Capital Nature

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Learn about the park's birds and some basic identification skills. This program for beginners starts with a bird identification discussion. Children age 12 to 16 must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(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.

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Want to watch wildlife or just enjoy a peaceful paddle? Then join us for a leisurely kayak tour of Little Seneca Lake. We could see beaver, herons, maybe even a bald eagle. We’ll supply boats, paddles, and PFD’s. Adaptive equipment will be available to assist participants in getting in and out of the kayak. Basic paddling experience ...

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Learn about the park's birds and some basic identification skills. This program for beginners starts with a bird identification discussion. Ages 12 - Adult

(MD) (Potomac Riverkeeper) Join us on an all-women’s paddle in support of clean water!  The paddle will launch and head up Four Mile Run, a scenic urban tributary of the Potomac River located just south of Arlington. Spend your morning enjoying an easy out and back flat-water paddle up four-mile run – perfect for soaking up some sunshine, admiring the scenery ...

(DC) (National Park Service) Join insect expert Jenny and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on a guided insect tour of the park! Learn more about the insects that call the gardens home!  

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Join us for an interactive story time followed by an outdoor exploration or activity for children ages 3-7. We will meet in the outdoor classroom area located in the Children’s Garden, weather permitting. Adults must accompany children. Meet in the Outdoor Classroom located in the Children’s Garden area.  

(DC) (National Portrait Gallery) “Forces of Nature: Voices that Shaped Environmentalism” presents some of the key people—scientists, politicians, activists, writers and artists—whose work has influenced attitudes toward the environment in the United States from the late 19th century until today. The exhibition traces a history of the movement from turn-of-the-20th-century conservationism to mid-20th-century environmentalism and its backlash. It also addresses ...

(DC) (American University) GROUNDED is an artistic exploration curated to inspire our imaginations about our need of being "grounded" in our relationship with all of creation: the earth and its wildlife, each other and ourselves. The exhibit brings together 15 premier contemporary artists from Indigenous American tribes traditionally based in and around the Great Plains region, whose work will serve ...

(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.  

(DC) (National Park Service) Join park rangers and expert volunteers on Tuesday mornings from 8:30-10:00am for a weekly bird walk at beautiful Kenilworth. Over 250 different species of birds have been spotted at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and Kenilworth Park! The park manages habitat for ground nesting, aquatic, and woodland birds.  Bring comfortable shoes, water, and binoculars if you have them ...

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy free garden admission and a guided walk around Meadowlark's 95 acres.  Each one-hour walk will be over hilly terrain, have a positive focus, and include a silent, meditative portion and a few interesting facts from our docent along the way. This is a drop-in activity.  No reservations are required. Ages 18+.

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Come see what’s blooming and what animals are searching for those beautiful blooms. Find what amazing adaptations flowers and trees have to entice the local pollinators. Family.

(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Join Lilly Andersen, USBG Family Education Specialist  and investigate the differences in plants before and after pollination! In this drop-in program, dissect a flower to learn about its different parts and how these components attract and interact with pollinators. Watch a fruit dissection demonstration to see how the papaya flower develops into the papaya fruit after ...

(DC) (Smithsonian Associates) Join an orchid care expert for a fun, informative evening about one of America’s favorite house plants. This class delves into the origins of our love for orchids, explains how they grow in their native environments, and provides beginner care instructions to keep your orchids blooming in your home. In a hands-on activity, learn how to repot ...

(DC) (MD) (VA) (Capital Nature) Join us for the August edition of iNaturalist Virtual ID Night. The topic this month is: What’s eating my garden? We will have a presentation on aphids by Natalie Hernandez, the top aphid identifier for the Washington metro area. Cosponsored with The Nature Conservancy (MD/DC Chapter) and Prince George’s County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. ...

(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Volunteers will help AWS with a Mussel Restoration Workday at Kingman and Heritage Islands Park! On this workday we will focus on bottom cage maintenance, which could involve cleaning accumulated mud out of the cages and making cage repairs.

(DC) (Smithsonian Gardens) Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday at 10 a.m. from May 22 through September 25, 2024, weather permitting. Meet one of our knowledgeable docents by the tour sign in the Enid A. Haupt Garden near the south entrance to the Smithsonian Castle. No reservation is required.

(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Get your head in the game! Join fellow bird, beer, & board games enthusiasts for our monthly Wingspan Wednesday hang at Valor Brewpub.

(DC) (Potomac Conservancy) Looking for a fun opportunity to explore and paddle the Potomac River? Join Potomac Conservancy to celebrate our 30th anniversary with a fun paddling event at Key Bridge Boat House! We love protecting the Potomac River, but we also love spending time on it! Plus, we will have a food truck on site! After you work up an ...

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) This course covers the basics of observing the night sky and objects with a telescope and astronomy resources. Class will provide hands-on observation with telescopes weather permitting. Attendees can bring their own telescopes to use and receive assistance. Instruction for this program is provided by volunteers of the Analemma Society. 8 to Adult

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) This series of classes feature foundational yoga poses that are designed to support better breathing, walking, and space orientation. Yoga movements help build muscle, bone density and core strength while improving balance, posture, and flexibility. Mats are not included. Instructor: Sherry Weber. Held in the Visitor Center auditorium. Ages 18+ This class meets weekly.

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Take a tour of the vibrant summer demonstration gardens with an Extension Master Gardener docent. Find inspiration in our horticulturists’ plant choices and garden bed designs. Hear about our 18th century origins and our mission today, then step inside for afternoon tea. Garden tours run rain or shine. A traditional British afternoon tea served in the ...

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Join us every other Thursday for Storytime on the Farm. Hear a farm or nature-related story, then experience the subject up close with an animal meet and greet or short nature walk. We will meet behind the office for storytime. If it's raining, please join us in the Visitor's Center. This program is free and aimed towards ...

(MD) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Explore the Anacostia River while riding in one of our open-air boats as part of the Anacostia River Explorers program. Anacostia Watershed Society staff will take participants on a one hour tour of the river while discussing natural and cultural history along with restoration efforts. You will experience the joy of being out on the water ...

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Thursday evenings this summer, Rock Creek Park (U.S. National Park Service) and Rock Creek Conservancy are hosting FREE, family-friendly events at rotating locations throughout the east side of the park. Join us for music from DJ Lance Reynolds and fun-for-all-ages games and activities. Summer in the Parks events bring the Rock Creek community together to enjoy ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Discover your new favorite band(s) at Parks Summer Concert Series at the Amphitheater. Live music to be performed by Dueling Pianos led by Jimmy “Ross” Morouse. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own snacks, blankets, and lawn chairs. Snacks and beverages will be provided by Dog Haus. Invite your friends and family and make it an ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Join us for a sunset cruise aboard the pontoon boat. We’ll search for beaver lodges and feeding sites, and hopefully see some beavers! As the sun sets, we’ll use our bat detector to help us find feeding bats. Please register and pay for all participants. You may want to bring a jacket or sweater as it is ...

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and Sarah DeWitt, Certified Forest Therapy Guide for a two-hour gentle walk to help you slow down and reconnect with yourself, nature, and your community. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the simple practice of taking in the woods through the senses. This forest bathing walk will begin with some gentle mindful ...

(DC) (National Park Service) Join a park ranger on Friday mornings through August 30th for a garden tour at beautiful Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. The garden tour will begin at the visitors center. Learn more about birds at Kenilworth from NPS here  

(DC) (Smithsonian Asian Art Museum) Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free online meditation sessions each week led by DC-based meditation teachers on Tuesdays and Fridays. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, much of which is inspired by nature, ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Join us for the magic of the full moon for a hike and campfire on each Friday nearest to the full moon. Feel free to bring your own hot dogs or food to warm over the fire, and we’ll provide marshmallows. Please register and pay for adults and children. Ages 10 and up.

(VA) (Arlington Parks) The whole family is invited to join us at Long Branch Nature Center for lots of old-fashioned fun. This engaging program will be filled with entertaining activities which may include stories, special animal guests, games, songs and of course, S’mores. (We will provide the marshmallows, chocolate & graham crackers).

(DC) (Anacostia Riverkeeper) The Connecting Land, River, and Sky Birding Tours are a two-hour experience of the beautiful birds that live on land and water in Washington D.C. The first hour is a guided walk with DC Bird Alliance. Next, hop aboard the Anacostia Riverkeeper boat to discuss the cultural and natural history of the Anacostia River.

(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Join us for a bird walk at one of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the DMV with over 400 acres and 9 miles of winding roadways, The U.S. National Arboretum. Don't worry, we won't tackle all 9 miles! But we'll have a great time looking for our feathered friends among the gorgeous gardens & collections. ...

(MD) (Smithsonian Associates) The geography and environment of the Mid-Atlantic were shaped over hundreds of millions of years, reflecting influences that include the impact of a massive meteor; four tectonic mountain-building events; ice sheets and tropical oceans; plants and animals; and at least 15,000 years of human habitation. Environmental historian and storyteller Hayden Mathews interprets the many layers of the ...

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Going on nature walks are not only beneficial for your physical health, but also for your mental health. Clear your mind as you walk with a naturalist through the woods, as you learn what techniques you can use to help repair your mind from the stress of your day-to-day life. Ages 12 to Adult.

(DC) (Friends of the National Arboretum) Join forest bathing guides Sage and Paul for our two-hour program that encourages you to slow down and take in the National Arboretum through all your senses. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the simple practice of taking in the woods through the senses for health benefits. The benefits are immense: boosted immunity, lowered ...

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Experience forest bathing to connect more deeply with nature, release stress, and enjoy summer at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens! Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is a way to immerse your senses in the natural world. Slow down, relax, and join certified forest bathing guide Ilana Rubin of Kindred Nature for a guided slow wander ...

(DC) (Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens) Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku in Japanese, means “bathing in the essence of the forest” and is a scientifically proven therapeutic modality to aid in one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Participate in a 120-minute Forest Bathing saunter guided by certified Nature and Forest Therapy instructor J. Sage Raindancer. Meander through the Kenilworth Aquatic ...

(MD) (Potomac Riverkeeper) Join Potomac Riverkeeper, Atlantic Kayak, and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on a unique guided interpretive paddle through Mallows Bay, the newest National Marine Sanctuary in the United States. Mallows Bay is home to the largest collection of historic shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere, known as the “Ghost Fleet” of the Potomac.

(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Volunteers will help AWS to release about 400 freshwater mussels into the Anacostia River! In 2015, we started surveying the native species of freshwater mussels in the Anacostia River to understand their diversity and abundance. In 2018 we started a mussel propagation project partnering with the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery run by the U.S. Fish ...

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Weed Warrior Leaders Tere and Susi Baranano 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 ...

(DC) (Friends of Anacostia Park) Join our Friends Corps Grounds Crew and Casey Trees to help care for Anacostia Park. Activities will include invasive species removal (training provided), trash cleanup, and other projects needed to help keep the park a safe and welcoming place for all. Supplies are provided. Meeting point is the skating pavilion. Our August Park Care Day ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Tomatoes are a fruit, but so are pumpkins, cucumber, corn, and green beans!? We'll talk about the different parts of plants that humans and other animals eat, using examples we have currently growing in the garden from potatoes to okra. We might even get to harvest and sample some fresh vegetables! Ages 6 to 9 .

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Learn about the experience of 19th century freedom seekers and Montgomery County residents in a guided hike of the Underground Railroad Experience Trail. Discover techniques used for navigation, eluding detection, and finding food/shelter on the perilous journey. Hike covers 2 miles on a natural surface hiking trail; not ADA accessible or appropriate for all strollers. Content appropriate ...

(DC) (Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens) Join us for a FREE outdoor Zumba class at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! Zerline teaches Zumba Fitness, a fast-paced, world dance platform featuring Latin, West African, and Eastern movement and music. Unlike the average Zumba instructor, she explains the origin and derivation of the movements, while also making modifications for all levels. Zumba Fitness is an ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Each participant will get to use a compass and map of Glencarlyn Park to navigate the terrain with a park naturalist. We may also see some wild animals while exploring. Ages 8 to 12.

(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Write a poem while gazing at the night sky to see if you can find a shooting star. The event is free but registration is recommended.