Explore the Mount Vernon Trail and contribute to scientific understanding of biodiversity during the City Nature Challenge! Using the free iNaturalist app, capture clear photos of wild plants, animals, fungi, and other living organisms, and share them with a worldwide network of hobbyists, naturalists, and scientists to learn about the nature around you. At the same time you’ll be adding to a global data set that helps us understand the distribution, movement, and diversity of life on our planet.

Participating in the City Nature Challenge is a great way to learn the names of the species you see on the trail. It is also helpful to the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail by helping to identify the location of invasive plants

Other great ways to help the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail is to volunteer at https://mountvernontrail.org/events or donate at https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=4HS836DQJ34BC

We are asking trail users to submit feedback to Arlington County about the Crystal City Bike Network Plan using Sustainable Mobility of Arlington County’s talking points. The Arlington County Board recently directed staff to devise a bike network plan for Crystal City to take advantage of the redevelopment occurring as part of Amazon HQ2. The plan falls well short of the Board’s intent of quickly building a connected and protected bike network in Crystal City. Comments are due by Sunday, March 21st. We sent the following letter today:

I am writing on behalf of the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail about the proposed Crystal City Bike network. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission that includes promoting safe access to the trail. In 2020, over 300 thousand people used to the Crystal City Connector to access the Mount Vernon Trail. The bike network in Crystal City is vital to ensuring safe passage to and from the trail.

I applaud the County Board directing that a plan be created to seize the opportunity that Amazon HQ2 has brought to rebuild the streetscape and make right of way for a safe all ages bike network. County staff have created a plan that has some great elements, especially the southbound protected bike lane on Crystal Drive and the protected bike facilities on the east/west streets into Crystal City.

The remainder of the plan does not appear to meet the spirit and intent of the County Board. The Mount Vernon Trail is an example of a well used bicycling corridor because it is direct and uncomplicated. We struggle with how we could explain to a family on bikes at the north end of the Potomac Yard Trail how to get to get to the Crystal City Waterpark and Crystal City Connector using the proposed bike network.

Bike facilities work best when they are complete, use direct routes and are easy to follow. We urge the County Board to adopt the bike network plan for Crystal City that has been put forth by Sustainable Mobility of Arlington County. Though some elements of this plan may take longer than four years to implement, it is a plan that best provides the connected, protected all ages bike network that will ensure a vibrant and safe Crystal City.

Judd Isbell
President
Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail

Staff from the George Washington Memorial Parkway/National Park Service will hold a two-part invasive Weed Warrior vegetation removal training session on April 5 and 9 and we hope you will participate. The training is not required to help with Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail invasive management events but will provide advanced training.

Please note that you must participate in the Part 1 online class to participate in the Part 2 field training.

Part 1: virtual class (online)
Monday, April 5
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Click here to sign up for this virtual class.

Part 2: field training
Friday, April 9
8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (choose one)
Locations along the George Washington Memorial Parkway to be decided.
Small, socially-distanced groups.
Click here to sign up for this field training.

The George Washington Memorial Parkway has updated its compendium to incorporate mask wearing rules based on President Biden’s Executive Order 13991. Mount Vernon Trail users are not required to wear masks while on the trail but are required to use a mask if entering a facility such as restrooms. The guidance sent to GWMP’s philanthropic partners is below:

With the installation of the Biden-Harris administration there have been numerous Executive Orders. The intent of this email is to share the actions the park is taking in association with Executive Order 13991, Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing (E.O. 13991). These actions are based on the further guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Department of Interior (DOI), and the National Park Service (NPS).

The guidance issued by the NPS is to be followed by our employees, volunteers, partners, contractors including concessioners, and park visitors. Your help is appreciated as your organization will need to incorporate this requirement into your operations and programs that are provided within George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). We are expressing these expectations in the form of an addition to the park compendium, which has been published on the park website. The addendum can be found by clicking on the following link 20210205-GWMP-Mask-order.pdf (nps.gov)

For ease of reference the text added to the compendium is outlined below:

Individuals over the age of two years must wear masks, except when actively eating or drinking, in the following locations:
1. All common areas and shared workspaces in buildings owned, rented, or leased by the National Park Service, including, but not limited to, park visitor centers, administrative offices, lodges, gift shops and restaurants.

2. The following outdoor areas, when others are present, and where the superintendent has determined that physical distancing (staying at least six feet apart) cannot reasonably be maintained:

Great Falls:

• Outdoor courtyard area adjacent to the Great Falls Visitor Center
• The entrance lane to Great Falls, generally described as the travel lane and area adjacent to the fee station where vehicles stop and idle for the purpose of paying and entering the park
• The (two) designated overlooks at Great Falls

Dyke Marsh:

• Boardwalk viewing platform at the end of the boardwalk/trail

Glen Echo:

• Playground

Jones Point:

• Playground

Masks must cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly around the nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face. Masks not designed to be protective, masks with ventilation valves, and face shields do not meet the requirement.

If you’d like to support the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail, sign up for a volunteer event at https://mountvernontrail.org/events or donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-crash-free-trollheim