Walker Nature Center
A LOOK INSIDE • Fairy Festival 3 • Calendar 4 • Kids’ Corner 6 • Wildlife Counts 7
BRANCHING OUT
Nature Notes Reston Named Biophilic City JUNE – Side Effects Include Love of Nature and Wellness By Sharon Gurtz
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Northern Red-backed Salamanders lay eggs. Elderberry and Viburnum shrubs bloom. Wild Bleeding Heart, Threadleaf Coreopsis and Bee Balm bloom. White-tailed Deer fawns are born.
By Susan Sims
JULY • • • •
Tent caterpillar moths emerge from cocoons. Black Cohosh and Purple Coneflower bloom. Monarch and Red Admiral butterflies arrive. Annual Cicadas and Katydids are common.
AUGUST • • • •
Stonecrop, Blazing Star and Goldenrods bloom. Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are common. Southern Flying Squirrel young are born. Copperhead snakes give birth to live young.
Spring ushered in a new honor for Reston - it was designated a biophilic city by The Biophilic Cities Project in March 2018, in recognition of the natural beauty, outdoor recreational opportunities and urban forests that abound. Reston’s conscious resource management policies and Reston Association’s professional and dedicated environmental staff and volunteers contributed to Reston’s acceptance as a case study city for the project. Thanks to devoted staff and the work of Reston Association’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC), Reston joins Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Singapore, and Edmonton as a biophilic city, among others. This dedication establishes Reston as a leader in environmental stewardship and the incorporation of nature in daily life. That’s a significant achievement for an unincorporated community! This honor is the direct result of collaboration among the many who invest time and attention to Reston’s unique natural environment.
What’s a Biophilic City?
Biophilic cities are urban centers that value and appreciate human connection to nature and provide opportunities to be outdoors and engage with the natural environment in multisensory ways. Biophilic cities feature abundant natural areas, while working to promote and protect nature through programs and policies. To qualify as a biophilic city, an area does not have to be an “official” city, but it must meet the above criteria. Reston’s founder Robert E. Simon Jr., established Reston with “Seven Goals” in mind, one of which was fostering structural and natural beauty. Reston’s dedication to this goal has impacted policies that preserve and protect green space. Reston was especially recognized for its tree canopy, with 53% of the area featuring nature’s gentle giants.
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Summer 18 Volume Twenty