Capital Nature

Hillwood Orchids Tour
2026-03-18 10:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (Hillwood) Join one of Hillwood’s orchid experts for a twenty-minute tour of the greenhouse, which houses Marjorie Merriweather Post’s extensive collection of exotic orchids, as well as cut flowers grown for floral arrangements throughout the mansion.

Accessible Birding Programs and Places (Virtual)
2026-03-17 16:00 - 18:30
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) This extended workshop builds on the introductory presentation, Birding CAN Change the World, and is designed for those who are ready to move from learning into implementation.
Participants will take a deeper dive into what accessibility in birding truly looks like in practice. Together, we will explore real-world case studies from across the country that show how organizations, municipalities, parks, and nature centers have assessed barriers, made meaningful changes, and created more inclusive birding experiences for people with disabilities and other health concerns.

Monday Morning Birdwalk at Huntley Meadows
2026-03-16 08:00 - 10:00 | 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.

Invasive Plant Removal at 630 West
2026-03-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Reservation 630 West, 3031 Sedgwick Street Northwest, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Weed Warrior Leader Kathy Sykes for 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.

Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
2026-03-15 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.

Wild & Wise: 19th Century Women and the Power of Nature
2026-03-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, 5200 Glover Rd, Washington DC, 20015, United States
(DC) (National Park Service) Step into sturdy boots and grab an imaginary field journal—it’s time to wander back to the 1800s! Long before hashtags and hiking gear, adventurous women were roaming forests, pressing wildflowers, studying birds, and turning curiosity into courage. They weren’t just admiring nature—they were helping spark the Naturalist Movement and laying the groundwork for conservation.
Join us to uncover the stories of these trailblazing women who transformed gardens, fields, and woodlands into spaces of science, creativity, and bold new ideas.

Shepherd Parkway Community Cleanup
2026-03-14 10:30 - 13:00 | Shepherd Parkway, 555 Newcomb Street SE, Washington, DC, 20032, United States
(DC) (Ward 8 Woods) Join Ward 8 Woods every second Saturday of the month to restore Shepherd Parkway by removing trash and invasive vines that are smothering the trees. Since 2011, over 2,000 volunteers have removed over 200 tons of trash from the woods and cut invasive vines from over 500 trees, but much work remains to be done.
Give back to the earth, exercise your body, spend time in nature and meet cool people with the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy.

Wild Rice Seeding at River Terrace
2026-03-14 10:30 - 12:30 | River Terrace Park, 382 Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Join the Anacostia Watershed Society to propagate wild rice (Zizania aquatica) seeds through mudballing (seeding) in wetlands along the River Terrace Park section of the Anacostia River. We will mix the wild rice seeds in mud and toss our wild rice mudballs into exposed mudflats to encourage plant growth.

Invasive Plant Removal at Broad Branch
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:00
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service for 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.

Invasive Plant Removal at 630 East
2026-03-14 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.

Invasive Plants Removal at Dyke Marsh
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, 22307, United States
(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Help protect native plants by pulling and clipping invasive plants. We will train volunteers to identify the five or so target plants. We kindly ask that you not bring pets. Invasive plants can threaten and outcompete native plants. Bring gloves, hand clippers and water. We will supply instructions, examples and trash bags.

Fruit to Poop: A Seed's Journey
2026-03-13 14:00 - 16:00 | US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington DC, 20001, United States
(DC) (US Botanic Garden) What’s the connection between fruit and poop? Join Lilly Andersen, USBG Family Education Specialist, and and USBG volunteers to explore how plants and animals help each other and the relationship between plants making fruit and animals eating that fruit. Think and learn about what makes a fruit a fruit, why fruits tend to taste sweet, and why it benefits plants when animals eat their fruits.

National Cherry Blossom Festival
2026-03-13 - 2026-04-16
(DC)(MD)(VA) The four-week festival celebrates the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan and the beauty of DC’s iconic cherry blossom trees with diverse and creative programming. Events will be happening throughout the DC metro area.

Evolution of the Bird Brain (Virtual)
2026-03-12 19:00 - 20:30
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) This talk explores the Mesozoic origin of avian flight from the perspective of the dinosaurian brain. Fossil reconstructions will be integrated with advanced imaging to test hypotheses on how the brain of theropods met the sensory and motor changes of this rare and radical behavioral innovation.
Amy Balanoff is an assistant professor in the Center for Functional Anatomy & Evolution at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Our Watershed
2026-03-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Tenleytown Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Stream Team Leaders Kathy Sykes and Andrea Contreras for an engaging presentation on the Lower Rock Creek watershed and why its health matters to our community. This talk will explore what a watershed is, how everyday activities impact local streams, and the key indicators of a healthy watershed—from salt and bacteria levels to biodiversity and aquatic life.

Growing Orchids at Home
2026-03-11 11:30 - 13:30 | Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20560
(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Meet an orchid expert from Smithsonian Gardens or the United States Botanic Garden and learn more about this incredible plant family! This week, USBG Gardener (Advanced) George Guenthner will share tips for caring for orchids at home, including how to repot an orchid. Drop in at any time during the program and be sure to bring your orchid questions.
This program is offered in partnership with Smithsonian Gardens and the More than a Flower: The Connective Power of Orchids exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Free timed-entry passes are required.

Washington Through the Seasons: A Naturalist’s Journey (Virtual)
2026-03-10 19:00 - 20:30
(DC) (Smithsonian Associates) The splendor of springtime in Washington is world-renowned, owing largely to the Japanese flowering cherry trees that have encircled the Tidal Basin for over a century. Yet the cherry blossoms are a single aspect of the city’s spectacular flowering spring, and spring is only one of the city’s vibrant seasons.
Smithsonian Associates tour guide, naturalist, and nature-book author Melanie Choukas-Bradley leads a virtual journey of seasonal transformation in and around the nation’s capital.

Tuesday Morning Bird Walk at Kenilworth
2026-03-10 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!

Ecology Book Club: We Will Be Jaguars
2026-03-09 18:00 - 19:30 | Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, 20008, United States
(DC) (DC Public Library) Join book and ecology lovers at Cleveland Park Library to explore books on human ecology, sustainable living, environmental justice and post-fossil fuel futures. Books can be nonfiction, fiction or poetry. This month we will be discussing We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson. Adults.

Rooting DC
2026-03-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Eastern Senior High School, 1700 East Capitol St NE, Washington DC, 20002, United States
(DC) (DC Department of Energy and Environment) Attend the District’s free conference for urban gardeners! Rooting DC is a FREE, all-day event that provides education and community building around urban agriculture and food systems, with the goal of cultivating personal, community, and environmental wellbeing. It is the District’s central meeting ground for land stewards and garden lovers to strengthen their connection with crops and community in the nation’s capital.

Birdability: Birding CAN Change the World (Virtual)
2026-03-05 19:00 - 20:00
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) Virginia Rose was thrown from a horse at the age of 14, resulting in paralysis. Then, at the age of 44, she discovered birding. It changed her life. She founded Birdability with the vision that birding truly is for everybody and every body, regardless of disabilities or other health concerns. Their mission is to ensure birding is accessible to everyone.
In this presentation by Birdability Executive Director, Cat Fribley, let’s discover how accessible birding can make a significant impact on individuals with access challenges and learn practical ways you can contribute to a more inclusive birding community.

On the Heels of Dinosaurs (Virtual)
2026-03-04 19:00 - 20:30
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) Dinosaur tracks and other trace fossils provide important insights into the behaviors, locomotion, postures, and environments of ancient creatures that are often difficult to glean from body fossils alone. Glen Kuban’s presentation will include an overview of the dinosaur tracks, including basic types of tracks, where they are found, and how they are studied and documented. Glen will also discuss his 45+ years of first-hand research on the remarkably abundant, varied, and well-preserved dinosaur tracks in Texas, and various debates and controversies surrounding them.

The Amazing World of Vernal Pools (Virtual)
2026-03-01 14:00 - 15:00
(Capital Nature) (DC) Join Capital Nature and vernal pool champions Mike Hayslett and Steven David Johnson for this special presentation on the temporary freshwater wetlands that emerge after snowmelt. Often overlooked as habitats because of their small size, they are essential spawning grounds for spotted salamanders, wood frogs, fairy shrimp, and many other creatures! Mike will discuss the ecology and conservation needs of these unique ecosystems. Steven will share his spectacular photographs of vernal pool life.

Frog Frenzy
2026-02-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA, 22207, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) What’s that sound? Wood frogs abound! These woodland amphibians are a welcoming sign that spring is just around the corner. See (and hear) some of these ribbeting animals at Potomac Overlook’s frog pond, and learn about a fascinating adaptation that helps them survive the cold winter. Ages 5 +

Snakes Secret Lives
2026-02-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Lake Accotink Park, 7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield, VA, 22150, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Explore the remarkable adaptations and behaviors of these specialized predators through hands-on encounters with non-venomous snake ambassadors. Discover the sophisticated hunting strategies, sensory capabilities and ecological roles that makes this reptiles masters of evolutionary design. Ages 5 to Adult.

Exhibit: For the Love of Birds
2026-02-28 10:00 - 17:00 | Black Hill Discovery Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD, 20841, United States
(MD) (Garrett County Arts Council)“For the Love of Birds” is an installation piece that incorporates The National Audubon Society’s climate report: Survival by Degrees: 389 Birds on the Brink and artwork curated by curated by Caroline Blizzard and Julie Turrentine. The art exhibit tells the story of how birds will be affected by climate change, with different habitats illustrated through canvas photography and supported by interpretive signage and glass birds.
Exhibit is open during Discovery Center hours Friday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, from January 10th through March 1st.

Invasive Vine Removal at Riverdale
2026-02-28 10:00 - 13:00 | Riverside Drive Park, 5801 Riverside Drive, Riverdale, 20737, United States
(MD) (Casey Trees) Join Chesapeake Climate Action Network volunteer leaders from the Riverdale Park Green Team to remove Invasive Vines around around the Riverdale Park neighborhood.. This event will be a fun mix of door-to-door canvassing and invasive vine removal.

Invasive Plant Removal at Piney Branch
2026-02-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Piney Branch Oasis, 3499 Mt Pleasant St NW, Washington, 20010, United States

Winter Birdwalk at Eleanor C. Lawrence
2026-02-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Rd, Chantilly, VA, 20151, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Take a hike through the woods with a naturalist to listen and look for the park’s winter avian residents and migrants. Find out what birds do to survive the winter weather. Feel free to bring your own guides, binoculars and spotting scopes. Site will have a limited number of supplies for participants to borrow for the duration of the program. Ages 4 to Adult.
