Walker Nature Center
BRANCHING OUT
A LOOK INSIDE • Calendar 4 • Kids’ Corner 6 • Value of Open Space 7 • Holiday Fest 8
Nature Notes By Pam Findley
DECEMBER • • • • •
Groundhogs hibernate. Red Foxes search for mates. Winter waterfowl populations peak. Look for fruit on Striped Wintergreen and Partridgeberry. Dec. 21 – Winter Solstice and Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
JANUARY • • • • •
White-tailed Deer shed antlers. Sparrows forage for food in flocks. Bald Eagles and Barred Owls begin to nest. Sweetgum trees drop spiky, round seed pods. Jan. 3 and 4 – Quadrantids meteor shower
FEBRUARY • • • • •
Spring Peepers begin to call. First squirrel babies of the year are born. Striped Skunks and Chipmunks begin to breed. Eastern Bluebirds and Wood Ducks start to look for nest sites. Feb. 16 – Full moon known as the Snow Moon or Hunger Moon
Woodland Homes as Habitat By Susan Sims
There are many benefits to good woodland management, no matter the size of your property. Proper tree maintenance not only enhances the habitat value of land and provides many ecological services, but it can raise property values, too. Reston Association’s State of the Environment Report (RASER) identifies woodland management as a key element of healthy ecosystems, and anyone with a wooded or forested lot can do their part. Choosing a lovely native tree as a focal point in a landscaped area helps, too. Reston loves its trees and has been certified as a Tree City USA for 27 years by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
pose a hazard. Contact your Covenants Advisor with questions and hire an arborist to cut it to a safe height.
What Wood You Do?
Invasive plants such as Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) can host invasive pests, including the devastating Spotted Lanternfly. Monitor your property for invasives and have them removed. RA Design Guidelines permit removal of invasive trees without an application if it doesn’t impact screening for private property or the streetscape. Consult with a certified arborist to identify tree species and maintain your records.
Another way to support habitat is to leave logs or stumps in wooded parts of your property. They provide wildlife shelter and moist spots for seeds to germinate. As they decompose, nutrients return to the soil, creating ideal places for seedlings to grow. You’ll see that forest friendly practices welcome many types of wildlife from salamanders and toads to chipmunks and owls.
Removing Invasive or Damaged Trees
It may be obvious that living trees provide food and shelter for animals, but there’s a lot of life in dead trees, too. Snags, stumps and logs provide important habitat. Snags are standing dead trees often without branches or tops. Over 1,200 North American species of birds, mammals and insects rely on snags for shelter and food, including Reston’s official bird, the Pileated Woodpecker. According to the National Wildlife Federation, removal of dead material in wooded areas can mean the loss of habitat for a fifth of all animals in an ecosystem. How can you safely leave a snag on your property? Ensure the roots are stable, and it is not within striking distance of a house, cars or walkway should it fall. Snags are permitted by Reston Association’s (RA) Design Guidelines in natural, wooded areas if they do not
Occasionally, you may need to remove a native or ornamental tree due to damage, disease or proximity to housing such as a Flowering Dogwood or Japanese Cherry. A DRB application is required for all ornamental tree removals regardless of size as well as native trees with a trunk diameter of more than 4 inches.
Continued on page 2
Winter | 21-22 | Volume Twenty-three
