Entries by Janet Quinn

Birds in Watercolor: Paint Step-by-Step with Ronna Fujisawa, November 30th

Image: Ronna Fujisawa Thursday, November 30 7 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual ASNV Members: $20
ASNV Non-members: $30 More information and registration here. Celebrate the season and paint a watercolor of the adorable Tufted Titmouse. Birds are an excellent source of inspiration and a joy to paint. Join this live, online Audubon Society of Northern Virginia class to paint […]

What’s For Dinner? Reconnecting Our Food With Our Climate

Photo: SERC Tuesday, October 24, 2023 7 pm Zoom, hosted by Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Register here. Our food systems have become increasingly fragile in the face of climate change, ongoing conflicts and the long-tail of the COVID-19 pandemic. More frequent—and more intense—extreme events challenge food production, storage and transportation. At the same time, […]

The Mysterious Migrations of Cownose Rays, webinar September 19th

Photo: SERC Tuesday, September 19, 2023 7 pm Zoom, hosted by SERC Register here. Cownose rays are enigmatic, and sometimes controversial, summertime inhabitants of Chesapeake Bay. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s Fisheries Conservation Lab has been tagging cownose rays and tracking their long-distance migrations since 2014. On Sept. 19 Dr. Matt Ogburn, head of the Fisheries […]

National Public Lands Day, September 23rd

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 […]

Science in Your Watershed

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 […]

The Corporate World Embraces Native Plants

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 […]

Advantages of Natural Science Sketching

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 […]

Tree-of-Heaven is Not Heavenly!

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 […]