NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY
VOLUME 9, NO. 4 WINTER 2010
Developing Hidden Talents at Hidden Pond By Lori K. Weinraub, Park Authority Volunteer
One man’s work helps others find their career paths
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Dan Dutton always was interested in the outdoors, especially fishing. He remembers netting fish and crayfish during a program that McCaffrey led and how much he enjoyed it. He started volunteering at Hidden Pond in seventh grade and today, at age 26, Dutton is studying for a master’s degree in Fisheries and Marine Science at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. For many years and for a few Fairfax County youngsters, McCaffrey has been instrumental in pointing them in a direction they might not have otherwise considered or known about.
Learning about nature is fun Dutton said his parents encouraged his love of the outdoors but he added, “without Hidden Pond, I don’t think I would have followed those early tendencies. Mike made learning about nature fun.” McCaffrey initiated the youth volunteer program at Hidden Pond when he began working at the site in 1990. He launched it with eight kids caring for animals and helping with summer nature programs. Three stayed on past summer, and soon McCaffrey was making regular schedules. Today there are about 40 Hidden Pond
Photo courtesy of The Springfield Connection
Audrey Owens, a turtle biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, was a protégé of Hidden Pond Nature Center’s Mike McCaffrey.
s a child, Audrey Owens was crazy about reptiles — frogs, snakes, turtles, you name them. She thought that if you wanted to work with animals you had to be a veterinarian. Then she started volunteering at Hidden Pond Nature Center (HPNC) and met Assistant Manager Mike McCaffrey.
volunteers who do everything from clean reptile cages to greet visitors and run birthday parties. Dutton volunteered until he graduated from Edison High School. On breaks from Virginia Tech, where he studied fisheries science, he worked at Hidden Pond as a staff naturalist. Robert Muir is another vol-
unteer who stayed. He started Former Pohick Ranger Audrey Owens played Lupe, the Rainforest in 2000 as a seventh grader and Slug Queen, at Hidden Pond Nature volunteered until 2006. He later Center’s Slugfest in 1994.
moved to Washington state and, when he moved back to Fairfax County last December, he returned to HPNC and is now a paid naturalist.
The Right Stuff McCaffrey looks for kids who really want to be there and don’t mind getting dirty. Many start in the Pohick Rangers after-school program, which is geared toward 9- to 12-year-olds. If they have what McCaffrey calls “a knack,” they are asked to volunteer. He must know what he’s doing; about half of the seventh-graders stay into their high school years and beyond. Muir said McCaffrey gets involved with the young volunteers by doing things with them, such as gathering worms. “He talks the talk and walks the walk,” Muir said. continued on page 9
INSIDE . . . Holidays in the Parks
p Fairfax County Park Authority • Fairfax, VA 22035 • 703-324-8695 • FAX 703-324-3996 • TTY 703-803-3354 • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources Winter 2010 1
EVENTS
WINTER EVENTS
NATURAL RESOURCE AND HISTORIC SITES
Creature Feature
BURKE LAKE PARK 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station Call 703-323-6600
December 26, (All ages), 4-4:45pm, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065. Discover the turtles of Fairfax County. Reservations required. $4
COLVIN RUN MILL 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls Call 703-759-2771 ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly Call 703-631-0013
S’More Bird Watching Please! January 2, (Families), 1:30-3pm, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065. A popular American pastime. Bring binoculars. Reservations required. $4/child, $2/adult
FRYING PAN FARM PARK 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon Call 703-437-9101 GREEN SPRING GARDENS 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria Call 703-642-5173 HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER 7701 Royce Street, Annandale Call 703-941-1065 HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER 8511 Greeley Blvd., Springfield Call 703-451-9588 HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria Call 703-768-2525 LAKE ACCOTINK PARK 7500 Accotink Park Rd., Springfield Call 703-569-3464 LAKE FAIRFAX PARK 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston Call 703-471-5414 RIVERBEND PARK 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls Call 703-759-9018 SULLY HISTORIC SITE 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly Call 703-437-1794 HISTORIC PROPERTIES RENTAL SERVICES www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm Call 703-938-8835
Need directions or more information? VISIT www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.
Riverbend Park is part of the Potomac River Gorge, which The Nature Conservancy calls “one of the most significant natural areas in the eastern United States.”
The Potomac River Gorge Trail — A Globally Rare Environment Daily, (8 yrs. and up), 7am-dusk, picnic area by the Riverbend Visitor Center, 703-759-9018. Enjoy a self-guided, 2.5-mile hike along the Potomac River. Free
Flower Power: Grow Pretty Paperwhites December 5, 2-3pm, Green Spring Gardens, 703-642-5173. Discover how to force bulbs to bloom indoors. Includes bulbs, container and soil. $15/project
Nature Quest — Evergreens December 14, (3-6yrs), 10-11am, Hidden Pond Nature Center, 703-451-9588. Search for forest plants and trees that remain green throughout the winter. Dress for the weather. Reservations required. $4
Naturalist Boot Camp
Editor/Writer: Photos:
David Ochs Don Sweeney, FCPA David Ochs Production: Innovative Projects, Inc. Published quarterly by the Fairfax County Park Authority, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035-1118. Available at park sites and Fairfax County libraries. Visit ResOURces online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources. c ResOURces is printed on recycled paper.
(and free time for parents) December 18, (6-10yrs), 6:30-9:30pm December 19, (6-10yrs), 9am-12noon and 1-4pm December 20, (6-10 yrs), 1-4pm, Hidden Pond Nature Center, 703-451-9588. An action-filled time of hiking, critter watching and catching. Meet, feed and hold live animals. Snacks, holiday songs and ghost stories. Reservations required. $30
Winter Solstice Celebration December 20, (Families), 1:30-2:30pm, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065. Discover the facts and fantasy of the shortest day of the year. Reservations required. $5/child
2 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Kids’ Korner at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Ants: January 4, 11, 9:30-10:30am; or January 7, 14, 1-2pm Archaeology: Feb. 1, 8, 9:30-10:30am; or Feb. 4, 11, 1-2pm Preschool children, accompanied by an adult, learn a little nature and a little history. Reservations required. $5/child
Make-a-Basket Workshop January 23, Noon-3pm, Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794. A local basket-maker teaches techniques. Supplies included. Prepaid reservations. $45
Naturalist Corner January 29, (3-12 yrs.), 1-4pm, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065. Budding artists and naturalists can explore over a dozen learning and craft stations. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations required. $5
Making Light at Sully February 6, 1-3pm, Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794. Discover how light was made at Sully 200 years ago. Reservations required. $4
Maple Syrup Boil-Down February 7 & 14, March 7, noon-2pm, Colvin Run Mill, 703-759-2771. Watch and learn as sap is boiled down into sweet syrup over an open fire. Samples while supplies last. Free
Two Rooms — One Up, One Down February 20, 1-3pm, Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794. Visit Sully’s original outbuildings and the representative slave cabin. Peek at the loft, which is normally closed to the public. $6/ adult, $5/student, $4/senior and child
PA R K F O U N D AT I O N
Plant Your Legacy By Paul Baldino, Executive Director, Park Foundation
“I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”
Best of all, know that your generosity will preserve and improve Fairfax County’s parks for years to come.
– William Penn
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ome of life’s happiest moments occur in parks — a walk with a special person, children at play, sporting events, picnics, outdoor concerts, wildlife sightings, local history discoveries and moments of quiet contemplation. To assure that our beautiful parks and the experiences that enrich our lives can be enjoyed by future generations, thoughtful people have chosen to leave a legacy. They include the Fairfax County Park Foundation in their estate and financial planning.
If you wish to benefit a specific park or park program, please contact us so we can assure that your wishes will be fulfilled as you intend.
❉ Stocks, bonds and mutual funds ❉ Life insurance ❉ Retirement accounts Discuss these and other giving methods with your attorney or financial advisor. A planned gift may have tax benefits for both you as a donor and your heirs. Life-income gifts, such as gift annuities and charitable trusts, can even provide you with income during your lifetime as well as considerable tax savings.
For more information, contact Paul Baldino, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Foundation, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 404, Fairfax, VA 22035, 703324-8581. The Fairfax County Park Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code. We help pick up where tax dollars leave off in meeting community needs for park land, facilities and services. Donations to the Park Foundation are tax deductible and an investment in Fairfax County’s quality of life that will pay dividends forever.
You can be one of those generous people. You can tailor your legacy to your personal circumstances, and you can choose to benefit the entire park system or a favorite park or program. Gifts of all sizes are welcome. Each gift plays a vital role in caring for our parks. Legacy gifts may be made in many forms including: ❉ Bequests ❉ Charitable gift annuities ❉ Charitable trusts ❉ Real estate
Details of the Plant Your Legacy program are in a brochure available at park sites throughout the county.
Thank a coach, thank a teacher, thank a friend with a Park Authority Gift Card! http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/giftcards/
Winter 2010
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N AT U R E
Dead Leaf? Odd Shape? Look Twice! By Carolyn Gamble, Assistant Manager, Huntley Meadows Park
Photo by Tim Krynak, Naturalist, Cleveland Metroparks
“It did not look like fur, but was like the plush of the ripe cattail head, though more loose all trembling in the wind and with the pulsations of the animal.” – Henry David Thoreau, describing a red bat he found.
A red bat hangs in North Chagrin Reservation of Cleveland Metroparks.
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Leaf impersonations perfectly suit this species of bat (Lasiurus borealis), one of three local “tree bats.” These aren’t house or cave dwellers. Red bats, like hoary and silverhaired bats, prefer roosting in trees. Red bats are medium-sized bats, about three and a-half to five inches long with a wingspan of 111/2 to 13 inches. They weigh about the same as a one-page letter, around 1 /2 ounce, and they have a trait that’s unusual for bats. They exhibit sexual dimorphism — females are larger and males are more brightly colored. The Organization for Bat Conservation calls the red bat “one of North America’s most beautiful bats.” The fur is long, ranges in color from bright red in males to dull brick or chestnut in females, and is frosted in white. Red bats also sport white fur on their shoulders like the epaulettes on a military uniform.
When temperatures dip below freezing, red bats arouse because they must raise their body temperature above ambient conditions. They are known to leave their tree roost and drop down to seek warmth in leaf litter on the forest floor. Researchers have documented A close look at the back side and wing of a red bat.
Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Wayne National Forest
nce when I was walking at Huntley Meadows, I peered into the canopy of a tulip tree and an unusually shaped dead leaf caught my eye. On closer inspection with binoculars, I discovered to my delight that the dead leaf was actually a sleeping red bat hanging by one foot and blanketed in its furred tail membrane, called the uropatgium.
Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Wayne National Forest
During a warm spell, red bats may wake from their winter torpor and take advantage of an insect emergence. If you stroll along a forest path on a mild winter afternoon and see a bat swoop down the trail in front of you, there is a good chance it is a red bat. Watch closely and see if you glimpse a flash of red as the bat darts back and forth catching insects.
this behavior by tracking red bats tagged with tiny radio transmitters. In June, a red bat female has a litter of up to five young. That’s a lot for a bat. Most species have one or two. Normally, the female leaves the young hanging in a tree when she forages, but if she is disturbed she will try to fly with the young clinging to her. This may lead to a crash landing and accounts for some human/red bat encounters.
Face to face with a red bat. These bats are commonly seen chasing insects in Fairfax County.
If you happen to see a red bat, whether impersonating a leaf or flying in early evening, consider it a great sighting. Just remember, for safety reasons, no touching.
Teach children to never touch a bat. There’s always the possibility the animal is sick. Less than 1% of the general bat population has been found to have rabies, but safety dictates avoiding contact entirely.
4 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
H O R T I C U LT U R E / H I S T O R Y
WINTER GREEN By Marianne Mooney and Sandy Rittenhouse-Black
Green Spring’s Winter Lecture Series is an antidote for cold weather.
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n the chilly winter months when gardens and gardeners are dormant, activities at Green Spring Gardens move to the warm indoors. One tradition at the site is The Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series, named in remembrance of a volunteer who supported the lectures faithfully. The series started in 1994 and presents local and national authorities on horticulture, gardens and historic landscapes. This winter’s ten programs begin January 17 and continue on Sundays through March 21.
Frying Pan Designated a Historic Landmark
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rying Pan Farm Park is now part of a registered Virginia Historic Landmark. Frying Pan comprises a large part of the Floris Historic District that was officially designated as a landmark in September by the board of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The district is nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. Frying Pan joins several other Park Authority sites on the Virginia Landmarks Register: Colvin Run Mill, Dranesville Tavern, Frying Pan Meetinghouse, Great Falls Grange Hall and Forestville School, Green Spring Gardens, Huntley House and Sully Historic Site.
Richard Olsen of the U.S. National Arboretum opens the series with the latest on woody plants. Artist Doreen Bolnick will share stories about the plants she encountered in Zambia while compiling the First Wildflower Guide for Zambia. Orchid fanciers won’t want to miss Smithsonian Horticulturist Tom Mirenda. In February, Fairfax County Wildlife Biologist Victoria Monroe talks about managing the deer and rabbits feasting on your garden. Culinary historian Michael Twitty discusses culinary connections and historic foodways of Africans and Native Americans in Virginia. Brent Heath shares secrets on planting bulbs with other perennials, annuals and flowering shrubs. Sandra Clinton of Clinton and Associates discusses integrating native plants into a designed landscape. As spring nears, Lee Reich, the author of Landscaping with Fruit, introduces the most luscious trees, shrubs and vines for flowers, color, form and food. Joe Seamone, a.k.a. Boca Joe, will share images of tropical gardens in the Washington area and show how to create and grow a piece of paradise. The series concludes with Sean Hogan, co-founder of world famous Cistus Nursery in Oregon, presenting Trees of All Seasons. Winter programs at Green Spring are online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/.
The Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series at Green Spring Gardens Sundays at 1:30 p.m. in the Horticulture Center January 17
What’s New in Woody Plants?
January 24
Wildflowers in Africa: Adventures in Compiling the First Wildflower Guide for Zambia
Birthdays at Frying Pan Farm Park
January 31
Mysteries of Orchid Pollination
February 7
Managing Wildlife Conflict
Celebrate the birthdays at Frying Pan Farm Park. Follow the animal births this spring at Kidwell Farm online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fpp/ newarrivals.htm.
February 14 Africans and Native Americans in Virginia: Culinary Connections and Historic Foodways February 21 Bulbs as Companion Plants February 28 Moving Towards Native March 7
Luscious Landscaping with Fruiting Trees, Shrubs and Vines
March 14
It’s A Jungle Out There: Creating and Growing Your Own Tropical Paradise in a Non-Tropical Climate
March 21
Trees for All Seasons
Author Marianne Mooney is the vice president of the Friends of Green Spring and a volunteer at Green Spring Gardens. Sandy Rittenhouse-Black is a Naturalist and Historian Senior Interpreter at Green Spring.
While at Green Spring for a winter lecture, make time to see the more than 100 plants that comprise the site’s national witch hazel collection.
Winter 2010
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H O L I D AY E V E N T S
Holidays in the Parks COLVIN RUN MILL 703-759-2771
Children’s Holiday Shopping December 5, 10am-2pm December 6, Noon-4pm December 7, 1-4pm Volunteers help children find the perfect gift for everyone on their list. Free wrapping. Please call ahead for groups of 6 or more.
Country Christmas December 12, 3-6pm An old-fashioned evening of family holiday fun. Visit Santa in the mill, peek at antique toys under the tree, sing around the campfire and roast marshmallows. $6
Model Train Display December 19, 10am-5pm December 20, 11am-4pm Watch G-gauge trains wind through a miniature western town. FREE
ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK 703-631-0013
Holidays at Walney December 7, (5 and 6 yrs.), 2:30-3:30pm December 14, (7-11 yrs.), 2:30-3:30pm An adventure just for kids at Cabell’s Mill. Learn about the holidays at Walney Farm in 1850. Reservations required. $5
The holiday train display at Colvin Run Mill is worth a peek into the site’s barn.
FRYING PAN FARM PARK
Children’s Holiday Shopping
703-437-9101
December 5, 12:30-3:30pm December 7, 3-6pm Meet at the Old Floris Schoolhouse. Volunteers help children shop in The Country Store for everybody on their holiday list. Free wrapping. Adults are invited to wait at the schoolhouse. Inclement weather dates: 12/12 and 12/14.
Christmas at the Farm December 13, 12:30-1:30pm or 2:30-3:30pm Enjoy a holiday visit with the farm animals. Take a wagon ride with Santa through the woods and fields. See the Kidwell Farm House decorated for the holidays. Pre-paid reservations required. Canceled if rain. $6
703-642-5173
Holiday Shopping Skip the malls. The Garden Gate Gift Shops at Green Spring Gardens have collections of gardening tools, apparel and books along with fine teas, cookbooks and tea paraphernalia. Pick up a houseplant and make this a green holiday season.
Holidays at Walney Farm December 12, (All ages), 1-2:30pm Celebrate the winter holidays at Walney Farm. Enjoy hot apple cider. Create your own historic holiday ornament. Reservations required. $5
Winter Wreaths December 5, 1:30-3:30pm Northern Virginia Community College horticulture instructor Bruce Nash dazzles with his holiday wreath design. Compose a wreath to take home. Frames, floral material, bows and greens provided. $48
Holiday Shopping Afternoon December 19, (6-11 yrs.), 11-3pm Fun, food and holiday shopping for the kids! Adults get the afternoon free. Enjoy nature activities inside and outside, make two nature holiday crafts, shop at the center’s gift shop for family gifts, eat lunch and roast s’mores. Children will need money for holiday shopping and a bag lunch (s’mores are provided). Reservations required. $20/child
GREEN SPRING GARDENS
Gardeners’ Holiday Open House: Gifts from the Garden
Children’s Holiday Shopping at Frying Pan
6 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
December 6, Noon-4pm Holiday-inspired crafts, seasonal music, free refreshments and a beautiful exhibit from George Mason Printmaking Guild. FREE
H O L I D AY E V E N T S
HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER 703-941-1065
Natural Holiday Cards and Wrapping Paper December 13, (Ages 4-9 yrs.), 1:30-3pm Create personalized cards with natural materials. Make a holiday treat for yourself or a friend. Reservations required. $6/child
Natural Holiday Thank You Notes and More December 26, (Ages 4-9 yrs.), 1:30-3pm Create personalized cards and more with natural materials. Reservations required. $5/child
Holiday Treats for Wildlife December 27, (Families), 1-4:30pm Make goodies for birds and squirrels. View homemade bird feeders and get recipes for making treats at home. Reservations required. $5/child
Seeing Sully Historic Site by candlelight can be a dramatic and inspiring moment in your holiday season.
SULLY HISTORIC SITE
HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER
703-437-1794
Sully Decorated for the Festive Season
703-451-9588
Holiday Wreath-making
December 2 – January 4, except Tuesdays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11am-4pm Experience the main house at Sully accented with greens and decorated for an 18th century season of celebration. See the tree decorated in Victorian splendor. Groups require reservations. $6/adult, $5/student, $4/senior and child
December 12, (All Ages), 1-2:30pm Create seasonal wreaths of straw and vines, decorated with greens, cones, dried flowers and ribbons. Reservations required. $20/family includes all materials.
HUNTLEY MEADOWS 703-768-2525
Young Explorers — Holiday Crafts December 7, (6-9 yrs.), 3:15-4:30pm Join the fun of making holiday gifts, ornaments and cards with a nature theme. Reservations required. $6
Nature Detectives — Holiday Crafts December 9&10, (3-5 yrs.), 10-10:45am Listen to a winter tale, and then make a holiday ornament. Reservations required. $6
Huntley Holiday Happening December 13, (Families), 1-4pm Enjoy an afternoon of shopping with a 10% discount.
RIVERBEND PARK
Candlelight Tours
November 14-December 31, (All Ages) Use pine cones and teasels to make cool holiday ornaments. Reservations recommended for groups. $5 for 2 ornaments
December 12, 13, 19 and 20; 5-7pm Take a wagon ride and tour the 1794 home of northern Virginia’s first congressman, Richard Bland Lee, by natural candlelight. Hear seasonal music, make an ornament and sample sugar cookies. Prepaid reservations requested. $10/adult, $7/senior and child
Animal Ornaments
Holiday Concert — IONA
December 7, (6-10 yrs.), 3-4pm Use natural items, like pine cones, to create animals, snowflakes or your own unique invention. Reservations required. $7/person
Dec 29, 1 or 2pm One of the top rated pan-Celtic groups in the world. House tour included. Prepaid reservations required. Limited seating. $10
703-759-9018
Holiday Ornaments: Make Your Own
Remember! When you shop online at Amazon.com this holiday season, start at www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/Shop-for-Parks.html. A percentage of your purchase goes to the Park Foundation. Winter 2010
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N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S
Reflections on a Summer Internship By Victoria Hudgins, Summer Intern
Tori Hudgins, a 20-year-old senior at Virginia Tech, spent the past summer as an intern at the Park Authority. She is studying in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, majoring in Environmental Policy and Planning. Here are excerpts of a detailed summary she wrote of her experiences.
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magine working in an agency that gives voice to trees, wetlands and other natural resources. Then imagine that those voices compete with a cacophony of voices demanding golf courses, athletic fields, recreation facilities, office buildings, shopping centers and roadways. Then imagine those demands being voiced by over a million residents. The Park Authority, where I interned last summer, has two parts to its mission. As I came to understand that mission, I realized just how complicated it is to balance land stewardship with the demands of active recreation. My role was within the Resource Management Division (RMD), which is the organization responsible for natural resource stewardship. On my first day, I sat down with Heather Schinkel, Natural Resource Manager. She gave me information about my project. RMD wanted to explore a concept called natural capital and how it may help secure funding for natural resource management. The project had three objectives: % Determine the feasibility of using a natural capital concept to secure support and funding and develop a strategy to do so % Evaluate the appropriateness of using current bond dollars for natural resource management % Explore the possibility of issuing a future bond for natural resource management
No funds dedicated to resource management My first task was to identify other park systems or public land holders that have used bond funds for natural resource management. As it turns out, many other organizations are having the same problems as Fairfax County. There is just no money being dedicated to resource management. It really boils down to decisions. The decision-makers are, for the most part, not seeking or appropriating bond money for natural resource management. Most agencies were using bonds for things such as land acquisition and development, which they find to be more popular with citizens. My second task was to identify other park systems or other public landowners that have used an idea called natural capital valuation — putting a monetary value on natural resources. I found that several
Virginia Tech senior Tori Hudgins, who spent her summer as an intern with the Fairfax County Park Authority.
states have done some advanced calculations to determine the worth of their uncut forests, undisturbed wetlands and fishable waters. In most cases, it was more valuable to keep and properly manage the resources for their contribution to a healthy environment than to destroy them for timber or to build structures on top of them. However, this information has not sufficiently gained traction with policy decision makers. From the beginning I understood the importance of the project I was assigned, and from the research I understood the complexity. I could find organizations with proponents for bond funding, but very little success in actually acquiring bonds for natural resource stewardship. I could find models for natural capital valuation, but I was unable to find any organizations that were about to apply the value cost of the natural resources. A report of what I considered to be the most significant findings will be presented to the Park Authority Board. I learned many things from my experience as an intern. I recognized that there is no blueprint for environmental stewardship. The most important thing I learned was that it takes more than just one person, or even one organization, to make significant and lasting change.
Spend a little more time in a park.
VOLUNTEER. Join the hundreds of Fairfax County residents who volunteer, and spend more time in your beautiful parks. For information, call 703-324-8750, or learn about volunteering online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/volunteering/.
8 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
STEWARDSHIP
Award-Winning Service in Fairfax County
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HE FAIRFAX COUNTY PARK AUTHORITY BOARD has named Congressman Gerry Connolly the 2009 Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award winner. The annual award recognizes outstanding service to Fairfax County through stewardship of the environment and dedication to parks. Congressman Connolly is referred to as the “father” of the 41-mile Cross County Trail. During his chairmanship of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Park Authority added more than 1,500 acres of land to its holdings. Fairfax County is a recognized leader in environmental stewardship due in large measure to the adoption of the Cool Counties program during his tenure. Frying Pan Farm Park Facility Attendant Sherry Bizette honors Volunteer Excellence Award recipient Luke Dyer. Luke is fondly called The Chicken Whisperer for his ability to work with fowl.
HERE ARE SOME FOLKS to say thanks to the next time you’re at a park. These are the 2009 Fairfax County Park Authority Resource Management Division Volunteer Excellence Award honorees: 夝 Charlie Davis of Alexandria, Huntley Meadows Park 夝 Luke Dyer of Linden, Frying Pan Farm Park 夝 Janice Green of Springfield, Green Spring Gardens 夝 Carolyn Iwicki of Springfield, Hidden Oaks Nature Center 夝 Susan Llewellyn of Chantilly, Sully Historic Site 夝 Stephanie Ruffner of Centreville, Ellanor C. Lawrence Park 夝 Jack Warden of Herndon, Riverbend Park
Charlie Davis of Alexandria, with Huntley Meadows Park Naturalist Ann Stat, is honored at the Volunteer Excellence Awards ceremony for his volunteer work at Huntley Meadows.
THE FAIRFAX COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS presented 2009 Environmental Excellence Awards in September to Environmental Health Specialist Carl Sivertsen of the county’s Health Department, Earth Sangha and Allen Wayne, Ltd. (Editor’s Note: The Park Authority’s Resource Management Division has conducted several projects with Earth Sangha, and Allen Wayne prints ResOURces.}
Developing Hidden Talents at Hidden Pond continued from page 1 McCaffrey seeks out kids who are selfstarters and have a good attitude. He also looks for a desire to learn, a love of nature and the ability to share it with others. McCaffrey just doesn’t turn them loose. He trains them in such areas as animal care, stream study and pond study. He also teaches them how to get along with others in the world and says he’s humbled by the notion that he was a help, “if I was.”
“I loved volunteering there from the start. Mike was so much fun. He made every task, even going out and looking for wood roaches to feed to the toads, entertaining,” Owens said. “I was shy and remember being scared
Owens only lived in Virginia for two years, but the impact McCaffrey made on her has been profound. “The most important thing I got out of volunteering there was a realization that I could have a career working with wildlife. Mike was a naturalist, the first one I had ever met before, and his knowledge of the natural world was so inspiring to me.”
Backyard explorer to biologist
Now 29, Owens earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and conservation and a master’s degree in wildlife ecology and management. She is a turtle biologist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
If he was? Just ask Audrey Owens, who once thought the only thing you could do with animals was to doctor them. Owens said exploring the backyard for critters was the one constant in her life as her military family made frequent moves. After landing in Springfield in 1992, a neighbor told her about Hidden Pond.
of participating in the programs at first, but Mike has a way of bringing out people’s personalities,” even getting her to play “Lupe, the Rainforest Slug Queen” the year she participated in the site’s annual Slugfest.
Mike McCaffrey, checked shirt, with some of his Pohick Rangers at Hidden Pond Nature Center.
“I totally credit Mike and my time at HPNC with fostering my interest in a wildlife career,” she said. Winter 2010
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VISIT THE PARKS
10 things a kid should do in a county park before turning 10:
New Trails Open at Laurel Hill Park
• See farm animal babies at Frying Pan Farm Park.
Here’s another good reason to head to a park.
• Look through a telescope at Cub Run or Riverbend. • Find Hidden Pond. • Hike by a lake or pond at sunrise. • Walk the boardwalk at Huntley Meadows. • Churn butter at Sully Historic Site. • Learn to identify poison ivy. • Go on a picnic. Visiting the farm animal babies at Frying Pan is a regular spring event for • Sit for 5 minutes with eyes closed. some county families.
• Attend a Children’s Holiday Shopping day.
There are new trails open at Lorton’s Laurel Hill Park.
There are 7.5 miles of new sustainable, natural surface trails in Lorton’s Laurel Hill Park. The trails were built using sustainable construction techniques, such as deploying smaller, specialized construction equipment, reinforcing the trail bed with stone and using the park’s existing topography to guide trail design. About two miles of the trails are designed specifically for advanced mountain biking. Visitors to the park can access the new trail system via the Cross County Trail. Trailhead maps at the entrances feature colored signage to help novice riders and first-time users orient themselves.
The boardwalk at Huntley Meadows offers opportunities to see wildlife.
Trail maps are available to view and download at Poison Ivy
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/PlanDev/Downloads/ LH_Equest-trails.pdf.
EXPLORE THE PARK AUTHORITY WEB SITE % All back issues of ResOURces are online. Keyword: “Resources newsletter”
Explore some of the surprises that are on the Fairfax County Park Authority Web site.
% Learn about gardening issues specific to the Washington area: Keyword: “gardening”
Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ and type the keyword listed below into the Search box.
% Hear about the parks. Keyword: “Park Authority podcast”
% Host a birthday party at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Keyword: “oaks birthday” % Track nature’s progress through the seasons at the Hidden Pond almanac. Keyword: “almanac” % There’s a list of books online about Fairfax County history, including monographs about Ox Hill, Colchester, Colvin Run Mill, Frying Pan Farm, Green Spring Farm, Mount Air, Union Mills, Walney and Wakefield Chapel. Keyword: “history commission books”
Follow the births at Frying Pan online.
% Track animal births at Frying Pan Farm Park. Keyword: “birthing” % Want a chance to see a particular bird or find out what birds are in the parks today? Keyword: “bird finder” and click on the Bird Finder Database.
10 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Track birds in local parks through the online bird finder.
HIKING
Winter Wonderland Walks By Lee Ann Shenefiel, Fairfax County Park Authority
Those 314 miles of hiking trails in Fairfax County parks are still there in winter.
You can find quiet moments in the parks during winter hikes, but some paths are still well-used. Keep safety in mind when you head out in the cold.
Activities don’t stop in the parks during winter. Bundle up and join an outdoor program or make your own adventure.
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with several access points from surrounding neighborhoods. If temperatures are low enough for the water to freeze, stay off the ice. Subtly moving waters can keep ice thin.
The keys to winter hiking are awareness and preparation. Your walk will be easier to finish if you start with the wind at your front and return home with the breeze at your back. Wear three layers of clothing. The first layer is a “wicking” layer of silk or synthetic material to help keep your skin dry. The second layer can be regular clothing such as a sweatshirt and jeans. The third layer is coat, gloves and shoes. Wear warm socks with enough room so that you can wiggle your toes, and don’t forget to wear a hat. You can lose 35% of your body heat through your head.
Concerned about safety? Well-used trails are safe trails, and the most recent information available, the Park Authority’s 2007 household survey, shows that 61% of Fairfax County households said they used park trails in the previous year. Chances are you’ll see a neighbor out there!
arks and their paths are great places for cold weather exploration when birds, animals and tracks that often can’t be spied in summer are sometimes easier to spot. A little hiking might be all that’s needed to prevent winter weight gain. It can balance holiday parties and dinners.
You might want to seek out a wooded trail because tall trees help reduce the effects of chilly winds. Lake parks have loop trails
Don’t forget about the Cross County Trail (CCT). A good winter’s project might be setting the goal of hiking the entire length of the CCT a little bit at a time. More details on the CCT are online at www.fairfaxcounty. gov/parks/cct/.
Remember to use common sense. The trails are not cleared if there’s snow or ice. Start slowly to give your muscles time to warm up, make sure you carry a charged cell phone, and consider what time the sun will set since all park trails close at dark. Tell someone where you are going or, better yet, take them along with you.
Give somebody a park this holiday season! http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/giftcards/
Winter 2010
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EQUAL ACCESS/SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
The Fairfax County Park Authority is committed to equal access in all programs and services. Special accommodations will be provided upon request. Please call the ADA/Access coordinator at 703-324-8563, at least 10 working days in advance of the date services are needed. ADA/Access Coordinator 703-324-8563 • TTY 703-803-3354 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ada.htm
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Photo by David Wyttenbach
Switch your subscription from print to an e-version of ResOURces at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/.
NEW SUBSCRIBERS: Subscribe to ResOURces at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ resources. Click on the subscriptions link.
ResOURces moves online. No more printed issues. Part of the Resource Management Division’s mission is to preserve Fairfax County’s natural resources, so it only makes sense that we live by our words with our signature publication. Combine the goal of preserving resources with the current financial cuts the Park Authority faces and we think our readers will understand why we are no longer going to print ResOURces. However, the newsletter will continue to live online, and we are inviting readers to join us there. We are asking our subscribers to go green by switching their subscriptions to the e-version of the newsletter, which is identical to the printed version. We’ll send you an email when each new issue is published. The Web address for making that change is www.fairfax county.gov/parks/resources. You can see ResOURces online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ resources/printpub.htm. We hope the end results of the coming changes are more readership for the newsletter and more stewardship of the county’s parks and resources.
Stone Mansion in winter
Rustic, privileged, historic. The Resource Management Division of the Fairfax County Park Authority has historic properties available for weddings, corporate and social gatherings. Rent one for your next soiree. Call 703-938-8835 or see the sites on the Web at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm. Cabell’s Mill in Centreville Clark House in Falls Church Dranesville Tavern in Dranesville Great Falls Grange in Great Falls Hunter House in Vienna Forestville Schoolhouse in Great Falls Stone Mansion in Alexandria Wakefield Chapel in Annandale
SOMETHING SIMPLE YOU CAN DO TO BE A GOOD STEWARD: Turn your computer screen off when not using your computer. 12 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources