Happy Earth Day!
The list of Earth Day-worthy events and opportunities won’t fit just a day or week, so Arlington has revitalized its environmental calendar stretching through late May.
Consider joining the Earth Day Cleanup at Bon Air Park on April 24 or taking part in the City Nature Challenge on May 1. Kids and families will learn and have fun April 24 through May 24 with the ArlinGnomes Scavenger Hunt.
Of particular note and returning in May after a year-long absence: Bike to Work Day on May 21; followed on May 22 by a limited version of E-CARE, the established spring clean-up and drop-off event for household hazardous materials like old paint and fertilizer, plus old electronics.
Earth Day Cleanup
Saturday, April 24th. 9 AM- 1:15. Join Ecoaction Arlington at their annual Earth Day Cleanup at Bon Air Park! We will collect trash and recyclables in the park and along Four Mile Run. This is a wonderful activity for families, small groups (limit is 15), and people of all ages. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Three staggered shifts are available. The shifts will consist of two groups of 15 people and participants must wear masks and keep a 6 foot distance to maintain COVID precautions. The two groups will clean up in separate areas of the park along Four Mile Run.
Participants should wear sturdy shoes/boots that can get wet in the stream. Please bring your own gloves. EcoAction Arlington will provide trash and recycling bags, extra gloves if needed, and hand sanitizer.
Spaces are limited! Please only sign up for one shift. Commit to your shift, but if you need to cancel please email volunteer@ecoactionarlington.org. Your health and safety are important to us. In addition to distancing and mask-wearing COVID precautions, we will have trained EcoAction Arlington Service Project Leaders who will help out with the cleanup and stress the importance of the guidelines. All volunteers must read and sign the volunteer waiver on the registration form. If you bring water/snacks/sunscreen – do not to share. Questions? Email volunteer@arlingtonenvironment.org.
Bon Air Park. 850 N. Lexington St.
Local Native Plant Sales
Check out the list of local native plant sales on Plant Nova Natives!
Rain Gardens for Homeowners
Did you miss the recent rain garden webinar? Watch the video!
Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground. A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off streets, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams, the Occoquan River and the Potomac River, drinking water supplies for the region.
My Tree Counts
Every tree planted makes a difference to the health of our communities and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) and partners want to highlight tree planting projects from across the state. Submit your tree planting to show that your tree counts towards Virginia’s efforts to #ProtectOurBay! We’ll share these stories on the Community Tree Map and social media with #MyTreeCounts. MyTreeCounts
Forestry and Natural Resources Plan
The Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP) is an update to the 2004 Urban Forest Master Plan and the 2010 Natural Resources Management Plan. This plan will collectively address the conservation, planting, and management of trees and unique ecosystems in Arlington County.
The scope of this project includes an analysis of Arlington’s existing conditions and planning for a greater future. Research methods in the forms of benchmarking, focus groups and community engagement will help inform many components of this plan. This plan will cover topics regarding impacts and opportunities related to Arlington’s tree canopy, natural lands, urban development, wildlife, recreation, public education and stewardship among others. Sign up for updates on this process here!
Free Paper Shredding
Saturday, May 1st. 8 AM - 4:30. Earth Products Yard, 4300 29th St. South
- Paper shredding is for Arlington County, Virginia residents only (sorry, businesses are not allowed).
- Limit of two boxes (no larger than 18 in. x 11 in. x 10 in.), or two paper bags per customer.
- Acceptable: paper (including staples, paper clips), checks/checkbooks.
- Unacceptable: magazines, catalogs, credit cards, three-ring binders or phone book-sized material.
- Already shredded paper accepted; do not place shredded paper in blue recycling carts as it is too unwieldy for regular sorting.
- In a repeating process, paper is collected in a cart that fills rapidly and is then emptied into the shredder; participants can watch as their contributions are destroyed.
- More information.
New 2021 Arlington Solar and Electric Vehicle Charger Co-op
Interested in solar or electric vehicle charging for your home? Address climate change, save money and help our community reach its goal of carbon neutrality by joining our Co-op. Tax credits and bulk buying make it more affordable than ever. Join an info session to learn more:
Controlling Mosquitoes and Ticks in your Yard Without Pesticides
Friday, May 7, 10:00 – 11:30 am, ONLINE
Learn pesticide-free best management practices to control mosquitoes and ticks in your yard and keep them away from you and your family. Extension Master Gardener Joan McIntyre will explain how to identify mosquitoes and ticks prevalent in this area, their life cycle, how they reproduce, and where they go in the winter. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/events/ to receive link to participate.
Glencarlyn Library Garden Spring Celebration and Plant Sale
Sunday, May 16, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, 300 South Kensington Street, Arlington 22204
Come rain or shine to celebrate Spring in the Glencarlyn Library Garden! Native and locally propagated plants - including herbs, vegetables, annuals and ornamentals – from Hill House Nursery and the Library Garden will be available for sale. Honey, compost tea, hand-made pots, and t-shirts, too! We’ll be giving away free tree saplings and Extension Master Gardeners will be on site to help answer your gardening and plant selection questions. All proceeds will support care of the Glencarlyn Library Garden. Please wear your Springiest face mask and help us practice safe social distancing during the event. Free. For more information call Alyssa Ford Morel at 703-907-9318, or Elaine Mills at 703-244-7309, or email glencarlynlibrarygarden@gmail.com.
Best Bets: Native Plants for Dry Conditions
Friday, May 21, 10:00 – 11:30 am, ONLINE
Homeowners often wonder which plants will be best suited to the soil conditions in their landscapes. In this class, Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills will describe the factors that lead to dry conditions in a garden and the adaptations plants have made to do well in hot, exposed sites, tolerate rain shortages, or survive in dry shade. She will introduce native trees, shrubs, perennials, ground covers, grasses, and sedges that have been found to thrive in these conditions, explain the benefits they provide to wildlife, and offer tips for growing and maintaining them. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/events/ to receive link to participate.
Arlington Home Show and Expo
Arlington’s best remodeling event is returning on May 22-23, 10 am to 3 pm each day! Attend our free workshops.
While continuing COVID19 precautions still force us to remain virtual for 2021, we are pleased to announce that the Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo will return for its 15th annual edition on May 22-23, 2021! The Home Show is a convenient way to learn about remodeling and improving your home (including popular kitchen and bath remodeling), finishing or waterproofing basements, replacing windows, doors, flooring, roofing and siding, adding security systems and more from a wide variety of top-rated companies.
You will take away information on green products and technologies, smart and universal design, convenient upgrades to home decoration, and outdoor living improvements.
Home Turf Alternatives: Converting Your Lawn into a Garden!
Saturday, May 22, 11:00 – 11:45 am, Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo ONLINE
Are you ready to think outside of that boxy carpet of lawn that dominates your yard? Join Extension Master Gardener Donald Bobby to explore alternatives to turf grass and learn manageable techniques to reduce the size of your traditional lawn. Free. To register for session, go to https://arlingtonhomeshow.org/. The Arlington Home and Garden Expo runs on Saturday and Sunday May 23 & 23, 10:00 am – 3 pm, ONLINE only. For a full list of offerings and programs, go to https://arlingtonhomeshow.org/.
ECARE
A limited version of E-CARE: Saturday, May 22, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 1425 N. Quincy St. (across from Washington-Liberty High School).
The Arlington Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) is a biannual event at which residents can safely dispose of household hazardous materials (HHM), bikes, small metal items and other recyclable items. Before you come to E-CARE, talk to your neighbors. Combine your items and save a trip to the collection site. Business and commercial wastes will not be accepted.
As part of COVID-19 health precautions, residents should wear masks, stay in their vehicles and make unloading as simple as possible from cleared trunks and similar easy access points.
The Potomac River, Its Health and Future
Wednesday, May 26th, 7:00 pm Zoom.
Join Friends of Dyke Marsh for a presentation on the challenges facing the Potomac River by Hedrick Belin, President, Potomac Conservancy. Learn about its history, recent grade, and problems like stormwater runoff and climate change.
Click here to register for this presentation. After registering you will receive a confirmation email.
Backyard Habitat Webinars
Join David Mizjewski from the National Wildlife Federation for webinars on Backyard Habitat and Saving Pollinators. David is one of the leaders of the Garden for Wildlife movement, writing a best-selling how-to book on the subject, hosting the Animal Planet series "Backyard Habitat" and doing thousands of media appearances promoting native plants and natural gardening to support birds, butterflies and other wildlife.
Naturalist Hour
Enjoy these sessions with local regional nature experts to learn about various topics, including trees, lichens, orchids, bees, edible plants, and more!
Each program has an 80 registrant limit. Participants will be emailed the link on the day of the program. If you don’t receive the email, please check your spam folder. Registration closes at 9 a.m. on the day of a program occurring at 1 p.m. Registration closes at 2 p.m. on the day of a program occurring at 7 p.m. If you have trouble accessing Zoom during the program, please contact diane.lill@anshome.org.
Learn more and sign up for a session!
