Posts

Fairfax County Park Authority graphic of National Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day – Volunteer at a Fairfax County Park!

/in , , /by

Photo: Fairfax County Park Authority

Since 1994, National Public Lands Day (September 27, 2025) has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands.

The Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to help celebrate National Public Lands Day by taking part in any of a wide selection of service activities to protect the natural, cultural and recreational resources of the county’s treasured park system. There are a number of locations where you can sign up to help on September 27, ranging from trash cleanup to invasive plant removal.

To learn more, please visit the county’s page on National Public Lands Day or see below.

Who can participate? Anyone 8 and older

For specific park, time and activity, please see below. Each sign-up link provides further details about each location’s activities, including a site contact. You can also look up each activity through the Volunteer Fairfax site.

Location Volunteer Activity Date Time Check-in location VMS Sign-Up
Wakefield Trash cleanup, 20 volunteers Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Difficult Run SVP Trash cleanup and trimming overgrowth along trail, 10 volunteers Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Huntley Meadows Park Watershed Cleanup Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Colvin Run Mill Park Invasive pull Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Hidden Oaks Invasive pull Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Laurel Hill Park Removal of vegetation obscuring rail box car feature along Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail (GCCCT) Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Oakmont Park Invasive Management Area (IMA) site leader will host a Helping Our Lands Heal (HOLH) restoration project Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Twin Lakes GC Invasive Management Area (IMA) workday Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Sully Historic Site Trail work, garden clean up & grounds clean up Sept 27 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Map Sign Up
Eakin Community Park Invasive Management Area (IMA) workday Sept 27 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up

 

National Public Lands Day Volunteer Opportunity at Marine Corps Base Quantico, September 27th

/in , , /by

Photo: by Mike Fox, Monarch on milkweed

Saturday, September 27, 2025
9:00am to 4:00pm
In-person volunteer event
27175 Telegraph Rd
Stafford , VA 22554
United States

Registration and sign-up details: Check out: https://www.neefusa.org/npld/marine-corps-base-quantico/restoring-monarch-habitat-and-inspiring-conservation-mcb-quanticoA sign-up link is available here: https://shorturl.at/wnUGO. Note that the morning shift (9:00am-12:00n) is behind the gate, and at least two weeks advance notice is necessary to secure a base pass. The afternoon shift (1:00pm-4:00pm) is not behind a gate, and anyone can join up until the day.  For more information, please contact Alex Antram, Marine Corps Base Quantico, at aantram@vt.edu or 210-410-2394.

Join a hands-on community conservation project to transform underused land into vibrant meadows that support Monarch butterflies and other vital pollinators. At Marine Corps Base Quantico, you will be restoring critical habitat by planting two high-visibility meadows filled with milkweed and native wildflowers — essential stopover sites for migrating Monarchs, a species recently proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. This is more than just a planting project — it’s a chance to build something lasting. Volunteers will dig in on a variety of activities, including planting, harvesting and propagating seeds, constructing a rainwater catchment system with storage, and helping create a living classroom with interpretive signs. These signs will show how military and urban spaces can be reimagined as thriving biodiversity hotspots. The big kickoff is September 27, marking the start of a long-term, self-sustaining effort that protects an important indicator species while educating the public and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship across the installation.

Habitat Installation — September 27, 2025 — Join us for one or both sessions
Be part of something big! Installing two new 1,200 ft² pollinator meadows:

  1. Mainside Pollinator Garden (Expansion), 9am-12pm
    Near family housing and in collaboration with the Quantico Spouses’ Garden Club, this site is part of a long-term vision to convert 2–3 acres of invasive-dominated hillside into vibrant, native habitat for butterflies, bees, and more.
  2. Westside Meadow Plot, 1-4pm
    Right next to Quantico’s Natural Resources offices and game check station, this highly visible site will replace a monoculture lawn with a beautiful native wildscape, fully accessible to the public!

At both locations, volunteers will:
Clear brush
Till the soil
Plant native milkweed (Common and Butterfly Weed)
Add a colorful mix of supporting wildflowers.
Seeds will come from both purchased stock and on-base collections from last year’s NPLD.

Infrastructure Support — September 27, 2025, 9am-12pm
Volunteers are building more than just gardens—they are building community infrastructure. Volunteers will help construct a tool storage shed with a built-in rainwater catchment system at the Main side Pollinator Garden. Right now, there’s no water access or on-site storage, adding over 30 minutes of transport time to every volunteer session. Your help here will:

Reduce future volunteer workload
Model water conservation
Ensure the garden thrives long-term

Seed Collection & Propagation — Fall 2025 through Spring 2026

Want to keep the momentum going? After NPLD, volunteers will collect milkweed seeds from 12 known wild patches across MCB Quantico (September 28–October 4). Then in March 2026, volunteers will then stratify and start growing them indoors for spring planting.

This hands-on work ensures future plantings succeed—and that volunteers don’t have to rely solely on purchased seed. It’s a huge step toward sustainability and ecological resilience.

Whether you’re planting flowers, swinging a hammer, or collecting seeds—there’s a role for everyone. Come make a lasting difference for pollinators, the environment, and the Quantico community!

National Public Lands Day, September 23rd

/in , /by

For 30 years, National Public Lands Day has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands.

Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to be a part of their celebration of National Public Lands Day by taking part in any of a wide selection of service activities to protect the natural, cultural and recreational resources of our treasured park system!

Check out their list of service opportunities by location that day.