The Wilderness Project - Manassas, VA

04/18/2026

Looking for something fun to do this weekend while volunteering? We have three amazing volunteer opportunities that'll be a lot of fun!

Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department will host their Super Bingo on Saturday and needs a few more volunteers! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/4c9N4BL

Prefer to just play Bingo instead? They have an entire day of fun and prizes planned! Car wash kits, grills, self care baskets, and cash!! Full details of their event can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DYd6VDriN/

Join The Wilderness Project - Manassas, VA for a Baldwin Park Spring Clean-Up & Habitat Restoration Day on Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

They'll be working together on general park clean-up, English ivy removal, and spotted lanternfly egg scraping and squishing as hatch season begins. This is a chance to make a real difference in Baldwin Park while helping protect the trees, habitat, and green space that make Northern Virginia worth fighting for.
We are losing too much natural space, too many mature trees, and too much of what makes this area beautiful. This is one small but meaningful way to push back and take care of the land we still have.

What to bring:
Work gloves, water, sturdy shoes, and any helpful tools such as a flathead screwdriver, putty knife, or old card for scraping egg masses. Long sleeves are recommended.
Family-friendly and volunteer hours are available.
https://www.facebook.com/share/17YLBtt9Je/

Anything's PAWSible will hold their 4th Annual Festival and 5K on April 18th starting at 11am until 4pm. Help Anything's PAWsible make service dogs accessible to children with disabilities. This event promises to be a full day of fun with activities, raffle and silent auctions, vendors, food trucks, and more!
Want to help make this event a success? There's a need for volunteers! View more information or sign up here: https://bit.ly/41MFrwc

The cleanup at Baldwin Park and Festival and 5k are RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER! Volunteer and then spend the day at the festival to make a fun day for the whole family!

03/25/2026

SPRING YARD-WORK PSA FOR NORTHERN VIRGINIA (Zones 7a-7b)
Courtesy of The Wilderness Project

Native Bloom Watch
While the news gushes over D.C.’s cherry blossoms, our woods are lighting up with the electric purples of Eastern redbud and the creamy-white to blush-pink blooms of native dogwoods. These beauties feed early-emerging pollinators far better than ornamental cherries—and they thrive in our stubborn clay soils. (Virginia Dept. of Forestry; Virginia Tech Dendrology)

Hold the Heavy Cleanup Until…
Daytime highs stay above 50 °F (10 °C) for seven straight days—typically mid-April in Fairfax, Prince William, and Loudoun. Bumble-bee queens, fireflies, and many butterflies are still snoozing under that leaf layer. (Xerces Society; VA Cooperative Extension)

Jobs to Delay
• Raking or blowing leaves out of beds and lawn edges
• Cutting last year’s hollow stems (wait until early June—mason bees are growing inside)
• Spreading fresh mulch (late April, after raking)
What You Can Do in Late March
• Yank invasives like English ivy and Japanese honeysuckle while natives are leafless
• Edge sidewalks, clear gutters, sharpen pruners, service the mower

Quick Tips
• Swap the blower for a rake + playlist—quieter, kinder
• Leave a 3 × 3 ft “wild patch” of leaves behind the shed as an insect condo
• Turn the first warm week of April into a “bug-wake-up scavenger hunt” with the kids—look for bumble queens under those blooming redbuds and dogwoods!

Bottom Line
Give nature a couple more weeks to stretch, then clean up gradually. Your yard will buzz (literally) all summer, and you’ll have a front-row seat to one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most spectacular native flower shows.

— The Wilderness Project

Sources: Xerces Society “Leave the Leaves” (2023); Virginia Cooperative Extension ENTO-230NP (2022); U.S. Forest Service “Gardening for Bumble Bees” (2021); Virginia Dept. of Forestry Redbud Fact Sheet (2023); Virginia Tech Dendrology Dogwood Profile (2022)

02/06/2026

We’re canceling tomorrow’s ivy removal at Baldwin Park due to unsafe conditions. Manassas is still extremely icy, and even with a slight warm-up today, the park and walkways are expected to remain too slick and messy for a safe volunteer event.

Safety first. We’ll share a new date as soon as we lock it in.

01/17/2026

Baldwin Park Nature Trail — Fresh Update & Community Energy

We’ve been steadily moving the Baldwin Park Nature Trail project forward, even if the calendar looks quiet. Since our last group cleanup on Veteran’s Day, we’ve been in planning and partnership mode, and recently walked the route with the Scouts troop to talk through what’s ahead — great perspectives, good momentum, and some fresh ideas.

Huge thanks to Scouts Troop 671, our local 4-H group, Osbourn’s Interact Club, and the Rotary Club, Volunteer Prince William for being part of these early conversations and volunteer efforts. We even had a visit from our State Senator. Seeing different corners of our community show up for this future trail is exactly the kind of energy that makes it feel worthwhile and fun.

Here’s where things stand:
• Veteran’s Day was our last group cleanup — and it was solid.
• We’re planning another mid-February cleanup (weather dependent) as we pick back up this winter.
• We’re refining the trail layout and planning support for native plantings, wayfinding, and future work sessions.
• Community insights (like those from recent partner meetings) are helping shape how and when we roll out the next phase.

What’s coming next:
We’re lining up the first work session of the year — whether it’s spreading mulch, marking the trail, or just walking the route together to share ideas. If you care about green spaces, wildlife habitat, or simply exploring nature with neighbors, keep an eye here for details.

Real community projects like this grow when people see progress, feel welcome, and want to be part of something that’s their trail. Share your thoughts, tag a friend who loves the outdoors, or just stop by next time we’re out — we’d love to have you along.

01/17/2026

❄️ Snow, Yards & the Environment — What We Can Do

We’ve already seen flurries today, which means winter’s still rolling through our yards — and what we do (or don’t do) now can really affect our soil, plants, and local ecosystem.

Smart yard moves after snow:
• Avoid stomping the lawn. Frost-covered grass is brittle; walking on it now compacts soil and bruises grass that needs space to breathe and grow in spring.
• Skip the heavy salt near plants. Traditional rock salt dries out soil and burns grass and shrubs. Use sand or other grit on walkways instead.
• Let snow help your yard. A light blanket actually insulates grass and slowly adds moisture as it melts — that’s a free winter watering.
• Think ecosystem, not perfection. Leaves left under snow can feed soil microbes and support insects when spring comes.

Prep for spring (when this cold finally quits):
• Clear debris and leftover snow piles after thaw — rushed cleanup can damage turf.
• Check shrubs for snow damage and gently remove heavy buildup from brittle branches.
• Plan soil aeration and raking once ground warms up so roots get oxygen and water easier.

Your yard isn’t paused just because snow’s here — it’s reacting. Take steps that help soil, wildlife, and your grass thrive once spring hits.

01/05/2026

12/30/2025

Small trees are easier to plant, require less watering, and are far less expensive than larger ones.

12/26/2025

NoVa Winter PSA: Stop Salting Like It’s I-95 ❄️🧂🚗

Northern Virginia already treats roads like a science experiment… and we’ve got the traffic to prove it. But here’s the part nobody talks about: all that salt doesn’t magically disappear. It ends up in our soil, our storm drains, and our streams—then comes back to bite your landscaping in spring.

Do this instead (your plants will thank you)

✅ Shovel early and often (fresh snow = less ice = less chemical need)
✅ Use sand/grit for traction when possible
✅ If you use de-icer, use less than you think you need
✅ Sweep up excess once it’s safe—don’t let it wash away
🚫 Don’t pile salty snow into garden beds or around trees/shrubs

Why it matters

Most de-icers are chloride salts. Chloride accumulates in soil and runoff. That means:

- Stressed roots and stunted growth
- Burnt edges and spring dieback (especially near sidewalks/curbs)
- Salt-laced meltwater flowing into creeks and rivers

Spring payoff

Less salt now = healthier bed edges, stronger natives, fewer dead patches, and cleaner waterways when the thaw hits.

11/21/2025

🍂 November–December: Preparing Your Yard for Spring Pollinators

Winter prep isn’t about tidying up — it’s about giving nature a chance to rest and reset. Here’s what you can do this month to help bees, butterflies, and other pollinators thrive when spring returns:

1️⃣ Keep the Leaf Layer
Don’t rake it bare. A thin layer of leaves protects overwintering pollinators, nourishes soil life, and keeps roots insulated through freezes.
📗 Source: Xerces Society — “Leave the Leaves”

2️⃣ Leave Native Stems Standing
Hollow stems from goldenrod, bee balm, coneflower, and other natives are prime winter lodging for native bees. Cut them back in late spring, not fall.
📗 Source: U.S. Forest Service — “Native Gardening for Pollinators”

3️⃣ Add Native Seeds Now
Many wildflowers and grasses need a cold period (“stratification”) to germinate. Late fall and early winter are perfect for sowing milkweed, black-eyed Susan, and wild bergamot.
📗 Source: Pollinator Partnership — “Mid-Atlantic Planting Guide”

4️⃣ Mulch Naturally
Skip synthetic fertilizers and dyed mulches. Instead, use shredded leaves or untreated wood chips. They feed soil microbes and retain moisture without choking beneficial insects.
📗 Source: Penn State Extension — “Fall and Winter Mulching”

5️⃣ Protect Young Trees and Shrubs
Wrap new plantings with burlap or tree wrap to prevent frost cracks and hungry deer damage. Add 2–3 inches of natural mulch around the base — but not against the trunk.
📗 Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension — “Winterizing Trees and Shrubs”

6️⃣ Plan Next Year’s Habitat
Sketch out where to add native pollinator patches next spring. Include a mix of:

Early bloomers: Virginia bluebells, wild columbine

Mid-season: Purple coneflower, bee balm

Late bloomers: Goldenrod, asters

📗 Source: USDA NRCS — “Planting for Pollinators”

7️⃣ Provide Shelter & Water
Leave small brush piles, stones, and hollow logs for overwintering insects and amphibians. Add a shallow dish or birdbath with pebbles in spring for bees to safely drink.

11/08/2025

Getting Ready for Snow: Prepping Your Yard for Spring and Pollinators 🐝❄️

The first snow signals rest for your garden — and opportunity. By winterizing your yard the right way, you’re not just protecting plants; you’re setting the stage for spring growth and supporting overwintering pollinators and wildlife.

1️⃣ Leave the Leaves (Strategically)
Resist the urge to bag every leaf. A thin layer acts as natural mulch, insulates roots, and shelters pollinators like butterflies and solitary bees that overwinter in leaf litter.
📚 Source: Xerces Society — “Leave the Leaves” Initiative (xerces.org/leave-the-leaves
)

2️⃣ Skip the Fall Clean-Up
Dead stems and seed heads from native perennials provide both food and shelter. Birds like goldfinches rely on coneflower and black-eyed Susan seeds, and native bees nest in hollow stems.
📚 Source: U.S. Forest Service — “Native Gardening for Pollinators”
📚 Source: Xerces Society — “Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Bees”

3️⃣ Mulch Naturally
Use shredded leaves or untreated wood chips instead of dyed mulch. It moderates soil temperature, conserves moisture, and feeds soil organisms over winter.
📚 Source: Penn State Extension — “Fall and Winter Mulching”

4️⃣ Protect New Plantings
Young native trees and shrubs benefit from a thin layer of mulch and a burlap wrap to reduce frost cracks and desiccation from wind.
📚 Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE Publication 426-210)

5️⃣ Water Deep Before the Freeze
Give trees and perennials a deep soak before the soil freezes to help them store water for the dormant season.
📚 Source: University of Maryland Extension — “Fall and Winter Watering for Trees and Shrubs”

6️⃣ Don’t Fertilize or Disturb the Soil
Winter is for rest. Avoid synthetic fertilizers or soil turnover that can expose hibernating pollinators and disrupt beneficial microbes.
📚 Source: Missouri Botanical Garden — “Fall Garden Tips”

7️⃣ Plan for Native Spring Growth
Mark where you’ll add native bloomers come spring — early pollen sources like Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) help feed emerging bees before other plants wake up.
📚 Source: Pollinator Partnership — “Planting for Pollinators in the Mid-Atlantic”

By treating your winter garden like a living ecosystem, you help it bounce back stronger — and give next year’s pollinators a fighting chance.