Enhancing Our Understanding of Ecology – By FMN Mike Mixon National Geographic defines Ecology as, “the scientific study of how organisms interact with each other and their unique physical environments”. As Virginia Master Naturalists we acquired a fundamental understanding of Ecology while undergoing the chapter’s basic training program. If you would like to enhance your […]
The Department of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with VMN, is offering to train Master Naturalists via a statewide program on “Living with Coyotes”. Recordings: As with all of our VMN CE Webinar Series, this session was recorded and posted on the CE Webinar Series page of our website. Viewing the recorded session counts as VMN […]
It is increasingly hard nowadays to avoid running into a Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). They are in our parks, backyards, and favorite public spaces. However, efforts to stomp, squash, and smash the spread of this nuisance invader has a stalwart champion in FMN Susan Laume. Via a pilot program under Fairfax County’s Urban and Community Forestry […]
The VA Department of Forestry (VDoF) Acorn and Seed Collection Program was established several years ago to help sustain the native tree population in Virginia by collecting native seeds and acorns, raising trees on VDoF farms, and reforesting areas that may have been destroyed by fire or disease. In 2025, VDoF again partnered with Potomac […]
Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale is looking for volunteers to help with their fall migratory bird counts. The surveys occur every Saturday at 8am beginning on September 20th, running through and including November 22nd. Each will last an hour. The goal is to get a sense of what migratory birds stop by Hidden Oaks […]
The VA Department of Forestry (VDoF) Acorn and Seed Collection Program was established to sustain the native tree population in Virginia by collecting native acorns, raising trees on farms, and reforesting areas that may have been destroyed by fire or disease. This year VDoF has again partnered with Potomac Conservancy’s Tomorrow Tree’s Program, Fairfax Tree […]
Written by FMN Katy Johnson The Fairfax County Park Authority has over 420 parks; 82 of those parks, comprising 13,341 acres, are designated/classified as resource-based parkland. Resourced-based parkland does not usually contain recreational facilities and is managed to protect the biological communities and cultural resources in environmentally sensitive and significant lands. The Landscape Legacy and […]
Under the leadership of FMN Jo Doumbia, FMN has supported the Culmore Teen Center and Second Story programs since 2023. The 2025 summer program just wrapped up and Jo would like to thank the ten FMN volunteers that directly supported their outdoor activities. This year FMN directly supported four rewarding outdoor nature programs: 1. A […]
The Fairfax Chapter (FMN) has one official Cooperative Agreement (CA). A mutual agreement between FMN and Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) agreeing to provide mutually beneficial resources. The CA was originally signed in 2007 with a revised version of the CA was signed in 2022 by VCE Exec Dir. Micheal Cutter (for FMN) and FCPA […]
As announced by FCPA at its meeting on May 28, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring 20 individuals as 2025 Outstanding Volunteers. These peer-nominated individuals were recognized for their dedication to community and their invaluable service to the Fairfax County park system. Of the twenty, two Fairfax Chapter Master Naturalist volunteers […]