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Fairfax Master Naturalist Chapter Project Update

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Photo credits:  Overgrown Woodland Edge Garden picture by Paul Van Rjin, Friends of Mason Neck State Park

FMN Chapter Project Update by Sarah Mayhew

The pollinator gardens at Mason Neck State Park remain a work in progress.  Some of them are looking beautiful and others are still looking neglected.  That is because we are responsible for reclaiming 6 different pollinator garden beds.  Five of them are looking good.  The sixth one is the largest — the Woodland Edge Garden is 56 ft x 52 ft or almost 3000 sq. ft.  Our two July workdays focused on getting 1/3 of the Woodland Edge Garden cleared for “smothering” the Japanese Honeysuckle under black plastic.  Here are the before, during, and after pictures of that work:

Photo credits Overgrown Woodland Edge Garden by Paul Van Rjin, Friends of Mason Neck State Park

 

Photo credits Smothering Woodland Edge Garden by Paul Van Rjin, Friends of Mason Neck State Park

 

Photo by Sarah Mayhew, FMN Gerald Rob Warren with weed whacker Mason Neck Chapter Project

 

Photo by Sarah Mayhew, FMN Chapter Project mowed Woodland Edge Garden

As you can see, there was a lot growing and then we cut it all down to ground level.  The next workday our volunteers laid down the black plastic, creatively repurposing the chicken wire we removed from the fence to help weigh down the plastic!

Our August workdays will be on Tuesday, August 8, and Saturday, August 12, 2023.  We have moved the start time to 9:00 a.m. to avoid the heat.  Our goal for these two days is to remove a large multiflora rose bush and selectively weed some invasives from the remaining two thirds of the garden that is in much better shape.  We will be identifying many native plants as we go, so you will have a good opportunity to learn new plants, too.  You can sign up to help us here:  Mason Neck State Park Pollinator Garden

 

There is one more update to the Chapter Project schedule.  We discovered in July that our “second Saturday” schedule conflicts with the Green Breakfasts.  We are moving our workdays to a “third Saturday and third Tuesday” schedule beginning in September.  We don’t want to deprive any member of the Continuing Education opportunity the Green Breakfasts provide.  Keep learning!

Pollinator Habitat 101 – 5-week webinar recordings

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 Photo by Dr. Jim Cane, USDA ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Logan, Utah.

A 5-session webinar series held from October 14th through November 11th, 2022

Find readings, links and resources for each session under the Learn With Us tab.

Doug Tallamy, University of Delaware
Pollinators’ Best Hope: A New Approach to Pollinator Habitat That Starts in Your Yard

Harland Patch, Penn State University
Creating Pollinator Gardens: The Role of Plant Choice and Design

Heather Holm, Author and Biologist
Creating and Managing Habitat for Native Bees

Matthew Shepherd, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Deciding To Create a Pollinator Garden Is the Easy Step — What To Do Next?

Shana Byrd, The Dawes Arboretum
Getting Started with Wildflower Patches, Flower Strips, and Meadows

All webinars were recorded and posted on the PH101 website Recordings tab.

This program is funded in part by a USDA/NIFA Integrated Pest Management Pollinator Health grant. The webinars will be presented with automated closed captions. If you wish to request traditional CART services or other accommodations, please contact Denise Ellsworth at [email protected].

Life in the Flower Bed, webinar July 20th

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Photo:  Sue Dingwell

Wednesday, July 20, 2022
7 – 9pm
LWC event link.

The flower patch is abuzz with pollinators but also predators looking for a meal. Learn about the good guys vs. the bad guys with “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” camouflaged “crabs,” and zombie bees. You will never look at your flowers the same way after visiting this “Serengeti” in miniature. This talk is co-sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Loudoun County Public Library.

The library doesn’t require pre-registration. Just click on the library website link (coming soon) through the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy event link included above to join when it’s time.

FLAP Pollinator Garden Work Days and Tours

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Photo courtesy of FLAP

Lake Accotink Park
7500 Accotink Park Road
Springfield, VA

Friends of Lake Accotink Park invite you to help with their pollinator garden or learn how to create your own.

CARING FOR THE POLLINATOR GARDEN
WHEN: 2nd Sunday of every month TIME: 10:30am
WHERE: Lake Accotink Park Margaret Kinder Pollinator Garden – Adjacent to the Marina.
ACTIVITY: Work alongside their experts as they care for the pollinator plants, watering, clean-up . They’ll provide the tools, gloves or you can bring your own. Register at:

https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/#/opp_details/186905

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caring-for-the-pollinator-garden-at-lake-accotink-park-tickets-158892889911

EXPLORING THE POLLINATOR GARDEN
WHEN: 2nd Sunday of every month TIME: 10:30am
WHERE: Lake Accotink Park Margaret Kinder Pollinator Garden – Adjacent to the Marina.
ACTIVITY: Their experts will guide you through the pollinators and pollinator plants, starting and maintaining your own (any size) pollinator garden.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exploring-the-pollinator-garden-at-lake-accotink-park-tickets-15889197316

Knowledgeable Volunteers Sought for FLAP Pollinator Garden

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Photo by Mary Keeser

Lake Accotink Park
7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield VA
Pollinator garden up the hill from the marina parking lot

Enthusiastic, energetic President of Friends of Lake Accotink Park has transformed the former pollinator garden into a professionally designed, all-native landscape. This garden will become a learning center with a path, interpretive sign, and a “talking box” with buttons to press for plant information. Tri-fold pamphlets will be available for visitors to take to learn to plant a pollinator garden at their homes. Fourteen species await your TLC!

They need: 1) Advice on how to care for the garden, knowing seeds will be dropped.
2) Knowledgeable volunteers to help clean the bed of unwanted plants.

Be part of the forward progress of this inspirational project! To volunteer or learn more, contact Mary Keeser at [email protected].

Master naturalists, obtain service credit under code S105: Accotink Creek Cleanup and Service Projects.