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, followed by a 30-minute viewingContinue reading “Nature Two Ways at Green Spring Gardens: A Wildlife Hike, and “Birds, Blooms, and Beasts” Photography Exhibit “
Category Archives: Events
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 our area’s beautiful parks. WearContinue reading “Martin Luther King, Jr., Weekend – Nature Volunteering Events”
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 planting demonstration. D.C. area nativeContinue reading “Trees Taking Root in Ben Brenman Park“
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, the Harvard Smithsonian Center forContinue reading “ARMN Ozone Bio-indicator Garden: Report From the 2022 Growing Season”
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 naturalist neighbors’ passion about nature.Continue reading “Arlington County Fair: Candy Worms, Native Plants, and a “Spotted Lanternfly” Make a Fun Event for Visitors and Master Naturalists Alike“
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, with temperatures in the 70sContinue reading “ARMN Summer Chapter Meeting Highlights the Four Mile Run Conservancy Foundation and Mini Bioblitz”
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 has organized a volunteer crewContinue reading “Stemming Erosion and Shoring Up a Learning Space in the Jerome Buddie Ford Nature Center Pollinator Garden”
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 just a single customer, andContinue reading “It Takes a Village: Native Plant Sale at Long Branch Nature Center“
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 a Day Off.” The ArlingtonContinue reading “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: “A Day On, Not a Day Off” in Potomac Overlook Regional Park”
2022 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, and face mask. Please alsoContinue reading “2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Environmental Events”