Friends of Mason Neck State Park
 
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Events Coming Soon

08 Dec 2024 2:00 PM • Gunston Hall's Ann Mason Room, 10709 Gunston Road, Lorton VA



Swanfall 2024:

Birds, Bugs and Berries: 

Providing Habitat for

Birds and Other Wildlife


It's time for the Friends of Mason Neck State Park's annual Swanfall holiday celebration. It's an opportunity to socialize with other members and their Friends while enjoying a delicious buffet and a fascinating talk. We'll celebrate Swanfall at Gunston Hall's Ann Mason Room on Sunday, December 8.


We'll start with an extensive buffet at 2 PM.


    

  

      


At 2:45 PM, we'll enjoy "Birds, Bugs and Berries: Providing Habitat for Birds and Other Wildlife" presented by Alonso Abugattas. Alonso is the Natural resources Manager for Arlington County, but he is best known as the Capital Naturalist, creator of the Capital Naturalist Facebook group with 24,000 members, and the Capital Naturalist You Tube channel. Alonso has had numerous mentions and appearances on television, radio, podcasts and the press, including appearances on Animal Planet, and makespresentations throughout the region.



 


You will also have a chance to see the award-winning photos of Mason Neck State Park from the Friends' annual "Picture the Magic" photo contest.


Swanfall is open to everyone. Members and one guest can attend for a special price of $15 per person. Non-members can attend for $20 per person. You can register here


If you aren't a member or your membership has lapsed, you can join the Friends here.


Picture The Magic 2024 Photo Contest Winners


Grand Prize -- Sunset Heron by Pete Thiringer




You can see all of the winning contest winners here.


All-terrain Wheelchair


The Park has a Trackmaster All-Terrain battery-powered wheelchair available for guests with limited mobility. The chair can be used on most of the park's trails, and is available without charge. Call the Park at 703-339-2385 for more information.



Join the Fight Against Disposable Plastic


The Friends of Mason Neck State Park are doing their part to slow the production and disposal of plastics.  Plastic bottles take as long as 450 years to decompose in the environment.  Before they do, they break down into "micro-plastic" bits that are eaten by animals and can end up in our own bodies.  On land, plastic adversely affects soil fertility, and can choke our streams and rivers.




The Friends of Mason Neck State Park have stopped offering disposable water bottles to Park volunteers and at Friends events.  Instead, they are offering free multi-use bottles that recipients can take home with them.  Hopefully, people will use these bottles instead of buying more disposable ones.  


Mason Neck State Park also is committed to reducing the use of disposable plastic bottles and has installed water bottle filling stations at the Visitor Center and the picnic area.           


Do your part too:  find ways to limit your use of disposable plastics, including those grocery store bags that have a typical useful life of 15 minutes -- the time to get from store to home -- and take 1000 years to decompose in a landfill.  


The Friends of Mason Neck State Park



The Friends of Mason Neck State Park is a Section 501(c) (3) organization that works to conserve, enhance and interpret the park’s natural, educational, recreational and cultural resources. The Friends provide financial support for the park’s activities, and its volunteers assist at the park’s events and activities. The Friends also sponsor events designed to showcase the park; publish a monthly newsletter and website that highlight events at the park; and work to improve the accessibility of the park.               

           


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Mason Neck State Park 

Mason Neck State Park is located on the Mason Neck peninsula in southeastern Fairfax County, Virginia. The Park's wetlands, forest, water, ponds, and fields are home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles, osprey, geese, ducks, swans, and other birds living on or near the Potomac River, Kane's Creek, and Belmont Bay. 


The Park has hiking trails, three miles of paved multi-use trails, a large picnic area, a playground, a car-top canoe and kayak launch, and a visitor center. Canoe, kayak, and bicycle rentals are available.Y

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