selfselected

Huntley Meadows

Wetland And Wild Life Park

A web page by:
Molly McCormick Seminar F
Rosemary Shepherd Seminar E
Leslie Culin Seminar D
Stephanie Thompson Seminar F
For NCLC 120: Self Selected Trip

What is Huntley Meadows?

Huntley Meadows started as a dairy farm owned by descendants of George Mason. In 1975 President Ford sold the land to Fairfax County as a part of Federal Legacy of Parks Program. Since then animals have flocked to habitat. Beavers dammed up some of the creeks that ran into the meadows creating the natural wetland that we see today. Huntley Meadows is now a wild life sanctuary where hundreds of bird species, beavers, otters, muskrats, frogs, snakes, squirrels, and fish live on a regular basis.

Huntley Meadows can be a sanctuary for humans as well. Surprisingly nestled in the middle of suburbia, surrounded by neighborhoods and shopping centers, Huntley Meadows offers hiking, biking, and walking trails. There is even a boardwalk so you go right through the center of this beautiful wetland don't get your feet damp!

A Visit To The Meadows

       At Huntley Meadows many observations were made regarding the type of environment seen. At the beginning of the boardwalk, on our guided tour we started out by seeing Canadian Geese. There were about 10 geese, and as we went back to observe them, we noticed the way they walk through the marsh land to look for food. They use their beaks to dig for food, and while walking around to retrieve more, their feet muster up all the mud and the water creating a thick mixture, as well as a slight splashing sound.

       Despite from the geese, the surrounding area was made up of hay like grass up near the marsh, and then behind that were rows and rows of cattails. Back behind the cattails were large, towering trees. Some of the observations made were, were that it is possible that the trees near the far back are not able to grow close to the wet marsh land.

      This was the typical look, and atmosphere of the site of observation we looked at at Huntley Meadows Park.

By: Molly McCormick

Observation Spot

Geese

        Huntley Meadows is a favorite for local photographers and it's easy to see why. Even on a gray, dreary day like 19 November 2004, the day we visited, the view is breathtaking. Taking the trail from the visitor center into the woods you are surrounded by forest foliage. There are cedars, pines, wild grapevines, poison ivy, American Birch and Willow Oak amongst them. Squirrels run about harvesting the last of falls foods.

       After the wood you come to the beginning of the boardwalk. There is a drastic change in the plant life. The forest clears way for large fields of cattail plants. There are also sedges, swamp rose, rose hip, green briar and the small green water plants that the Canadian Geese feed on.

       Here in the lakes and creeks you can see tadpoles, geese, minnows, gulls, heron, and mallard ducks. There are little sounds but that of the geese smacking their bills as they eat. Maybe the occasional bird calls or even the wind blowing through the dry foliage.

By: Stephanie Thompson

Swamp Rose

Goose Food

    When we signed up for this particular self selected, I have to admit I was not exactly too keen on the idea of spending my whole day at Huntley Meadows Wetland and Wild Life Park. When we arrived at the park on November 19, 2004, it was a very damp and cold day, and I was not looking forward to spending my time outdoors. As soon as we started our “nature” walk I realized that being here was not going to be all that bad. The land was beautiful, and there was so much to see and do while observing the forest and wetlands we walked through. It was so peaceful, and I wish that had we not been on a graded field trip, that we would have had more time to sit and focus more on the beauty of the atmosphere around.

    My favorite part of our self selected trip at Huntley Meadows was the observation period we had after our “nature” walk. As a group, we decided to observe the land right at the end of the forest where the boardwalk started. This was one of the most beautiful parts of the land. Here we observed the beginning of the wetlands where geese and the plant cattail lived. It was rather peaceful, beside the occasional noise of the geese splashing around in the water. During this time, we were allowed to really look at the area and take it all in, making sure we gather as many observations as possible. I found this to be the best and most relaxing part of the trip.

   Overall the Huntley Meadows trip was more intriguing then I though it would be, and I am glad we had the opportunity to observe such beautiful land, especially since with live in such a suburban area.

By: Leslie Culin

Upon our visit to Huntley Meadows Park, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived at the park, we were greeted by our tour guide. As she spoke about the park itself, I began to realize what an amazing spot we were able to experience, right in the middle of Northern Virginia and the sea of suburbs.
As we walked on our guided tour through a portion of the park, we were informed about the different characteristics of the Huntley Meadows Park in particular, and about the species that inhabit it. While in the forest, we learned about different types of vines and other plants. One plant we learned about was Microtesia, which is an invasive species from Asia that is harmful to the forests in North America. Not only does this grassy plant cover the entire floor of the forest and cover all of the the other small plants, but it has no natural predators, so it takes over very quickly.

After emerging from the wooded area of Huntley Meadows, we found ourselves in the middle of a very lush wetland, full of completely different plants, animals, and landscape than I was used to. We saw Canadian Geese and remnants of a beavers' dam almost right away. It was obvious that the environment on either side of the boardwalk is very rich and thriving.
The thing that most stood out was the vast array of plants that I was not used to seeing. The cattails, sweetgum, and sedges, are all things that surprised me, simply because I was not used to that environment or ecosystem.
It was amazing to see an area so full of life, and to be in an area that is well taken care of and cared about. It is a shame that our wetlands are being destroyed because Huntley Meadows park is an amazing resource and an incredible place for us to have been able to visit.

By: Rosemary Shepard