Thursday, September 3, Spirituality and the Environment.
For many or us, what we think about the environment and what we hold as spiritual values are deeply felt, highly personal and go a long way toward defining who we are.
To what extent are these important areas of our lives compatible? Dr. Larry Underwood will lead us in a discussion (not a lecture) of these fascinating subjects.
Save the date for October's program... join Charlie Grymes on October 2 for a discussion about the latest ideas on how to fix the regions traffic problem.
All First Thursday programs begin at 7:30 p.m. at Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church, 9350 Main Street, Manassas, directions |
We are helping keep Bluebirds common and helping maintain biodiversity at Merrimac Farm. The newly established Bluebird Trail at Merrimac Farm is up and running, with newly hatched Bluebirds in two of the six nesting boxes already! PWCA volunteers are monitoring the nesting boxes at Merrimac Farm and recording information about their success. Volunteers also record information about other species that might be using the nesting boxes. Read more... |
 Preliminary Plant List for Merrimac Farm Now Available
Merrimac Farm, best known for the Virginia Bluebells that carpet nearly one mile of Cedar Run shoreline, is home to a myriad of plants. It is fun to know their names, although some can be difficult to identify. A list of plants that people have seen at a particular site helps narrow the search and confirms the presence of specific plants. We put together a list of the plants we and others have seen during tours of Merrimac Farm. The list is not complete, but it is a pretty good start and we hope it helps you learn more about the interesting and beautiful plants at Merrimac Farm and throughout Northern Virginia. View the plant list... |
 Stalemate at Silver Lake
At the April 8 Board meeting, Supervisor Stirrup motioned for Silver Lake to be conveyed to the Prince William Park Authority. Supervisor Nohe motioned in support of the Bull Run Mountain Conservancy. Both motions failed by a 5-3 vote. It's deja vu all over again and everyone is still wondering... which would you choose? 500 acres of parkland open to the public at no cost to taxpayers OR 230 acres of parkland open to the public at an initial investment of $1.6 million + $215,000 additional tax dollars each year. Read more...
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The next public tour will be on Saturday, September 20, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Dove's Landing is a 235-acre undeveloped property with one mile of frontage along the Occoquan River, upstream from Lake Jackson. The gently sloping landscape, open forest and scenic appearance create inviting and accessible conditions for residents of all ages. Dove's Landing is a outstanding area for walking in the woods on natural trails, wildlife watching, and learning more about Prince William's history. This program is open to the public and free of charge. Group size is capped at 30 participants, so register early! Read more... |
Merrimac Farm Master Naturalists are off to a good start, with 18 citizens signed up for the first training session. Master Naturalists are volunteers who help lead tours, clean up streams, survey wildlife populations, restore habitat and more. People who complete this program become Certified Master Naturalists. The Merrimac Farm program is supported through a partnership between the Prince William Conservation Alliance, Prince William County Watershed Management Branch, Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District, Prince William Wildflower Society and the National Park Service, Prince William Forest Park. Read more... |
Every five years, the County reviews and updates the Comprehensive Plan, the key document intended to shape future development in the county. For the 2008 update, Supervisors appointed two separate committees to recommend changes to the Transportation and Land Use Chapters. Except for one all-day joint seminar, the Land Use Advisory Committee and the Mobility Committee developed their recommendations separately. The recommendations in each chapter reference the same "smart growth" principles, but the draft chapters have significantly different approaches on where to encourage new development. Read more... |
 Students Discover Nature Close to Home at Merrimac Farm
Marsteller Middle School seventh grade science students joined PWCA naturalists helped us discover more about the plants and animals at Merrimac Farm. Spring is an exciting time and Merrimac Farm is a great place to watch wildlife. We saw several species of frogs and some of us were lucky enough to observe mating American Toads lay eggs in the pond. Read more... |
 Parks, Trails, Open Space & Prince William County
You may or may not be happy with the recent decisions of the Board of County Supervisors regarding planning for parks, open space, and trails, but the relevant chapter in the Comprehensive Plan will not be revised for another five years.
What matters now is how county officials implement the action strategies in that planning document. Read more... |
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