Get Outside!
Enjoy Some of Our Favorite Spaces During Great Outdoors Month (June) or Anytime!
Click here to download a list of more than two-dozen nature treasures to explore!
Harriet Tubman developed a familiarity, appreciation, and understanding of the natural landscape that helped her liberate hundreds of Americanson the Underground Railroad, and inspire generations.
Part of the landscape where Tubman was born now comprise portions of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Situated in Dorchester County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, this natural treasure is a sanctuary for migratory birds, the natural habitats of the refuge, wetlands, waterways, swamps, and upland forests, are representative of the landscape in which Tubman grew up.
ROCK CREEK PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Rock Creek Park is truly a gem in our nation's capital. This 1,754 acre park is truly a gem in our nation's capital offering the opportunity to escape the bustle of the city and find a peaceful refuge, recreation, fresh air, majestic trees, wild animals, and thousands of years of human history.
Join our ANS Field Trip
"A Year in Rock Creek Park"
on Saturday, June 16
Details here under "Nature Classes and Field Trips"
BLUE MASH NATURE TRAIL, MD
With two ponds, fields, thickets and both young and mature woods, the area is great for sighting butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians, plant life and, of course, birds. More than 200 species of birds have been seen here. The five-mile loop trail located near Gaithersburg, Maryland is good for all skill levels.
Join our ANS Field Trip
"Summer Walks on the Wild Side"
on Sunday, June 24
Details here under "Nature Classes and Field Trips"
BLACK HILL REGIONAL PARK, MD
Featuring 2,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation and family gatherings, this park provides spectacular views of Little Seneca Lake from its trails. You can also canoe, kayak, or rowboat from Black Hill Boats and explore the natural beauty of the lake by following the Black Hill Water Trail.
Join our ANS Field Trip
"B is for Butterfly"
on Saturday, June 30
Details here under "Nature Classes and Field Trips"
Benefits of Being Outdoors
News stories about the health benefits of taking time to get outside:
Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And Mood
NPR Morning Edition
11 Scientific Reasons You Should Be Spending More Time Outside
Business Insider
5 Benefits of Being Outdoors
Huffington Post
Nature Boosts Your Mental Health, and You Don't Even Have to Leave the City to Reap the Benefits
Los Angeles Times
Seeing nature as Thoreau saw it:
“...An eternal fountain of renewal and regeneration, a sacred force capable of healing even the deepest acts of human destruction… living ‘deliberately’; that is, living so as to perceive and weigh the moral consequences of our choices … (because) the choices we make create our environment, both political and natural.”
– from Henry David Thoreau: A Life
by Laura Dassow Walls
TAKE A TOUR
Schedule a visit to either of our beautiful nature sanctuaries by calling (301) 652-9188 Ext. 23.