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Enter the Friends of Mason Neck State Park
"Picture the Magic" Photo Contest
Photo by Randy Streufert
Anyone who visits Mason Neck State Park knows that it is a wonderful place with serene woods, scenic shorelines, quiet canoeing and kayak opportunities, interesting wildlife, and a dedicated Park staff. You have an opportunity to capture your magic moments at the park and enter them into the Friends of Mason Neck State Park's "Picture the Magic" photo contest. The contest runs from August 1 until September 30, 2022, and photos taken any time in 2022 are eligible. We'll award one $300 Grand Prize, one $200 First Prize to a photographer 18 or older, and one $200 First Prize to a photographer who is under 18. Anyone who enters might find their photo featured in our newsletter, on our website or on the Park's viewing screen at the Visitor Center. You can learn more about the contest, including how to enter, here.
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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, cultural and historic resources. We assist the Park Staff in implementing its programs and activities such as the annual Eagle Festival, shoreline cleanups, and outreach events. We also sponsor special events such as our annual Owl Moon and Swanfall, our Holiday Party, help guide canoe and kayaking trips and lead hikes.
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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.
