Citizen science in natural resources: How volunteers are making a difference, webinar February 17th

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Photo:  Stream monitoring by Dianna Bridges, VMN New River Valley Chapter

Thursday, February 17, 2022
Noon – 1:15 pm
Pre-registration required here.

Citizen science is the involvement of people who are not professional scientists in real forms of scientific study. Through the Virginia Master Naturalist program, citizen scientists are making important contributions to natural resources research and conservation, greatly increasing the capacity of professional scientists and land managers. Join Michelle Prysby, Director of the Virginia Master Naturalist program, to explore examples of impactful citizen science and to learn how you can get involved in citizen science, regardless of your background.

Michelle Prysby is the Director of the Virginia Master Naturalist program and an Extension faculty member in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech.

Please note that this webinar is being hosted by Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment’s Advancement Team as part of their monthly Lunch and Learn Series for alumni and any others interested in joining.

View recordings for this and past webinars: VMN Continuing Education Webinar page.

Audubon Afternoon: The Evolution of Birds with Douglas Futuyma, webinar March 27th

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Photo courtesy of Douglas Futuyma

Sunday, March 27, 2022
3:00 – 4:00 PM
ONLINE
FREE, but registration is required

We all learned that dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago – but now we know that they are still with us today. Join Douglas Futuyma, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, for an Audubon Society of Northern Virginia presentation on how birds evolved and continue to evolve. How did birds become so diverse, and spread throughout the world? Why are many of them so brightly colored? Join us to learn the answers to these questions and more. Youth 14+ who are interested in science and animals may enjoy this presentation.

Douglas J. Futuyma recently published, “How Birds Evolve.” In this multifaceted book, Futuyma examines how birds evolved from nonavian dinosaurs and reveals what we can learn from the “family tree” of birds. He looks at the ways natural selection enables different forms of the same species to persist, and discusses how adaptation by natural selection accounts for the diverse life histories of birds and the rich variety of avian parenting styles, mating displays, and cooperative behaviors. He also explains why some parts of the planet have so many more species than others, and asks what an evolutionary perspective brings to urgent questions about bird extinction and habitat destruction. Along the way, Futuyma provides an insider’s view on how biologists practice evolutionary science, from studying the fossil record to comparing DNA sequences among and within species.

Growing Bird Food: New Research about Native Hydrangeas, webinar March 10th

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Photo: Sam Hoadley

Thursday, March 10, 2022
7 – 8 pm
ONLINE
Fee: $10
Register here.

If you love birds, help them by growing native plants in your yard. Birds cannot live on birdseed alone, but also need to eat native insects – which need native plants for food and shelter.

Join Audubon Society of Northern Virginia for a presentation by Sam Hoadley from the Mt. Cuba Center, a nonprofit dedicated to preservation and conservation of native plant species of the Piedmont ecoregion. Sam will take us on a deep dive into Mt. Cuba Center’s newly released Hydrangea arborescens evaluation results. After just completing a five year trial, the results are in on which Hydrangea species received top marks from a garden perspective and which species and cultivars tallied the most pollinator visits. Included will be tips for successful cultivation and care of wild hydrangea in your home landscape, and where you can purchase plants to get started.

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Sam earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.

Secrets, Spies, Sputnik and Huntley, February 28th

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This double ring of antennae was the first U.S. tracking station to compile data on the path of the Russian satellite Sputnik just five hours after its launch. 

Photo courtesy of Fairfax County Park Authority

Secrets, Spies, Sputnik and Huntley

When: Monday, 2/28/2022 2:00 pm

Where: HUNTLEY MEADOWS LOCATION

3701 Lockheed Blvd.
Alexandria, VA,
Map of Huntley Meadows Park

Cost: $12.00

Click here for more information or call 703-768-2525.

Register Online.

Event Description:

Huntley Meadows Park is home to a nationally significant historic house, majestic forests, wildflower-speckled meadows and vast wetlands bursting with life. Some of the best wildlife watching in the Washington metropolitan area is here.  The Park we know and love today does have an intriguing history.

Take a stroll through the less-visited side of Huntley Meadows Park to uncover the history of spies, espionage and how the Cold War struggle between the US and the USSR shaped Huntley and the Fairfax County we know today. The program at Huntley Meadows Park runs from 2 to 4 p.m. The cost is $12 per person. Meet at the South Kings Highway entrance. The program includes a 2.4-mile walk over flat terrain.

Virtual Winter Lecture-Lift Ev’ry Voice, February 20th

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Photo: Courtesy of the Fairfax County Park Authority (Green Spring Park)

Virtual Winter Lecture-Lift Ev’ry Voice

When: Sunday, 2/20/2022 1:30 pm

Where: Green Spring Gardens

4603 Green Spring Rd.
Alexandria, VA, 22312

Cost: $10.00

Click here for activity details or call 703-642-5173.

Registration is online.

Event Description:

From sea to shining sea, Black people have made rich contributions to American garden history. Join horticulturalist and historian Abra Lee on this journey through the DMV and beyond as we celebrate these horticultural trailblazers. A Zoom link will be emailed before the event. This virtual program is sponsored by the Friends of Green Spring and runs from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Why Bird-Friendly Cacao Is the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift, Webinar, February 10th

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Image courtesy of American Bird Conservancy

Thursday, February 10, 2022
4 – 5 pm
Online.
Register here.

Americans are expected to buy more than 58 million pounds of chocolate the week of Valentine’s Day. Production of chocolate’s main ingredient, cacao, can have a huge environmental impact, but there are ways to produce it that conserve and restore habitat for birds.

Join American Bird Conservancy to learn all about cacao production in Central America and the Caribbean, and how it impacts migratory birds. In this webinar they’ll discuss the new Bird Friendly cacao certification that will be launched this spring by Smithsonian, and show on-the-ground efforts that are helping birds and farmers.

Finally, they’ll provide some tips so when you’re buying chocolate you get the best possible for birds.

Stop Mowing, Start Growing: Native Plants for Beginners and Beyond! February 12th

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Photo courtesy of Virginia Native Plant Society

Saturday, February 12, 2022
9 am – 2:30 pm
Online
Fee: $15
Register here.

Whether you are new to native plants and what they can do for your property or you are looking for alternative landscaping ideas, this event is for you! Native plants can:

Create a beautiful yard
Save time so you can enjoy other activities
Create habitat for birds & pollinators
Save money on fertilizer & pesticides
Improve Water Quality
Curb Erosion

Keynote: Natural Plant Communities, Native Plants, and You, presented by Matt Bright of Earth Sangha. Natural Plant Communities exist all around us and are the fundamental way plant species arrange themselves in a natural setting. By understanding these arrangements and mimicking them in our own gardens and built environments we can maximize ecological value and retain a sense of place in the landscape. Matt will introduce the many resources that exist to decode the natural landscape around us including Earth Sangha’s Native Plant Compendium, Glenn Tobin’s Natural Ecological Communities of Northern Virginia, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Natural Heritage program and other resources for regions farther afield.

See the whole schedule, learn more or register here.

Bald Eagles: A Conservation Success Story, a March 2 Talk

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Photo (c) Barbara Saffir

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
7 pm
Online
Register here to receive Zoom link.

Bald and Golden Eagles will be the focus of this presentation by Jeff Cooper, a Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) wildlife biologist. Cooper will explore eagle biology, recent research, the Bald Eagle’s recovery and the importance of the Chesapeake Bay region to Bald Eagles.

For over 30 years, Cooper has worked with many bird species, such as raptors, vultures, passerines and marsh birds. He has done extensive work in Virginia on Bald and Golden Eagles, including the delisting of the Bald Eagle from the federal threatened and endangered species list. He has investigated winter ranging behavior of Golden Eagles and worked to minimize wind energy risks, among many other projects.

The sponsors of this program are the Friends of Dyke Marsh, the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, the Friends of Mason Neck Park, the Northern Virginia Bird Club and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.

DO NOT USE THIS PHOTO AFTER 8/17/22

Spring Spectacles: When & Where to Find Jaw-Dropping Birds, Blooms & Beasts in the Mid-Atlantic, March 15th

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Photo (c) Barbara J. Saffir

Tuesday, March 15, 2022
7 – 8 pm
Webinar
Register here.

Learn when and where to find some of the Mid-Atlantic’s most jaw-dropping plant and animal life, with nature photographer and Virginia Master Naturalist Barbara Saffir. In this joyful spring jaunt, she’ll reveal wildflowers worthy of Monet; a bounty of beasts; and close-up encounters with cobalt-blue, sunflower-yellow and ruby-red breeding birds that visit the DMV each spring. More than half of this “virtual safari” will focus on birds, with award-winning photographs of migratory and resident birds that capture their cool behaviors. Other animals and wildflowers will also make an appearance. You’ll learn about curious critters—such as backyard squirrels that “fly” and dazzling bugs typically overlooked by their human neighbors—and wildflower spectacles, including acres of blush-pink blossoms; pink, yellow, and purple native orchids; and miles of perky bluebells meandering along curving creeks.

This webinar will be recorded! By signing up on Zoom, you’ll be able to watch the live event and receive a link to the recording a few days after it airs. Closed captioning will be available at the live webinar and on the recording. The Earth Optimism lecture series through the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) airs live on Zoom every third Tuesday of the month.

See more past and upcoming SERC science talks.

WINTER STREAM LIFE

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Photo: Courtesy of the Fairfax County Park Authority (Ellanor C. Lawrence Park)

WINTER STREAM LIFE

When: Saturday, 02/12/2022 1:00 pm

Where: ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK LOCATION
Pond Shelter
5235 Walney Road
Chantilly, VA, 20151

Cost: $8 per person.

Click here for activity details or call 703-631-0013.

Registration is online.

Event Description:

Explore Walney Creek with a naturalist to meet some of the small creek critters (macroinvertebrates) that call it home. Learn why so many different types of macroinvertebrates are active in winter streams. The naturalist will demonstrate winter collecting and participants can help pick, sort and learn to identify these magnificent critters. The program at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park runs from 1 to 2 p.m.