Prepare for Flooding
Flooding can be a very costly disaster. Flooding can occur not only in identified high-risk areas, but may also occur in areas that may not have been identified as high risk. More than 20 percent of flood claims are from low to moderate flood risk areas.
Get tips to reduce your risk of flooding here.
Flood Resilient Arlington News
In response to escalating inland flooding and flood risk, the County has been
working on several fronts to improve flood resilience. Read the latest March, 2022 update!
Central Library Garden Talks
Garden talks for May and June are listed below. Summer dates will be listed shortly. All talks are free and are sponsored by Friends of Urban Agriculture and Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Garden Talks are at the Plot Against Hunger Garden near the 10th Street entrance to the library (near the tennis courts).
Topics include Balcony gardening, Good bugs/Bad bugs, Vertical gardening, Irrigation, Vegetable gardening.
8th Annual Arlington Solar and Electric Vehicle Charger Co-op
- Let’s go solar together! Create your own energy and save some money doing it with the 8th Annual Arlington Solar and EV Charger bulk purchase cooperative.
- Sign up for a no-risk free assessment to see if you are a good candidate for solar roof panels or an electric vehicle charger.
- Register for virtual information sessions (July 12, or August 23 to learn more about solar, EV charging and the co-op process.
Visit our website for more information: bit.ly/3tAi0G7
Stormwater Utility Engagement Opportunities
Please provide your input to the County’s stormwater program! The County is considering a new way to fund critical investments to reduce the risk of flooding and to keep our waterways clean!
You can take our 5-minute feedback form in English or Spanish by July 30
Join us for an Open House on Sunday, July 17, 2-4 pm at Lubber Run Community Center at 300 N Park Dr, Arlington, VA 22203.
W&OD Trail Cleanup with Bike & WalkArlington
Saturday, July 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
W&OD Trail
Join Bike & WalkArlington as we clean up a portion of the W&OD Trail from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, July 9. We’ll start our work on the trail just across from the Barcroft Community Center and head toward Columbia Pike. All supplies, including free snacks and drinks for volunteers, will be provided. All you need to do is show up ready to work! To be notified when registration opens, click here to subscribe to the WalkArlington newsletter.
Climate Conscious Gardening
Friday, July 15, 10:00 – 11:30 am, ONLINE. As our changing climate brings more unpredictable weather patterns, gardeners play an increasingly important role in serving as stewards of the environment. Extension Master Gardeners Elaine Mills and Elizabeth Collaton will present five categories of practical actions homeowners can take in their own backyards to either mitigate or adapt to changes in our climate. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/rsvp-for-public-education-classes/ to receive link to participate.
Art Tour of Arlington
July 14, 5:30-8:30. Join us for a beautiful art tour of Arlington! The ride will start and end at the Arlington Art Truck's pop-up along the W&OD Trail. Together we will ride to three new South Arlington public art displays before returning to the Art Truck to participate in Edgar Reyes’, Interconnected Roots, where we will learn about the diversity and interconnectivity of our communities and the native plants that grow within them.
This ride will be slow paced with stops along the way to learn about and admire some of Arlington’s beautiful public art. The ride will be about 4 miles on mostly trails and neighborhood streets.
Helmets are required on BikeArlington rides. We also recommend having front and back lights on your bike. We will have a few pairs of lights to hand out if you do not have your own. More information
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act with Arlington Public Library and learn about efforts to keep the Potomac River clean and safe on Sat., July 16, at 11 a.m.
Go Native with Trees and Seeds
Join us to learn why native trees and seeds are so important to our environment and waterways.
Tuesday, July 19. 6:30 PM. Learn how planting native trees can improve the health of our rivers and streams and what local residents can do to help. Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St.
Presenter: Alexis Dickerson, Director of Seed and Tree Programs at Potomac Conservancy.
Biophilic Communities
July 20, 7-8 PM. Deep Dive: A natural history topic that scratches more than just the surface. Adults. As Arlington strives toward a more biophilic community, we will explore what a biophilic community is, how we can work towards biophilia, and see examples of success in other communities. 642842-D
Insect Pest Management for the Veggie Garden
Friday, July 22, 10:00 – 11:30 am, ONLINE. Join Kirsten Conrad, Agriculture/Natural Resources Extension Agent for Arlington and the City of Alexandria for a class on recognizing common injurious insects in your vegetable garden. Learn how to attract and encourage beneficial insects to assist you in fighting off these pests. Kirsten will cover tips and tricks for limiting and even preventing damage from insect pests on your vegetable crops. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/rsvp-for-public-education-classes/ to receive a link to participate.
Marvelous Moths
Jul. 27, 7-8pm. Celebrate National Moth Week with a virtual introduction to the world of moths! Moths are a large and spectacularly diverse group with amazing life histories. Learn how to identify moths, where to find them, and why they are more important than you might think. Free. Virtual 642852-D
Composting with Kids! Is the Rot Thing to Do!
Sunday, July 31, 10:30 am, Fairlington Small Space Garden, 3308 S Stafford St., Arlington, 22206
Kids will learn composting basics by creating a Soil-arium. Captain Compost, the superhero of soil will be there to “cook” some fun for your garden.
Ages 5-10. Limited to 15 kids due to space constraints. First come/first served.
Rain Gardens for Homeowners
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. Watch the webinar video!
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!
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.
