Nature Forward

Calling all Nature Forward members!

Join us for our 2026 Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 6:00-8:30pm at Woodend Nature Sanctuary🌱

The evening event will include a fiscal year wrap-up presented by Executive Director, Alison Pearce, recognition of our Volunteer of the Year, and the election of members to the Nature Forward Board of Directors.

Alice Sturm, Nature Forward's Director of Restoration, will give a special presentation “Habitat Restoration: From Woodend to the Watershed.”

Light refreshments, coffee, and dessert will be served.

RSVP to this free event by Friday, October 16: https://give.natureforward.org/event/annual-membership-meeting-2026/e820647

Read the bios of Board of Directors candidates here: https://natureforward.org/board-of-directors/

What's at Woodend this Wednesday? Asters!🌼

Plants of the family Asteraceae have a unique flower structure. Flowers of this family are borne in 'heads'. When we look at an aster 'flower', we are actually looking at an inflorescence or multiple flowers. An inflorescence is a cluster of flowers arranged on a stem. Aster flowers are split into ray ☀️ flowers, the petal-like ones, and disk 💿 flowers, those in the center or eye of the inflorescence.

Late summer and early fall are a great time to appreciate our asters. This post highlights some of those species! The first one is narrowleaf sunflower 🌻, Helianthus angustifolius. Next is New England aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae. The white flower is small white American-aster, Symphyotrichum racemosum. Finally, we have one of our major groups of asters, goldenrods. The one pictured here is zigzag goldenrod, Solidago flexicaulis.

Come to Woodend soon to see how many flowering asters you can find!

It’s almost October🎃

Join us for spooky, nature-packed events this month!

Check them out: https://natureforward.org/events-calendar/

Today marks the 64th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s influential book, Silent Spring, that kickstarted the modern environmental movement.

Silent Spring details the harmful effects that pesticides, specifically DDT, have on wildlife, our ecosystems, and human health. Carson’s 1962 book had an overwhelming impact. Within the year, Silent Spring sold over 600,000 copies. Today, the count is over 2 million.

Silent Spring was an important catalyst in the formation of the EPA in 1970 and the U.S. ban on DDT in 1972 — a pivotal action that contributed to the recovery of species including Bald Eagles, Osprey, Pelicans, Peregrine Falcons, Robins, and Great Blue Herons.

Carson was a beloved board member and friend to many at Nature Forward (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society). She was a longtime resident of Silver Spring, and died just two years after Silent Spring was published, in 1964. Her legacy lives on, and the passages quoted from Silent Spring still ring true as we continue in our work to protect and advocate for nature🌱

In response to Governor Wes Moore’s executive order on data centers, Nature Forward called the EO a good first step, but urged a pause on data center development until the General Assembly enacts protections with teeth.

Read Nature Forward’s full statement here:

Press Release: MD Gov's Executive Order on Data Centers - Nature Forward Nature Forward inspires residents of the greater Washington, DC, region to appreciate, understand, and protect their natural environment through outdoor experiences, education, and advocacy.

What’s at Woodend this Wednesday? Late summer/early fall white flowers!
Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) is one of 17 Eupatorium species found in Maryland. It can be recognized by its perfoliate leaves 🌱, which wrap around the stem. This species was used in traditional medicine to treat fever symptoms; however, the medicinal properties have not been confirmed by formal scientific research.
A second species of boneset we have at Woodend is the late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum). This species provides late-season nectar for migrating monarch butterflies.
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a species that has previously been classified in the Eupatorium genus. Its flowers look similar to those of the bonesets. A major difference in these plants is that white snakeroot contains the toxin tremetol. Historically, humans have become ill by ingesting the toxin through milk from cows 🐮 that ate white snakeroot, but you can also become sick by eating the plant directly. There are only two species of Ageratina with A. altissima being more common. This species is usually smaller and found in more shady areas compared to the more diverse Eupatorium plants.
Come to Woodend to see these abundant white flowers!

We are hiring! Join our team as our new Education Administrative Coordinator🌱

Manage registration, payment processes, and data tracking for Nature Forward's wide variety of programming to a diverse community of nature lovers and environmental stewards.

Environmental education programs at Nature Forward include a licensed preschool, camp programs, school field trips, private birthday parties, adult classes and field trips, international nature travel and volunteer programs.

Learn more here:https://natureforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/EE-Admin-Coordinator-Job.pdf