Capital Nature

Sligo Creek Fest
2026-05-02 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | VA
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) This annual celebration transforms the Sligo Creek Open Parkway into a lively street festival. Enjoy multiple performance stages, kid-friendly activities like tree climbing, roving entertainers, delicious food and drink vendors, and hands-on activities and demonstrations from Montgomery Parks groups.

Spring Tree Walk in Rock Creek Park
2026-05-02 10:00 - 13:00 | Peirce Mill, 2401 Tilden St NW, Washington DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (Casey Trees) Join us and nature book author Melanie Choukas-Bradley for a three-hour tree walk along scenic Rock Creek and through the upland woods of the Western Ridge Trail. Melanie will show you how to identify American hornbeam, American elm, river birch, American sycamore, boxelder, black walnut and other stalwarts of the floodplain forest. She’ll then lead us into the upland woods where several species of oak, including DC’s official tree, the scarlet oak and a large spreading post oak, mockernut and pignut hickories, American beeches, and sugar and red maples flourish.

Invasive Plant Removal at Glenmont Park
2026-05-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Glenmont Local Park, 3201 Randolph Rd, Silver Spring, MD, 20906, United States
(MD) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and Montgomery Parks for this invasive plant removal restoration event in Glenmont Local Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from the event leader 48 hours prior to the event.

Birding on Sligo Creek
2026-05-02 08:00 - 10:00 | Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, Silver Spring, MD, 20901, United States
(MD) (Friends of Sligo Creek) Join us in mid-Sligo to see local birds and birds migrating northward from their wintering grounds. Led by 3 expert birders: David Blockstein, Mary Singer, and Dave Wood. This popular event fills up quickly and will be limited to 20 participants. Details will provided to people who register.

Tree Walk at Theodore Roosevelt Island
2026-05-01 09:30 - 12:30 | Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington DC, United States
(DC) (Nature Forward) Usher in the merry month of May with a springtime nature stroll on the trails and boardwalk of DC’s Theodore Roosevelt Island with naturalist and author Melanie Choukas-Bradley. This springtime tree walk will take you deep into the island, where swamp and tidal inlet can be explored by boardwalk as willow, bald cypresses, and cattails frame views of the city beyond it. In addition to sharing her knowledge and love of the island’s trees, Melanie will share details of this National Park’s fascinating history.

The Butterfly Experience
2026-05-01 09:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-26 09:00 - 15:00 | Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) A world of wonder takes flight as Montgomery Parks’ popular Butterfly Experience returns to Brookside Gardens. Visitors will be surrounded by hundreds of brilliant butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia as they flutter among vibrant, lush tropical blooms. This intimate experience offers rare, up-close encounters while trained staff and volunteers highlight the stages of metamorphosis, the important role butterflies play in healthy ecosystems, and how to ensure these beautiful insects thrive in our own gardens.
Butterfly Experience runs through September 7th.

Anacostia River Discovery Boat Tour
2026-04-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Diamond Teague Pier, 1520 First St. SE, Washington, DC, 20003, United States
(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Join the Anacostia Watershed Society for a 1-hour Anacostia River Discovery Series boat tour to explore the ecological and historical changes that have occurred in the river and in the communities around the river. We will have the opportunity to witness some of the restoration of river habitats and how it has caused the rebound of the wildlife.

Weed Warrior Training - Part 1 (Hybrid)
2026-04-29 18:00 - 21:00 | University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) This training equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to support the management of invasive plants in our region. For Part 1, you have the option of attending in person at the University of the District of Columbia or virtually via Zoom. Part 2 will take place in-person at an outdoor location in Rock Creek Park on May 9th.

Meet Your Neighborhood Arborist
2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, 20008, United States
(DC) (Capital Nature) Did you know that every neighborhood in the District has a city Arborist who manages its public trees? Join us for a discussion with Aaron Rowe, the DC Arborist who looks out for the street and park trees in Cleveland Park and Woodley Park, two of Northwest DC’s greenest neighborhoods. Aaron will give an overview of the city’s Urban Forestry Division and his work as a public Arborist, then join Capital Nature’s co-founder Stella Tarnay for a discussion. We’ll talk about the health of the area’s trees, how the city is protecting them, the challenges they are facing, and how residents can contribute to the health of our public canopy.
This is the first in a three-part series on trees and their care hosted by Cleveland Park Library in collaboration with Capital Nature.

Tuesday Morning Bird Walk at Kenilworth
2026-04-28 08:30 - 10:00 | Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave, NE, Washington DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (National Park Service) We invite you to join National Park Service volunteer and expert birder Molly Hermann for an engaging bird walk at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. This event is open to all, including those new to birding. We encourage participants to bring water, sunscreen, and binoculars if available. A limited number of binoculars are available for loan with a photo ID.
The walk will be conducted at a leisurely pace, covering approximately one mile. We will gather in front of the visitor center, and the duration of the walk will typically range from 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on our observations. We look forward to sharing this delightful experience with you!

City Nature Challenge: Nocturnal Naturalists at Bull Run Regional Park
2026-04-27 20:00 - 22:00 | Atlantis Water Park at Bull Run, 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, VA, 20121, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) (Capital Nature) (MNCPPC)
Join us for this global community science event by making observations on the free app iNaturalist. We’ll set out to observe as many nocturnal critters as we can. We will also be setting up a mothing station and using a UV lights to locate critters that glow in the dark. It shapes up to be a great way to wrap up the City Nature Challenge and we hope to see you there!

Monday Morning Birdwalk at Huntley Meadows
2026-04-27 07:00 - 09:00 | Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA, 22306, United States
(VA) (Friends of Huntley Meadows) The Monday Morning Bird Walk is sponsored by the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park and takes place every Monday at 8 a.m. Following the walk, members of the group gather at the nearby Denny’s for breakfast and to compile the morning’s bird list. All are welcome.

CNC Observation with DC Master Naturalists
2026-04-26 16:00 - 17:30 | Fort Dupont Park, Minnesota Ave SE, Washington DC, 20019, United States
(VA) (Capital Nature) Join DC Master Naturalists and Capital Nature for our annual City Nature Challenge observation at Fort Dupont Park. Fort Dupont hosts some of DC’s most abundant biodiversity of birds, fungi, and plants (as well as invasive plant challenges), but they often go unnoticed. Help us put this green gem on the map while you enjoy a restorative walk with naturalists. The walk will be led by wildlife biologist Carrie Seltzer from iNaturalist.
The late afternoon starting time will increase our opportunities to hear local and migratory birds!

Extreme Cleanup at Carter Barron
2026-04-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Carter Barron Amphitheatre, 4850 Colorado Ave NW, Washington DC, 20011, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Please join Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service, and for our cleanup of the Carter Barron amphitheater. We will remove debris, paint, clear leaf litter, weed, sweep, and trim back invasive plants, helping preserve the amphitheater while it awaits future restoration. This is a unique opportunity to get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the amphitheater and help take care of an important community resource. Event location directions and information will be sent from the event leader 24 hours before the event.

Native Plant Walk at Meadowlark
2026-04-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA, 22182, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) Experience the beauty of spring woodlands on a guided walk through Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ Potomac Valley Collection! Led by Keith Tomlinson, former Garden Manager who developed and curated Meadowlark’s native plant collection, this walk offers a unique opportunity to explore the region’s rich botanical diversity.
With 45 years of experience in botanical gardens, museums, environmental education, and plant conservation, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to this immersive tour. His expertise and passion for native plants will deepen your appreciation for the beauty and ecological importance of our local flora and fauna, information that will be helpful to those who are interested in adding native plants to their own yards.

CNC Observation with Arlington Master Naturalists
2026-04-26 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Madison Manor Park, 6225 12th Rd N, Arlington, VA, 22205, United States
(VA) (Arlington Regional Master Naturalists) Bring curiosity and a camera (mobile phone cameras are great!) to explore the hill and hollows of Brandymore Castle for the City Nature Challenge. Photograph wild plants and critters to upload to iNtauralist to help the greater DC area excell in this friendly worldwide competition. After the guided trek, feel free to explore on your own. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants to protect from prickles and poison ivy.
For more information, click https://citynaturechallengedc.org/

Earth Day at Brookside Gardens
2026-04-26 10:00 - 14:00 | Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Celebrate Earth Day at Brookside with activities and performances entirely geared toward families. Little ones can try out being a naturalist and learn how to pot a plant — and take said potted plant home, while supplies last. Watch live science experiments with the Science Guys of Baltimore during the first half of the event, and then a set from children’s music band L-M-N-O-People. Join the Science Guys to make science fun, cool, and easy with bubbling potions, chemical reactions, and explosions! Explore the science and art of sustainability through child-driven projects, plantings, and crafts.

CNC iNaturalist Bioblitz on Mount Vernon Trail
2026-04-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Daingerfield Island Marina, Washington Sailing Marina 1 Marina Dr, Alexandria, VA, 22314, United States
(VA) (Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail) Help document and learn more about animal and plant species on the Mount Vernon Trail. Join us to find and document plants and animals for the City Nature Challenge! A Bioblitz is a communal citizen-science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible. Bioblitzes are also an excuse for naturalists, scientists, and curious members of the public to meet in person in the great outdoors and are a lot of fun!

See the registration page for exact event location.

Bird Walk + City Nature Challenge Walk at Theodore Roosevelt Is.
2026-04-26 08:30 - 10:30 | Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington DC, United States
(Capital Nature) (DC Bird Alliance) (Northern VA Bird Alliance)
We’ll be looking for birds and making nature observations using the iNaturalist app as part of the global City Nature Challenge—an annual effort to document local biodiversity. From songbirds to insects and plant life, every observation contributes to a broader understanding of the ecosystems around us.

Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
2026-04-26 08:00 - 10:00 | Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, 22307, United States
(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Join FODM for a bird walk every Sunday at 8 a.m. The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a freshwater, tidal marsh on the Virginia side of the Potomac River in Fairfax County. It is a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, U.S. National Park Service.

Earth and Arbor Day Celebration at Anacostia Park
2026-04-25 13:30 - 15:30 | Anacostia Park Skating Pavillion, 1500 Anacostia Dr SE, Washington, DC, 20020, United States
(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Join the Anacostia Watershed Society, Friends of Anacostia Park, and Casey Trees for a fun afternoon of community fellowship, celebrating Earth and the trees that help take care of us in Anacostia Park (by the Aquatic Resources Education Center & Skating Pavilion)!
There will be free food, live music, skating, boating, dancing, and more!

Living Earth Festival
2026-04-25 11:00 - 2026-04-26 17:00 | National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20560
(DC) (Smithsonian) Celebrate the transformational power of clay and the evolution of the museum’s iconic outdoor sculpture installation Always Becoming (2007) by Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]). Join the museum for a weekend of stories, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, performances, and more centered on the relationship between art and the earth.
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the museum will host programs reflecting on the ever-evolving nature of the country, communities, and future we share through the unique lens of Always Becoming. The site-specific sculptures by Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]) on the southern exposure of our Washington, DC museum were constructed using Native building techniques. Made entirely of natural materials, including clay, straw, sand, soil, and wood, the sculptures were designed to reveal their inner structure over time. Their transitory nature reflects the relationship between Indigenous cultures and the land.

Arbor Day Tree Care at Anacostia Park
2026-04-25 10:30 - 13:00 | Anacostia Park Skating Pavillion, 1500 Anacostia Dr SE, Washington, DC, 20020, United States
(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Join Casey Trees, Friends of Anacostia Park, and Anacostia Watershed Society for a service day and celebration in honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day! Your help with caring for these vulnerable trees will give them a leg up in becoming a permanent part of our tree canopy and park space. We will provide all the necessary tools and supplies to care for trees. After learning the tools and techniques, participants will begin caring for trees throughout the park.

After volunteering, stick around and join us for an Earth & Arbor Day Celebration in the park with free food, music, boating, skating, and more!

Invasive Vine Removal at Langdon
2026-04-25 10:00 - 13:00 | Langdon Park Recreation Center, 2901 20th St NE, Washington DC, 20018, United States
(DC) (Casey Trees) Join CCAN, The Langdon Park Forest Stewards, and Casey Trees to get outside and remove invasive plants! Take part in the exciting Assisted Natural Regeneration efforts happening to restore the forest at Langdon Park in NE DC. We will start with a brief training on non-native invasive species and best practices for removal, and spend about 2 hours removing invasives. We will focus on non-native invasive plants like Bush (Amur) Honeysuckle.

Bicyclists Against Invasive Vines Ride
2026-04-25 10:00 - 13:00 | Kingman Island _RFK Lot 6, United States
(DC) (Washington Area Bicyclist Association) Calling all cyclists! Join the DC Trail Rangers and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network for an invasive vine removal and a bike ride. On the fourth Saturday of each month we meet up at the Fields at RFK lot 6 at 10am for an ecological ride on the Anacostia River Trail. We will be clearing invasive vines from our trees and trail corridors while exploring topics such as plant identification, invasive plant management and local wetland ecology.

Oxon Cove Earth Day Cleanup
2026-04-25 10:00 - 13:00 | Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm2, 6411 Oxon Hill Rd, Oxon Hill, MD, 20745, United States
(MD) (Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative) Spend your Earth Day with us and a dozen environmental organizations at one of the largest regional clean-ups along Oxon Run and the Potomac River!

Earth Day Celebration and Trail Care
2026-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | VA
(VA) (Friends of Mount the Vernon Trail) Celebrate Earth Day and help us remove trash from the marsh near Marina Towers on the Mount Vernon Trail. This event is celebrating Earth Day and Celebrate Trails Day. The last time we removed trash at this location volunteers picked up 2,400+ lbs of trash. Let’s try and break that record. This is a kid friendly event! Snacks will be provided.
See registration page for location details.

Invasive Plant Removal at 630 East
2026-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Reservation 630 East, 2801 Quebec Street Northwest, Washington, 20008
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and Weed Warrior leader Rena Subotnik or this invasive plant removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from the event leader 48 hours prior to the event.
