Tag: nature
First cicadas spotted in Annandale
Cicada sighting in Annandale backyard. The first cicadas from Brood X are beginning to emerge from the ground where they’ve spent the last 17 years. If you’re lucky, you might see a cicada or two in your yard now, but in a week or so, a wide swath of the Eastern United States will be … Continued
Visit Fairfax invites the public to play Cicada Bingo
Get ready for a cicada lovefest. [Visit Fairfax] If “Virginia is for Lovers,” the cicadas should feel right at home. When the billions of cicadas in Brood X will emerge next month after spending 17 years underground, they will have one thing on their minds – attracting a mate and producing the next generation.
17 things to know about the 17-year cicada invasion
Soon our yards will be full of cicadas like this one. [Scientific American] As we’re nearing the end of one plague, we’re about to be inundated by another. Billions of cicadas in Brood X, hidden underground for the past 17 years, will emerge across parts of the East Coast and Midwest in May. The D.C. … Continued
Watch the Green Grow program encourages residents to protect the watershed
A native garden in Annandale. Fairfax County residents who take actions to protect the watershed – by not using toxic chemicals on their lawn or replacing invasives with native plants, for example – can chart their efforts on an interactive map. The map is part of the Park Authority’s Watch the Green Grow program, which … Continued
Community members air concerns about plans to use Justice Park as a parking lot for Justice HS
Justice High School PE students use the basketball court at Justice Park. Fairfax County Public School and Park Authority officials have yet to explain to residents the process involved in their plans to pave a section of Justice Park to create a parking lot for Justice High School in Seven Corners. Community members expressed their … Continued
Hidden Oaks Nature Center has a connection to an African chief
Alex and Lassine Doumbia By Suzanne Holland Annandale residents Alex Doumbia, a naturalist at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale and a member of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Work Force Council, and his father, Lassine Doumbia, share a common passion for education, nature, and parks. Lassine has volunteered to lead the Spotlight by Starlight … Continued
Explore a park: Mason District Park has something for everyone
The pond at Mason District Park. This article is part of our series on parks in the Annandale/Mason District area. The last piece in this series explored Roundtree Park. At 60 acres, Mason District Park is the largest park in Mason District. It’s a great place for a nature walk, team sports, outdoor concert, and … Continued
Flowers for your vase: Go local
Elegance Formula Sweet Pea Mix from Johnny’s Seeds catalog. By Marie Reinsdorf Spring is on the way, and Culpeper County flower grower Bob Wollam is starting his sweet peas in a hoop house. They go in now to beat the heat but must be undercover where the soil won’t freeze. Sweet peas have a heavenly … Continued
Summer camp registration open for Hidden Oaks Nature Center
Nature Playce at Hidden Oaks. [Keith Pham] Registration is now open for summer camps at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale. Capacity is limited to 12 children per session. All camps are held outdoors. There are lots of options. Register here.
Fairfax County has no plans to harm the Mantua beavers
A beaver in Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria. “The county has no plans to trap, remove, or relocate the beavers at the Mantua pond,” said Fairfax County Wildlife Management Specialist Katherine Edwards. That statement was made in response to a petition titled Save the Mantua Beavers by a Mantua resident concerned about a pair of … Continued
Explore a Park: Ecological restoration and history at Fitzhugh Park in Annandale
This article is part of the Annandale Blog’s Explore a Park series. Previous parks in the series include Manassas Gap Park and Luria Park in Annandale and Lillian Carey Park in Bailey’s Crossroads. Fitzhugh Park is a 10-acre park in Annandale between the Bristow Village condominium, the Ravensworth-Bristow neighborhood, and the beltway. Features: Playground, basketball … Continued
Studies underway to prepare for Lake Accotink dredging project
Lake Accotink Planning and analysis for the Lake Accotink dredging project is well underway. Construction is not expected to start until March 2023, however, as key decisions need to be made about how the dredging will work. The project involves construction of a pipeline and a large clearing in Wakefield Park for drying out the … Continued
Explore a Park: Luria Park is a green oasis on the edge of Holmes Run Stream Valley Park
This is the third article in the Annandale Blog’s Explore a Park series. The previous stories were about Manassas Gap Park in Annandale and Lillian Carey Park in Bailey’s Crossroads. Luria Park is a 5.3-acre neighborhood park at 7624 Holmes Run Drive in the Holmes Run Acres neighborhood in the Falls Church area of Mason District. It’s … Continued
Hidden Oaks adjusts to pandemic with new custom programs for families or ‘bubble groups’
Nature Your Way at Hidden Oaks. By Suzanne Holland Even though Hidden Oaks Nature Center is not open for the public to visit the exhibits, the park is busy with children and adults enjoying outdoor programming. Hidden Oaks, located in Annandale Community Park, is at 7701 Royce St., Annandale. In December, Hidden Oaks is offering … Continued
Document wildlife during Virginia BioBlitz
An Eastern box turtle [Virginia Academy of Science] Local residents of all ages are encouraged to help scientists document the biodiversity in parks and backyards by joining Virginia BioBlitz 2020. The program kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 26, with presentations on Zoom by the Virginia Academy of Science and its partners, including the Fairfax County … Continued