Raptor Rapture
Belle Haven Park, Alexandria VA
Saturday, 20 April 2019
10 am – 12 pm
Friends of Dyke Marsh, Secret Gardens Birds and Bees, and the National Park Service will “host” live raptors. Free. Learn more.
SpringFest Fairfax nature volunteers needed, April 27
SpringFest Fairfax
Saturday, April 27, 10 am – 3pm
Sully Historic Site, Chantilly
Assist Hidden Oaks naturalists at backyard bugs nature table and distribute live ladybugs for release. Typically many hundreds attend this free outdoor Earth Day celebration for all ages. Training provided. Parking pass provided.
To volunteer, contact Suzanne Holland, Hidden Oaks, at [email protected] or call 703-941-1065. Fairfax Master Naturalists can record their service hours as E110: FCPA Nature Programs.
Bull Run Stream Monitoring Session
James S. Long Park, 4603 James Madison Hwy (Rt. 15) Haymarket, VA 20169 Parking: Old Library parking lot (first right past the horse field)
Sunday, 28 April 2019
12-2:30 pm
Join Elaine Wilson, one of the District’s pioneer/certified monitors and her team for a spring monitoring at this beautiful site in Catharpin Creek in the Gainesville area. This site has some outstanding critters that are unique only to this site. STEM kids are welcome. Spots are limited. For more information and RSVP, contact Elaine Wilson.
Help out at Culmore Multicultural Day, April 27
Hidden Oaks urgently needs nature table volunteers for Culmore Multicultural Day on Saturday April 27, 9:30am – 2:30 pm at Woodrow Wilson Library, Falls Church.
Culmore Multicultural Day promotes Healthy Environment and Healthy Community. Children’s activities, live music and folklore dancers are featured. See attached flyer.
Naturalists needed to host or assist at Hidden Oaks Nature Center table with live animals- your choice back yard bugs or amphibians, possibly a turtle. All training, materials and supplies provided. Ideal for multi-lingual volunteer.
To volunteer, contact Suzanne Holland, Hidden Oaks, at [email protected] or call 703-941-1065.
Record service hours as E110: FCPA Nature Programs.
Save Blake Lane Park Spring Party
Blake Lane Park
10033 Blake Lane, Oakton
Saturday, April 27th
11 am – 3 pm
You are invited for a day filled with fun!
Family and friends are welcome.
What to expect:
Games for young and old.
Nature walk by naturalist Laura Beaty of the Virginia Native Plant Society scheduled for 12 o’clock in the afternoon.
Theater Games and Art for children and parents proudly offered by WonderGo.
Face Painting – Photo Corner – Snacks – Fun.
Dog park remains open and welcomes all dogs with a little treat.
Find out how you can help Save Blake Lane Park.
Optional:
Bring a snack or baked goods to share.
For more information and to let the organizer know you will attend.
Caterpillars Count! A citizen science workshop for educators
Looking for a new way to engage your students or visitors in hands-on science learning and contribute valuable information to local research about insects and birds? Become aCaterpillars Count! citizen scientist! Caterpillars and other insects live on the trees and plants all around us. They make up a critical part of many ecosystems and are an important food source for birds and other organisms.In this workshop, we’ll introduce you to Caterpillars Count!, a new citizen science project designed by biologists from the University of North Carolina, and show you how you can become a part of research linking birds to their insect food sources on trees. Learn how to conduct surveys of insects with your students/visitors, monitor changes in the abundance and type of insects present over time, and report your data using our free mobile app. We’ll also introduce sample learning activities and the Caterpillars Count! website, where you can explore the data collected by your group with others from around the state.
This workshop is open to and designed for both formal (grades 6-12) and non-formal educators. Each participant will receive a handbook of instructional materials and sample learning activities. Lunch provided.
Friday, May 3; 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Riverbend Park
Location: Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great Falls, VA 22066
Cost: FREE
Registration: We have limited space, so click here to apply now. Applications will be accepted until 4/30/19.
Questions about the workshop?
Contact Sarah Yelton, Caterpillars Count! Project Coordinator:[email protected]
FMN quarterly meeting, graduation, and presentation on permaculture, May 19
St. Dunstan’s Church
1830 Kirby Rd., McLean, VA
Sunday, 19 May 2019
2-4 pm
All are welcome to join our Fairfax Master Naturalist chapter for a brief chapter meeting, a chance to win door prizes, celebrate our Spring 2019 graduating class, and enjoy Christine Harris’s presentation on Permaculture Design.
Bill Mollison coined the term permaculture in the 1970s, and then wrote the book Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual to share the concepts. In his words: “Permaculture is about designing sustainable human settlements. It is a philosophy and an approach to land use which weaves together microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soil, water management, and human needs into intricately connected, productive communities.” Learn more here.
FMN members receive one hour of continuing education credit for attending.
Biological Control of Tree-of-Heaven, VMN webinar April 18th
Virginia Master Naturalist Continuing Education, for everyone!
Thursday, 18 April 2019
12 pm
Meeting Number: 673-006-772
Link to join: Join Webinar
Link for recordings of this and past webinars:
VMN Continuing Education Webinar page
This webinar focuses on research to evaluate biological control options for the invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). It is an invasive tree that causes ecological harm by displacing native plant species. It’s also known as “stink tree” due to the strong odor produced by the male flowers. You’ll hear background information on biological control and why it’s an appropriate option for Ailanthus. Additionally, the presenter will provide an update of her Virginia-based research studying a native fungal biological control agent. Come learn what this research might mean for Ailanthus control in the coming years!
Presenter
Rachel Brooks is a third-year PhD candidate in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech studying plant pathology. Rachel is originally from New Hampshire and obtained a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont in 2011. She hopes to use her Virginia Tech degree to study emerging forest health problems while also conducting outreach and education.
Clean the Chesapeake Bay Day, June 1st
Various locations
Saturday, 1 June 2019
9 am-12 pm
Each year, on the first Saturday of June, thousands of Virginians simultaneously descend on the rivers, streams, and beaches of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. Thirty-one years strong, Clean the Bay Day is a true Virginian tradition and an annual opportunity for families, military installations, businesses, clubs, civic or church groups to give back to local waterways.
This short, three-hour annual event has a massive cumulative impact. Since 1989, Clean the Bay Day has engaged over 158,200 volunteers, who have removed approximately 6.64 million pounds of debris from nearly 7,750 miles of shoreline in Virginia!
Signing up for Clean the Bay Day is easy! Find a location convenient to you on our locations list or interactive map and register yourself or your group. Your information will be sent to the coordinator for that location, who will get back to you with details about your specific site. When you show up that day, just come prepared to help pick up litter and debris! All clean-up supplies will be provided.
Can’t make it on June 1st but want to help? Check out partners who are hosting their events earlier.
Eagle Festival, May 11th
Mason Neck State Park
7301 High Point Rd., Lorton, VA 22079
Saturday, 11 May 2019
10 am – 6 pm
(Bird walk at 8:30 am, must register)
Don’t miss Mason Neck State Park’s 22d annual Eagle Festival! They’ll have live shows all day in the Main
Tent, including raptors, reptiles and mammals. The Hartwell Children’s Tent will offer children’s activities from our conservation partners. We’ll have Bald Eagle nest viewing tours, hay rides, pony rides, music, food and drink, a live eagle cam, exhibits from more than 20 environmental organizations, including Fairfax Master Naturalists, a youth photo contest and Mini-Clinics from REI.
You can see the entire schedule of activities at Eagle Festival Flyer.pdf
A Bird Walk led by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, starts at 8:30 am. You must register to participate in the Bird Walk, which is limited to thirty participants. You can sign up at Register for Bird Walk.
Admission to the Park is free all day, so come on out and enjoy the Park’s biggest event of the year!