Walker Nature Center
BRANCHING OUT
A LOOK INSIDE
• Calendar 4 • Kids’ Corner 6 • Things I Like About Reston 7 • Holiday Fest 8
Nature Notes Time for Change DECEMBER By Pam Findley
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American Holly have red berries. Male White-tailed Deer have antlers. Winter Solstice – Dec. 21—First Day of Winter Christmas Fern and Running Cedar are evergreen. Dark-eyed Juncos, Hermit Thrushes and White-throated Sparrows arrive.
JANUARY • • • • •
American Witchhazel blooms. American Robins forage in flocks. Eastern Gray Squirrels begin to breed. Sweetgum trees drop spiky, round seed pods. January 6 – Full moon known as the Wolf or Old Moon.
FEBRUARY • • • • •
Raccoons are breeding. Snowdrops are in bloom. Marginal Woodfern is evergreen. Pine Siskins may be seen at feeders. February 5—Full moon known as the Snow or Hunger Moon.
By Susan Sims
Reston's climate is changing. Trends from the 1960s onward indicate that temperatures are getting warmer. Average precipitation is increasing, and Reston is expected to experience more heat waves and intense precipitation events in the future. Extreme changes detrimentally impact resident health, habitat, infrastructure, and economics. In response to the data, Reston Association’s Environmental Advisory Committee conducted an assessment and identified actions to be taken to protect, adapt and sustain our community.
Assessing Facts In May of 2022, the EAC released the Reston Climate Assessment. The purpose of the report is to communicate accurately about climate change and how it impacts residents. It also makes recommendations for RA, individuals and businesses to engage in informed practices that will sustain the legacy of Reston as a place where humans and nature connect. This assessment coincides with Fairfax County’s implementation of a community-wide, energy and climate action plan known as CECAP and its supplemental Resilient Fairfax Initiative. The Reston Assessment establishes a list of concerns including greenhouse gas emission, warming temperatures, increased precipitation, animal and habitat loss, and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Laying the Foundation
According to NOAA’s Dulles Airport weather station, the average daily temperature has warmed by 4°F since 1964. This warming is attributed to the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, non-regenerative agriculture and industrial pollutants. Gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere. Higher temperatures lead to increased rates of heat stroke and increased energy consumption. They also lead to more frequent algal blooms in Reston's lakes and streams as well as increased growth of noxious weeds and disease vectors. Climate issues impact people as well as the extensive “green” and “blue” environment that are valued components of the Biophilic City of Reston. Increased carbon dioxide and warming temperatures have real world implications. Poison ivy can grow stronger, faster and itchier. The habitable range of the deer tick is extended as is the season in which ticks are active; this can increase the risk of Lyme disease exposure. But heat isn't the only cause for residents’ concern. Increased precipitation events mean more stormwater runoff, increasing erosion and damage to Reston trails and streams, while forcing sediment and chemicals into Reston's lakes.
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Winter | 22-23 | Volume Twenty-four