Birdwatching is a rewarding and accessible hobby that is great for nature enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. Despite being a lifelong nature enthusiast, I had never taken to bird watching until about four years ago. Now, it’s an almost daily hobby ...
Our Land Stewardship team has been busy this year! Our team is responsible for managing over 2,000 acres of protected open space throughout the Willowsford community which includes over 40 miles of trails. From adding new infrastructure (like the obstacle course in the greens!) to working on land restoration ...
International bat week (Oct. 24th-31st) is a celebration of our spooky flying friends and a chance to learn more about just how important bats are! What many people may not know is how big of a role bats play in our natural ecosystems, research ...
If you’ve visited the farm in the past few months, whether to volunteer or go on one of our monthly farm tour wagon rides, you’ve likely seen a tall plant that looks a bit like corn. This plant is actually a cover crop called Sorghum Sudangrass. Cover cropping is a ...
With the moist skin of a frog, but the shape of a lizard, salamanders are bizarre creatures. Virginia is home to over 50 different species of salamanders, many of which can be found in your own backyard here in Loudoun county. Salamanders generally live in ...
One of the many direct benefits of conservation is creating space for outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing. At the Conservancy, we know that many of our residents enjoy going out themselves or taking their kids out to the local ponds to catch some bluegill, sunfish, bass or even catfish! ...
We've all been there -- after hiking through the woods or working in your garden, you find a tick on your skin or clothing. You may have even found one on your dog! At first glance, they may all look the same, but different tick species are found in northern Virginia. ...
Did you know that bees of all types are important for pollination? That's right, while honeybees provide us with their delicious honey, bumblebees are the only ones who can consistently pollinate this farm favorite: eggplant! Bumblebees can disengage the muscles in their wings and vibrate at a very high frequency. This is called ...
To some, snakes have a bad reputation; to be fair, we may not always consider snakes the friendliest creatures! However, in terms of conservation, snakes play a vital role in our ecosystem for many reasons. All ecosystems, including the Willowsford Conservancy, greatly benefit from our slithery friends. One ...
Many of you might have noticed more wildlife on the streets or visiting your yards. Please avoid feeding wildlife such as deer, squirrels, racoons, foxes, or coyotes human food or purchased food sources that are not part of their normal diets and make sure your trash is enclosed. Feeding them ...