Huntley Meadows Park 50th Anniversary Historic Huntley's 200th Anniversary
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Huntley Meadows Park and the 200th anniversary of Historic Huntley! From its origins as Mason family land to its transformation into a beloved public park, Huntley Meadows is a testament to conservation and community. Join us as we honor the park’s journey through special events, hands-on volunteer opportunities and exciting programs that spotlight its rich heritage and thriving wetlands.
Birdathon
Our annual birdathon is on Tuesday, May 6. Teams of birders will scour the park from before dawn trying to find as many species as possible. Please consider making a donation. The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park will use the proceeds to fund a natural resources intern (and for other purposes to support Huntley Meadows Park). You can donate here , as well as see the results of last year's birdathon. You can donate a set amount, or pledge an amount per species seen (usually around 90-100 species).
Friends of Huntley Meadows Needs a New President
Ben Jesup is stepping down as "Interim" President after 3 years at the end of June. Despite diligent efforts by our search committee, we have not yet identified a replacement. If you are interested in filling this position, know someone who would be, or would like more information about the responsibilities of President, please email us at friendsofhmp@gmail.com.
An interview project by Pax Linson
The Delusion of Controlling Nature
People have tried to remake landscapes and control nature for years, but some of these plans can go wrong. Join us on May 14, 7 p.m., for a Zoom talk by Stephen Robert Miller on his book, Over the Seawall, Tsunamis, Cyclones, Drought and the Delusion of Controlling Nature.
Climate change is presenting existential challenges, he argues, and he wrote that we live on an “increasingly unforgiving planet.” He argues that adapting successfully to climate change means working with nature. Miller is an award-winning, independent journalist who teaches writing at the University of Colorado.
Register at
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/-KxX_Na_SgKfOSYiV-gn3A. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Sponsors: Friends of Dyke Marsh, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, 350 Fairfax; Sierra Club, Great Falls Group; Four Mile Run Conservancy Foundation; Friends of Huntley Meadows Park; Friends of Accotink Creek; and Friends of Little Hunting Creek
The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park Have Joined the Bird Safe NOVA Campaign
More than one billion birds die each year from human-made causes. Even though Huntley Meadows Park does not have lights and buildings that pose threats to birds, the threats that the birds face elsewhere in northern Virginia and beyond have a direct impact on our park’s population of birds. The FOHMP have joined the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Nature Forward, DarkSky NOVA, DarkSky Virginia, Friends of Dyke Marsh, and Friends of Little Hunting Creek in a partnership, Bird Safe NOVA, which will work to reduce the devastating toll that our built-up environment has on birds
Lights Out for Birds
Bird Safe NOVA Campaign
President's Message
Don't Forget the Plants
By Ben Jesup, (still interim) FOHMP President
Photo by Ben Jesup
We often focus on the amazing fauna at Huntley Meadows Park (HMP). People come from all over the world for the birds, various amazing mammals (beaver, otter, raccoon, and too many deer), and herps (turtles, snakes, the sometimes-deafening choruses of frogs and toads evident as I write this in April). Some folks appreciate the beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects that inhabit the Park. (We even have a book about the dragonflies in HMP!)
But don’t forget about the flora. Plants are the base of the ecological pyramid on which all the fauna depends. Some are obvious to those strolling on the trails and boardwalks: the towering oaks that support many species of insects and the crimson-eyed rose mallows that profusely decorate the wetlands in the summer. Others are obscure but fascinating, like the several species of terrestrial orchid that are occasionally seen. Some are both showy and rare, like the state-threatened purple milkweed. I encourage everyone to get to know the plants of Huntley Meadows. In addition to taking a walk with one of the naturalists, anyone with a phone can use one of several apps such as Seek to identify plants from the HMP trails. Knowing the name of a plant is the first step in learning more about it and its place in the ecosystem.
Not all flora has a place in HMP—we struggle with numerous nonnative-introduced species. Japanese stiltgrass is perhaps the most obvious, but mile-a-minute, barberry, English Ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, porcelain berry, wineberry, and others crowd out native plants and provide little or no value to the habitat. We can all help to address nonnative species by volunteering at county-sponsored nonnative removal efforts and by eliminating nonnatives and replacing them with natives on our own properties.
The Virginia Native Plant Society’s website includes a discussion of the plant life at Huntley Meadows by the Board’s own Karla Jamir: https://vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-registry-sites/huntley-meadows/
Humans Can Shape the Land Over Time
By: Celia Boertlein
Photo credit: Suzanne Lepple.
Sunday, May 5 dawned as a drizzly day, but it still attracted over 300 visitors to Huntley Meadows Park for our premier annual event, “Wetlands Awareness Day.” This year’s theme was “Humans can shape the land over time.” The 4-hour event featured a presentation by Secret Gardens Birds and Bees, who shared their wildlife education program/exhibit with live birds of prey. Hidden Oaks and Hidden Pond Nature Centers brought a fascinating selection of their live reptiles and amphibians to see. Interactive displays and activities were spread along the mile and a half of walking trails through forested and open wetlands, which included the wetland boardwalk and wildlife observation tower.
Family and friends came to learn all about wetland ecology, local history (both natural and human) and the importance of wetlands for both wildlife and water quality. Many visitors took advantage of the shuttle buses running every half hour to and from Groveton Elementary School and the Park.
The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park (FOHMP) co-sponsored the event, while Wegmans provided FOHMP with a substantial gift card to cover much of the cost of food provided to the volunteers and staff. Special guests included FCPA Executive Director Jai Cole and Fairfax County Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk. Many thanks to all who made this event possible. None of this could have been possible without the support of 22 volunteers, members of 25 outside organizations, 16 Huntley staffers and 17 other Fairfax County Governments staff members.
Who We Are
The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park was founded in 1985 and is a nonprofit organization of individuals dedicated to the protection of Fairfax County's premier wetland wildlife sanctuary.
FOHMP was organized exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes and operates under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Monday Morning Birdwalk
The Monday Morning Bird Walk is sponsored by the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park and takes place every Monday at 7 a.m. April-September and 8 a.m. October-March. 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.
Recent Visits and EBird Lists of Birds
Birders meet in the parking lot at the Park's entrance at 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA. Questions should be directed to Park staff during normal business hours at (703) 768-2525.
Friends of Historic Huntley
Friends of Historic Huntley is a non-profit citizen group committed to working with the Fairfax County Park Authority to assure the preservation, restoration and appropriate use of Historic Huntley and to enhance the public’s knowledge of the site and the broader historic development of the neighborhood.