Celebrating a FMN 2025 Spring Basic Training Graduates

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Photo: FMN Mary Ann Bush, FMN Spring Grads – June162025

On Monday June 16, we proudly celebrated the graduation of a passionate and dedicated group of students from our Master Naturalist Basic training program. What began as a shared curiosity about the natural world has transformed into a community of informed and enthusiastic stewards of our local environment.

Over the past several months, these individuals immersed themselves in both classroom learning, and field trips which facilitated hands-on, experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom. They learned not only about native ecosystems and species, but also how to be a part of natural resource conservation in the community

Graduation is more than a milestone—it’s a beginning. These new graduates are now equipped and eager to take on a wide range of volunteer opportunities: leading nature hikes, restoring habitats, monitoring wildlife, educating the public, and much more. Each graduate brings a unique voice and skillset, and together they form a force for good in our natural communities.

To our newest graduates, we can’t wait to see where your curiosity, compassion, and commitment take you next!

Here are the 2025 Spring FMN Basic Training Graduates:
Alsegaf, Kathy
Baucom, Celeste
Borghi, Aurora
Bretz, Kevin
Colby, Charles
Curley, Christina
De Nardi, Mia
Edwards, Eren
Grass, Nancy
Gravatt, Peyton
Newberry, Tucker
Racine, “Anna Virginia “”Hope”””
Racine, James
Smyth, Trish
Zavala, Andy
Malcolm Macniel
Elliff, Rachel
Conway Dodge
A special acknowledgement goes out to three students who have achieved their initial certification by their graduation date:
Mia De Nardi, Aurora Borghi and Andy Zavala

Congratulations, and welcome to a lifelong journey of learning, service, and connection to the natural world!

 

Mason Neck Kayak Adventures – 2025

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Announcing the ‘FMN only’ summer Kayak Tours at Mason Neck State Park!

June Evening: Saturday, 6/28/25, 6:00-8:00 PM
July Evening: Friday, 7/25/25, 6:00-8:00 PM
August Morning: Sunday, 8/24/25, 9:00-11:00 AM
September Afternoon: Sunday, 9/07/25, 1:00-3:00 PM

The 2 hour tours guide paddlers out into Belmont Bay and up Kane’s Creek into the heart of the park that can only be seen via the water. Explore the plants and animals found along the way; discuss the importance of wetlands; learn the history of Manson Neck peninsula; and enjoy the beauty and serenity of floating among the lilly pads, surrounded by forest.

*Guests please arrive 30 minutes prior to start time to gear up*

These are FMN only tours. Limit 10 per tour.
Registration is free and must be done via BI calendar.
Once the tour fills, registration auto-locks and it disappears from the Opportunities Calendar but remains on the Opportunities List.

All guests are required to use park provided kayaks and paddles.
PFDs are provided but you may bring your own. Personal PFDs must be Coast Guard approved/labeled Type III or better.

Appropriate clothing for the weather, activity level, and closed-toe shoes are encouraged. Below is a park provided link to a guide for recommended kayak-clothing. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/kayaking-what-to-wear.html

To register:
1. Login to BI and click on your ‘Opportunities’ tab.
2. Select ‘Opportunity Calendar’ from the pull-down menu.
3. Find event in the displayed calendar; Click it to see event details.
4. To sign up, Click the ‘Sign Up’ box in the lower right. This automatically signs you up and puts the event on your personal calendar.
5. To claim 2.5 CE hours: please use All Continuing Education -> FMN All other Chapter Training, as the Approved Org.

Mason Neck Kayak – photo JaneEllen Saums

A thought provoking prose to encourage this tour is Charles Dickens’ luminous writing about the beauty of the natural world – “The freshness of the day, the singing of the birds, the beauty of the waving grass, the deep green leaves, the wild flowers, and the thousand exquisite scents and sounds that floated in the air— deep joys to most of us, but even more so to those whose life is in a crowd or who live solitarily in great cities as in the bucket of a human well—sunk into their breasts and made them very glad.”

As you push off from the shore, inhale deeply, relax, immerse yourself in the natural world, and become “very glad”.

Registration Is Now Open for The Northern Virginia Urban Forest Roundtable on July 31!

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Logo: Courtesy Virginia’s Urban Forest Council

Thursday, July 31, 2025
9:00AM – 4:00PM

Registration Fee: $55.00 (Registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch.)

Registration and additional conference information.

The Woodlands at Algonkian
47001 Fairway Drive
Sterling VA  20165

Rooted in Retention – Sustaining the Present, Planting the Future

Complete Agenda

Highlights from the agenda:

*12:00 – 1:00 Combining Aesthetics & Ecology in Urban Forests: How Native Ecoregions Inform Process
Keith Tomlinson, Interpretive Naturalist, Smithsonian Associates Study Leader
The regional native forests we see today tell a compelling story that informs what trees we plant and conserve in urban environments.
We’ll look at our native trees through the holistic lens of ecoregions as related to urban forest. This approach illustrates the foundational
role of native trees and forests in urbanized environments. Fostering the aesthetic and ecological impact of urban forests is more
important than ever as we work in a continuum of environmental change.

 

*Station 1: Under the Forest Canopy: A Journey with Fungi
Mycological Association of Washington, DC – Learn to identify different species, understand their vital role in the ecosystem, and
discover the incredible diversity of shapes, colors, and textures that fungi offer. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned
mushroom hunter, this walk will deepen your appreciation for nature’s quiet decomposers and mysterious organisms.

  • FMN Jim McGlone has identified these two sessions as CE opportunities for sessions of the upcoming Northern Virginia Urban Forest Roundtable on July 31. These two sessions would be 2 hours of FMN CE using ‘Virginia Urban Forest Council’ as the CE provider.

Latino Outdoors DMV | Birding Juntos @ Neabsco Regional Park, June 28th

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Graphic: Courtesy of Latino Outdoors DMV

Saturday, June 28, 2025
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Latino Outdoors activities are free and in service to their communities

REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Neabsco Regional Park,
15125 Blackburn Road,
Woodbridge, VA 22191

CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH VERSION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

Join participants 9am Saturday June 28th to go bird watching and go on a nature walk in Neabsco Regional Park led by Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA) and Latino Outdoors DMV.

Beginner birders and families are welcome!

A few things to remember:

  • Don’t forget to bring comfortable clothes and shoes, sunblock, and a water bottle.

  • There will be binoculars for participants to share.

  • Snacks will be provided.

  • RSVP is required to ensure a safe and attentive leader to participant ratio.

Latino Outdoors activities are free and in service to their communities. The volunteer leaders donate time and energy to plan these experiences, paying close attention to the number of people each event can accommodate. Please honor your reservation, and if you are unable to attend an event that you signed up for, take a moment to cancel your reservation, preferably one week prior to the event, so that another community member may participate and volunteer organizers can plan accordingly. The organizers greatly appreciate it!

Any questions about the event? Contact diana.ramos@latinooutdoors.org. If you are concerned about attending an event that is publicized, please contact info@latinooutdoors.org.

Manassas Bee Festival Saturday, 6/21/25

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Photo: Courtesy of Jane E. Ogilvie

Saturday June 21, 2025
10:00am – 2:00pm

FREE annual event!

Location: Liberia House and Grounds
8601 Portner Avenue
Manassas City

Join thousands of visitors and buzz on by to have fun and learn about honeybees, native pollinators, and planting native plants at this FREE annual event!

Look at the fun and educational activities that are planned in the City of Manassas!

Sign-up to join as a vendor, sponsor, speaker, or volunteer:

. Dress like a pollinator and join the costume parade
. Learn the waggle dance and try the spelling bee for prizes
. Local honey
. Community apiary of honeybee hives plus native bee houses
. Vendors galore
. Farm animals
. Food trucks
. Mead garden
. Bounce house, games, crafts
. Live music
. Bee, pollinator, healthy living, and native plant experts
. Plenty of parking with tractor and wagon rides
. Historic Liberia House with large trees, native gardens, park trails
. NEW 2K Honey Hike starting at Manassas Museum Lawn. Donate $20 to hike, local honey, and Adopt-a-Bee. Or just join for a walk (No sign-up required)!

Thank you to the City of Manassas, Liberia House and Grounds, and Sponsors, Supporters, Partners and Friends for their support!  Bee City USA!

Fairfax County Park Authority Awarded Grant To Enhance Invasive Species Management

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Photo: Fairfax County Park Authority – Invasive vines and plants

The Fairfax County Park Authority FCPA, a core member of the National Capital – Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Nat-Cap PRISM), has been awarded a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry. The grant, part of the FY25 Virginia PRISM Support for Invasive Species Program, will provide $60,827 to manage invasive species across FCPA parkland. The funds must be used by the end of June 2025.

The funding will support the Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) program, an initiative designed to identify and control new populations of invasive plant species before they become established and cause ecological harm. Target species include fountain grass (Cenchrus purpurascens), yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon), Java water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica) and floating primrose willow (Ludwigia peploides).

The EDRR approach focuses on surveys to detect newly arriving, rapidly spreading invasive plants. Once identified, these species are quickly targeted for removal by volunteers or contractors, preventing them from outcompeting native flora and disrupting local ecosystems. The project Invader Detectives, using the iNaturalist app, allows anyone to add observations of plants, alerting FCPA ecologists to new invasive species.

This grant will enable FCPA and its partners to expand surveys, map occurrences of priority EDRR invasive species and conduct timely eradication efforts. The initiative builds on the ongoing work of the Invasive Management Area Program, which is primarily a volunteer-based habitat restoration program.

For more information about the EDRR program and how to get involved, visit the Fairfax County Park Authority’s IMA webpage. 

 

River Farm – Spring Garden Market

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American Horticultural Society (AHS) HQ at River Farm
Spring Garden Market – American Horticultural Society

Grab a rocker and take in the back porch view – photo Jerry Nissley

In 2024 AHS contacted VMN – Fairfax Chapter (FMN) specifically to help rebuild the nest boxes along their bluebird trail. FMN Susan Farmer became the liaison for this and other activities on location. She organized a team of stalwart FMN volunteers to help River Farm rebuild their bluebird box trail. Eight new boxes replaced ten sad old boxes, which were then salvaged for parts. She organized trail monitoring training and managed the seasonal monitoring schedule. The monitors observed/reported 11 eggs. Eleven volunteers reported 90+ hours in 2024 to River Farm opportunities.

Combined FMN and NVBS table – photo Jerry Nissley

In 2025, River Farm asked FMN to continue trail support, which started in March. FMN was also invited to set up a chapter table and participate with approximately 35 vendors and organizations at their annual showcase event, “River Farm Spring Garden Market” April. We were able to provide information on VMN, the bluebird trail, and Northern Virginia Bluebird Society (NVBS) in general. We emphasized the importance of native plant habitat, and enlightened the community to VMN’s mission of conservation of natural resources in Virginia, Fairfax County, and the Potomac River.

The weather could have been better but we were honored to be part of River

Walkway from house to outdoor vendor area. Photo Jerry Nissley

Farm’s showcase spring event – and the grounds were spectacular with seasonal blooms. It was encouraging to see the plant vendors offer only organic starter vegetables, Virginia native flowers, shrubs, and trees. In addition, several artisans were on site selling crafts, nature photography,  soaps, and even a mystery writer with his new novel of intrigue in Old Town Alexandria.

FMN and others will be meeting at River Farm to include species found in the new AHS native garden for The City Nature Challenge on Friday, April 25th at 10:30 followed by a picnic lunch. Contact Susan Farmer (susanfarmer6365@gmail.com) for more information. All are welcome!

Thank you to the following FMNs for their continued contributions at River Farm:
Susan Farmer, Donna Stauffer, Sarah Glassco, John Fagan, Monica Hoffman, Rachel Roll, Amanda Kay, Elaine Kolish, and Jerry Nissley.

Urban Forest Photo Contest

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Photo: Courtesy of City of Fairfax Government

Welcome to Fairfax City’s 2025 Urban Forest Photo Contest!

For Details and Submission information click here.

The Urban Forest Photo Contest is an opportunity to showcase the diversity of our urban forest through the perspective of community members.

Whether captured on a digital camera or your phone, we hope you’ll help us celebrate the powerful role trees play in making our City of Fairfax community more beautiful, healthy, and vibrant. Photographers of all skills and ages are encouraged to participate!

All photos submitted to the contest will have a chance to be featured in the future Urban Forest Master Plan. One winner from each of the four categories will receive a $50 Fairfax City Flex Card to spend at city businesses. Photos must be taken in the City of Fairfax, VA.

Categories

Each entrant can submit up to three photos per category. Each photo may only be submitted to only one category. You do not need to submit a photo to all of the categories to participate. Each individual file size must be less than 30 MB. Please do not watermark photos; credit will always be provided to the photographer. By submitting one or more photographs, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of the contest.

Life in the Urban Forest

The urban forest includes all the trees in the city, from those in parks, yards, and other greenspaces to trees along our streets and sidewalks. Photos in this category should capture the ways people interact with and benefit from trees as we go about our daily lives. How do we live, work, and play in the urban forest? Pets welcome!

Beautiful Trees

Few things enhance a landscape like a magnificent tree. Photos in this category should celebrate the trees that you find beautiful.

Trees & Wildlife

Many wildlife species depend on trees for food, water, cover, or places to raise their young. Photos in this category should depict wildlife in forest habitats. Remember, backyard habitats and street trees are also part of the urban forest!

Treescapes

Fairfax City has been recognized as a Tree City USA since 1986. Photos in this category should highlight the tree-filled landscapes that help define our community’s unique character.

Photo Contest Terms and Conditions

All images must be taken within the City of Fairfax, VA. Images must be obtained legally. The photographer is responsible for obtaining the permission of any individuals depicted in images who are the subject of the photo and/or identifiable (or permission from their parent/guardian if they are under 18). Images must be the original art of the entrant, and the original artwork may be displayed in public and entered into the photo contest. Images do not have to be taken between April 1 and May 31, 2025, to be entered into the contest.

Please reach out to Sophia Chapin, Urban Forestry Stewardship Coordinator, at sophia.chapin@fairfaxva.gov with any questions. Thanks for participating!

 

27th Annual Eagle Festival, May 10th

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Photo: Courtesy of Eagle Fest at Mason Neck State Park

May 10, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Mason Neck State Park,
7301 High Point Rd.,
Lorton, VA 22079.
Visitor Center Lawn

All events for the festival are free for everyone to enjoy!
Click here for additional information.

Join this full day of live animal shows, hands on educational opportunities, and outdoor recreation clinics that all aim to highlight the rich natural history of Northern Virginia and foster stewardship of our environment.

 See live wildlife up close

 Learn about our resident bald eagles and see them fly overhead

 Visit exhibits from our many conservation partners

 Enjoy live music, food, and more

Special thanks to the Friends of Mason Neck State Park for their continued support of the park and this event, and thanks to all our Peninsula partners and sponsors that make this event possible.

Parking for this event will be located off site and free shuttles provided to the festival. 

Follow the Spring Bird Migration with the BirdCast Migration Dashboard!

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Photo: Purple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards

The new BirdCast Migration Dashboard provides summaries of radar-based measurements of nocturnal bird migration, including estimates of the total number of birds migrating, their directions, speeds, and altitudes. This tool depicts migration patterns in near real time or as a summary of a whole night after nocturnal periods end (2021-present); this includes additional historical information (2013-2021) as well as previous nights’ movements. Note that the dashboard currently provides data for counties and states in the contiguous US, complementing the existing forecast and live migration maps but allowing you to explore nocturnal bird migration in ways that were previously impossible. As your explorations begin, discovering interesting, new and previously unknown patterns will be, perhaps, the most exciting aspects of the new tool!

This tool presents a number of different measures of bird migration, and the descriptions below provide some basic information and guidance for interpreting these appropriately. Type in the county or state of your choice in the contiguous United States, select a date during migration seasons in 2021 or 2022, and begin! If you are new to BirdCast, get acquainted with the basics: How to use the BirdCast Migration Dashboard to experience your local migration in detail.

BirdCast is a consortium of interdisciplinary researchers, primarily from three organizations at present, with a growing list of collaborators, supporters, and partners.

Core Partners: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst
Core funders: National Science Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, and Amazon Web Services
Other support: NOAA, US Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NASA, Microsoft
Other partners: Houston Audubon Society, Perot Museum, Dallas Zoo