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Alexandria's Natural Resources Team is taking its work outside city offices this spring and summer, offering residents a free series of events designed to connect people with the experts who manage the city's land, water, wildlife, and plant ecosystems.
The centerpiece of the series is a set of Natural Resources Meet & Greets, scheduled monthly from April through July, where residents can speak directly with city natural resource managers, ask questions about local ecosystems, and learn how to get involved. Three of the four sessions will be held in person at recreation centers across the city; a fourth will be offered virtually in July.
The in-person sessions are scheduled for April 18 at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave.), May 30 at Mt. Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Ave.), and June 27 at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe St.), each running from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The virtual session is set for July 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom, meeting ID 984 2606 2388, passcode 2ivVC3.
The team will also appear at several larger community events. On April 25, Animals in the Park runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Windmill Hill Park, 501 South Union St., in partnership with the Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center. On May 9, a grand opening celebration for Alexandria's new ADA-compliant kayak launch at Four Mile Run Park, 3700 Commonwealth Ave., runs from noon to 3 p.m. and will include beginner-friendly paddling opportunities. A community cookout is scheduled for May 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mason at Van Dorn, 140 S. Van Dorn St., with a rain date of May 14.
Sandwiched between the first two meet-and-greets is the City Nature Challenge, a free global competition running April 24-27 in which participants use the iNaturalist mobile app to document local plants and wildlife. Alexandria will compete against cities around the world based on the number of observations recorded.
All events are free. More information is available at alexandriava.gov/parks/natural-resources.
