Tag: nature
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
Long Branch trail paving project delayed to provide time for public input
Flooding on the Long Branch trail. [FCPA photos] Construction of a trail paving project in Long Branch Stream Valley has been delayed for a couple of weeks so park users with concerns about the project can discuss the plans at a community meeting. The meeting will be held via Zoom Sept. 10, 7 p.m. To … Continued
Deer hunting approved for several Annandale-area parks
Signs like this one, in Holmes Run Stream Valley, are posted in parks approved for deer hunting. Fairfax County’s annual archery program to cull the deer population starts Sept. 12 and runs through Feb. 20, 2021. Bow hunters who meet certain qualifications are allowed to shoot deer from temporary deer stands installed in trees in … Continued
Residents can help prevent beetle invasion
There’s a killer on the loose in Fairfax County and residents can help catch it. The Asian Longhorned Beetle is an invasive species that attacks and kills many kings of shade trees, including its favorite, the maple. Staff of the county’s Urban Forest Management Division asks residents to keep an eye out for this insect … Continued
Holmes Run watershed in Falls Church is the site of a colonial plantation and military base
This was the site of the Dulin farmhouse in the 1700s. The wooded area along the upper section of Holmes Run near Providence RECenter in Falls Church was once a part of a slave-holding plantation in the 1700s. The Camp Alger military base was there in 1898. And in the 1920s, it was the site … Continued
Annandale homeowners highlighted on Sustainable Garden Tour
The 2020 Sustainable Garden Tour features 11 incredible gardens from all over Fairfax County, including a native garden oasis and wildlife habitat created by Annandale residents Jeanne Kadet and Mike Perel. The annual garden tour, sponsored by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, is virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A … Continued