Beavers and Why They Matter, April 1

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Photo by Amy Johnson, VWL

Saturday,  April 1, 2023
2:00 PM
Virtual On-Line Program

Free but registration required.

 

If you have walked Mason Neck State Park’s Bayview Trail, you’ve probably noticed the vibrant
wetlands about halfway along the trail. The wetlands have been improved by a colony of
beavers, whose lodge you can see toward the far end of the wetland. Would you like to learn
more about beavers and their impact on the environment?

Alison Zak, the Executive Director of the Human-Beaver Coexistence Fund (HBCF), will present a brief
history of human interactions with beavers over time, an overview of beaver ecology and
behavior, and an exploration of the benefits that beavers and the wetlands they create provide
to the health of our watersheds, landscapes, and communities. Park Staff will present a short
overview of how the beavers in the wetland along the Park’s Bayview Trail have changed the
ecology of the wetland.

Alison studied anthropology and human-wildlife conflict in graduate school, then worked for six
years in environmental education and outreach before founding HBCF. She is particularly
intrigued, inspired, and challenged by human-beaver coexistence work, because few other
animals have such an impact on the world around them. Alison is also the author of Wild Asana:
Animals, Yoga, and Connecting Our Practice to the Natural World, which comes out in June.
You can register for the program here.  Zoom login information will be sent to registrants on
March 31.

 

Audubon Afternoon In-Person with Guest Speaker Marci Eggers, March 12th

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Sun, March 12, 2023
2:30 – 4:00 PM

Registration is requested. This will be a hybrid event. If you choose to attend via Zoom, please select a Virtual Ticket.

The Audubon Afternoon is free.

11100 Wildlife Center
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA 20190

 

 

Join the ASNV on Sunday afternoon for their semi-annual live Audubon Afternoon at the National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive in Reston.

They gather informally starting at 2:30 so you have an opportunity to reconnect with everyone. We welcome any food and drink you would like to share with everyone during the informal portion of the program. At 3 PM, they will have a presentation by Marci Eggers, “Restoring Migratory Bird Wintering Habitat in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Marci Eggers is the Director of Migratory Bird Habitats in Latin America and the Caribbean for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). In this role, she oversees ABC’s efforts to protect and restore priority landscapes that migratory birds depend on in their non-breeding grounds. ABC works in collaboration with ranchers, farmers, and local communities that depend on the health of the natural environment for their livelihoods. ABC also works on innovative finance solutions to advance migratory bird conservation.

The Audubon Afternoon is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.

This will be a hybrid event. If you choose to attend via Zoom, please select a Virtual Ticket. If you plan to attend in person, please select an In-person Ticket. This will help plans to accommodate everyone. Everyone registering, whether for In-person or Virtual Tickets, will get the Zoom information via email in case plans to attend in person change.

Registration is requested, so they have an idea of how many people will attend but is not required unless you plan to attend via Zoom. You are welcome to bring friends or family who did not register, or just show up!

Huntley Meadows Photography Exhibit: SATURDAY, March 4th

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Photo: White-tailed Kites, Jack Zhi/Audubon Photography Awards 2022 Grand Prize Winner

Sunday, March 4, 2023
1:00 – 3:00 PM
The Norma Hoffman Visitor Center
Huntley Meadows
3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22306

Free but donations appreciated.
No registration required.

Please join this opportunity to view the 2022 Audubon Photography Awards Traveling Exhibition at the Norma Hoffman Visitor Center at Huntley Meadows in Alexandria, VA. Visitors can enjoy a display of the stunning winning images (and videos) and learn more about local birdlife in Virginia.

In the 13th year of the contest, winning photos, videos and honorable mentions were selected from 2,416 entrants from all 50 states, Washington D.C. and 7 Canadian provinces and territories to appreciate the wonder of birds and the places they inhabit. The competition continued to award the Female Bird Prize and Video Prize, which were successfully introduced last year. The Female Bird Prize highlights female birds, which are often overlooked and underappreciated in bird photography and conservation. The Video Prize recognizes the dynamic movement and behavior of birds and the ways we view and memorialize them.

All images of the winners and honorable mentions can be found here, and information on the contest rules and judging can be found here.

Free Native Plant Clinics: Cultivate Nature

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Photo: Eastern Shooting Star, Virginia Department Conservation and Recreation

Thursdays, March 30, through April 27, 2023
10:30-11:30 AM

Location:
All clinics located in Great Falls, VA
Specific public location will be sent via email to registrants one week before each clinic.

Register:
Please register via email with name and dates.
All details will be sent via email.
[email protected]  

Join Botanist and Ecologist Meghan M. McGinty, Phd. Learn how to cultivate wildlife habitat anywhere, help save biodiversity and create your own Homegrown National Park.

Topics:

March 30- Replace your lawn with cardboard mulching and native ground covers.

April 6- Restore native habitat by replacing invasive plants commonly found in nurseries.

April 13- High wildlife-value trees and shrubs to plant today.

April 20- Habitat gardens for containers.

April 27- Make more of what you already have by propagating the natives on your property.

Habitat gardens designed and photographed by Meghan M. McGinty, PhD.