Calendar: Nature at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

Mark your calendars for the weekend of April 28 and 29. At the DC Convention Center there will be a huge, free event aimed at getting kids excited about science: the USA Science and Engineering Festival. (There are also some pre-events listed here.)

Speakers and performers include Bill Nye the Science Guy, folks from Mythbusters, Benjamin Franklin (or a guy who looks and acts like him), astronauts, magicians, and more. Sessions and exhibits will include the science of the magic of Harry Potter, the mathematics of jump roping, the physics of superheroes, the chemistry of Thanksgiving Dinner, the engineering of baseball bats and balls, the science behind special effects in movies, renewable energy sources of the future, and much more.

Natural history will be a tiny part of the 3000 exhibits at the broad-ranging festival, but I thought I'd point out some of the items most in line with the things we like to cover here at the Natural Capital:

Insects Rule!: "Buzz over to the Entomology section and learn about: 1) Bees and Pollinators; 2) Insect Zoos; 3) Cutting-Edge Insect Technology; 4) Insects as Human Food; 5) Biodiversity, Systematics and Taxonomy; and 6) Entomology organizations and clubs engaging in Entomological education and outreach."

Skulls, Scat, and Scales with the Audubon Naturalist Society: "Discover the fascinating world of mammals, reptiles, birds and more by getting up close and personal with real animal skulls, pelts, snake sheds, and replica scat models of our LOCAL wildlife."

Expedition Chesapeake: "Explore the trickle down effects of life in a watershed through hands-on experiences and web-based resources. Discover opportunities which span from the shoreline to the silver screen and include valuable first-hand experiences where the Chesapeake Bay watershed is the classroom. "

Walk on the Wild Side: "Did you know that there are millions of acres of land in the United States that belong to you? The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for more than 245 million acres of those public lands. You'll explore some of the natural and cultural resources managed by BLM as you search for clues from the distant past, solve a problem from the present, and learn how you can shape the future by choosing a career with BLM. "

Biome in a Box: "See how to make your own organic soil quickly...Vermicomposting is an odorless, portable hands-on activity that you can share all year with your students. Discover the easiest class pet around: the earthworm (red wiggler to be exact.) Learn about (1) the power of worms (2) "worm tea" and "worm poop" better known as black gold, and (3) the soil food web."

Ecology - Fun Science You Can Do Anywhere: "Ecology happens everywhere-in forests, rivers, fields, backyards, and in big cities...Come see and touch plants and animals that live in Washington, DC, that you probably never noticed before. Test your ecological know-how for a chance at a prize. Discover the flabbergasting things that are happening under your feet and all around you right here in the nation's capital."

Is a Plant, a Plant, a Plant?: "Are all plants the same?...Come measure plant traits to better understand how traits vary within and among plant species. Here we will build on the booth we presented last year. Our aim is to explore variation in nature and highlight that variation within a species can be as important as variation among species....We will have attendees collect data (plant traits such as leaf length & width, plant height) on three different species of plants as well as three different genotypes of plants we bring to the festival. We will graph the data and use them to discuss what variation is & why variation is important (can buffer against changes) in nature."

Maggot Monet: "Maggots, maggots, maggots! Create your own 'maggot monet' while learning about the usefulness of fly larvae in nature and forensic entomology (use of insects in mediolegal investigatons). Participants will get to paint their own master piece with the aid of live fly larvae trailing across the paper!"

Hmm...maggots...now there's a good idea for an upcoming blog post!

Calendar: Oct.15-16

The leaves are starting to turn and the weather has stopped running hot and cold and hit just about right. What a fantastic time of year to get outdoors.

Foliage at Kenilworth by NCinDC

We've got canoeing plans for this weekend with some friends, and you could too if there's still space with the Sierra Club outing on Sunday (Oct. 16) to paddle the Anacostia River Water Trail for "a very different view of our nation’s capital." If you think industrial waste and concrete when you think Anacostia, don't knock it til you've tried it: we've seen beaver and herons in this stretch of the river and the Kenilworth/ Arboretum area is downright beautiful. Contact leaders for more details, including information about boat rentals. Michael Darzi, michael.darzi@saic.com or 301/580-9387, and Glenn Gillis, glennpotomacfalls@yahoo.com or 703/430-0568.

On Saturday there's a Wildlife Festival at the Patuxtent Wildlife Refuge. They promise live animals; behind-the-scenes tours of the refuge's research with whooping cranes and ducks; children's activities; and music. 10:00-3:00. Free.

You know how great it is to enjoy Beach Drive through Rock Creek Park on the weekends when it's closed to traffic. Saturday from 9 to 3, the roads through Fort Dupont will be closed for Feet in the Street.

There's lots more on our calendar. Enjoy!

Nuts for the Potomac

Nuts are falling all over the DC area, which means another season has begun for Growing Native.

Acorns by KCIvey

Growing Native is a project of the Potomac Conservancy that collects tree seeds and plants them in the Potomac watershed. They are trying to improve the riparian buffer zone that helps to regulate water temperature, provide habitat for animals, and prevent pollutants from entering the water.

Since 2001, over 50,000 volunteers have collected more than 150,000 pounds of acorns, walnuts, and other hardwood tree seeds. Seeds are delivered to state nurseries and local schools to be grown into tree seedlings, which are eventually planted along streams and rivers in our area.

Interested in helping out? Check this map for a collection site or event near you. You can collect seeds from your own yard, or anywhere else that you can get permission: try churches, cemeteries, parking lots, historical monuments, and local parks. (The restrictions against removing any material from National Park Service land include tree seeds, even for a good cause). This information sheet has more on what they're looking for -- basically sorted, viable seeds from healthy trees.

Chipmunk and hickory nuts by alumroot

They're looking only for certain species (links are to prior Natural Capital posts):

-- Bald cypress
-- Black walnut
-- Hazelnut
-- Hickory
-- Oaks
-- Pawpaw
-- Persimmon
-- Sassafras

What a great opportunity to learn a little tree identification this fall! Until we get around to writing up posts on all these trees, see the Growing Native field guide for more information about each one and what its seed looks like.

Calendar: National Public Lands Day

Saturday, September 24 is National Public Lands Day. Whether you want to give back or just play for the day, your options are many.

Rock Creek Park will be the site of the main event for Public Lands Day. There will be several opportunities to volunteer (with a free lunch for volunteers!), a recreation fair including the REI Outdoor School and kids and nature activities, and some big-name speakers like the Surgeon General. Full schedule here.

In the President's Park at the White House, there will be a Day of Play, sponsored by Nickelodeon, from 10:00am-4:00pm. Outdoor activities, such as rock climbing, camping, and the Jr. Ranger program will be offered by more than 50 organizations."Nickelodeon’s biggest stars including the casts of iCarly, Big Time Rush, Victorious, Bucket & Skinner, True Jackson, VP, Fresh Beat Band and more will be at the event as well."

There are many other volunteer opportunities on Saturday, including Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens:


Other volunteer sites include:
Fort Dupont
Arlington National Cemetary
Barcroft Park
Buddy Attick Park
Carderock
Dangerfield Island
Greenbelt Park
Sligo Creek
Lacey Woods

Many National Parks also waive their fees for the day -- including Great Falls and Prince William Forest right here in our backyard, as well as farther-away parks like Shenandoah, Assateague, and Harper's Ferry.

Enjoy!

Calendar: Mushrooms and Paw Paws

One of the many colorful mushrooms we found this week

All this rain has been pushing up lots of mushrooms. We're headed to the Mycological Association of Washington meeting tonight with a whole box of them -- at the beginning of every meeting, and over the social break, there are experts who will help identify any mushrooms you bring in. We want to see how many we were able to identify correctly ahead of time!

Tonight's main presentation will be by Leon Shernoff, the Editor of "Mushroom: The Journal of Wild Mushrooms," on boletes: the incredible, colorful diversity of this family of mushrooms, and examples of how and why name changes occur in the fungi. "Three hundred years ago, all gilled mushrooms were placed in the genus Agaricus. Back then, all pored mushrooms were also placed in the genus Boletus. While Agaricus has long since been split into hundreds of smaller groups, the boletes have only had a few genera broken off...Come and learn what some of those small groups in the boletes are, and why some of them are now being recognized as new genera." Free, at the Kensington Park Library, 7 PM.

MAW may also schedule a mushroom hunting "foray" for this weekend, since the shrooms are so plentiful. Sign up for the meetup group, or send an email to forays@mawdc.org to be added to the mailing list for forays.

There are still a few spots left in our wild edibles walk to look for Paw Paws along the Potomac this Saturday. We'll stop for any interesting mushrooms as well, especially edible ones.

There are many other great things on our calendar this week, including some volunteer opportunities for the National Day of Service on Sunday, bike rides, canoeing, and hikes in and around Washington. Enjoy!

Calendar: Bat Fest and Monarch Watch

photo credit: Timothy K Hamilton

Have any of you seen many monarchs this summer? We've usually got an aquarium full of caterpillars by this time of year, but our milkweed plants are empty and we've seen only a few adults all summer. You can try your luck at Gulf Branch Nature Center's Monarch Watch event on Sunday afternoon, where they'll grab and tag any monarchs that stop by their milkweed patch. $5. Register here.

There's also a monarch event for 5 to 12 year olds on Saturday at Brookside Nature Center: "We'll learn about monarchs, scout the meadow for them, and make a simple nectar feeder that may replenish them on their journey." $6.

Also Saturday: Bat Fest Arlington 2011, at Gulf Branch. "Enjoy a thoroughly batty evening and add to your knowledge of local night life at this bat conservation and appreciation program. See a presentation with live bats at 6:30. All other activities on-going: go on a walk to see bats flying and to hear their echolocation calls, learn about foods that are pollinated by bats, play bat games, make a bat craft, take a bat quiz or visit our bat art gallery, all while learning lots about our local furry bug zappers. Live bat shows will be presented by Leslie Sturges, Director of Bat World NOVA, an organization established in 2001 to promote the conservation and protection of bats in this region. Parking lot closed for program. Please park on Military Rd. or 36th Rd. N. No refund of registration fee after August 6." $7 for children 12 and under, $10 for adults. Register here.

There's more on our calendar. Enjoy!

Calendar: Outside in the Evening, July 20-24

We went out to Luray this weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday and it was downright cool out there in the evenings. In honor of that break from the summer heat, here are some selections from our calendar that will take you into the evening hours:

Photo credit: Albert.ag

Wednesday, 8 PM: Head to Huntley Meadows to watch bats. "The only mammals with true flight can find insect prey in complete darkness. Learn about the diversity and adaptations of bats at a slide-illustrated lecture at Huntley Meadows Park from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Then search twilight skies for these fascinating animals on the wing." $6 per person.

Thursday, 5 PM: Join Melanie Choukos-Bradley for a tour of the local trees at the US Botanic Garden on the Mall. " Melanie will teach you how to identify tupelo, hophornbeam, red buckeye, pawpaw, oaks, pines and many other native trees as you stroll the grounds of the National Garden. She will also share some of the arboreal history of Washington, D.C., which has long been known as the “City of Trees,” and offer ideas for self-guided tree tours in and around the nation’s capital."

Friday, 8:00 PM: Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville is leading a nighttime walk. "We'll learn about the special way nocturnal animals have adapted to the night, and hike the trails around Meadowside to experience a world much different than its daytime counterpart."

Sunday, 6:00 PM: Every Sunday, Brookside Nature Center hosts a sketching group. This week's theme is birds. $10.

There are many, many more activities on our calendar, during the evenings and during the day. Enjoy!

Calendar: Upcoming Wild Edibles Events, July 9-15

Photo credit: heartfeltrobot

Have you eaten any wineberries yet this year? We picked several quarts up in Burtonsville this weekend. The season is winding down in DC, but head out to one of these events for a chance to find them (or maybe some blackberries, which come next on the wild berry calendar):

This Saturday, July 9, Matt and I will lead a walk leaving from the Fort Totten Metro looking for wineberries, blackberries and blueberries as well as some non-berry wild edibles. $20 - Register here.

Next week, wild food author "Wildman" Steve Brill will be in town and leading two walks on Friday, July 15. We've been meaning to go up to check out one of his foraging walks in NYC's Central Park for years, so we're really looking forward to playing hooky and joining him. $15 - Register here.

Wildman's visit is part of Eat Local First Week in DC, which also includes a Foraged Cocktail event on Friday night. We're contributing wineberry syrup, mint, and possibly other wild edibles to this event, so if you can afford the $60 ticket come check it out!

There are lots of non-foraging events on our calendar as well...enjoy!

Calendar: Hunting Deer, Hunting Herons

Photo credit: Art Poskanzer

There was a flurry of activity on our local listserve this week because someone apparently shot a deer in a neighbor's backyard, uninvited. While this raises some seriously alarming safety issues in the neighborhood, the fact that three deer were looking for food in the backyard in the first place points out a more widespread problem: deer are crazily overpopulated in the DC metro area. They're browsing local forests so badly that it's hard for the trees to reproduce and for the understory plants to survive at all...which affects not just the plants but the animals that depend upon them.

On that note, this Tuesday, the Maryland Native Plant Society's monthly meeting will include a presentation by Eugene Meyer, science advisor for a deer management project at Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary. Gene will discuss solutions to over-browsing and efforts to track the recovery of local areas. Free, at the White Oak Library at 7:30.

The Arlington parks system is sponsoring a different type of "hunting" this Saturday...tromping around near the Chain Bridge looking for all three local species of heron, in their "Hunting Herons" trip at 4:00.

There's more on our calendar...it isn't back up to its former glory since I got overwhelmed by a big project at my day job, but it is repopulated with events from several local nature centers and other organizations -- including some really good looking Sierra Club hikes. Check it out.

Is it time to reassess the Natural Capital Calendar?

UPDATE: I continue to be completely slammed at my "real" job, so I'm leaving this poll open a little while longer. Please give us feedback! The Natural Capital posts that you love will be back soon, I promise.

How do you use the Natural Capital calendar?


Which calendar items are you most interested in?


(folks reading in RSS and email: those two questions are polls...if you don't see them, come on over to our post and give us your answers!)

The last couple weeks have been a perfect storm of super-busy at my day job, plus amazing weather that has me doing anything but looking at a computer when I'm not at work. And I've fallen a little behind...okay, a lot behind... on keeping our nifty Natural Capital calendar up-to-date.

With all the great info people send me, I'm now up to over 50 organizations on my calendar list (see our calendar page). As much fun as I have seeing what everyone is up to, this has gotten way beyond what I'm able to do for fun, even when I'm not super-busy at work.

I'd love to ask the organizations or Natural Capital reader-volunteers to help put things on our calendar but I can't figure out how to set that up in Google Calendar (my current platform). Does anyone out there have any tech savvy ideas for how to set this up?

Any other ideas or feedback on our calendar? I'm all ears...

Calendar: Mushrooms, Flowers, and other Wild Edibles

This week's picks are all about wild edibles: our favorite way to explore the outdoors!

Morels and Tomato in Pinot Noir Reduction by norwichnuts

Tuesday is the annual wild food tasting of the Mycological Association of Washington, at the Kensington Library. A couple of dozen cooks come out and cook up delicacies made from mushrooms and other wild edibles (venison, anyone?) in a spirit of friendly competition. It seems like it just gets better every year. $20 if you're not already a MAW member; $10 for non-cooking members; free for members who bring food (just be sure to read the rules).

Wednesday night at Meadowside Nature Center, there will be a presentation on the American Chestnut Foundation's efforts to breed a blight-resistant chestnut tree that might one day replace the once-dominant and food-producing trees that were wiped out in the early 1900s by an imported blight. I've heard stories of people making it through the Depression largely off the nuts of this once-amazing tree. Free.

We haven't highlighted our own wild edibles walks lately because they've been full well before they come along...but there are still a few spots left on Sunday afternoon's "Shoots and Flowers" walk. We'll sample milkweed "asparagus," locust flowers, and whatever else we can find. If you've never had the experience of eating sweet flowers off a tree by the fistful, you might want to join us. $20.

As always, there's plenty more on the calendar. Enjoy!

Calendar: Arbor Day

There's so much good stuff on the calendar this week -- from fern ID on Tuesday night, to Fern Valley on Sunday -- that it was hard to choose a few picks... but the last Friday in April is Arbor Day, and that wins out.

Photo credit: calliope

Casey Trees will celebrate with the official opening of its new headquarters in Brookland on Saturday afternoon. The open house will include building tours and neighborhood tree walks. The renovated building includes three green roofs, a “cool roof,” and rainwater retention designs. It's co-located with the Casey Trees tree yard, a revamped redfield site.

If you're thinking of actually planting a tree for Arbor Day, wait a day: the largest native plant sale we know of in the Washington, DC area is on Saturday in Alexandria. Though we tend to order wholesale for our native plant landscaping business (and propagate a lot ourselves), there are a couple of things we're looking for that will get us to make the trip around the beltway this weekend. The sale website has a list of vendors -- you can call them ahead of time if you, too, are looking for a certain plant...or just head on over and take a look.

Want to just get out and appreciate the trees? Rock Creek Park is offering several Arbor Day themed hikes on Friday and Saturday. The "Edge of the Woods" hike is for ages 3 and up along the short trail by the Nature Center; there's a longer (2-mile) "Forest for the Trees" hike on Saturday afternoon.

Enjoy!

Calendar: Earth Day (April 22)

Whether you're celebrating Good Friday or Earth Day, there's no school on Friday. Several local organizations have planned accordingly.

Photo credit: Michael Daines

Rock Creek Park has two special events scheduled to celebrate the day on Friday: a migratory bird walk at 9:00, and a woodland trail walk at 3:00. Plus there's always their regular Friday Creature Feature animal feeding at 4:00.

Brookside Nature Center is sponsoring a hike on the Billy Goat A Trail near Great Falls in the morning, and a tree walk at the nature center on Friday afternoon.

And the US Botanic Garden is hosting an Earth Day Celebration Friday from 10:00 to 2:00 at their space on the Mall.

You can search the Earth Day Network for more events...and as always, there's lots more on our calendar for the weekend!

Calendar: Animal City (April 16-17)

This week's picks are three unique opportunities to see wild animals in different ways.

Smithsonian Naturalist Center
Photo credit: mediafury

Saturday from 11 to 4 is an open house "draw-in" at the Smithsonian Naturalist Center in Leesburg, VA. The center houses thousands of specimens -- including many animals that you can use as models. Professional artists will be on hand to demonstrate drawing techniques, answer questions, and offer advice. Ages 10+. Free.

Sunday at 9 AM, the Ancestral Knowledge Tracking Club will practice animal track identification, aging, and interpretation. "The ability to identify animals by their tracks gives you the opportunity to become the animal and see through their eyes. You will experience the story as it unfolds: who was the fox chasing? how did the rabbit respond?" $5-10 donation.

Sunday from 12 to 3, at Barnard Hill (Eastern Avenue and Randolf Street, NE) - Animal City USA! "Drop by to learn about area wildlife, feel animal furs, and meet a ranger’s best hiking companion at this little-known unit of Rock Creek Park!" Free.

As always there are also many birding outings and other hikes and activities on our calendar. Enjoy!

Potomac River Watershed Cleanup this Saturday, April 9

Bye Bye Beer Can, by Emily Wander.
Winner of the 2010 Photo Contest.

Every April, there's a one-day cleanup at hundreds of sites across DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to get trash out of the Potomac River watershed. Last year´s haul came in at 250 tons, including more than 15 tons of recyclables, 21,597 plastic bags, 1,844 tires, 3 canoes and 2 couches!

This year's cleanup is on Saturday morning, April 9.
Find a cleanup site near you and pitch in.

Want to up the ante? Participate in the Trash-a-Thon, where you can get people to sponsor you to collect that trash.

As always, there's plenty more on our calendar for this weekend. But I hope you'll join us in spending a few hours looking for trash on Saturday morning.

Calendar: Dueling Field Guide Authors (April 5)

I'm in a conundrum about how to spend Tuesday evening.

Gary Lincoff will be this month's speaker at the Mycological Association of Washington. He's author of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms and the recently published The Complete Mushroom Hunter. We use several mushroom field guides regularly, but if we're going to carry just one, it's often the Audubon guide. He's a hero among mycologists, with an annual event named after him; he was even on the Martha Stewart Show. This is not a book talk -- the title of Gary's presentation is "The natural and cultural history of the polypores; OR, why we should want to know what they're good for besides decomposing wood."

On the same night (what are the chances??), Richard Crossley will be speaking at the Audubon Naturalist Society. He's the author of the Crossley ID Guide, which I reviewed last week. It's a hugely impressive (if a little overwhelming) book, and this is your chance to hear about his very different approach to creating a field guide. I'd love to ask him how long it took to take the 10,000 photographs that he used. Check out this video for a teaser.

As always there are lots more events on our calendar. In particular, this Saturday is the annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup. We'll have more details on Wednesday.

As for tomorrow night, how to choose? It may come down to a coin toss...

Calendar: Whole Goats and Other Fools (March 29-April 3)

"3 Weed Note" by Patterson Clark:
multiflora rose inks, english ivy paper, white mulberry printing block.

Our picks for this April Fools week:

Tuesday night, come see Patterson Clark discuss using invasive plant materials to make art in his alienweeds project. Talk about turning things on their heads! He'll be at the White Oak Library in Silver Spring for the monthly meeting of the Maryland Native Plant Society. Free.

You and your kids can learn about Nature's April Foolers Saturday night at a Hidden Oaks campfire in Annandale: "how animals use trickery to get a meal or to keep from being a meal." $5-7.

We posted last summer about the three sections of the Billy Goat Trail (A, B, & C). The Appalachian Mountain Club's annual Whole Goat Hike (all three in one day, total 10 miles) is on Sunday. Free, registration required.

There's always more on our calendar. Enjoy!

Calendar: Beginning Birding, Advanced Lampreys (March 23-26)

It caught our eye that there are two events listed as beginning birding on our calendar this week.

One is at Fort CF Smith Park in Arlington from 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday night (March 23). It will be a walk to "teach the basics of using binoculars, looking at birds, identifying field marks and using guides," followed by a discussion of how to pick binoculars & other optics. $5.

The other is a two-part class sponsored by the Audubon Naturalist Society on Thursday evening and Sunday morning (March 24/27). "At our evening lecture, we’ll focus on the selection of field guides, binoculars, and other resources, and we’ll discuss the basic techniques of birding finding and identification. The goal of our field trip, which visits Black Hill and Little Bennett Regional Parks in upper Montgomery County, is to develop the ability to find, study, and identify birds in their natural environment." $24 for lecture, $52.50 with field trip (discounts for members).

If we weren't going to be at the Lahr Native Plant Symposium (registration sold out) on Saturday, we'd totally head down to Jug Bay for a hike they're calling Lovesong of the Lampreys. "Lampreys living in our streams don’t really sing, but their courtship behavior at this time every year makes these animals, which are rarely seen at other times, clearly visible. We’ll hike to several streams to see and marvel at these slender animals in their reproductive rituals."

What kind of rituals, you ask? For one thing, they can move rocks around with their mouths. Check this out:


There's always lots more on our calendar. Enjoy!

Calendar: Equinox Eve (March 19)

Did you know you can balance an egg on end on the equinox?
Photo credit: James Jordan

In the weather and the flowers, it's starting to look like spring out there. This Saturday is, finally, officially, the last day of winter. Perhaps you'll find a little extra Spring in your step if you join one of these walks (all on Saturday):

Matt's Habitats is taking a walk along the Northwest Branch in Silver Spring to look for frog eggs, wild edibles, and other signs of spring.  (noon - 2:30, $20)

At Huntley Meadows in Alexandria, "take a hike after dark with Huntley Meadows Park Naturalist PJ Dunn...listen for owls and frogs and watch for beaver activity." (4:30-6:00, $6)

At Jug Bay in Lothian MD, "Join a volunteer naturalist for an exploration of the Sanctuary to celebrate the coming of Spring. Look and listen for signs of the new life which is exploding all around us. We'll end up on the Marsh Boardwalk, and watch the sunset over the Patuxent." (5:00-7:30, free)

At Croydon Creek Nature Center in Rockville,  "Enjoy a hike into the forest at dusk to look and listen for signs of spring. After the hike, we’ll gather around the campfire to enjoy a campfire treat." (6:00-7:00, $5)

With Prince George's Audubon Society, go look for woodcocks. (7:00-8:00, free)

As always, there's lots more on our calendar. Happy Spring!

DC Environmental Film Festival -- Films About Our Area

The DC Environmental Film Festival features 150 beautiful and disturbing films from around the world -- from Australia to Arabia to Argentina. But hidden among them are always films that look at nature and environment closer to home. Here are the ones we found on this year's schedule, which runs from March 15-27. Even if you can't catch all the shows, you can check out some of the trailers we found.

Kids and Nature

MOTHER NATURE’S CHILD (March 25, 6PM at THEARC, 57 min, Free). "Nature’s powerful role in children’s health and development is explored...from Vermont to Washington, D.C. The film marks a moment in time when a living generation can still recall childhoods of free play outdoors; this will not be true for most children growing up today." Followed by a discussion with the filmmaker and kids from the film.



Films about Sustainable Food in DC

A series of four short films includes two from the DC area, including a film about a guy I buy produce from every once in a while. (March 17, 7PM at the Maret School, Free) They include:

• AMERICA'S SUSTAINABLE GARDEN "The United States Botanic Garden, at the foot of the U.S. Capitol, is a living plant museum that helps people understand that plants are not optional, but are fundamental to our society and our existence."(15 min.)
• CORNER PLOT "Amid the tangle of commuter traffic, shopping malls and office buildings that define life inside the Capital Beltway rests a one-acre piece of farmland under the care of 89-year-old Charlie Koiner." (10 min.)

A COMMUNITY OF GARDENERS (March 25, 4PM at THEARC, 60 min, Free). "Through the voices of young people, senior citizens, immigrants, garden volunteers and educators, this documentary explores the vital role of seven D.C. urban community gardens as sources of fresh, nutritious food, outdoor classrooms, places of healing, links to immigrants’ native countries and oases of beauty and calm in inner-city neighborhoods. "



Films about Coal in West Virginia

BURNING THE FUTURE: COAL IN AMERICA (March 21, 6PM at UDC, 54 min, Free) "Faced with toxic ground water, the obliteration of 1.4 million acres of mountains, and a government that appeases industry, our heroes demonstrate a strength of purpose and character in their improbable fight to arouse the nation's help in protecting their mountains, saving their families, and preserving their way of life."



ON COAL RIVER (March 17, 7PM at American University, 80 min, Free) "Viewers embark on a gripping emotional journey into the Coal River Valley of West Virginia – a community surrounded by lush mountains and a looming toxic threat. The film follows Ed Wiley, a former coal miner, and his neighbors in a David-and-Goliath struggle for the future of their valley."



Films about the Chesapeake Bay

Four short films that explore the environmental issues facing the bay and the way of life that it has supported for decades will be shown together on March 23. (6PM at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Free)

• THE LAST BOAT OUT  "The largest bay in the United States is dying...taking with it a way of life for the thousands of watermen whose families have made their living on the Bay for generations." (2010, 26 min.)
• THE RUNOFF DILEMMA "Agricultural nutrient runoff represents the major pollution crisis facing the Chesapeake Bay." (2010, 30 min.)
• WATERMEN "...a simple but powerful story of watermen’s lives." (1969, 63 min.)
• STURGEON: EGGS TO DIE FOR  "An exploration of why the great Atlantic Sturgeon has declined in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond, and the hopes scientists have of a big comeback for the mighty fish." (2008, 30 min.)

Also look for features on Aldo Leopold and David Suzuki, films about flamingos, elephants, monkeys, and hummingbirds, animated shorts, and much much more...the full schedule is here.