All photos by Jerry Nissley By volunteering at or simply visiting the many Fairfax County Parks we have all noticed how each park fills a niche. Each park has unique attractions and exemplary qualities that delight visitors and Hidden Oaks just extended theirs. Hidden Oaks Nature Center is nestled inside the 52-acre Annandale District Park. […]
Photo: Jerry Nissley Cicadas have come and gone. The only visible remnant being dead-headed branches that result from flagging (laying eggs), in preparation for their legacy, the next generation of brood X. Invisible to us are the nutrients provided by countless insects as they drop and cycle into the earth. That was, of course, a […]
Photo Jerry Nissley For the last three years or so there existed the FMN Citizen Science opportunity, C252 – Native Orchard Bee Monitoring. Many Virginia Master Naturalists throughout the state participated including several FMN members, by installing Orchard Bee boxes in their yards or community, recording and reporting statistics and observations, and returning boxes for […]
Riverbend; photo by Jerry Nissley “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir During the pandemic, the restorative value of walking along dirt paths became especially clear to Fairfax Master Naturalist Robin Duska, who was recently recognized by the Virginia Master Naturalist state board […]
I am almost certain that most of the FMN newsletter readers have seen or heard of the phenomenon described in this article, commonly called rainbow pools. However, since I recently had my first opportunity, unplanned as it was, to photograph them at Huntley Meadows Park I thought I would share my good fortune. I was […]
Huntley Meadows Park (HMP) hosted an owl program presented by ‘Secret Garden Birds and Bees (SGBB)’. The program was filled with great owl fun facts even better spontaneous material.
The Nature Center is nestled within 52 acres of the community park and includes 2 miles of wooded trails. Yet no trail or garden maintenance is provided by the county. Fortunately, Hidden Oaks has Bob Dinse.
Cathy Ledec (FMN 2017) has worked tirelessly for many years to “keep this wilderness in health” and will be honored on November 20th with the 2020 Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award.
Hitting the trails is the first of many volunteer activities Scott Schroth got involved with when becoming a Virginia Master Naturalist. Scott, a recently certified Virginia Master Naturalist (2019 – Fairfax) hit the trails feet first with shovel and saw in hand. I emphasize ‘feet first’ because one of his primary engagements is with the […]
Jerry Nissley Many of you know that effective 1 July 2020, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) changed its name to the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to encompass the greater expanse of their responsibilities. After reading the notice, I poked around their web site and found a link to Virginia Wildlife and […]