Capital Nature

Senior Wellness Walk in Deanwood
2026-01-23 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th St NE, Washington, DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (Department of Parks and Recreation) Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Participants will enjoy group walking around the neighborhood, around the park, or just around. Seniors will enjoy outdoor neighborhood walking as a group while listening to oldies but goodies to keep active and help stay fit.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through June 2026.

Invasive Plant Removal at Roosevelt Island
2026-01-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington DC, United States
(DC) (National Park Service) Join the National Capital Region Invasive Plant Management Team to remove invasive shrubs and vines to make room for native flora and fauna on the island. We will meet at the Pedestrian Bridge, located on the Virginia side of the island. No skills or prior knowledge are required for these events. Volunteers who sign up will receive an email with further details about the event 48 hours prior to its start.

Little Tyke Hike at Peirce Mill
2026-01-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Peirce Mill, 2401 Tilden St NW, Washington DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (National Park Service) Bring your little ones to learn about the forest and how to explore nature in RockC reek Park! This program includes books, animal puppets, magnifying glasses, and a very short hike. During the walk, children are encouraged to search for shapes and colors and use their senses to explore the forest. Recommended for families with children 6 and under.
To accommodate more people and to add variety, the children’s programs will alternate between the Nature Center and Peirce Mill Barn every 2 weeks.

Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring 2026 Season Kickoff
2026-01-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd NW, Leesburg, VA, 20176, United States
(VA) (Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy) Our local amphibians and reptiles are both susceptible to habitat destruction and pollutants and can often be victims of being misunderstood. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for an introductory look at our local amphibians and reptiles, what our citizens can do to help protect their habitats, and what related programs are available through Loudoun Wildlife to help monitor populations and increase community awareness.

Science Inspires Art – Art Inspires Science (Virtual)
2026-01-22 19:00 - 20:00
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) Researchers utilize a biochemical technique called clearing and staining to create skeletal images of vertebrates. This makes biological specimens transparent while simultaneously highlighting specific structures. Dr. Noah Bressman blends this scientific technique, photography, and digital effects to highlight the beauty within fish anatomy.
He will discuss how he makes his unique neon skeletons, major influences on his work, and how his work has changed over time. Come learn about the scientific discoveries Dr. Bressman has made in the pursuit of art!

Exhibit: Dazzling Diversity
2026-01-22 10:00 - 17:30 | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1000 Madison Drive NW, Washington, DC, 20560, United States
(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) Celebrate the vast and varied insect world through the pages of early natural history books from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. Dazzling Diversity provides a glimpse into the wealth of recorded scientific knowledge in these books, and the continuing relevance of historical science to contemporary biodiversity research. It offers a snapshot of different classes of insects and their habitats, while showcasing the careful artistry of scientific illustration.
On view through May 11th, 2026.

The Effects of Climate Breakdown on Birds (Virtual)
2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:30
(VA) (Northern Virginia Bird Alliance) Climate breakdown is already having significant effects on the natural environment, including serious impacts on bird populations. Bill Young will present an overview about how birds are likely to be affected in the future and which ones are likely to be best or least able to deal with the impending changes. The course is intended for a general audience, with no special knowledge of birds needed.
Bill Young is a writer and naturalist who lives in Kensington, Maryland. His book The Fascination of Birds: From the Albatross to the Yellowthroat, was published by Dover Publications in 2014.

Intergenerational Care for the Land (Virtual)
2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:00
(US) (Wild Ones) Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, and Esther Bonney, youth organizer and founder of Nurture Natives will draw on their work in education, storytelling, and youth leadership in “Intergenerational Care for Land and Community“ to explore how people of all ages can take part in the native plant movement through shared learning, relationships, and local action.

Safe Sidewalks, Clean Water: Smart Salting for DMV Residents (Virtual)
2026-01-21 13:00 - 13:30
(VA) (Northern Virginia Regional Commission) Join the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) to learn how winter salt impacts our environment, why it’s a growing regional concern, and the simple steps you can take at home—before, during, and after storms—to apply just the right amount of salt to maintain safety in the winter. Learn application tips, alternatives to salt, and other ways you can be #wintersaltsmart while protecting the environment.
This event serves as the first of two mini-webinars to learn how you can take action around your community to stay safe and reduce salt impacts to the Potomac and other DC area water sources.

Senior Wellness Walk at Arboretum
2026-01-21 10:30 - 11:30 | Arboretum Community Center, 2412 Rand Pl NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
(DC) (Department of Parks and Recreation) Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Participants will enjoy group walking around the neighborhood, around the park, or just around.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through June 2026.

Exhibit: Recovering Our Night Skies
2026-01-21 10:00 - 17:30 | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1000 Madison Drive NW, Washington, DC, 20560, United States
(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) Artificial lights have become such common nighttime fixtures that we take them for granted. But what do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? The effects of light pollution go beyond our diminishing view of the stars, but the solutions can have an immediate impact.
Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?
On view through December 2026.

Pup Stroll Day at Meadowlark
2026-01-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA, 22182, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) GREAT NEWS! Now garden guests may enjoy Meadowlark Botanical Gardens with their favorite canines every Wednesday for Pup Stroll Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, during regular daytime hours, leashed dogs are welcome in the gardens. (Only service dogs are permitted on other days.) Please note: Garden admission ends at 6:30pm.

Ferrets: The Road to Recovery (Virtual)
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:30
(MD) (Smithsonian Environmental Research Center) Half a century ago, scientists believed the last black-footed ferrets—the only ferrets native to North America—had gone extinct. Today, their recovery marks one of the most hopeful conservation stories of the 20th and 21st centuries. In a free Smithsonian webinar, discover how this endangered species rebounded with Paul Marinari, a retired biologist with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo who assisted in the ferret’s recovery for much of his career.

The Beauty and Magic of Winter Trees (Virtual)
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:15
(DMV) (Capital Nature) Join renowned local naturalist Alonso Abugattas, the Capital Naturalist, for a fascinating talk on trees during the winter months. Evergreens like American Hollies and Eastern Cedars provide life-sustaining food and shelter to birds and other wildlife, and reward us with sightings of refreshing green and red. Deciduous trees reveal stunning winter forms while they gather strength for spring buds. With a keen eye you can recognize amazing Oaks, Beeches, and Sycamores by their distinctive bark, nuts, and fruits.
Alonso will draw on his abundant knowledge of the natural world, and on legends of indigenous peoples to reveal the amazing living world of our local trees in winter.

Ice Skating at Canal Park
2026-01-20 16:00 - 21:00 | Canal Park, 200 M Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003, United States
(DC) (Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena) Join the Winter fun at Canal Park Ice Rink! Public skating sessions are available seven days a week during the winter. Sessions are 90 minutes long, with a break at the half-way point to resurface the ice.
The rink is open through March 2nd. Daily hours vary.

Nature, Art, and Service as Medicine (Virtual)
2026-01-20 14:00 - 15:00
(VA) (Alexandria Library) Jump start your new year with us as we chat with journalist and author Julia Hotz about her book The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging. By integrating age-old medicines like art, nature, movement, and volunteer service into patient’s daily lives, social prescriptions are radically changing health and healthcare in more than thirty countries.

Lunchtime Meditation and Mindfulness (Virtual)
2026-01-20 12:00 - 12:30
(DC) (Smithsonian Asian Art Museum) Join our free online guided meditation on Tuesdays and Fridays. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. Many of the art pieces are inspired by nature. All are welcome! No previous experience is required.

MLK Day of Service at Long Branch
2026-01-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park, 625 S Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
(VA) (Arlington Parks) Make a difference in your community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Volunteers are needed to help clear out invasive plants and vines that are keeping our local plants and animals from thriving. Come dressed for the weather, with sturdy footwear, and be prepared to get dirty. Adults.

MLK Day of Service at Oxon Run Park
2026-01-19 13:00 - 15:30 | The Well at Oxon Run, 300 Valley Ave, SE, Washington, DC, 20032, United States
(DC) (Casey Trees) Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of service at Oxon Run Park, hosted by Chesapeake Climate Action Network, DC Greens, Friends of Oxon Run, and Casey Trees. As a part of a nationwide effort, the MLK Day of Service is a great opportunity to give back to our communities, from helping out our neighbors to uplifting and restoring our green spaces.

Trash Cleanup at Dyke Marsh
2026-01-19 12:00 - 14:00 | Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, 22307, United States
(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Potomac Riverkeeper Network and Friends of Dyke Marsh will host a clean-up to address trash pollution in Dyke Marsh. Join us! The clean-up will run along the entire Dyke Marsh boardwalk.

Soul Trak's MLK Cleanup at Marvin Gaye
2026-01-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Marvin Gaye Park, 5200 Foote St NE, Washington, DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (Soul Trak) Every quarter, Soul Trak hosts a Service Event dedicated to beautifying our local parks and waterways. We are coming back to Marvin Gaye Park where we have hiked, repaired bikes, and led clean ups before, to revisit the park and help divert trash from entering the Anacostia River. We invite community members to join us!

MLK Day of Service at Kingman
2026-01-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Kingman Island _RFK Lot 6, United States
(DC) (Living Classrooms) Join the Kingman Rangers for a community cleanup honoring Dr. King’s legacy and help protect the Anacostia Watershed through collective action!

Weed Warrior Workday at Rachel Carson Conservation Park
2026-01-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Rachel Carson Conservation Park, 22201 Zion Road, Olney, MD, 20833, United States
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service while saving the trees and the meadow. Join Montgomery Parks Vegetation Management Staff for a non-native, invasive plant removal workday. We will focus on non-native, invasive vines and shrubs, including porcelainberry, wintercreeper, English ivy, roundleaf bittersweet, winged burning bush, and bush honeysuckle.

MLK Day: Invasive Plant Removal at Broad Branch
2026-01-19 10:00 - 12:00
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Rock Creek 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. This event is part of an area-wide volunteer-powered effort to help rescue our public parks and green spaces from non-native invasive species. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from the event leader 48 hours prior to the event.

MLK Day of Service at Pope Branch
2026-01-19 09:30 - 13:00 | Pope Branch Park, 2900 M Place SE, Washington, DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (Anacostia Riverkeeper) Ring in the New Year with Anacostia Riverkeeper at our annual MLK Day of Service cleanup! Rain or Shine. All supplies provided. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing you can get dirty that will protect you from the brush.

This cleanup is in partnership with Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance and funded by Washington Gas.

Volunteer Day at Dumbarton Oaks Park
2026-01-19 09:00 - 13:00 | Dumbarton Oaks Park, Lover's Lane and R Street NW, Washington, DC, 20007, United States
(DC) (Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy) Join the Conservancy for a day of service and stewardship at beautiful Dumbarton Oaks Park.

MLK Day of Service at Kenilworth
2026-01-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave, NE, Washington DC, 20019, United States
(DC) (Student Conservation Association) SCA is hosting the MLK Day of Service clean-up event at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Join us for a massive clean-up at one of the most biodiverse natural areas in the nation’s capital.

Weed Warrior Workday at Sligo Creek
2026-01-19 09:00 - 11:00 | Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, Silver Spring, MD, 20901, United States
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Save the trees, celebrate celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, and protect the Sligo Creek watershed. Join Weed Warrior Supervisors Greg and Kathryn for a non-native, invasive plant removal workday in Sligo Creek Stream Valley Unit 4.
We will focus on non-native, invasive vines and shrubs, including porcelainberry (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata), wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), English ivy (Hedera helix), Japanese barberry (Berberisthunbergii), and bush honeysuckle (mainly Lonicera maackii). Native Virginia creeper and poison ivy are also present and beneficial, so we will avoid those.

Pop-Up History at Meridian Hill Park
2026-01-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Meridian Hill Park, 16th Street & W Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
(DC) (National Park Service) Meridian Hill Park, colloquially referred to as Malcolm X Park, is known for its beauty, art, recreation, First Amendment space, and illustrious history. Drop by our pop-up table located near the Joan of Arc statue to learn some quick history of the park, or attend the walking tour at 3 pm when you’ll have the chance to converse further with a park ranger. The formal tour meets by the bathrooms near 15th Street and Euclid St.

Winter Weeds and Wildflowers
2026-01-18 13:00 - 15:30 | Woodend Nature Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, United States
(MD) (Nature Forward) Not all herbaceous plants disappear in the winter. Many persist as dried stalks and seed clusters creating lovely, dramatic forms throughout open landscapes. Join a naturalist for an indoor/outdoor introduction to winter weed and wildflower identification at our Woodend Sanctuary. We’ll also investigate seed dispersal strategies and examine plant skeletons for signs of summer insect activity, such as insect galls, chrysalids, cocoons, and egg cases.
