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. WireContinue reading “Bluebirds Find New Homes in Barcroft Park”
Category Archives: News
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 toContinue 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 ofContinue reading “Volunteers Share the Joy of Local Nature at the Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market”
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 your neighborhood searching for hisContinue reading “WHERE TO FIND WINTER’S WONDERS”
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 Ordinance goes into effect toContinue reading “Catch that “Running Bamboo” in Fairfax County or Risk a Fine!“
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, ARMN Training Coordinator, “it isContinue reading “Getting to Know You: Three Extraordinary Members of ARMN’s Fall 2021 Class!”
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”
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 an Eagle Scout project forContinue reading “Impact of White-Tailed Deer on Arlington’s Forests”
On-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, through Trudy Roth of NationalContinue reading “On-going LDS Volunteering Having a Huge Impact in Five Arlington Parks”