PURCELLVILLE, VA, March 11, 2019 — Join the Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for a free nature walk at the Chapman DeMary Trail on Sunday, March 31 at 1 p.m. The guide for this walk is Gina Faber, a Loudoun County Master Gardener. She will share information about spring ephemerals which are perennial plants that emerge quickly, then go dormant such as Virginia Bluebells, trout lilies, and bloodroot. During the walk, she will point out trees and flowers that are starting to awaken with the warmer weather as well as plants that appear to be dormant, and encourage the discovery and investigation of insects, pollinators, and wildlife. Gina has led many nature walks at the Chapman DeMary Trail and helped with projects to restore and enhance the habitat. She is also a recipient of the McGranaghan Stewardship Award for her efforts at the trail. Register online to attend this walk.
The Chapman DeMary Trail is a 10-acre area considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town of Purcellville. It runs along the South Fork Catoctin Creek, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The area is open to the public for environmental recreation, exploration, and education. The Town of Purcellville holds the conservation easement for this privately-owned property. The entrance and parking for the Chapman DeMary Trail is behind the building at 205 East Hirst Road in Purcellville.
The Discover Nature’s Secrets guided nature walks are held the last Sunday of each month. Throughout 2019, walks will be led by experts from The Piedmont Environmental Council, the Virginia Department of Forestry, Loudoun County Tree Stewards, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, and a variety of other experts. Topics will include wildlife clues, wildflowers, natural dyes, native plants, pollinators, art and nature, tree identification, and more.
Learn more and register online on the Monthly Nature Walks page in the Events and Activities section of the Town of Purcellville’s website at www.PurcellvilleVa.gov.
