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Connecting in the Community
On June 17, 2023, the Friends of Dyke Marsh participated in the annual Gum Springs Community Day/Juneteenth Festival, this year celebrating 190 years since the community’s founding by West Ford.
FODM Receives Tree Planting Grant
The Friends of Dyke Marsh have received a grant of $3,250 to plant trees in the marsh to replace some of the pumpkin ash trees (Fraxinus profunda) that are dying because of the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis).
The 25th Mason Neck Eagle Festival
On May 13, 2023, FODM volunteers participated in the 25th Mason Neck State Park Eagle Festival, sponsored by a “sister” group, the Friends of Mason Neck State Park.
Nature Enthralls
Dyke Marsh had some “major attractions” in late spring 2023.
Warming Up to Ticks and Mosquitoes
On May 17, 2023, the Friends of Dyke Marsh hosted a presentation by Kasha Helget on the value of ticks and mosquitoes, how to identify them, their life cycles and eco-friendly management responses.
Owl Fascination Abounds
Spring 2023 brought a frenzy of reproduction in the natural world. Many people have stood for hours watching and photographing a barred owl (Strix varia) pair and a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) pair raise their young. In early May, observers began to see the fledglings of both pairs exploring the immediate environs.
“Sister” Group Visits Dyke Marsh
On April 14, 2023, Dan Rauch, Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist for the Washington, D.C., government, led a walk, billed as a "riverside chat," in Dyke Marsh for 13 members of the Potomac Conservancy.
The Ospreys’ Spring Return and Ritual
Many people delight in the ospreys’ spring return from their southern wintering grounds in Florida, the Caribbean and Central and South America to spots near water in Northern Virginia.
Floodwall and Levee Near Dyke Marsh Is Questioned
In June 2022, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (ACE) proposed a “tentatively selected plan” to build a floodwall and levee in the Belle Haven, New Alexandria, Belle View and River Towers areas of Fairfax County near the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
Record Number of Volunteers Give Back on MLK Day
On the January 16, 2023, Martin Luther King Day of Service, 131 enthusiastic volunteers clipped English ivy (Hedera helix) off trees in Dyke Marsh and collected 70 bags of trash weighing 446 pounds.
Many Birds Stand Out in Winter
Winter brings several species of migratory waterfowl to the Potomac River and Dyke Marsh and many birds stand out as they perch on leafless tree limbs, search for prey and forage on the ground. Still some, like barred owls (Strix varia) are expert at camouflaging.
Volunteers Tackle Never-Ending Invasive Plants
For at least 15 years, the Friends of Dyke Marsh have worked to control many species of invasive plants in the preserve. Invasive plants displace native plants and replace wildlife food sources with which native wildlife co-evolved.
Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.