About Keystone Plants Professor Doug Tallamy and Homegrown National Park define keystone species as the plants that support the most native fauna (animals and insects). Dr. Tallamy has a recorded lecture titled " The Nature of Oaks ," in which he highlights these plants as biodiversity superstars.  Plant Virginia Natives   lists 30 important keystone plant species. The  Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia  expand this list to include additional woody and herbaceous plants, helping homeowners with smaller spaces and no room for additional canopy trees. For a detailed introduction to more native plants, consider watching Elaine Mills and Kathie Clements video presentation,  Keystone Species of Native Plants . Why plant keystone species? As landscapes become more urban and suburban sprawl spreads into agrarian areas, planting keystones helps mitigate the loss of native species. Keystone plants support wildlife, including birds and insects, and play an importan...

The creation of Lake Norman, located near Charlotte, North Carolina, began in September 1959 with the detonation of a single charge of dynamite to mark the start of construction on the Cowans Ford Dam and the lake that would follow. The purpose of the lake was to provide water and electricity, with the total cost to Duke Power reaching $62 million—equivalent to approximately $500 million today. As farmlands flooded, a 32,500-acre lake was formed, complete with 520 miles of shoreline. Although most of Lake Norman's shoreline is private property, Lake Norman State Park (formerly Duke Power State Park) offers 1,942 acres of public land, located 39 miles north of Charlotte. The park is beautiful, offering miles of hiking trails, including some that run along the shoreline. Visitors can enjoy a swimming beach, boat ramp, community building, nature center, and camping facilities. The park is meticulously maintained and provides modern amenities for campers and visitors. The educational...

  I cut my hike short, returning to the campground to escape the blustering, cold January beach wind. Once behind the dunes, the winds subsided, and as I sat at a picnic table before I went inside the camper, I looked up, and there he was!  Nestled into the fan-shaped leaves. Dark green pointed evergreen palm branches framed his desired body, creating a background to show him off. The common cardinal had transformed into a tropical treasure. Perfectly posed on a Palmetto Palm at Myrtle Beach State Park.  

Driving on the Virginia Beach boardwalk is permitted this holiday season. A perfect stream of lights features animated creatures of the sea, Santa surfing, traditional Christmas trees, a gingerbread house, flying reindeer, a tribute to the U.S. Navy, prancing seahorses, and dancing dolphins. A six-hundred-foot finale through a strobing LED tunnel completes the lighted tour. This exciting visual finale is way too complex for me to capture in a still sketch, so I am drawn (pun intended) to the creatures of the sea – the shark with her strobing fin along with Nessie from down under making a lighted Loch Ness Monster appearance.   Driving, making memories - a fun time at the beach on a cold holiday night. 

Holliday Lake State Park in Central Virginia is a serene Piedmont park tucked away from traffic noise and nestled beside the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. The Red Bud Campground welcomes tent campers and smaller RVs, while the Laurel Ridge Campground accommodates overnight camping for a few larger RVs over 30 feet long. The park's forest boasts a rich array of native trees. During our fall hike, we saw the peak of the deciduous tree colors, their leaves so brilliant. The oaks line the Lakeshore Trail, showcasing these majestic trees in their natural environment. The black oaks display broad, leathery leaves that turn a striking golden yellow-brown, while the white oaks feature rounded leaf lobes, distinct from the pointed lobes of other oaks. The red oaks, with their irregular pointed lobes, set them apart. The trees' diversity and varying leaf patterns highlight the richness of Virginia’s forests. 

  Blue ridged mountains appliqued to skies Billowing white clouds   Sunbeams streamed down to fields Booming with grapes, apples, peaches, and muscadines   Sweet fruits ripened to perfection Offering nectars of goodness   Meads, wines, and spirits Tastings in the blue ridged mountains   This poem was inspired by a summer 2024 Harvest Host visit to the Peaks of Otter Winery. The tastings were sweet, the views excellent, and the family welcoming. 

It's August in Virginia, and the coneflowers are blooming! They make me jubilant enough to sketch a fun picture and head to our family's favorite ice cream parlor. Upon returning home, I began researching a summer blog post about the coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. A member of the daisy family would make this flower a friendly addition to sunny gardens. It likes to have 6 hours or more of sun but may survive along the sunny edge of a gently wooded garden. These flowers add color and texture to a border or as an accent within the garden. These hardy perennials are drought-resistant and withstand heat and humidity. It is easy to grow and may be divided in fall or spring. This plant has beauty and magic. The coneflower has medicinal properties, cultural significance, and spiritual symbolism. Some refer to the Coneflower as America’s favorite wildflower. The American Indians considered the Coneflower a sacred plant because of its healing powers. It is symbolic of strength and healt...

         Go native        Support eco-services                  T rees shade         Canopy and understory                  Leaves cleanse         Breathe deep         Soils nourish         N atural nutrients                  Waters pure         Gulp - swallow                  Blooms galore        S upport pollinators                  Birds & wildlife flourish         Year-round           Spring blooms         S ummer shade         Fall color  ...

The question is whether a zoo can be considered a park. The term "zoo" is short for zoological park. According to National Geographic , a zoo is a place where animals live in captivity. Zoos typically focus on exhibiting a variety of species for educational and conservation purposes. Zoos have been around since 1793, when the first modern zoo opened in Paris, France. However, it wasn't until 1874 that the first zoo opened in the United States in Philadelphia.   Parks are public green areas used for outdoor recreation, linear trails, and corridors with recreational amenities or open spaces providing wildlife habitat and preserving scenic assets. Parks also play a role in preserving natural habitats, promoting environmental awareness, and providing cultural and recreational activities. Boston Common , established in 1634, is called the first public park. It was not until the mid-1800s that parks were planned in the United States. Designed by visionaries Frederick Law Olms...

  Squashapenny Junction as described by Visit RichmondVA.com is “no ordinary antiques store”. It is located next to the railroad track in the Doswell area of Hanover County. For generations, this spot has been a place where people could use passing trains to flatten pennies. Is Squashapenny Junction just a place of business, or does it embody the essence of a true ‘place’? Expanding this concept to rural communities, under the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge,   Innovation Challenge, the USDA has allocated $4 million in cooperative agreement funds to support planning in rural communities. These funds aim to promote infrastructure and access. While these funds may not be a good fit for Hanover’s “Squashapenny” directly, they could be evaluated as a funding source promoting rural tourism.       Squashapenny provides a unique visual destination and antiques attraction. The increasing influx of I-95 tourists and visitors to the nearby Kings Dom...

  Synchronized movements in the water are artfully accomplished to music, where each swimmer depends on the others and plays a specific part in the choreographed routine. The long underwater chains of swimmers break apart and then simultaneously pop to the surface to gasp for breath – all while maintaining radiant smiles. The audience marvels at how these elegant, dolphin-like swimmers move together, making their dance appear effortless as they emerge to the surface with cheerful expressions to breathe. A synchronized swimming performance comprises two essential parts – underwater and on the surface. Teamwork is paramount: every synchronized swimmer leaves the pool with a heightened understanding of the phrase, “I really could not have done that without you.” What's visible to the audience above water is the team’s seamless coordination, flow, and collaborative effort. Synchronized swimming simply cannot succeed without a fully functioning team. How does this resonate with your own...

This story follows Paul Pelican fishing along the shores of Virginia's beaches. Join in the fun with Paul in this coloring book !  

  Native plants are the best! They provide habitat, food, and resources for birds, critters, and wildlife. Sometimes we inherit non-native plants that we must replace immediately. These are the invasive ones that run out the natives and take over while not providing any benefit to wildlife and the environment. Other plants that are not native we tolerate. Sometimes we have a secret love affair with non-natives we saw in foreign countries or plants that our grandparents grew in their gardens.   My secret non-native plant is Linton rose by its common name and Helleborus is its genus. I am attracted to it because it is one of the first blooms I see in winter. This plant says to me, spring is coming, and I am bowing my head as if in prayer for winter to subside. I have a clump of Helleborus in my garden. It is not tucked away as a family secret. It greets you as you approach the front door.

Planning for accessibility in parks Accessibility and accommodations for people with disabilities must be addressed by parks and recreation departments. Because of the lack of ability to participate, disabled persons have not always had the opportunity to be fully engaged in parks. When this happens, the disabled communities are marginalized as well as family and friends. Most often disabled persons and their families have a resilience for withstanding and recovering from difficulties. In spite of this, park professionals must advocate to disarm any sense of invisibility and loss of participation for persons with disabilities.   Framing the work of providing parks and programs under diversity, equity and inclusion will help ensure that everyone can participate. Inclusion broadens the opportunity to focus on providing equal opportunities for everyone in various ways. Making parks and programs accessible to all helps everyone to enjoy parks and recreation opportunities. As par...

As a child I loved walking up the street to the church on Fitzhugh Creek. Henrico County was not known for its parks in the 1960s and that was the closest parklike place to my home. At the church, I collected leaves and walked along the stream with Momma. I was not allowed to play in the water because it was not clean. The wooded area that ran beside the creek was hedged between Horsepen Road and the church on Grace Street. It was less than one half block long, at best a postage stamp - a pocket park of sorts. The size of the space did not matter. This was where I collected fall leaves that were carefully pressed between the pages of the Britannica Encyclopedia or layered between two pieces of wax paper pressed with the iron so we could take them to school.  This process of walking along the creek, collecting leaves and pressing them was how Momma taught me the names of plants and trees. She nurtured my love of nature in a city environment. It is where my love began for the outdoor...