NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY VOLUME 7, NO. 2 SPRING 2007

p Fairfax County Park Authority • Fairfax, VA 22035 • 703-324-8695 • FAX 703-324-3996 • TTY 703-803-3354 • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

COYOTES ARE HERE TO STAY.Fairfax County Police Department Wild-

life Biologist Earl Hodnett says they areestablished, widespread, and that no area ofthe county is free of them.

So we have new neighbors, and we haveto adjust to the new kids in town.

Coyotes will frequent fields, hunt alongstream beds, and work a woods for food.Fairfax County Park Authority Naturalist CharlesSmith says they “bring kind of a betterbalance” to nature in the county, because theyfill a niche by preying on larger creatures likesmall deer, turkey and geese.

IF YOU SEE A COYOTE, the rules of engagement are simple. Chaseit away by yelling at it. We’re the dominant species. However, Hodnett’sconcerned the rules might change. He says we’re on a “honeymoon”with the coyotes because they are primarily nocturnal and respectpeople. But he says if they learn “we’re as soft as we are,” they’llrelax around us. He notes that we haven’t lived with this kind ofsmart, efficient, medium-sized predator for a long while, but if peopleadopt a don’t-feed-the-bears attitude, we’ll get along just fine.

If the coyotes learn we’re not a threat and that food is availablefrom us or around outdoor pet dishes and compost piles, the ruleschange. Coyotes are smart enough to learn that food attracts otheranimals. They’ll let the food sit and prey on the visiting animals. Ifwe encourage that behavior, we might see more coyotes in daylight,and cats or small dogs could be endangered. Hodnett says, “Thinkof a coyote as a person who’s a little smarter than you are andhappens to be wearing a fur coat.”

People opened the way for coyotes to expand from their westernand northern roots when forests east of the Mississippi River were cleared.Coyotes don’t like dense forests, but when the trees disappeared, theyroamed. They reached northwest Virginia in the late 1970s. Hodnettthinks the availability of road-kill deer has helped increase their range.

Officials aren’t sure how many coyotes this area can sustain, but theanimals will determine their own level. Coyotes are territorial, adult maleswon’t allow competition in their home area and, unlike deer, coyotepopulations are self-limiting.

If their numbers fall, coyotesproduce larger litters. If there’soverpopulation, litters shrink.That trait and their territorialnature make them vir tuallyimpossible to eradicate. So thenew kids in town are here to stay,a new natural resource offeringus a chance to learn a little moreabout nature.

WHAT’S INSIDE . . .

Events ........................... 2

Park Foundation ............ 3

Environmental Agenda .. 4

Watershed Cleanup ....... 5

RMD Friends ................. 6

Volunteers ..................... 8

Photo Parade ................. 9

Gazebo ...................... 10

Jamestown .................. 11

Historic Property ......... 12

New Neighbors in the CountyIS IT A FOX OR

A COYOTE?

Look closely at the profile.

A coyote walks with its nose

pointed down at about a

45-degree angle and its tail

down. A fox walks with its

head up and its tail pretty

much straight out.

If you have trouble with acoyote on your property,

call the county police non-emergency number — 703-691-2131. They’ll dispatchan animal control officer.

ResOURces first wrote about coyotes in 2004.See that article at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/archives/coyotes.htm

Coyote

2 ResOURces

NATURE CENTERSAND HISTORIC SITES

BURKE LAKE PARK7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station

Call 703-323-6600

COLVIN RUN MILL10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls

Call 703-759-2771

ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK5040 Walney Road, Chantilly

Call 703-631-0013

FRYING PAN PARK2709 West Ox Road, Herndon

Call 703-437-9101

GREEN SPRING GARDENS4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria

Call 703-642-5173

HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER7701 Royce Street, Annandale

Call 703-941-1065

HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER8511 Greeley Blvd., Springfield

Call 703-451-9588

HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria

Call 703-768-2525

LAKE ACCOTINK PARK7500 Accotink Park Rd., Springfield

Call 703-569-3464

LAKE FAIRFAX PARK1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston

Call 703-471-5414

RIVERBEND PARK8700 Potomac Hills Street

Great FallsCall 703-759-9018

SULLY HISTORIC SITE3601 Sully Road, Chantilly

Call 703-437-1794

Need directions or more information?VISIT www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks

E V E N T S

p EQUAL ACCESS/SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

The Fairfax County Park Authority is committed toequal access in all programs and services. Specialaccommodations will be provided upon request.Please call the ADA/Access coordinator at 703-324-8563, at least 10 working days in advance of thedate services are needed.

ADA/Access Coordinator 703-324-8563TTY 703-803-3354

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ada.htm

Editor/Writer: David Ochs

Photos: Don Sweeney, FCPA

Administration: Jatinder Kaur

Production: Innovative Projects, Inc.

Published quarterly by theFairfax County Park Authority,

12055 Government Center Parkway,Fairfax, VA 22035-1118.

Available at park sitesand Fairfax County libraries.

Visit ResOURces online atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

c ResOURces is printed on recycled paper.

Easter Egg HuntSaturday, March 24, (3-7 yrs.) 1:30-3:30pmSully Historic Site, 703-437-1794Bring your baskets and hunt for filled Eastereggs in Sully’s fields. Find the special egg andclaim your prize. Participate in an egg roll aschildren may have done at the Capitol duringJames Madison’s presidency. Visit babyanimals, create an Easter craft and indulge inyummy treats. Egg hunts at 2 and 3pm.Reservations required. Rain date: 3/31.$5/child

Winter Lecture SeriesSundays through March, 1:30-3pmGreen Spring Gardens, 703-642-5173The Friends of Green Spring (FROGS) host theWinter Lecture Series, featuring slide andpower point talks by authors, garden design-ers, scientists, and historians. After the lecture,meet the speakers and enjoy refreshments inGreen Spring’s atrium. Dates and topics atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp.$11/lecture

Nature’s April FoolersSunday, April 1, (4-10 yrs.), 1-2:30pmHidden Oaks Nature Center,703-941-1065Learning how to survive is no joke for wild-life. Discover how animals fool their prey toget a meal or their predators to avoid becom-ing one. Reservations and advance paymentrequired. $5

Children’s Day:Celebrating DiversitySaturday, April 21,(Families with children 3-12), 1-4:30pmHidden Oaks Nature Center,703-941-1065Enjoy live local entertainment, games, craftsand demonstrations of activities from aroundthe world. Reservations required. Children mustbe accompanied by an adult. $5

There’s more at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks or seethe “Nature” and “History” pages in the county publication Parktakes.

SPRING IN THE PARKS

Frogs at Eakin Park:A Frog ChorusSaturday, May 5,(4 yrs. and up with adult), 6:45-7:30pmEakin Community Park. Call 703-941-1065(Hidden Oaks Nature Center) forinformation.Meet at the Prosperity Ave. parking lot and walkto the pond. Learn to identify frogs by sightand call. Canceled if rain. Reservations andadvance payment required. $4

War of 1812 MusterSaturday, May 19, 11am-4pmSully Historic Site, 703-437-1794Learn about America’s second war for inde-pendence through living history and hands-onactivities. Discover military skills of the men andboys and the at-home pursuits of the ladies.Drill with the troops, watch the cannons fire.House tour included.$6/adult, $4/senior, $4/child

NATURE CENTERSAND HISTORIC SITES

Spring 2007 3

P A R K F O U N D AT I O N

In a delicate procedure on January 7, the moving van pulled upto the Oakton Schoolhouse — and pulled away with thewhole building. Movers used a unified jacking system to brace

and lift the approximately 35-ton schoolhouse from its foundationand, without tilting the structure, hauled it three-tenths of a mile tothe Oakton Community Park in under two hours. Chevy Chase Bankprovided funding for the move, which is the first of severalimprovements at the park on Hunter Mill Road. The Friends of OaktonSchoolhouse and the Fairfax County Park Foundation helped savethe building for use as an interpretive tool as a late 19th Centuryone-room schoolhouse.

The Oakton Schoolhouse was home to the Appalachian Outfittersstore beginning in 1972. Some people may remember it as the LynnMoyer & Co. Hardware Store from 1944 to 1972 or, going back alittle further, as Payne’s Store from 1934 to 1944. For 20 years priorto that, the building was a private residence.

The Oakton Schoolhouse on the Move

The Oakton Schoolhouse served as an elementary school fromapproximately 1897 to 1914, a time of relative prosperity for thelocal farming community. Families gathered at the schoolhouse tosee neighbors performing in plays and to enjoy ice cream socialsand oyster suppers.

The schoolhouse was consistently crowded. Initially it was a one-room building, later was partitioned into two classrooms, and thena room was added. In January 1905, 85 students attended. In 1911,the school established a one-year high school class in a room abovethe nearby Sutton’s store.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation has designated a fund onbehalf of the Friends of Oakton Schoolhouse for maintaining andoperating the building. If you would like to donate to the fund, pleasemake checks payable to “Fairfax County Park Foundation” (memoline “Oakton Schoolhouse”) and mail to 12055 Government CenterParkway, Suite 404, Fairfax, VA 22035.

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/oaktonschoolhouse.htm

Oakton Schoolhouse in transit

Interpretive education was rolling this winter with an eye-poppingpreservation of a historic piece of Fairfax County.

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S T E W A R D S H I P

The Fairfax County Environmental Agenda

Fairfax County is taking care of what ithas, and we’re approaching the thirdanniversary of the statement that makes

caring a priority.

In June of 2004, the Fairfax County Boardof Supervisors adopted a plan known as theEnvironmental Agenda. It is a 20-year visionthat includes an emphasis on stewardship ofparks, trails, and open spaces. ChairmanGerald Connolly, one of the supervisors whochampioned the Environmental Agenda,says, “This is the first time in the history ofFairfax that we have a comprehensive,concrete, long-term plan for protecting andrestoring our environment.”

The agenda is built on two principles. Itsuggests conservation of limited naturalresources be interwoven into all governmentdecisions, and it mandates a county com-mitment to provision of resources needed toprotect the environment.

The Board’s plan encourages organiza-tions working on environmental issues to getcitizens and schools involved in their projects,and it encourages the schools to get studentsinvolved. It also encourages groups watchingwatershed issues to work with all stake-holders to improve natural resources, and itestablishes a program for community groupsto adopt and care for a park, a trail or astream valley. This spring, Fairfax citizens willcomplete restoration, preservation and edu-cation projects in all 30 Fairfax watersheds.

Chairman Connolly says, “Preserving andrestoring watershed health is critical not onlyfor protecting wildlife habitat in Fairfax andin the Chesapeake Bay, but also for managingstorm water effectively and preventing floodslike those that have more recently ravagedseveral Fairfax neighborhoods.”

The Environmental Agenda also says,“Open space, like parks and trails, provideshabitat and promotes the physical andmental well being of citizens. Trails promotea healthy lifestyle. The Cross-County Trailprovides a central artery for a comprehen-sive inter-county trails system.” The agendacalls for the creation of “pocket parks” forrelaxation, for community parks with openspaces that can sustain wildlife, for acquisi-tion of more open space, and for providingthe resources to maintain those parks.

All of that means Fairfax County is takingcare of what it has.

The Environmental Agenda is online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/chairman/environmental_plan.htm

YOU CAN HELP. Volunteer to bea part of your parks. Find out how at

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/volunteer.htm. If you want to

help protect or restore the streams orwetlands in your neighborhood, contact

Chairman@Fairfaxcounty.gov.

The Cross-County Trail

Spring 2007 5

S T E W A R D S H I P

Picking Up to Clean Up

THE CLEANUP OF THE POHICK STREAM VALLEYbetween Old Keene Mill Road and the Fairfax CountyParkway is a community highlight at Hidden Pond.Students put in volunteer hours, scouts meet badgerequirements, and local citizens make a difference.

Prior to the actual cleanup, we scout knowntrouble spots and make assignments. We ready a crewfor troubleshooting things like tires stuck in creek beds.

The cleanup is a super community educational toolabout the need to safeguard our wetland areas and avivid display of how actions upstream greatly affectthe Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. We includea talk and refreshments, and we show folks some ofthe animals that may live in the area we clean up.

Some great past finds:

• Five pickup truckloads of 30-year-old constructiondebris

• A coffin lid (We never found the rest and hope wenever do.)

• An entire shed

• Half of a VW bug

• Undergarments

• A gargoyle

• Canoe oars and fishing rods.

One thing we’ve found frequently in recent yearsis pressure treated wood material from decks.

The cleanup day produces greater awareness ofthe impact on our wetlands from trash tossed intowoods or storm drains. People leave the cleanup withtwo feelings — satisfaction at their work in removingthe litter and bewilderment that there is so much litterin our woodlands, wetlands and parkland.

– Mike McCaffrey

You belong in the muck on March 31.

It’s a grand day to put on crummy clothes, lace on boots, thenwade out and get grubby — especially if you have kids. They’lllove it. If you’re single, what a unique dating opportunity! Round

up some friends and head to the parks.

Twice a year since 1990, the Fairfax County Park Authorityhas helped organize a Watershed Cleanup Day to pick up trash inour creeks and rivers. March 31 is the next Cleanup Day. HiddenPond Nature Center Assistant Manager Mike McCaffrey andNaturalist Karen Waltman of Ellanor C. Lawrence Park have beenvery active in the program, and here are some of their observa-tions on past cleanup days:

THE BACK SEAT OF A CAR, a heavy safe, bicycles, amotorcycle, a car transmission, and countless tires andshopping carts are some of the items that have beenplucked out of the Cub Run Watershed during thespring and fall FCPA Watershed Cleanups.

Scout and church groups take part, along withfamilies, individuals and students working on servicehours for school. They dress in clothes that have nofear of getting dirty and meet at the Walney VisitorCenter in Ellanor C. Lawrence Park (ECLP). There’s abrief talk on watersheds, and safety tips and thanksare offered before trash bags are handed out. Up to304 people have turned out for a cleanup at ECLP.

The trash is collected and stacked at a designatedpoint. Our grounds crew collects the trash and has itweighed at the Fairfax County Transfer Station. Weoften see 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of trash. The recordhaul was 5,080 pounds.

Cub Scout Pack 146 from the Chantilly St. TimothyCatholic Church has participated every year sinceOctober of 1995, and the scouts were presented ourpark’s annual Donald F. Early Award for VolunteerAchievement in 2001.

– Karen Waltman

The cleanup day

produces greater

awareness of the

impact on our

wetlands from

trash tossed into

woods or storm

drains.

GOOD FRIENDS,A PRECIOUS RESOURCE

6 ResOURces

Some Resource Management

Division (RMD) sites have Friends

groups that live our stewardship

mission in a variety of ways.

The groups are people passionate

about their parks, and a productive,

social, fun way to be involved

with those parks. You can

sometimes judge character by a

person’s friends, and we invite

you to take a look at ours.

P A R T N E R S H I P S

Hay ride at Frying Pan Farm Park

Hidden Oaks Nature Center

COLVIN RUN MILLThe Friends of Colvin Run Mill (FOCRM) emphasize education. FOCRM Presi-dent Bob Lundegard says the eight-year-old group’s mission is to enrich theeducational experience of the mill and “to relate the mill and its needs to thecommunity.” FOCRM raises money for projects, like improved lighting at themill, a portable mill for exhibits, and enrichment of the site’s joyful holidayprogram, which includes inviting Santa Claus. Currently the group is seekinggrants to make the historic site more accessible and to bring on a Universityof Virginia graduate student to research the mill’s use during the Civil War.

See www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/crm.

FRYING PAN FARM PARKMembership in a Friends group has its benefits. Members of The Founders,Benefactors, Supervisors and Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park, Inc. (FBSF), forexample, can attend an invitation-only open house, receive behind the scenestours, go to special shopping days, and receive discounts, animal birthingannouncements, free hayride passes and a newsletter. Other Friends groupshave similar benefits. The FBSF, a 13-person board, established its member-ship program, owns the livestock and most of the equipment at the site,sponsors most of the farm events, and supports the site’s volunteers.

For information on the Web, go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fppand www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fpp/friends.htm.

GREEN SPRING GARDENSThe best acronym among RMD Friends belongs to the Friendsof Green Spring Gardens. FROGS has been around since 1993,and Manager Mary Olien says the group “enthusiastically andgenerously” supports the horticultural, historical and educa-tional programs at Green Spring Gardens. FROGS Vice PresidentMarianne Mooney adds many of the 1,200 members volun-teer at the park. They are the force behind the site’s lectureseries, annual plant sale, art shows, and children’s programs.Mooney says FROGS views education as “the most importantmission” of the gardens. Olien says, “When a job needs to bedone, FROGS members step up to contribute a major portionof the more than 9,000 volunteer hours recorded at GreenSpring Gardens.” The group recently obtained a MastenbrookVolunteer Matching Fund Grant of $10,000 to expand theirrigation system at the gardens.

FROGS members receive a quarterly newsletter, an eventscalendar, special invitations to members-only events, anddiscounts on purchases at site shops, from local nurseries, andon admission and shop purchases at other gardens.

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/frogs.htmand www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/

Spring 2007 7

P A R T N E R S H I P S

The FCPA is deeply grateful for the time, effort and financial

support all of these groups provide out of love for their parks.

HIDDEN OAKSThe Friends of Hidden Oaks Nature Centerare spearheading the Mason District’s back-yard wildlife certification program. Throughthe enhancement of native backyard wild-life habitat, the district could become oneof the first among the nation’s growingnumber of certified sites. More than 200members are in this four-year-old group.

Information on the Friends of Hidden Oaks is availablethrough the nature center at 703-941-1065.

HIDDEN PONDThe Friends of Hidden Pond and Pohick Stream Valley (FOHPaPSV) arethe newest RMD partner. They support wildlife habitat and enhance-ment, maintenance and restoration projects in the communities andopen lands of the Pohick Stream Valley. Hidden Pond Manager JimPomeroy says the group has already provided the park with nightvision scopes and takes part in stream cleanups, family nights andspecial projects.

More information is available atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/hiddenpond

or email fohpnc@yahoo.com.

RIVERBEND PARKThe Friends of Riverbend (FORB) partner for large events like the annualIndians of Virginia Festival and art shows. Riverbend Park ManagerMarty Smith says FORB has “provided a great deal of financial supportto purchase necessary maintenance and program materials that wecould not have afforded otherwise.” FORB President Paul Andersonsays the group “gives people some sense of involvement with thepark.” FORB provides a summer intern for Riverbend, volunteers forinvasive plant removal, and support for the Arts in the Parks program.Membership includes some private events at the park.

www.forb.org/ and www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/

HUNTLEY MEADOWSThe Friends of Huntley Meadows Park (FOHMP) was one ofthe first Friends organizations in the Park Authority. HuntleyMeadows Park manager Gary Roisum has worked closely withFOHMP since the group’s inception 22 years ago, and he callsits never-ending support “truly remarkable.” FOHMP PresidentKathi McNeil says the 400-member group concentrates onpreservation of the park, supporting the programs and the staff,and providing funding for programs and volunteer help. FOHMPjust completed a project that makes interpretation available forthe visually-impaired through recordings.

FOHMP’s Web site is www.friendsofhuntleymeadows.org.The park’s site is www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley/

HISTORICHUNTLEYHistoric Huntley is a FederalPeriod villa started in 1825 thatis listed on the National Registerof Historic Places. It’s currently“mothballed” — boarded andfenced — to protect it until res-toration. The Friends of HistoricHuntley (FOHH) have raisedfunds for the project and aremaking that restoration a reality.

The Friends and the Fairfax County Park Authority open the housetwice a year for school and scout tours. Meanwhile, there’s historic,archaeological and architectural research and analysis under way.

The Friends of Historic Huntley can offer more information(email: fohhuntley@aol.com).

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/histhunt/

SULLY HISTORIC SITEThe Sully Foundation was established in 1969 to assist with the ongoingpreservation and restoration of Sully Historic Site, and it has been ahighly successful venture. The group is active in advocating the needto preserve Sully, and it provides funding for special projects. Last fall’sexhibit of Federal Period clothing is one example. That is one of severalJamestown 2007 commemorative events being sponsored by thefoundation. Re-creation of the slave quarter dwelling house on theoriginal archaeological footprint at Sully is another supported andfunded project, as was a case exhibit of china owned by Sully’s originalowner, Richard Bland Lee. The foundation also has funded theacquisition of historic objects for the Fairfax County Park Authority.

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully/

Colvin Run Mill – photo by Carol Ochs

Friends at Hidden Pond – photo by Dan Ochs

8 ResOURces

V O L U N T E E R S

Find Your Niche in a Park!By Erin Chernisky, Volunteer Services Coordinator

Thoughts of volunteering might evoke visions of stuffingenvelopes. But look closer at Resource Management Divisionvolunteers, and you’ll find people mucking, grinding,scraping, wading, hitching, weaving and singing.

VOLUNTEER ARCHAEOLOGISTS excavate artifacts and clean,sort, and catalogue their finds. Volunteer Barbara Leven washooked the first time she held a little piece of pottery in her

hand. A fellow volunteer explained how the design had been createdand what was known about the place where it had been found.Leven said, “I felt connected to that place and time and wanted tohelp ensure that others could continue to learn from the past. I stillfeel that way every time I am lucky enough to hold a piece of historyin my hand.”

There’s not much typical about a volunteer shift for Colvin RunMill’s Mike Murphy. With the title Miller’s Assistant, Mike is respon-sible for ensuring the mill is ready for grinding. Mucking out theheadrace, scraping gears, repairing machinery, and demonstratingthe milling process to visitors are all part of a day’s work for Mike.

Another Colvin Run Mill volunteer, Sam Schwartz, is rarely seenat the mill. His volunteer time is spent in the Fairfax County Court-house, the Virginia Room, and the Library of Congress, where heresearches deeds, wills, and other historical papers looking forconnections between Colvin Run Mill and the Civil War. His workprovides important documentary evidence for park staff about theearly days of the mill.

Mike Kephart’s volunteer work at Frying Pan Farm Park has apersonal connection. His ancestors lived across the street from thepark, and his grandfather did custom field work for farmers in thearea. Mike volunteers as a Farm Hand, and he’s the fourth generationof his family to plow land that is now part of the park. The retiredFairfax County fireman loves driving the farm equipment and, despitethe noise of the engines, finds it to be very peaceful. During the

summer, when there isn’t quite as much field work to be done, hehitches a wagon to the tractor and takes visitors on rides throughthe park.

During their volunteer shifts at Sully Historic Site, husband andwife Angela and Roger Pelletier don 18th century costumes anddemonstrate spinning and weaving. Fellow volunteer and avidseamstress Dottie O’Rourke sews period clothing and shares herknowledge with Sully’s younger volunteers.

HISTORICAL ATTIRE isn’t the only thing worn by RMD volun-teers. Once a week, from February to June, a team of Huntley Mead-ows volunteers suits up in waders and heads out to monitor nestboxesand observe the use of those boxes by wood ducks and hoodedmergansers.

Another Huntley Meadows volunteer found a way to combinetwo of her passions — nature and performing arts. Five years ago,former professional dancer and choreographer Karen Nyereapproached the staff about creating a coffee house program at thepark. Through her hard work, Café Cattail was born. Now, the publicis invited quarterly, free of charge, to come perform or just listenand watch everything from singing and dancing to poetry readingand piano playing.

DOES IT SOUND FUN? This is merely a sampling of many uniquepositions held by the Resource Management Division’s 800 volunteers.Whatever your passion, whatever your age, you can be sure you’llfind your niche in a park!

For more information about volunteer opportunities contact ErinChernisky at erin.chernisky@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-8750.

If you love being outdoors, gardening, storytelling, arts and crafts, history, wildlife, archaeology,working with people and being creative, then become a park volunteer. Join our dynamicvolunteer staff today by visiting www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks or calling 703-324-8750.

Volunteering at our county nature centers & historic sites is the perfectantidote to the nightly news and the frenetic pace of life.

– HARRY GLASGOW, long-time park volunteer and member of the Park Authority Board

”“

Spring 2007 9

� The brook by Cabell’s Mill’sterrace, and the WoodenDeck behind Middlegate (withflowers planted).– Rental Assistant Julia Mendez

� Shooting through the cherryblossoms at Cabell’s Mill orWakefield Chapel and HunterHouse when the azaleas arein bloom.– Karen Lindquist of Historic

Properties Rental Services

� The more than 160 species ofspring wildflowers at the ScottsRun Nature Preserve. Tree ringstudies have shown that thereare 400-year-old hemlocks there,which means some parts of thepark are “untouched.”– Hidden Pond Manager

Jim Pomeroy

� Beautiful Colvin Run Mill HistoricSite in picturesque and charmingGreat Falls.– CRM Site Administrator

Mike Henry

� Bird life in the swamp at HuntleyMeadows, along the PotomacRiver at Riverbend Park, the bigstand of bluebells at Riverbend,or a late spring shot of the pinklady slippers at Hidden Oaks.– Riverbend Manager

Marty Smith

� Wildlife sightings from theboardwalk at Huntley MeadowsPark wetlands– Gary Roisum, Manager

Huntley Meadows

� Riverbend’s wildflowers– Certified Interpretive Trainer

Mona Enquist-Johnston

� Anywhere at Green SpringGardens– Green Spring Manager

Mary Olien

Favorite spring photo spots of FCPA employees:

N AT U R E

10 ResOURces

P A R T N E R S H I P S

Spend a moment in the shade,in a spot that artists frequentwith paint and brush. Watch

tadpoles in their silent, wiggly swim,see painted turtles soak up the sun,keep an eye out for green heron andmallards, and hear the bullfrogscroak. There’s a new, restful spotat water’s edge at Green SpringGardens. A new waterside gazebowas built last year and a plaque atthe site will be dedicated this springas a memorial to a Fairfax Countyserviceman.

Green Spring Debuts New Gazebo

Mason Distric t SupervisorPenelope Gross is a long-timeneighbor and friend of the Duvallfamily. “Jason and his sisters andparents enjoyed visiting GreenSpring often while he was growingup, and his family’s generous gift ofa memorial gazebo at the ponds willgive many other young people theopportunity to see in Green Springwhat Jason enjoyed so much — aplace and time for reflection innature’s glory, just minutes from theBeltway,” she said.

The plaque that you’ll see next to thegazebo reads:

IN MEMORY OF

A1C JASON KENNETH DUVALL

C130 LOADMASTER, USAF

1978-2001

BY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS

AIM HIGH

Site Manager Mary Olien said the familychose Green Spring for the memorialbecause Jason liked to go to the park andsocialize with friends at the ponds.

New gazebo at Green Spring Gardens – photo by Michael Rierson

Spring 2007 11

H E R I T A G E / J A M E S T O W N

Hop on a trail and take awalk to find out how the landaround us has changed duringthe last four centuries.

APPRENTICE NATURALIST —ARCHAEOLOGY 101April 14 (12 yrs. and up),1-2:30pm

Cub Run RECenter, 703-817-9407. Discover techniquesused by archaeologists to learnabout Virginia’s history. StudyJamestown findings and localruins. Reservations, $5

WILDFLOWERS:WHAT THE JAMESTOWNCOLONISTS FOUNDApril 29 (Adults) 1-2pm

Hidden Oaks Nature Center,703-941-1065. Learn aboutplants that American Indiansused for food and medicineand plants that Europeansintroduced. Discover native andintroduced plants that grow inour local fields and forests.Reservations and advancepayment, $3

JAMESTOWN CONFIDENTIAL— THEN AND NOWMay 18 (8 yrs. and up),4-5:30pm

Hidden Pond Nature Center,703-451-9588. Virginia’snatural world changed afterthe Jamestown settlers jumpedoff the ships and into ourstate’s history. A walk, talk andlive animals aid our study ofanimals common in 1607 andtoday. Reservations, $4

Hear the stories and learn the survival skills of Virginians from thepast 400 years when Jamestown 2007 events peak this spring.

Join your parks in celebrating our national heritage. Find events and exhibits for

Jamestown 2007 — America’s 400th Anniversary at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.

Fairfax County park events celebrate Virginia’s diverse heritage —especially the cultures of Virginia Indians, Europeans andAfrican-Americans.

POCAHONTAS AND HERFRIENDS: A YOUNG CHILD’SLIFE IN THE EARLY 1600SMarch 18 (Families, children 6 yrs.

and up), 1-2:30pm, $5/child

$2/adult OR May 21 (6-10 yrs.),3-4:30pm, $5

Hidden Oaks Nature Center,703-941-1065. DiscoverPocahontas’ life as a child.Play games she likely playedand enjoy corn cakes withberries. Reservations andadvance payment.

“FROM SOME ONE WHOWORE THE SHOE: THEEXPERIENCE OF SLAVERYIN VIRGINIA”March 31, 4-5:30pm

Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794. Dr. John Michael Vlach,author and George WashingtonUniversity professor, presents“Culture and Architectureof 18th and 19th CenturyEnslaved Communities inVirginia.” Sponsored bythe Sully Foundation, Ltd.Reservations by 3/23, free

FAIRY SPUDS AND RAMPS —EDIBLE AND MEDICINALWILDFLOWERS OF THEFLOODPLAINApril 14 (Adults), 9:30-11:30am

Riverbend Visitor Center,703-759-9018. Early inhabitantsused native wildflowers for food

and medicine. On this riversidewalk, discover some past andpresent uses of these springephemerals. Canceled if rain.Reservations, free

JAMESTOWN CONFIDENTIAL— NAMESMay 11 (8 yrs. and up), 4-5:30pm

Hidden Pond Nature Center,703-451-9588. With a walkand talk, delve into how thingsgot their names. Was it Englishinfluence or Native American?$4

RIVERSIDE CAMPFIRE —JAMESTOWN CELEBRATIONMay 11 (Families), 6:30-7:30pm

Riverbend Visitor Center,703-759-9018. Gather aroundthe campfire. Enjoy colonialgames, activities, and stories.S’mores provided — bringtoasting sticks. Reservations andadvance payment, $3/person

CLOTHING FOR THECOLONIESMay 30 - September 5, 11am-4pm

Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794. What did the colonistswear? View an exhibit by localcollector and educator MaryDoering. Colonial period clothingand accessories displayedthroughout the house. Spon-sored by the Sully Foundation,Ltd. $5/adult, $3/child, $3/senior

Here’s a peek atessential survival skillsof early Virginians:

THE COLONISTSBROUGHT HONEYBEESTO JAMESTOWNApril 16 (Explorers, 6-7 yrs.),

2:30-3:30pm

April 23 (Jr. Naturalists,8-11

yrs.), 2:30-3:30pm

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park,Walney, 703-631-0013.Visit a hive and taste honey,discover bee chores, andmake beeswax candles.Reservations, $4

INDIAN SKILLSFOR SCOUTSMay 6 (8 yrs. and up),

1-2:30 pm

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park,Walney, 703-631-0013.Learn Native American skillsof fire making, cooking,tracking, traps and toolmaking. Reservations, $6

COLONIAL HOMEAND FARM CHORESMay 14 (Explorers, 6-7 yrs.),

2:30-3:30pm

May 21 (Jr. Naturalists, 8-11 yrs.),

2:30-3:30pm

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park,Walney, 703-631-0013.Tackle chores such as washinglaundry, carrying firewood,planting a crop and shuckingcorn. Play colonial children’sgames. Reservations, $4

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H I S T O R I C P R O P E R T I E S

HISTORIC PROPERTIESRENTAL SERVICES

For costumed or contemporary weddings, family reunions,off-site meetings, or any gathering, rent one of Fairfax County’sbeautiful historic properties.

• Cabell’s Mill in Centreville • Hunter House in Vienna

• Clark House in Falls Church • Old Schoolhouse in Great Falls

• Dranesville Tavern in Dranesville • Stone Mansion in Alexandria

• Great Falls Grange in Great Falls • Wakefield Chapel in Annandale

Call 703-938-8835 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm

SOMETHING SIMPLE YOU CAN DOTO BE A GOOD STEWARD:

Turn off lights when you don’t need them on.

Dining at Cabell’s Mill

What’s RMD?RMD stands for Resource Management Division. It’s part of the FairfaxCounty Park Authority. RMD connects people to natural, historicaland horticultural resources. We’re online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/.

Find our partners at the Northern Virginia Soil and Water ConservationDistrict online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/.