Tag: nature
Sediment from Inova project is damaging the watershed
Sediment from the Inova construction site is flowing into streams. [Photos by Kris Unger] Construction at the Inova Center for Personalized Health and related projects on Gallows Road on the former Exxon Mobil site is causing large amounts of sediment to flow into streams and is thus compromising the Holmes Run watershed. While some efforts have … Continued
County will repave part of Cross County Trail
The Cross County Trail The Fairfax County Park Authority will begin construction to improve the surface of the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail between King Arthur Road and Woodburn Road in Annandale this month. The trail will be repaved with asphalt and concrete, and several culverts will be replaced. The project is expected to be … Continued
Blame the weird weather for the #FallFail
Fall foliage in Seven Corners on Nov. 1, 2018. October has come and gone and we still haven’t seen the blaze of color in our trees that make the fall landscape in Northern Virginia so dramatic. Don’t hold your breath. While a few trees have turned yellow, “fall color is not going to be great … Continued
Hidden Oaks celebrates 10 years of free play in nature
Nature Playce offers children a place to explore and play in a natural setting. Nature Playce, the outdoor play area at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center, gives children a chance to play and be creative outdoors with no rules. And that’s what they did at the 10th anniversary celebration of Nature Playce Sept. 29: They … Continued
You’re invited: Join a mussel rescue party
Volunteers save mussels at Accotink Creek. [FACC] By Tony Vellucci The Friends of Accotink Creek (FACC) invite you to join their party this summer – a mussel rescue party! At one time, fresh water mussels are believed to have inhabited a number of streams in Fairfax County. Today, however, the only place Accotink watershed stream … Continued
Hidden Oaks interpreter honored
Holland Naturalist Suzanne Holland, the visitor services manager at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale, was honored as one of 30 “Shining Stars of Interpretation” in the United States by the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). Holland is credited with increasing programming and visitation at Hidden Oaks, which is operated by the Fairfax County Park … Continued
Petitions call for bond referendum to protect Lake Accotink
The marina at Lake Accotink. Save Lake Accotink, an advocacy group that’s pushing Fairfax County to support a bond referendum to ensure the future existence of the lake, submitted a package of petitions with 4,168 signatures to the Park Authority May 25. The petitions will be presented to the Board of Supervisors June 5. Fairfax … Continued
Vernal pools sustain habitats for wildlife
The group gathers for a tour of vernal pools near Lake Accotink. By Dave Lincoln and Beverley Rivera of Friends of Accotink Creek On a recent sunny April afternoon, educator and vernal pool expert Michael Hayslett led a captivating exploration of vernal pools in the Accotink Creek watershed. Vernal pools, also known as ephemeral pools, … Continued
Healthy trees can withstand a windstorm
Tree damage from windstorm. Much of the damage caused by trees crashing onto houses and power lines during last week’s windstorm could have been prevented, says Jim McGlone, an urban forest conservationist with the Virginia Department of Forestry. Many of the trees that were uprooted were already dead or dying, McGlone told the audience at … Continued
Deer-tolerant, native seedlings on sale
Redbud This year’s seedling sale hosted by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District is focusing on native trees and shrubs that are deer tolerant. You can order a package of six bare-root tree seedlings for $11.95 or a package of 10 bare-root tree and shrub seedlings for $16.95. Seedlings can be ordered online. Orders … Continued
Public invited to Tree Forum
While we can’t do much about the trees that were destroyed by the recent windstorm, too many trees around here are needlessly chopped down because homeowners think they might fall on a house or cause too much shade. And that’s a problem that can hurt everything from wildlife, to drainage, to property values. The public … Continued
Supervisors to weigh cost of saving Lake Accotink
The dam at Lake Accotink. Is Lake Accotink such a huge asset that it should be saved regardless of the cost? If nothing is done and the lake fills up with sediment, how will that affect property values? If the lake is dredged, how will the community deal with thousands of trucks carting dirt through … Continued
New tool lets homeowners avoid park encroachment
Parkland in Mason District as shown on the new park encroachment mapping tool. The large shape in the middle is Mason District Park. If your backyard abuts on a Fairfax County park, you’re not supposed to be treating parkland as part of your own private domain. Park encroachment is a problem, as homeowners put up … Continued
Heron spotted in Annandale park
Thanks to a reader for getting a photo of this heron seen from the bridge on Holmes Run Trail near Rose Lane Park in Annandale. The two dogs with the photographer annoyed the heron and it flew away.
County tries new approach to curbing deer population
Faced with a budget shortfall and disappointing results in its archery program, Fairfax County is trying a new approach to reducing the deer population. Under the soon-to-be-launched Predator Pilot Program, the county will embed wild coyotes, wolves, and possibly a couple of “coywolves,” into local parks to reduce the number of deer. “The deer population … Continued