For 30 years, National Public Lands Day has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands. Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to be a part of […]
Feature photo: The Mighty Potomac on June 2, 2018 Article, photo and images provided by FMN Stephen Tzikas A watershed is a common geographic area that drains all streams and rivers into a common outlet, like a bay. The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District has a macroinvertebrate stream monitoring program that helps protect […]
Article and photo by Plant NOVA Natives Most corporate properties have pretty “standard” landscaping, meaning the plants do very little if anything to support the local ecosystem. More and more, though, we are seeing innovative landscape designs on commercial properties that demonstrate the potential for corporations to be leaders in the effort to save the […]
Feature photo: Author’s covered bridge in nature setting (1970s), as self taught via the Jon Gnagy art set. Article and illustrations by FMN Stephen Tzikas We all have a bit of an artist in us when we learned to draw and use coloring books as children. Some of us went further. I started self-learning art […]
Photo: Plant NOVA Natives Article by Cindy Speas, Chair, Fairfax County Tree Commission In summer many folks travel to the Shenandoah Valley and beyond for recreational opportunities. Driving in any direction from Northern Virginia in the growing season, there is a tree that can be seen everywhere along the highways and byways. The dramatic clusters of […]
Andrew Eberly (L) holds a turtle while FMN David Gorsline (R) carries the radio receiver and transmitter, photo by The Clifton Institute Article by FMN Janet Quinn, photos as marked In mid-May I joined a group of citizen scientists gathered at The Clifton Institute (Clifton) in Warrenton, Virginia, equipped with a radio receiver and antenna. […]
Illustration 1: With Permission from www.LiveMeteors.com. A meteor trail is capable of reflecting radio waves from transmitters located on the ground so that they can be detected by amateur radio antennas. Article by FMN Stephen Tzikas We have all seen “shooting stars” or meteors. They are rocky fragments that collide with the Earth and […]
Feature photo: A long-term underground coal fire produces a surface manifestation (steam) in Centralia, PA (June 2001), adjacent to the St. Ignatius cemetery. This is located about 3 miles from the ball lightning observation site. Article, photo and illustration by FMN Stephen Tzikas One of the rarest events in nature a Master Naturalist might encounter […]
Feature photo: Virginia Energy campus, offering impressive architectural style and good birding opportunities. My iPhone Merlin Bird ID found Pine Warblers, Northern Flickers, and Purple Finches among other more common birds. Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas The 2023 Virginia Geological Research Symposium had resumed with an in-person conference on April 21, after a […]
Feature photo: Fish Fossil, Green River Formation, Western United States. Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d, Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone So goes the second stanza of John […]