a solitary walk in a natural area or in your own native plant garden, keep an eye out for some of Virginia’s beautiful spring ephemerals. Ephemerals bloom for a fairly short time early in the spring…
Keep readingIt’s Springtime . . . Shop for and Plant Natives!
Text and photos by Kasha Helget Note: After this was posted, most plant sales were cancelled with the coronavirus. But some individual sellers continue to operate. For example, Nature by Design and Earth Sangha are selling native plants with special distancing/handling precautions. So, don’t give up on planting natives! But…
Keep readingWhen Nature Takes Charge and We Get Teachable Moments
By Steve Young Sparrow Pond is an artificial wetland and stormwater remediation complex along the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail between Route 50 and Columbia Pike in Arlington. Built circa 2000-2001, the pond has been very successful in capturing sediment that otherwise would have flowed into Four Mile Run,…
Keep readingMartin Luther King, Jr. and Teddy Roosevelt, A Great Match for a Day of Service!
By Caroline Haynes Over 100 individuals gathered on Theodore Roosevelt Island to participate in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 20th. Despite the chilly 24 degrees, it was an otherwise sunny day, and enthusiastic volunteers warmed to the task of cutting non-native invasive plants that have…
Keep readingDeep Dive Recap: Dabbling and Diving Ducks
Text by Kristin Bartschi. Photos by George Sutherland. Ducks. They’re cute, they paddle around in parks. Some ducks are so commonplace that we don’t really think twice about them (i.e. the quintessential mallard). But, as with all animals, there is a lot to learn and every duck has a unique…
Keep readingARMN: Getting to Know Paul Gibson
by Alison Sheahan Paul Gibson has been a stalwart volunteer ever since joining the ARMN program in Spring 2013, especially in the areas of citizen science. I was able to interview him online and then finally got to meet him at the ARMN Annual Chapter meeting in December 2019. Here…
Keep readingStatus of Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) to Address Excessive Use of Road Salt
by Kasha Helget Winter is here! And with the season comes snow, ice, and salt trucks on our roadways. Last month, Sarah Sivers from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) gave an update on the program to study winter salt use and how to reduce its unintended impacts and…
Keep readingFamily Fun at the International Coastal Clean-up
Text by Kristin Bartschi and photos by George Sutherland On a sunny Saturday morning on September 21st, EcoAction Arlington hosted a stream clean-up in Barcroft Park as part of the International Coastal Clean-up. The International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas program. Every September,…
Keep readingFall is a Great Time to Shop for and Plant Natives!
Text and photos by Kasha Helget There is a not-so-secret maxim among gardeners that autumn can be the best time to install new plants! The soil is well warmed, but the air is cooler, which provides less stress for transplants. And the native plant sellers are ready to provide you…
Keep readingGetting Dirty and Keeping Our Rivers Clean
Text by Kristin Bartschi and photos by George Sutherland Recent ARMN Basic Training graduates Kristin Bartschi and George Sutherland joined in a very satisfying service activity on the Potomac River. Kristin’s observations demonstrate how they could get wet and dirty and provide a valuable service at the same time. There’s…
Keep readingOutstanding Participation in the 2019 City Nature Challenge! What Are the Next Steps?
by Louis Harrell Citizen science activities are an important way for individuals to contribute to scientific knowledge and for members of the public to increase their knowledge of local natural resources. Currently, the largest citizen science project that ARMN supports is the City Nature Challenge. Read about the results of…
Keep reading2018 Bill Thomas Volunteer Award Highlights Bill Browning’s Role in Leading Important Changes in Powhatan Springs Park
By Bill Browning On April 25, 2019, ARMN member, Bill Browning, was honored with the 2018 Bill Thomas Outstanding Park Service Volunteer Award for his volunteer work for the parks in Arlington. This award was established to pay tribute to lifelong parks volunteer Bill Thomas and to honor and encourage…
Keep readingVirginia State Symbol: The Northern Cardinal
Text and Photos by Ames Bowman With its distinct red feathers, or plumage, its deep orange beak, and a crest that resembles a well-groomed mohawk, the presence of the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in Northern Virginia is unmistakable. The Northern Cardinal is Virginia’s state bird. I tagged along with part-time…
Keep readingSky Dancer: The American Woodcock
Sky Dancer: The American Woodcock Text and photo by Ames Bowman Chances are you have heard the familiar “peent” call of the male American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) if you have ever ventured near a meadow at the edge of the forest on a spring or summer evening. From early March…
Keep readingBringing Back Wild Bees, Wild Flowers, and Wildlife to Local Backyards
Text and photos by Gigi Charters, unless otherwise noted Last month, I had the opportunity to listen to USGS Wildlife Researcher, Sam Droege, and Arlington County Parks and Recreation Natural Resource Manager, Alonso Abugattas, in the exciting event, “Morph Your Yard into a Bee Grocery Store—Not a Bee Fast Food…
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Arlington Regional Master Naturalists 