Article and photos by Susan Austin Roth ARMN members Susan Austin Roth and Jim Hurley are actively involved with the Blue Ridge PRISM as area stewards and as members of the Education and Outreach Working Group. Whenever you hike in a local park or state wildlife preserve or drive along Virginia’s scenic byways, are youContinueContinue reading “Call to Action Against Virginia Invasives”
Category Archives: Stewardship
2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Opportunities
The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is a nationally recognized day of service. ARMN welcomes members of the public to join master naturalists for a number of earth-friendly projects to honor the spirit of Dr. King. Here is a list of activities both for the weekend prior to MLK Day as well as the officialContinueContinue reading “2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Opportunities”
Virginia Master Naturalists Celebrate 10 Years
In the past 10 years, the Virginia Master Naturalist program, which includes the ARMN chapter, has trained more than 3,000 Master Naturalists who have contributed more than half a million volunteer hours. Read more about this amazing decade of stewardship, education, citizen science, and conservation. BLACKSBURG, Va., April 9, 2015 – This year marks the 10th anniversary ofContinueContinue reading “Virginia Master Naturalists Celebrate 10 Years”
Earth Month 2015: Ways to Show You Care
April is Earth Month, and events to commemorate Earth Day’s 45th anniversary are right around the corner! Here are a number of opportunities––open to all––to participate in cleanups, view gardens with native plants that beautify and support local wildlife, learn how to take care for the environment, and celebrate our home on Earth.Spring Garden TourContinueContinue reading “Earth Month 2015: Ways to Show You Care”
Got CabIn Fever? Try the Invasives-Pull Cure!
Does this grinding winter weather have you feeling cooped up and claustrophobic? Get out and get moving at one of March’s scheduled invasive pulls. Take out your frustrations on plants that don’t belong in our area’s lovely parks. Dress for the weather, wear rugged shoes or boots, and bring your own gloves and drinking water.ContinueContinue reading “Got CabIn Fever? Try the Invasives-Pull Cure!”
Confessions of an Invasives Hitman
By Steve Young For years, while mercilessly killing non-native invasive plants at Long Branch Nature Center, I have harbored the admitted fantasy that the invasives removal will magically reveal some cool, unexpected native plants. And to be sure, I have seen some nice native plants and have been able to track how many of themContinueContinue reading “Confessions of an Invasives Hitman”
Saturday, April 5: Habitat Restoration in Four Mile Run Valley
by Jim Hurley On the northeast corner of S. Walter Reed and S. Four Mile Run Drives is the only remaining patch of woodland on the north side of the Four Mile Run stream valley in the Shirlington area. This woodland remnant has some of the same steep topography, underlying geology and hydrology (perched seeps),ContinueContinue reading “Saturday, April 5: Habitat Restoration in Four Mile Run Valley”
ARMN Members Help Rebuild Grass Enclosure in Belmont Bay
By Kasha Helget In response to a request from the staff of Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), ARMN members Melissa Perez and Kasha Helget got their feet (legs, and knees) wet on Friday, May 10th to assist in the reconstruction of a celery grass enclosure on the Potomac River’s Belmont Bay at Mason Neck Park inContinueContinue reading “ARMN Members Help Rebuild Grass Enclosure in Belmont Bay”
English Ivy Removal at Tuckahoe Park in March 2013
By Mary McLean On March 16 a sturdy group of volunteers participated in the March Habitat Restoration of Tuckahoe Park.The volunteers warmed up in the cold, damp morning by pulling up English Ivy. Along with ARMN members, volunteers include young women from Arlington’s Career Center’s ROTC unit, Yorktown’s NHS, and Marymount University. Volunteers rescued 25ContinueContinue reading “English Ivy Removal at Tuckahoe Park in March 2013”
Need a reason to pull Garlic mustard?
By Travis Anderson I began writing this article to discover more about the West Virginia White Pieris virginiensis (WVW) and its conservation. I know that many ARMN members spend a lot of time pulling garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). I thought you might think about how much you are helping WVW when you start attacking garlicContinueContinue reading “Need a reason to pull Garlic mustard?”