Explore nature at Hidden Oaks

In the midst of the busy highways, shopping centers, and human activity that surround Annandale, the Hidden Oaks Nature Center offers a peaceful refuge for wildlife and a fun place for children to encounter and learn about nature.

You might call Hidden Oaks one of Annandale’s hidden gems. Fairfax County has five nature centers, but Hidden Oaks was the first—it opened in 1969—and is the only one inside the beltway. It’s at 7701 Royce St., offer Hummer Road.

Hidden Oaks’ wooded grounds harbor all sorts of wildlife, including raccoons, deer, opossums, several kinds of bats, and flying squirrels. Assistant Manager Suzanne Holland has seen a fox with its pups on their first outing out of their den, a young pair of red-shouldered hawks struggling to build their first nest, fledgling phoebes on their first flight, and a six-inch tiger salamander. Inside, you can visit with several Nature Center residents, including a black rat snake (photo at right), other snakes, a box turtle, and fish. There is a wide selection of stuffed wildlife specimens, bones, bird nests, pinecones, and artifacts for children to explore under a microscope.

Outside, there is a way station for monarch butterflies to rest during their 3,200-mile journey between Canada and Mexico, the longest migration of any insect. Holland calls monarchs a “gateway species” that can teach children about backyard habitats and get them interested in learning about other, less attractive insects that don’t have such a “wow factor.”

The outdoor play area, “Nature Playce,” provides an environment for kids to explore nature through creative play. Kids can build a nest out of twigs, or make a mud pie in a safe, unstructured environment. Holland wants kids to have fun experiences with nature so they will be comfortable picking up a leaf or touching a worm while exploring their own backyards. Her education programs for children encourage them to be “bug watchers, not bug squashers.” Children who attend an orientation session receive a free magnifying glass from Friends of Hidden Oaks.

Nature Playce is based on the ideas of Richard Louv, who wrote Last Child in the Woods. He coined the term “nature deficit disorder” about children who don’t spend enough time outdoors and don’t have direct experiences with nature. When Holland first got involved with Hidden Oaks, as a volunteer, she was astounded to see teenagers who were very street smart but had never been in the woods. “They were scared to see a toad,” she recalls.

Hidden Oaks’ programs for children usually combine a national history lesson with a fun activity, like last Saturday’s teddy bear picnic. Click here for a list of upcoming programs.

With Fairfax County’s budget problems, Hidden Oaks has had to become much more dependent on fees, facility rentals, grants, and volunteers. The nature center lost two and a-half staff positions over the past two years. Whereas educational programs used to be free, Hidden Oaks now charges about $5 per child, and PTAs pay the center when naturalists bring programs to the schools. Holland has stepped up her outreach efforts to bring nature programs to schoolchildren in their communities—such as the Culmore Clean-up event—and to seek grant funding to serve populations that can’t afford the fees.

Hidden Oaks recently received a $5,000 grant from Transurban, the company working on the beltway HOT lanes project, to create a water feature in Nature Playce made of natural bird-bath stones at different levels. Staff will be able to easily drain out the water every evening so the stones don’t become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

The Kiwanis Club has contributed funds, service hours, and materials, and the Rotary Club of Bailey’s Crossroads donated a $3,200 microscope and contributed $1,000 to allow six children from Annandale Terrace Elementary School to attend Hidden Oaks’ summer camp. According to Holland, volunteers are the “lifeblood of Hidden Oaks.”

The nature center is available for rent for children’s birthday parties, with a program led by a naturalist on such topics as reptiles or dinosaurs. Adult groups can also rent the nature center for private events. Contact Suzanne Holland (703/941-1065) for more information.