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.

(VA) (Nature by Design) Nature By Design, an environmentally responsible full service plant nursery vends every Sunday at Four Mile Run Farmers' Market on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The market is located at 4109 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria (Del Ray), just below S. Glebe Rd. Phone: 703-683-GROW (4769)

(VA) (Virginia Native Plant Society) Join the Potowmack Chapter of VNPS for this hike in Turkey Run Park with Kit Sheffield. We will discuss the characteristics that differentiate ferns from other organisms and talk about what to look for when identifying ferns. This will be about a two-mile walk at a moderate pace on natural trails.  

(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) What do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? 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? Open ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Fall is a rainbow of wildflowers, from goldenrods to asters in every shade of purple. Take a leisurely stroll through the park with our Master Naturalists who will interpret this last spectacular show of color before the changing of the seasons.  

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Late summer is when monarch butterflies are on the move. Join a naturalist on a hike to learn all about these voyaging butterflies life cycles, their migration routes, the challenges they face, and how we can help them. Ages 6 to 10

(VA) (NOVA Parks) The Virginia Chamber Orchestra’s eighth season in our Korean Bell Garden continues with Nocturnal Sounds. The string quartet will deliver everything from powerful movements to dulcet tones and delicate melodies in this performance. Music in the Gardens concerts are free with regular garden admission ($4-$8) or garden membership.  On your way to the Korean Bell Garden, stop ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Butterflies abound in September! Join a naturalist as we explore the meadow and look for butterfly eggs, caterpillars, chrysalis and butterflies. Learn how important butterflies are as pollinators for all of our favorite fall flowers.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy a relaxing guided sunrise kayak paddle led by ACA certified paddling instructor and NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist, Matt Felperin. Calm morning waters should make this an easy paddle, and we hope to see lots of wildlife along the way! Expect to see Great Blue Herons, Osprey, and Bald Eagles. We will begin with a brief paddling ...

(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.  

(MD) (Strathmore) Strathmore’s MONUMENTS: Forces of Nature highlights the achievements and social impact of six individuals who work in climate, environmental stewardship, or resource justice in the DMV. Large-scale, nighttime portraits are projected onto live trees for stunning effect and challenge traditional expectations of public monuments and the selective history represented in our public spaces. Craig Walsh is a visual ...

(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 ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Did you know that 168 bird species have been sighted at Brookside Gardens? Marvel at the fall migration and bring your binoculars to look for warblers, Baltimore orioles, orchard orioles, red-winged blackbirds and many more! Tour guide: Emily Williams, avian ecologist. Meet at Visitor Center Entrance

(MD) (The Writer's Center) See "Faces of the Forest" by DC-based artist Sophia McCrocklin at the Writers Center. The exhibit highlights the beautiful yet fragile forests of Rock Creek Park. The Writer's Center is open 10:00 am - 3:00 pm M-F, and 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on Saturday.

(MD) (Montgomery Join Tania Lanning, MS, LCPC, LMT, RYT for a guided walk focused on self-care in nature. Among the fragrant blossoms, maple trees, and brightly colored roses of the Formal Gardens, you will be invited to awaken your senses, notice your inner voice, and reflect on how you can bring awareness and compassion to your inner experience.

(VA) (Northern Virginia Bird Alliance) Butterfly and dragonfly surveys are carried out in temperate months (April-October), normally on Friday mornings, at one of four sites around Occoquan Bay, all within the 15-mile diameter circle established for the annual North American Butterfly Association's Annual Count. The results of these surveys are made available to the participants and other interested individuals and ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Join us each Wednesday evening in September for a series of musical performances set in the beauty of the Gardens! Admission is free, and no registration is required. Bring your friends and family, and don’t forget your chairs, blankets, and picnics (allowed in the Gardens on concert evenings only). Alcoholic beverages of any kind are prohibited. Food ...

(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) What do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? 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? Open ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Join Sarah, Weed Warrior Supervisor, for a non-native, invasive plant removal workday at Willard Avenue Neighborhood Park.  

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Gardening has been proven to improve physical health, mental wellness, and cognitive ability! Join us for this 5-session series to learn how to grow native plants, herbs, or vegetables. This program is designed to support aspiring gardeners with disabilities. We will supply guidance and all materials, including accessible garden beds, worktables, and ergonomic garden tools.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Join our yoga instructor for an hour long Yoga Class on Carlyle House’s Magnolia Terrace. A gentle flow yoga class. We will build heat with sun salutations then progress to balance, deep stretching and finally relaxation. Please bring water, a towel, and yoga mat. Wear comfortable yoga wear.

(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Want to meet your love bird? Join DCBA for a special bird walk and singles mixer! (Use this event link to sign up if you're straight!)

(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Want to meet your love bird? Join DCBA for a special bird walk and singles mixer! (Use this event link to sign up if you're queer!)

(VA) (Virginia Native Plant Society) Join us for an informative presentation about the Virginia tidal freshwater marshes by Maeve Coker. Maeve Coker earned her Bachelors in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from California University of Pennsylvania. She has spent several years working with nesting shorebirds for The Nature Conservancy on the Virginia Barrier Islands, and currently works as a Biological Technician ...

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Join NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist Matt Felperin on a quest to capture and identify these nocturnal fliers using bedsheets and blacklights. 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 are ten times as many moths in the world than ...

(VA) (Audubon Society of Northern VA) Butterfly and dragonfly surveys are carried out in temperate months (April-October), normally on Friday mornings, at one of four sites around Occoquan Bay, all within the 15-mile diameter circle established for the annual North American Butterfly Association's Annual Count. The results of these surveys are made available to the participants and other interested individuals ...

(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) (Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative) Join us for APACC's general meeting which will host conservation photographer and storyteller Krista Schlyer. In this presentation, Krista will be showing photos and discussing her decade-long project on the Anacostia River watershed, including highlights of her newest project, an in-depth look at the history of Kenilworth Park and the former Kenilworth dump. You ...

(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Join Arrin Sutliff, Owner of Tint Floral to explore the art of dried floral wreath design. This drop-in demonstration will teach you how to handle delicate dried stems with wire to maintain their structure. You'll learn which summer flowers keep their color when dried and how to arrange them to make a beautiful wreath.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) This is a very special tour that we can only offer when the conditions line up just right. Enjoy a relaxing sunset before night falls, then watch as the skies darken before the full moon rises like a fireball and illuminates the water! We will begin with a brief paddling instruction overview before heading out. Previous kayak ...

(MD) (Strathmore) Strathmore’s MONUMENTS: Forces of Nature highlights the achievements and social impact of six individuals who work in climate, environmental stewardship, or resource justice in the DMV. Large-scale, nighttime portraits are projected onto live trees for stunning effect and challenge traditional expectations of public monuments and the selective history represented in our public spaces. Craig Walsh is a visual ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Explore the great outdoors with a naturalist-led hike. Whether you are looking for a family-friendly hike around Maydale, want to learn about nocturnal animals during a night hike, or enjoy a scavenger hunt with your family there is a hike for you. Bring your flashlights and join us as we hike through the woods, meadow, and ponds ...

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Be an early bird and join us for a fabulous show of migrating warblers, a family of small insect-eating birds that often display striking plumage! While some warblers stay here for the warm season to breed, most of these birds only use our forests as a pit stop between their breeding grounds further north and their wintering ...

(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Join us for a bird walk where the only side you have to be on is the best one see a bird! Upper and Lower Senate parks are great spots to catch early migrators and a bunch of other feathered friends during Fall migration. Registration is required.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Join us as we work to keep our park healthy and beautiful!  Assist with invasive plant removal, habitat restoration, and other projects as needed.  Come dressed for and prepared to work outdoors. Gloves and snippers are recommended, but extras may be provided if needed.  Meet at the picnic shelter (located in main parking lot). Ages 9 +

(VA) (Kindred Nature & NOVA Parks) Embrace the changing seasons with a guided forest bathing experience to celebrate the autumn equinox, find balance, and connect deeply with nature 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 ...

(DC) (Friends of Anacostia Park) Join our Friends Corps Grounds Crew and 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.

(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 for a thriving native understory. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from the event leader 48 hours prior ...

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Stop by Pope Farm Nursery for this native plant sale to support Locust Grove Nature Center and get some great local plants.

(MD) (Prince George's County Parks & Recreation) Bring your family to celebrate the outdoors and the Anacostia River at the 9th Annual Festival del Rio Anacostia! Enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, entertainment, delicious food, fishing demos, live animals, and free boat rides and giveaways.

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) It may not be Munich or Theresienwiese, but Montgomery Parks is transforming Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park into Parks Ale Trail — just in time for Oktoberfest. Join us for live music, local craft beer, food and hiking. You can head out on a 2.5-mile roundtrip hike and take in the beautiful sights and sounds of ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) We'll make like a tree and leaf by hiking the trails to learn about the different species of trees growing the park. Then we'll go to the classroom to make a tree craft to take home. Ages 6 to 10.

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Test your Pokémon knowledge in PokéJeopardy and learn how to use a real life Pokédex! Explore the botanical preserve with our Roving Naturalist, identify a variety of species, complete challenges, and help collect citizen science data for iNaturalist.

(VA) (Kindred Nature and Daphne Yin) In honor of National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month, experience forest bathing to connect more deeply with nature, release stress, and enjoy 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 ...

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Find out about the endangered Virginia Big-Eared Bat and create a bat craft. Then, we’ll step outside to see if we can spot any bats emerging at twilight. Families.

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) There is nothing like being at a campfire under the stars. Join a naturalist for themed songs, stories, games, and of course, s’mores around a fire. Bring a blanket if it’s chilly.