Meadowood Sensory Nature Trail Public Workshop on May 3rd

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Photo: By FMN Jerry Nissley – Meadowlark Garden view
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025
9AM-NOON (EASTERN TIME)

MUSTANG TRAILHEAD
10702 HARLEY RD, LORTON, VA 22079

The Bureau of Land Management’s Lower Potomac Field Station is proposing to develop a sensory nature trail at Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area in Lorton, VA. The proposed trail would be approximately 1-mile of accessible trail with up to six sensory stations along the trail. Other amenities may include development of a small parking area with an access road, vault toilet, and signage. This sensory trail is based on the Autism Nature Trail at Letchworth State Park in New York plus other local sensory trails. The accessible trail would be designed for all ages and abilities, accommodating individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, people with disabilities, and the general public. Sensory trails can be enjoyed by anyone, promoting engagement with nature and encouraging the use of all senses. The sensory stations will be areas that engage visitors in exercises to help stimulate senses, such as nature paths, music, motor skills, and visual features. YOUR help is needed to provide ideas and feedback on what sensory stations, amenities, and features should be proposed for this trail!
BLM office is hosting a Meadowood Sensory Nature Trail Workshop on May 3rd at 9am at Mustang Trailhead (10702 Harley Rd, Lorton, VA) to go over the proposed trail and sensory stations. The agenda of the Workshop is the following:
  • 9 am: Welcoming and Introduction
  • 9:15-10am: Guided Field Visit – The BLM will guide a tour along Mustang Loop Trail to show potential locations of the proposed trail. Please wear suitable clothing and shoes for walking and bring water and snacks. The Mustang Loop Trail is under a mile long on a mostly flat meadow with a mixture of natural trail and mowed grass.
  • 10:15-12pm: Project Feedback under the Multi-use Pavilion – We will facilitate an interactive discussion about the proposed trail and sensory stations.
This inclusive workshop is open to all including the general public, and interested groups, clubs, and organizations. If you cannot make this date, there will be future public comment periods this summer once the draft environmental planning document is available. Those interested in providing more in-depth feedback may email: BLM_ES_NSDO_PublicInquiry@blm.gov. Please include “Sensory Nature Trail” in the subject line. Registration is not required but suggested. See the attached flyer for more information about the Workshop. Our office hopes to see you at our Workshop on May 3rd! Welcome to share this email and the attached flyer. If you have any questions, reach out via email or call our office us at 703-339-8009.
Thanks,
Ryan Jackson
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Bureau of Land Management
Lower Potomac Field Station
Cell: (701) 495-3595
Office: (703) 339-3460

Stream Monitoring Citizen Science & Training Opportunities, April and May Dates Available

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Photo: By FMN J. Quinn, Stream monitoring

Are you interested in obtaining a Virginia Save Our Streams Stream Monitoring certification? This certification is not required for the workshops, but it allows you to monitor your own site if you wish. The certification consists of three parts – watching online webinars, passing an online macroinvertebrate ID exam, and taking an in-person field protocols exam. The next field protocol exam will be offered at the end of the spring monitoring season, likely in June. Please reach out to the stream monitoring coordinator, Ashley, with any questions.

 

Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) Spring stream monitoring season is in full swing! They hope you’ll be able to join them at one of the upcoming stream monitoring workshops.

Little Difficult Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Sunday, April 20, 3:00-6:00pm
Where: Fred Crabtree Park/Fox Mill District Park, Herndon

This small stream is in a peaceful wooded park a short hike away from the parking area. Little Difficult Run often scores very highly on our macroinvertebrate index because its watershed lies almost completely within the protected parkland. Reaching this site requires hiking through the woods and over uneven terrain. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

Pohick Creek Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Sunday, May 4, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Pohick Creek Stream Valley Park, Springfield

The stream monitoring site on Pohick Creek is located on the cross-county trail, popular with runners, dog walkers, and families. This is the largest and deepest stream monitored in these public workshops. This is an accessible stream site, which can be reached by wheelchair and/or other assistive tools over a paved path (there may be some uneven spots). Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

TBD Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Saturday, May 10, 1:00-4:00pm
Where: TBD

Organizers are holding this space as a rain date for another workshop, or perhaps to explore a new stream to add to the monitoring roster. Although they don’t have any more details yet, they wanted to share this placeholder with you, with more info to follow in the May newsletter.

 

Quander Creek/Dyke Marsh Muddy Bottom Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Thursday, May 15, 10:00am-12:00pm(ish)
Where: Mount Vernon District Park, Alexandria

 

Volunteers will monitor a small tributary of Dyke Marsh twice this spring in partnership with the Friends of Dyke Marsh. This is NVSWCD’s only muddy bottom stream, all others use the rocky bottom protocol. This is great opportunity for new and certified monitors alike to see a different stream habitat. They also see a lot of cool crane fly larva and dragonfly larva here! Reaching this site requires walking through the woods and over uneven terrain. Space at this workshop is limited. If you’re interested in participating, please email Ashley.

 

TBD Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Thursday, May 22, 3:00-6:00pm
Where: TBD

Organizers are holding this space as a rain date for another workshop, or perhaps to explore a new stream to add to our monitoring roster. Although the they don’t have any more details yet, they wanted to share this placeholder with you, with more info to follow in the May newsletter.

 

The NVSWCD is very excited to contribute their stream data to state and national datasets. If you’d like to see data from all the NVSWCD regional stream monitoring team’s active sites, you can find the organization on the Clean Water Hub.

Spring Cleaning 🌳 Volunteer for a Watershed Cleanup! (April and May Dates)

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A celebration of 10 years of the Fairfax County Spring Watershed Cleanup in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Fairfax County Park Authority. It is time to come together with your community and neighbors to remove trash from your local waterways. Be a part of the solution—volunteers have removed nearly 30 tons of trash over the last decade through this spring cleanup!

Will you be one of the 400 people we need to pick up trash? Get your friends, family, colleagues, and groups involved.

Registration for the 2025 cleanups is open.

Event capacity is limited. Please follow instructions about registering in groups in the detail section of the registration pages. You can view a list of all park locations, dates, times, and number of volunteers needed here and below.

Saturday, April 19

  • Register: Merrybrook Run Stream Valley Park—9-11 a.m.
  • Register: John Byers Park—9-11 a.m.

Saturday, April 26

  • Register: Cub Run Stream Valley (Flint Lee Road)—9-11:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 3

  • Register: Lake Fairfax Park—10 a.m.-noon

Saturday, May 10

  • Register: Franconia Rec Center—9-11:30 a.m.

A confirmation email with additional details will be sent to registered volunteers about 3-5 days before the scheduled cleanup. If you have questions between now and then, please let me know. If the sites reach capacity, we encourage you join the waitlist and find additional opportunities to volunteer and connect with nature at:

Many thanks in advance for your help. We hope to see you there!
Happy cleaning,
Brynna

Brynna Strand
(she/her/hers)
Volunteer Coordinator
[email protected]

+1 540 255 5717 (Mobile)
nature.org

 

The Nature Conservancy In Virginia
652 Peter Jefferson Pkwy
Ste 190
Charlottesville VA, 22911 U.S.A.

Clean the Bay Day, June 7th

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Saturday, June 7, 2025
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

This short, three-hour annual event has a massive cumulative impact. Since the event began in 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged more than 165,500 volunteers who have removed approximately 7.18 million pounds of debris from our land and waterways.

The 36th annual Clean the Chesapeake Bay Day event takes place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 9 a.m. to noon at sites all across the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Virginia. Volunteer registration will open in April. If you would like to be contacted when registration opens, join the email list.

Clean the Bay Day could not be the huge success that it is without everyone joining together and lending a hand. Check out the photo album. Watch the video to see why so many people participate.

Ready to go one step further? Each cleanup site needs a Zone Captain. It’s easy! You simply check in volunteers and report back data. Webinar training and other resources will be provided. Contact us at [email protected] if you would like more information.

In 2024, more than 3,680 volunteers and 60+ CBF partners gathered at over 200 sites across Virginia. Thanks to their hard work more than 82,200 pounds of debris were removed from parks, beaches, rivers, streets, and lakes.

City Nature Challenge – Washington DC Metropolitan Area, April 25th – May 4th

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Image: citynaturechallenge.org, Washington DC metro area

Friday, April 25 – Monday April 28, 2025 take photos of wild plants and animals

Tuesday, April 29 – Sunday, May 4, 2025 identification of what was found

Do you like observing nature? Make your observations count! The City Nature Challenge is an adventure in metropolitan areas worldwide to discover and identify wildlife. You will be looking for signs of life in parks, neighborhoods, and backyards to see what plants and animals share our environment. Join the City Nature Challenge and become a citizen scientist!

Everyone in the Washington DC metropolitan area with access to a camera and the internet can observe wildlife for the Challenge. Anyone worldwide can help with identifying your finds!

Upcoming Fairfax County Stream Monitoring Opportunities

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Photo: J. Quinn

The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) monitors several streams throughout Fairfax County during their scheduled stream monitoring workshops throughout the year. These workshops engage volunteers in collecting data, with scheduled monitoring sessions at least twice a year at each location.

NVSWCD trains volunteers to assess ecological conditions in streams based on the absence/presence of benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs and other critters). Training includes field workshops and mentoring by experienced monitors, no prior experience required!

Volunteers can assist at different levels of commitment. You may choose to participate in one or a few NVSWCD public stream monitoring workshops, or you may become a certified stream monitor to adopt your chosen stream and commit to monitoring it at least twice a year.

There are three shifts scheduled thus far –

  • March 11, from 10am-1pm at Sugarland Run in Herndon
  • March 16, from 9am-12pm at Pohick Creek in Springfield
  • March 20, from 3-6pm at Difficult Run in Great Falls

Minimum age: 12  (All volunteers under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.)

To sign up, please log in to Volunteer Fairfax and search for stream monitoring.

To learn more about NVSWCD and their activities, see their page here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/soil-water-conservation/volunteer-stream-monitoring

Contact Ashley Palmer for more information at 703-324-1423 or [email protected].

Jerry Nissley

Volunteer Opportunities at Hidden Oaks Nature Center

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Photo: By FMN Jerry Nissley, Hidden Oaks Nature Center

The Hidden Oaks Nature Center staff are looking for volunteers to fill these two positions.

Volunteer on Duty – Weekdays and Sundays

If you love nature and enjoy talking to people, consider volunteering at Hidden Oaks Nature Center’s front desk. You will welcome visitors, orient them to the park, answer questions, and check in program participants. This is an opportunity to learn about the natural resources of the county and share your knowledge.

Weekdays:  Shifts are 9am-1pm or 1pm-5pm

Sundays:  Shifts are 12pm-5pm, every other week

 Program Aides

Assist Hidden Oaks with teaching the public, especially kids, and have fun doing it.  Included is learning all about the local environment and nature during our programs, while on field trips, or at tabling events.  This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone with a passion for the outdoors and a drive to help instill your passion on a new generation.  Opportunities may be intermittent and based on events and registration.

If interested, please contact the Hidden Oaks volunteer coordinator at [email protected].  Thank you!

 

 

Seed Cleaning at Earth Sangha, Various Dates

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Photo: Earth Sangha

Earth Sangha Office at 5101-i Backlick Road, Annandale VA 22003
Sundays 2/2, 2/9, 2/16 & 2/23 and Mondays 2/3, 2/10, & 2/24
9 am – 12 pm
Register here to volunteer.

After a busy year of seed collecting, it’s time to go inside for some seed cleaning! Take a seat around the table and help Earth Sangha clean stems and chaff from the seeds their staff has collected from wild local eco-type plants (with permission!). The seeds will be sown, grown at their nursery, and the new plants will eventually make their way to restoration sites and private lands. These events will take place inside and can result in dust/allergens so if you have a sensitive respiratory system it may be a good idea to bring a mask.

If you have any questions about volunteering at the office, contact Maddie at [email protected] or call 703.859.2951.

Green Spring Gardens – Volunteers Needed

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Green Spring Gardens, a Fairfax County Park Authority park, is looking for additional volunteers starting with the upcoming season.

Green Spring provides field trips for kids from PreK-4th grade on weekdays in the spring and fall. Field trips include fascinating topics like Metamorphosis and More, Soil Secrets, Fantastic Flora and Fauna, Virginia Ecosystems and others. Volunteers lead nature walks or attend stations that focus on topics such as Botany Lab, Water Cycle Station, Food Web, Animal Adaptations, Soil Lab, and more. FMN volunteers can log at least 2 hours per field trip. Any necessary training will be provided.

Green Spring Gardens will host field trip information sessions and trainings on February 18, 19 and 20 from 10-12:30 at Green Spring Gardens. It is only necessary to attend one session, but you are welcome to come to as many as you’d like.
Volunteers can log hours in Better Impact using code E110 FCPA Educational Nature Programs – Fairfax County Park Authority.

Please contact Pam Smith at [email protected] to learn more about the various opportunities and sign up for February training.

Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
703-642-5173
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring

Cover Photo – curtesy of FCPA

Green Spring Gardens

Green Spring Garden Seeking Gardeners

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Photo: Courtesy of Green Springs Garden

Join the Green Spring Gardeners to help keep them growing and enhance garden grounds for visitor enjoyment and education. Additional volunteer gardeners are welcome to help the horticulture teams. As a volunteer gardener, you will assist with all phases of gardening including propagation, transplanting, mulching, weeding, watering and harvesting.

Qualifications:

  • Basic horticulture knowledge
  • Previous hands-on gardening experience
  • Interest in the stewardship of the county’s natural and cultural resources
  • Gardening requires lifting, bending, and stooping (you should be able to lift 25-30 lbs)
  • You will work in teams, so it is important that you work well with others and maintain a positive attitude
  • Minimum age: 18

If selected as a volunteer, you will be required to attend a site orientation and on-the-job training as required. Mandatory Volunteer Outdoor Safety and Power Tools/Equipment Training will be provided.

Hours of operation are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Volunteer gardeners would commit to three hours per week for a period of four months.

Location: 4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria, VA 22312

You can sign up through the Volunteer Fairfax Site: https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/opp_details/187124

For more information about Green Spring Gardens: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring