Capital Nature

(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.

(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) As the summer winds down, monarchs, swallowtails, and other butterflies are busy in the gardens. Stop at the “hot spots” along the trail to identify different butterfly species, snap a few photos, and record observations in the nature journal provided. Meet in the Visitor Center at the start of class and dress for the weather.

(MD) (Potomac Riverkeeper) Get ready for an epic end-of-summer celebration with RiverPalooza’s Goodbye Summer Celebration! Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf, Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks, and Upper Potomac Riverkeeper Brent Walls are thrilled to announce this exciting whitewater celebration on one of the most beautiful stretches of the river.

(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 ...

(DC) (Tregaron Conservancy) Join David Harold for Tai Chi practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We will gather west of the Lily Pond near the entrance at Klingle Road NW. David is passionate about making Taiji and Qigong practice and principles accessible. For 15 years, he led a free, weekly public outdoor practice in Winston-Salem, NC. That practice continues to be led ...

(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+.

(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 ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Regardless of the weather or season, there are always neat plants, mosses, lichens, and fungi to see if you look closely! Each participant will be given a magnifying hand lens to use during the walk, and we'll explore the incredible micro-worlds of mosses and other plants, fungi, even invertebrates! Teens ages 12 and up welcome to attend ...

(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 ...

(MD) (Maryland Native Plant Society) Maryland's largest native plants--ash, beech, hemlock, and American chestnut*--are under attack from non-native insects and diseases! Which have been most heavily affected? What are the impacts on plant communities more broadly? What strategies can citizens support through volunteer actions and advocacy? Speaker:  Faith Campbell Faith Campbell earned a Ph.D. in politics from Princeton University in ...

(DC) (Tregaron Conservancy) Join David Harold for Tai Chi practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We will gather west of the Lily Pond near the entrance at Klingle Road NW. David is passionate about making Taiji and Qigong practice and principles accessible. For 15 years, he led a free, weekly public outdoor practice in Winston-Salem, NC. That practice continues to be led ...

(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) (Anacostia Community Museum) Join Anacostia Watershed Society, the Anacostia Museum and friends for a Watershed Wednesday that focuses on environmental justice. Panelists will include Lisa McClure, Associate Director of the Anacostia Community Museum, Center for Environmental Justice; Brenda Richardson, President of Chozen Consulting, LLC and a longstanding member of the Anacostia community; Kaleigh Karageorge, Life on a Sustainable Planet, ...

(DC) (Shop Made in DC) Join us for a special art workshop dedicated to drawing the breathtaking beauty of our National Parks! In this engaging class, you'll explore the world of oil pastels—an ideal medium for artists of all skill levels. Oil pastels are fun, easy to learn, and versatile dry media, making them perfect for a short, creative workshop.

(DC) (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 ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) At the end of summer, Chimney Swifts prepare to migrate by grouping up and putting on an amazing show. Hundreds gather swirl and disappear down a chimney. We’ll learn about their lives and watch the skies to enjoy the show.

(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 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) (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, ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Join a seasoned naturalist to stroll around Glencarlyn Park to look for the season's bounty, the Pawpaw fruit, as well as other summer berries. Families.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Join our yoga instructor for an hour long Yoga class on Carlyle’s Magnolia Terrace. Afterwards, enjoy a mocktail with yoga participants and staff. Mocktails will change based on the month and will be announced on our social media! Yoga Happy Hours are a fundraiser for new exhibit cases in the museum and sponsored by the Friends of Carlyle ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Join us for a hike through the habitats of Glencarlyn Park at night. We'll see what kind of critters come out in the dark and what comes out after them. Families.

(VA) (Capital Nature and NOVA Parks) Join NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist Matt Felperin and Ana Ka'ahanui of Capital Nature on a quest to attract and identify these nocturnal fliers using bedsheets and black lights. While butterflies usually get most of the attention as beautiful flying insects and key pollinators, moths are more critical to the ecosystem than most realize! There ...

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Weed Warrior Leader Rena Subotnik 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 for a thriving native understory. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from the ...

(DC) (Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens) Charles will facilitate your exploration of awareness, align you with your values, and encourage you to take intentional action. Using the principles of yoga in practice, we want you to connect to your preconditioned self, and move from mechanical behavior patterns to a more realized way of living.

(VA) (Arlington Parks) We'll walk on the trails to complete our nature scavenger hunt list. Together we'll search for acorns, rocks, leaves, bugs, other animals and more! Families.