Master Naturalists | Audubon | Government Resources | Local Nature Centers | Plant NOVA Natives | Plant NOVA Trees
Tree Stewards | US Botanic Garden | US National Arboretum | VA Native Plant Society
Arlington Regional Master Naturalists
The mission of the Arlington Regional Master Naturalists is to provide environmental education, outreach, stewardship, and citizen science dedicated to beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within Virginia.
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) is a chapter of National Audubon Society and committed to its mission: to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. ASNV advances the mission through education programs, citizen science, and advocacy initiatives.
- Audubon at Home
The Audubon at Home program was created to make a difference by supporting the efforts of property owners and managers to become better stewards of nature in your own outdoor spaces. It embraces the principles of the National Audubon Society’s Bird-Friendly Communities and promotes citizen participation in conserving and restoring local natural habitat and biodiversity.
Government Resources
City of Alexandria Natural Resources
- The section of Virginia that includes the City of Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax counties contains a broad diversity of habitats and geologic conditions and is perhaps the most floristically diverse in the state. Flora and plant communities are the dominant natural resources on parkland in the eastern U.S., and those that remain in Alexandria are diverse and require careful stewardship.
Arlington County Ecology & Natural Resources
- Here you will find volunteer opportunities, invasives information, wildlife and bird checklists, and under Native Plants, information on the Plant of the Month.
Nature Centers
- Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center
5750 Sanger Ave. Alexandria, VA 22311
At the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center, see live animals up close and learn about the cultural and natural history of the neighboring Dora Kelley Nature Park. The Nature Center offers year-round programs and interactive exhibits for children and adults of all ages. - Gulf Branch Nature Center & Park
3608 North Military RdArlington, VA 22207
Gulf Branch Nature Center and Park features live animal exhibits, displays on natural and cultural history, pollinator gardens, trails to the Potomac River, a pond, and a restored log cabin. See more information from Arlington Regional Naturalists. - Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park
625 S Carlin Springs Rd. Arlington, VA 22204
The nature center features a children’s Discovery Room, live animal displays, interpretive gardens, a viewing pond, space for birthday parties and a Nature Discovery Area.
- Potomac Overlook Regional Park
2845 N. Marcey Road Arlington, VA 22207
Explore the natural world on 67 acres of wild and cultivated land at Potomac Overlook Regional Park. Hike miles of trails while following interpretive displays to learn about Northern Virginia’s flora and fauna.
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Plant NOVA Natives
Plant NOVA Natives is the joint marketing campaign of a coalition of non-profit, governmental, and private groups, all working to reverse the decline of native plants and wildlife in Northern Virginia. They encourage residents as well as public and commercial entities to install native plants as the first step toward creating wildlife habitat and functioning ecosystems on their own properties.
The website has a lot of information about natives plants, how to grow them, and where to buy them. You can also order a print copy of Native Plants for Northern Virginia or download the guide here.
Plant Nova Trees
Plant NOVA Trees is a focused drive by the Plant NOVA Natives campaign to increase the native tree canopy in Northern Virginia. The drive launched in September 2021 and continues through the fall of 2026.
Plant NOVA Trees is a partnership made up of representatives from state and local agencies, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, and numerous concerned citizens, all pooling their resources to work toward this common goal. The campaign’s success rests on the action of the millions of individuals who make up our Northern Virginia community. The majority of trees in our region, and of spaces that need more trees, are on private property.
Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria
The Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria take a love of trees and put it into action by training volunteers and organizing events to improve our urban forests and make our community brighter. They educate their neighbors on tree care, provide direct assistance, and act as effective advocates for the local tree canopy.
United States Botanic Garden
Steeped in history, rich with tradition, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a living plant museum that informs visitors about the importance, and often irreplaceable value, of plants to the well-being of humans and to earth’s fragile ecosystems.
More than 200 years ago, George Washington had a vision for the capital city of the United States that included a botanic garden that would demonstrate and promote the importance of plants to the young nation. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1820, the U.S. Botanic Garden is the oldest continuously operating botanic garden in the United States. Since 1934, it has been administered through the Architect of the Capitol.
Learn more: The United States Botanic Garden Celebrates 200 Years
United States National Arboretum
The U.S. National Arboretum enhances the economic, environmental, and aesthetic value of ornamental and landscape plants through long-term, multi-disciplinary research, conservation of genetic resources, and interpretative gardens and exhibits.
Virginia Native Plant Society
The Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS), founded in 1982 as the Virginia Wildflower Preservation Society, is a nonprofit organization of individuals who share an interest in Virginia’s native plants and habitats. The Society and its chapters seek to further the appreciation and conservation of this priceless heritage.
- Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society
The Potowmack chapter is the largest VNPS chapter, representing over 400 members in the counties of Arlington and Fairfax; cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.