N° 60 — June 30, 2021
Stay in touch as we celebrate Washington Youth Garden's 50th Anniversary. Enjoy our updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and WYG.
Our education program team was busy connecting with students virtually this spring. Already in 2021, we:


  • hosted 68 virtual field trips for 16 different schools and organizations
Youth Programs Coordinator Ehren Vance shared, "The desire to connect to the natural world is still present even in a virtual environment, and if you're able to harness it, you can achieve a lot in the digital classroom." Thanks to our virtual field trips and Grow@Home kits, DC teachers were able to harness the enthusiasm for growing to power through the school year.

We are excited to continue offering these resources to schools, educators, and students when classes start again next fall.
Upcoming Activities
Bask in the kaleidoscope of crapemyrtle colors during a forest bathing walk next Thursday, July 8th from 9 - 11 AM. Take time to reconnect with nature during this program.

We want all members of our community to connect with nature through our forest bathing program. Our suggested ticket price is $35 ($28 for FONA members), but if this cost is prohibitive please pay what you can.
Enjoy a movie in the meadow on Thursday, July 22nd at 9 PM. Join the Japan-America Society of Washington DC for an outdoor screening of A Tale of Samurai Cooking: A True Love Story 武士の献立. This event is part of the Japan-America Society's Sakura Samurai summer movie series and is hosted in partnership with the Japan Foundation New York, FONA, and the National Bonsai Foundation.

Early-bird tickets are $12 per person ($10 for FONA members, see member newsletter for discount code) from now until July 18th. Children 6 years and under get in free!

(c) 2013 "A Tale of Samurai Cooking" Film Partners
Join us Saturday, October 9th for a fall 5K run through the grounds of the National Arboretum. Take in the autumn colors and enjoy the brisk fall air as you wind your way throughout the Arboretum, ending at the Capitol Columns.

Tickets are $30 (20% off for FONA members, see member newsletter for discount code) and includes a complimentary neck gaiter designed just for this event. There's even a virtual 5K option so you can participate from wherever you are in the country.
Bonsai are Back
Have you visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum since it reopened in June? Listen to Museum Curator Michael James describe what it was like caring for these trees throughout the pandemic in a message from the National Bonsai Foundation.
Join our Team!
We're looking for new people to join our team! We are currently accepting applications for the following positions:
From our Friends: Holden Arboretum
Join the Holden Arboretum in July for the next installment of their free Growing Black Roots virtual lecture series. Every month, this series dives into the historical legacy of Black botanists from a broad range of botanical disciplines and highlights pathways towards diversity and inclusion in botanical sciences.

On Wednesday, July 14th at 7 PM, Rupert Koopman from the Botanical Society of South Africa will share conservation tales and strategies from South Africa and the role civil society plays in implementing these strategies.
Rupert Koopman is the Conservation Manager at the Botanical Society of South Africa and Chair. He implements conservation work in regions across South Africa and specifically addresses the ecological and human sides of conservation.
The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th. Some buildings and collections remain closed to ensure visitor and staff safety.
Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.544.8733
FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.
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