Start a nature journal and adopt a tree Jan. 29 at the Chapman DeMary Trail

Come to the Chapman DeMary Trail at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29 to start your own nature journal and adopt a tree. The Purcellville Arts Council and the Tree and Environment Sustainability are jointly hosting the first nature walk of 2023 with the Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

In addition to supplying the notebooks and colored pencils, members of the Purcellville Arts Council will share tips about how to start a nature journal and how to sketch some items found in nature. Members of the Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee will lead a complimentary activity called Adopt a Tree. This joint activity will be repeated in July and November to encourage participants to observe changes throughout the year. Register online to attend and to ensure there are enough supplies for all.

Those who already received journaling supplies at the October 2022 nature walk or during the 2022 Hail to the Trail are encouraged to bring their journals and attend these monthly nature walks to get a sticker in their journals.

Participants with six or more stickers from the monthly nature walks through November 2023 will get a prize. Bringing the journal to each nature walk encourages participants to observe, write, draw, and capture the seasonal changes at the Chapman DeMary Trail.

The Chapman DeMary Trail is a 10-acre area considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town of Purcellville. It runs along the South Fork Catoctin Creek, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The area is open to the public for environmental recreation, exploration, and education. The Town of Purcellville holds the conservation easement for this privately-owned property. The entrance and parking for the Chapman DeMary Trail is behind the building at 205 East Hirst Road in Purcellville.

Learn more and register online on the Monthly Nature Walks page in the Events and Activities section of the Town of Purcellville’s website at www.PurcellvilleVa.gov.