2026 Hog Island Scholarship Virtual Event, November 20th

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Image: Courtesy of the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA)

Thursday, November 20, 2025
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Virtual Event
FREE –  Registration is required

Each year, Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA) offers one classroom teacher, specialist or school administrator a scholarship to “Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” at Hog Island Audubon Camp, in coastal Maine. The scholarship covers tuition, room, board and transportation. Hog Island Audubon Camp has offered environmental education programs for adults, teens, families and conservation leaders since 1936.

Last year’s scholarship recipient, Deborah Hammer, is an Autism and Low Incidence Specialist with Arlington County Schools. She coaches hundreds of teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff across the district who work with over 1,200 students. She is using her experiences from camp to implement nature-focused strategies that helps teachers make academic content fun and engaging for their students who struggle to learn. Want to learn more about this opportunity? Join us for this virtual info session!

Who is this for? This free virtual event is for anyone interested in hearing about Deborah’s camp experience, asking questions about the camp or scholarship program, or applying for next year’s program. After Deborah’s presentation and Q&A, NVBA staff will share details about this year’s scholarship and camp.

Scholarship Eligibility: Applicants must be a public classroom teacher, specialist or school administrator in the NVBA chapter territory (Counties: all of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford; and portions of Loudoun, Fauquier, Culpeper, Rappahannock and Spotsylvania. Independent cities: Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Manassas and Manassas Park.)

Interested in being a Roving Naturalist?

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Photo: Huntley Meadows Park, View from Observation Tower, by Jerry Nissley

 

Huntley Meadows Park is looking for a Roving Naturalist. If you are interested in providing on-site naturalist interpretation and being outside in this beautiful park, and are interested in the stewardship of the park’s natural and cultural resources, they are looking for a roving naturalist to join them for 4 hours a month (with a 1-year commitment).

Duties include committing to monthly shifts, walking to set locations within the park to tally park visitors (noting issues encountered and reporting back to staff), and answering visitor questions.

Required:

  • Ability to communicate and interact with people of all ages.
  • Ability to work independently.
  • Comfort working in a public setting.
  • Background check.

Site and on-the-job orientations are offered, and they provide training (to include facility-based safety and outdoor safety training). 

Location: Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA

Minimim age: 16

Time commitment: 4 hrs / month for 1 year

Sign Up / Learn More: This opportunity is listed on the Volunteer Fairfax site, but you can also contact Brooks Long (Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator) at Brooks.Long@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-768-2525.

MOTHtober Fest at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, October 17th

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Photo: Io Moth by Judy Gallagher

 

Friday, October 17, 2025
8:30 pm – 10:30

Fee: $7.00

Register here!

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
9750 Meadowlark Gardens
Vienna, VA 22182 United

Organizer: (NOVA Parks)
Discover the magic of moths at MOTHtober FEST! Experience a unique nighttime adventure celebrating these fascinating nocturnal pollinators with Roving Naturalist Matt Felperin and Ana Ka’ahanui of Capital Nature. Using bed sheets and black lights, you will attract, observe, and identify a variety of moths while learning why these, often-overlooked, insects are vital to our ecosystems.

Wildlife Sanctuary Presentation Hosted by the Native Plant Circle, December 13th

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Photo: North American Bird Alliance, Certified Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Saturday, December 13, 2025
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Mount Vernon Unitarian Church,
1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, CA 22307

Fee: FREE

Registration is required – Click here for details.

Are you intrigued by observing wildlife in your own yard? Do you want to contribute to the environmental health of our planet?

If so, come learn about the Wildlife Sanctuary program and how you can transform your yard to create habitat, attract beneficial wildlife, and get your yard certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary. You’ll learn about habitat best practices and receive tips to help you select native trees and plants that suit the conditions in your yard. A FREE redbud seedling will be available as a gift from the Wildlife Sanctuary program to those who register early!

This event will take place in the Meeting House of the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Ln, Alexandria, VA 22307, on Sunday, September 21, 1:00 -2 pm after coffee hour. Program is free but registration is requested. The event is open to the public.

 

Invitation to Third Annual Climate Action Conference – Third Annual Climate Action Conference – Teaming Up to Restore and Protect Healthy Waterways, Oct 18th

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October 18, 2025 
9:00AM – 1:00PM

Lake Braddock Secondary School  in Burke, VA.

Expand your understanding about the impact of climate change on water resources, from the oceans and Chesapeake Bay to the
Potomac River and local streams. No matter where you live or work, your actions matter to protect the quality of water and the resilience
of our communities in this period of climate change.

Please click here for a flyer containing complete agenda and other conference details.

An Afternoon with Filmmaker and Naturalist Kathryn Pasternak, October 7th

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Tuesday, October 7, 2025
3:00pm – 4:30pm

Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library
Tysons-Pimmit Meeting Room 1, Tysons-Pimmit Meeting Room 2

Event is free
Registration is required – click here for more information and registration

 

Emmy award winning photographer and director, Kathryn Pasternak, will share her fascinating work before offering hands on tips to improve your own photography skills. Kathryn is a Fairfax County Master Naturalist and will explore ways you can contribute to your local scientific community through the app iNaturalist. Weather permitting, there may be a brief outdoors field trip to practice your new skills. Please bring a smartphone with camera. Adults.

Read more about presenter Kathryn Pasternak on her website.

 

Worm Composting Workshop,October 4th

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Saturday, October 4, 2025
2:00pm – 4:00 pm

Cost is $10.00 per person (non-refundable)

Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax VA, 22030

Register at: Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District: Worm Composting Workshop

At this workshop, you will learn tips and tricks for successfully composting with worms and build your own worm composter to take home. See the Northern Virginia Soil and Water District’s (NVSWD) worm composting bin in action and get all your composting questions answered. Each worm composter will include two stacking bins, worm bedding (a mix of compost, shredded paper, and coconut coir), and red wiggler worms. The completed bins will be roughly 15 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 20 inches tall in size. Please make sure you have a place to keep your worm bins inside when temperatures drop (a garage or basement will do). While we will have all the tools at the workshop to build your bin, please consider bringing a cordless drill and drill bits if you have them to speed up the process. You can also bring in a week’s-worth of kitchen trimmings to get your worm composter off to an immediate start! This workshop is co-sponsored by NVSWCD, Clean Fairfax Council, Pollinative, and the City of Fairfax.

This workshop is generously supported with funding from Clean Fairfax Council and City of Fairfax. Please note that workshop registration fees are non-refundable.

 

 

Birding Occoquan Bay, September 30th

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Photo: Rusty Moran, Occoquan Bay

Tuesday, September 30, 2025
9:00AM – 3:00PM

Transportation is provided.
Fee: $35 for Reston Association members and $45 for non-members
Participants will depart the Walker Nature Center:  View Facility 

Registration required-Link: Register on webtrac.

 

On Tuesday, September 30th, Occoquan Bayhas scheduled a trip to the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to search for fall migrants.  The refuge’s grasslands, freshwater tidal marshes and bottomland forests are home to many interesting year-round residents.  There will be approximately 2-3 miles of walking on gently-rolling, unpaved surfaces.

 

The trip will be led by one of WNC’s naturalists and is open to Reston residents and non-residents.  Cost, which includes bus transportation and any park fees, is $35 for Reston Association members and $45 for non-members.  Participants will depart the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) at 9:00 am and are scheduled to return by around 3:00 pm.  The time spent birding is eligible for FMN CEUs.

 

Register by September 27th.  If you are familiar with the reston.org WebTrac system, you can register there (search on the keyword “birding”).  Otherwise, you can contact the Walker Nature Center directly at naturecenter@reston.org or 703-476-9689.

Hidden Oaks Migratory Bird Count – 2025

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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 as they head their way south, so the center can make educated decisions for an interpretive plan. No prior birding experience is required, but some knowledge of identification is recommended. We’re hoping to recruit some participants eager to learn, and some experienced individuals who feel confident leading surveys.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering should contact Eren Edwards at (Megan.edwards@fairfaxcounty.gov) directly, for a short in-person conversation on expectations.

Service hours can be recorded using:
C106: FCPA Citizen Science Programs — Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA)

The link to the sign-up genius has more information. Sign up genius link:

Dates are listed on the BI calendar, but please use SignUpGenius to register.

Cover photo: red headed woodpecker – FMN Jerry Nissley

Turtles, Snakes + A Reptile Discovery Walk & Learn @Wolf Trap National Park, September 7th

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Photo: By Ron Grimes, Common Ribbon snake, March 2025

 

Sunday, September 7, 2025
10:00AM – 11:30AM EDT

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
1551 Trap Road Vienna, VA 22182

Event is FREE but Registration is required.

Registration: Please RSVP only if you plan to attend. If your plans change, PLEASE cancel your tickets 2 days in advance so others can participate.

Join a Park Ranger who will introduce you to some “animal ambassadors” plus lead an adventure through the trails of Wolf Trap National Park to discover the reptiles & and more- hiding in plain sight!

What to expect:

  • Meet several “animal ambassadors” including male and female box turtles, a small snapping turtle, and Eastern Gartner snake, Eastern Rat Snake
  • A gentle hike along the trails at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
  • Identification tips and cool facts about native species
  • How to become a wildlife watcher in your own backyard
  • Fun for all ages—no science background needed!