Park Authority

It’s National Poetry Month and Arab American Heritage Month. Celebrate both at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park with the first in a series of Poetry in the Parks events.

Enjoy poetry from the Fairfax Poet Laureate featuring local Arab American poets Zeina Azzam, Rayan Afif and Danielle Badra. Poetry in the Parks is a partnership between ArtsFairfax and the Fairfax County Park Authority, highlighting the relationship between nature and poetry. Experience the serenity of the Ellanor C. Lawrence wooded amphitheater, while experiencing the natural surroundings.

The event will be held on April 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but please register for the program.

Register for Fairfax Poet Laureate

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park is located at 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-631-0013 or visit Ellanor C. Lawrence Park.

Meet Marcos!

Name: Marcos Suarez
Position: Area 4 Manager, Park Operations Division, Fairfax County Park Authority

I was born and raised in Venezuela and moved to the United States (Burke, Virginia) at the age of 16. While I was in school, I played baseball and basketball at the varsity level. In school, extracurricular activities helped me a lot to learn a new language and to exceed in my future. I graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School in 2003. After graduating high school, I worked full time and went to Northern Virginia Community College part time for many years. I am a devoted husband and father of two children, I enjoy engaging with my community as my son’s little league baseball and basketball coach, spending time at many of our county’s parks with my family, and additional outdoor activities with friends such as hunting and fishing.

I am also a park professional with almost 10 years of experience with the Fairfax County Park Authority. I began my career with the county as an athletic field maintenance worker, holding positions such as Area 2 Park and Recreation Specialist I and Turf Crew Assistant Manager before being selected as a Parks and Recreation Specialist IV. I am a former member of the Virginia Turfgrass Council and a graduate with a landscape design and horticulturist degree from Northern Virginia Community College. I continue to increase my knowledge and expertise through the county’s Leadership and Management Training Program. I joined the county with over ten years of experience as a Landscape Design and Grounds Maintenance Manager. 

I have worked so many years in the service-oriented field. I love taking care of others, communicating with others and helping solve problems. Also, I love working with a group of people that are on the same path to accomplish something meaningful. As an area manager, I get to help others, manage park expectations, talk to many people and try to impact other people’s lives. 

The Park Authority gave me the opportunity to start and exceed in my career as a public servant. I love the environment and the fact that we are so diverse in so many ways. I am thankful that we have a team that helps each other and that is always willing to mentor you so that you could exceed in anything that you set your mind to. I think the best thing about the Park Authority is that you get to work outside, enjoy all the parks and trails, and become one with nature and with our environment. 

#joinFCPA

Get to know Gina Sando!

Name: Gina Sando
Position: Visitor Services Manager, Resource Management Division, Fairfax County Park Authority.

I was born in New Jersey to a Deaf family. My parents are Deaf along with my sister and an uncle, indicating that it may be a recessive trait. I grew up fully immersed in American Sign Language (ASL). I attended preschool and part of kindergarten at the New Jersey School for the Deaf prior to our family’s move to North Carolina. I finished kindergarten and first grade at the Central North Carolina School for the Deaf. 

More than 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents, and as a result many of them experience language delays as they are not exposed to language until school (unless their parents learn sign language). Teaching a Deaf child to speak is notoriously difficult as most sounds and mouth movements are actually made at the back of the mouth and in the throat, and even after years of speech therapy many individuals’ speech patterns are still difficult to understand. I am fortunate and privileged to have been born in a Deaf family, so I was exposed to ASL from birth. As a result, I was ahead of my peers in school. Due to this, my parents made the decision to mainstream me. This means that I was placed in “the mainstream” of public school, with hearing children close to my age, and with an ASL interpreter. 

This was the type of education I received throughout most of my K-12 school years. I attribute this to my work ethic and motivation, as I have always had to work three times as hard as my peers. I receive information in a different language and have to translate it to take accurate notes. After high school, I attended Rochester Institute of Technology and received two degrees there, a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Science. As an undergrad, I was hoping to work in a zoo (and actually had worked at a local zoo and at a big cat sanctuary during these four years). In graduate school, my focus shifted to working for the federal government, perhaps in the EPA. I had lofty goals of being a consultant at the White House, or perhaps in Congress. 

Clearly – my path to a career in park & recreation was a roundabout one!

That changed with my first service corps experience. As a Student Conservation Association volunteer, I got a natural resources management internship with Palisades Interstate Park Commission, based out of Bear Mountain State Park, roughly an hour north of New York City. From there, I was hooked. I served as an AmeriCorps intern at York River State Park and then was hired at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. 

I still wanted to add to my knowledge and skills, and that White House consultant dream was still there, so I made the difficult decision to move to Northern Virginia and start graduate school (again!) at Johns Hopkins University, studying Energy Policy and Climate. I was hired at Lake Fairfax Park as an assistant manager and naturalist, figuring it was a temporary gig until I finished my degree and got that elusive White House gig. 

Three and a half years later, almost two years since I finished my degree, and I’m still here and loving what I do every day. I love that the Park Authority gave me an opportunity to truly realize my potential, and I have never gotten a “no” to any sort of access request. The Park Authority’s mission aligns closely with my values and personal beliefs, and I am incredibly thankful to continue to grow professionally with such an incredible team. The best part? Now that I’m based out of Huntley Meadows Park as a program manager, I have the ability to go out and be one with nature whenever I have a minute. 

#joinFCPA  #NDEAM 

Meet Charlie!

Name: Charlie Allen (They/Them/Theirs) 
Position: Intern, Access and Inclusion Branch, Park Services Division, Fairfax County Park Authority.

I was a sick child who had a lot of fevers, stomach problems, and always getting injured due to my clumsiness. However, it wasn’t until about age 11, when I received my first major diagnosis, that I started my journey towards accepting that I am disabled. This first diagnosis was Celiac Disease. I am now 22 years old and have acquired many other diagnoses over the last decade. The diagnoses I have received that have had the most impact on my life, apart from Celiac, include Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). When I started middle school, I started to really struggle. I started experiencing many of my first major symptoms, including lightheadedness, joint dislocations/subluxations, migraines, stomach issues, fatigue, and chronic pain. However, receiving these diagnoses was affirming because many people didn’t even believe that I was sick or believed that I was faking it. I still receive these comments from others, and this is something I continue to deal with. 

It’s a daunting task to find work that fits your needs when you have a disability. Many people with disabilities need accommodations in the workplace. It can be hard for an individual to ask for them, and sadly, in many cases, results in the individual being treated differently. Many individuals with disabilities face discrimination in the workplace, and it is important that we change that. Finding and keeping a job must be made more accessible. More part-time jobs need benefits, more virtual and hybrid opportunities would greatly improve how accessible a full-time job is, and most importantly, awareness needs to be raised. 

I am very lucky that I have the opportunity to complete an internship at Fairfax County Park Authority, working with Monica Klock and Jennae Asborno. Thanks to them, I have experienced a very welcoming and accommodating workspace that fits my needs. I hope that one day this will be a more common experience.  During my internship I have been helping at adapted aquatics classes, completed a variety of tasks for the Access & Inclusion branch, and attended an ADA assessment walkthrough. I am currently working on creating a training for FCPA staff to raise awareness about invisible disabilities and how they may or may not present. Many individuals are unaware of what it’s like to live with a disability, and they don’t understand those people’s needs. By raising awareness, a more accessible work environment can be created.

#joinFCPA  #NDEAM 

Fishing is a sport that everyone can participate in and brings many people pleasure. Fish is also one of the healthiest dinners people may choose to eat. Our fisheries are not a finite resource, so we must learn to protect them to ensure that future generations may enjoy the sport. Here are a couple of tips to follow that will help each angler be a steward of the angling community.

• Practice catch and release. Catch a fish and return the fish immediately to the water for others to enjoy.
• C.P.R. - If you are a tournament angler, participate in tournaments that focus on “catching” the fish, “photographing” the fish, and then “releasing” the fish immediately without putting them in a livewell.
• Responsible Tournament Angling. Participate in tournaments that use “no puncture” culling tools and sponsored by organizations that have a reputation for releasing fish at the weigh-in in a responsible and respectful manner and promote conservation of fisheries.
• If planning on keeping fish for table fare, fish larger bodies of water and only keep what you need for a single meal or two.
• If keeping fish, keep fish that are not of breeding or mature sized if they are legal to keep. The mature fish are important as reproducers, so that more fish can breed and be available to younger and new generations.
• Be aware that smaller bodies of water can be over-harvested faster than larger bodies of water.
• When practicing catch and release, keep the fish out of water for the shortest amount of time. Take your time in reviving fish that may be tired from being caught.
• Remember when sharing your favorite fishing places that smaller bodies of water are more susceptible to fishing pressure than larger bodies of water.
• Remember to take time to clean up trash at your favorite fishing hole.
• Remember to share your favorite conservation ideas with new anglers.

By Jordan Jenkins.

As the cooler weather comes along, some people may think fishing in Fairfax County is over, but the bite is just getting started! Fall is one of the best times of the year to get out on the water and catch some fish. In the fall, it is common for fish to begin stocking up and feeding more so they can get nice and big before the winter. Before getting out on the water in the fall months, there’s a few tips and tricks to the trade that can help you make fall your favorite fishing season.

First, fall is when temperatures begin dropping so the appropriate wear is important. Find a decent hoodie and long comfy pants, so you can stay warm out on the water; on the windy days I recommend finding a full-face gaiter and a pair of opened-fingered gloves to keep your hands warm and fingers accessible for tying knots.

Some of the better species of fish to target in the Fairfax area include but are not limited to largemouth bass, crappie, walleye, muskellunge (or musky) and perch. All these species can be found in local waters, such as Burke Lake, or in areas such as the Occoquan reservoir and Potomac River. When targeting largemouth bass in the fall, some of my favorite lures to use would be crankbaits or Jigs with some sort of creature-like trailer. Find areas that have steep drop-off, where these fish will stage from shallow to deep. Fishing for crappie and perch is a little bit different; smaller and lighter tackle is recommended so you can use small inline spinner baits and small jig heads down to 1/16th of an ounce. Finding crappie can be challenging; usually they group up together around submerged structure, but when you find one, there is most likely many more hanging around! Larger fish such as musky and walleye can be a bit challenging and take a lot of patience, but part of the fun is finding these deep-water fish. Look for deep points in lakes and steep drops, where these game fish can find great ambush points.

Overall, don’t let the cooler weather stop you from getting out on the water and finding the fish and having some fun. If you keep in mind safety first and keeping yourself and the little ones warm, fall is a great time of year to get outside and observe as the seasons change. While fishing in the fall, don’t forget to immerse yourself in every aspect. Look at the birds that are more common this time of year and which trees change colors. Try learning something new every time you go out for a fishing trip or maybe practicing some new fishing knots.

By Dan Grulke.

Fairfax County lakes offer a variety of species from bass to bluegill. These fish have preferences, so you may need to choose specific baits to entice the fish you are trying to catch.

Using basic tackle and techniques, here are a few tips and tricks on targeting specific fish.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass can be found in most lakes in Virginia and the U.S. They are one of the most targeted freshwater species of fish out there. There are many ways to catch these fish, which have been proven effective.

These fish usually range anywhere from 1 to 5 pounds, and they can put up quite the fight. One of the simplest methods to targeting these fish is by using soft plastic baits that look like worms, crayfish, smaller fish or any other insect/creature bait with some sort of action, such as a curly tail.

There are several ways to rig these baits. One of the easiest methods would be to hook the bait on a weighted hook and cast these toward brush piles, laydowns, grass beds or any other form of structure in the water where these bass can sit on. Then, you wait and ambush them. Another great method for catching largemouth bass would be to use live, bait such as nightcrawlers, minnows or live shad.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass can be targeted in various rivers throughout the area, including Riverbend Park. These fish are known to be smaller than largemouth on average, but they fight just as hard, if not harder.

These are commonly targeted using a variation of moving lures to attract them. Some great lures to catch smallmouth bass include jigs with plastic trailers and bladed baits -- which provide a flash while moving through the water -- creature baits. Lures that can be used for largemouth bass also work great, as long as the hook size is not too large.

These fish can be targeted by casting toward rocks or large structure that provide ambush points for the fish. Then, reel in the lure at moderate to moderate-fast speed.

Crappie

Crappie can be targeted at most lakes in Fairfax County, and they are one of the easiest fish to target during the colder months and in spring time.

These fish are usually found schooled up around submerged tree limbs and underwater structure, where they can find shelter and ambush territory.

The best lures to target these fish are small jigs and bladed baits that flash as they move through the water. Casting around a structure and retrieving small flashy lures at a slow tempo are the best ways to target crappie.

Catfish

Channel catfish are one of the most common fish in Fairfax County lakes, and they can be one of the easiest fish to target, as well as the largest. These bottom-feeders are more commonly caught on the bottom, feeding on fresh baits. But they will occasionally strike a lure, as well.

The best set up for catfish would be a strong hook or a circle hook with a lead weight attached above, which can slide up and down the line. This allows the bait to sit at the bottom, where the catfish are feeding.

Sunfish, Bluegill and Panfish

Sunfish are one of the most common and easiest fish to target wherever you go fishing in Fairfax County. These hand-sized fish can be caught using very small hooks and small pieces of worm, bread or any live bait. Tying a small hook using a clinch knot and securing a bobber about 1 to 2 feet above the hook have proven to be one of the most effective rigs for catching these fish. They are most commonly found closer to the banks of the shore, where they can stay out of reach for larger predators. These fish can also be caught on small lures, such as jigs and soft plastics with a curly tail, and a hook that fits around their mouth.

Carp

Carp are large fish that can usually be mistaken for giant goldfish, when seen on top of the water. These fish can be one of the more difficult to target but fun to catch.

Carp are omnivorous; their diet usually consist of aquatic plants and weeds. They occasionally feed on small insects and larvae.

The best way to target this fish is by using baits, such as bread or corn and putting it on very small hooks and letting the bait sit at the bottom. These fish are smart and will often chew the bait and miss the hook, so it is a good idea to make sure the hook is nearly fully covered by the bait.

The thirst for history from a more personal vantage point was on full display July 31, 2021, when a large crowd, including family members from several states, park neighbors, members of the Park Authority Board and staff, local officials, and History Commission members, gathered at Freedom Hill Park in Vienna for the inaugural Untold Stories program.

Untold Stories is an interpretive project of the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). It is a multiyear project involving dozens of parks across Fairfax County. The goal is to increase the representation of all peoples in the stories the Park Authority tells as it interprets county natural and cultural resources. This is one strategy in a larger equity and diversity plan that the organization is creating and implementing.

Saturday’s event featured a traditional land acknowledgment ceremony, as well as the unveiling of new interpretive signage that explains a unique time and circumstance during the Civil War and Freedom Hill’s role in it. It also tells the story of a special community that existed amid the racism of the time. It is about a local multiracial family and a family member who may have been a Union spy. Residents of Freedom Hill represented a quintessential American ideal – people of all races and their descendants coming together as one community.

Pictured are several generations of the Carter Family, as well as others involved in the project. Left to right in the center: Rose Powhatan, Director of the Powhatan Intertribal Museum; Gloria Runyon and Dee Carter; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn; and Edwin Henderson, project leader.

You can find more information at the Freedom Hill website or read more about Untold Stories.

See Saturday's event program here.

Media Note: Click the image above to download.

See all the Freedom Hill Ceremony photos at the Freedom Hill Flickr page. 

View a video of the event below.

By Dan Grulke

In its simplest form, fishing is casting a line with a lure or bait into the water in hopes of catching a fish. If that were all that was involved in this sport or hobby, few would continue to participate in it. So the real question is, “Why do people go fishing?”

There are many reasons why people fish, but most say fishing helps them become better people. Sounds far-fetched that a sport or hobby as simple as fishing can help people better themselves, so let us dive in depth and see how this can happen.

Fishing is mostly a solitary adventure. One person, in nature, just enjoying the outdoors. At first glance we only see the benefits of an outdoor experience that would reduce stress. However by being on our own, we realize that we must be self-reliant. We must use our creativity to figure out what the fish are feeding on, and we must interpret this information by selecting baits and lures, then put the theory into practice. If we do not catch a fish, we might experience frustration. So we would switch lures and try another spot or technique. Through this process of trying to catch a fish, we have challenged ourselves to think independently, problem-solve, maybe experience frustration, and, if we have not given up, experience success by catching a fish.

This entire process of learning how to succeed is simply disguised as fishing. The process prepares us for the next life challenge, whether its going to school, applying for a job, trying out for a sport or other life challenges.

Because fishing is mostly a solitary sport/hobby, we also learn how to set our own goals and what constitutes success. These are key aspects of building self-esteem. There is no outside pressure to tell us that success is a 5-pound bass or 30 fish caught. We ourselves get to determine what our success is and what our failures are. Maybe it is casting further than we have, or maybe it is not losing a lure or breaking a fishing rod.

By being our own judge and determining our own goals, we give ourselves a firm foundation of what our future success and failures are. We begin to develop an understanding of ourselves, learn our limits, learn our strengths and our weaknesses, and choose to figure out ways to better ourselves. We can make our experience as simple or as complicated as we choose. For many of us, including kids and parents, this may be the only part of our day or week where we get to be our own boss.

Dan Grulke is the Fishing Coordinator for the Fairfax County Park Authority. He has lived in Northern Virginia for all but five years of his life. He has been fishing locally, in other states, and in other countries for 40 years. He has previously been a freshwater fishing guide on the Susquehanna River and Upper Potomac Rivers for eight years. Although he currently is not a guide, he enjoys introducing others to the sport of fishing. You can contact Dan at Dan.Grulke@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Fall is here and cool, crisp weather has started to emerge as the leaves change their hues. This means it is time to get a pole in the water, and perhaps find yourself a trophy.

The period between late summer and early fall is a great time to do some bass fishing if you have the right knowledge. This article will focus on the keys to successful, local fall bass fishing.  

The first and probably most important step is choosing the right lure and lure color. Crawfish imitation colors and silver/white are going to be your best color options. Here are a few lures that I recommend for targeting bass this time of year:

Swim Jig (Dirty Jigs Finesse Swim Jig or Lunkerhunt Natural Skirted Swim Jig). Fish it around boat docks, no matter what depth. Fish should still be holding up around there.

Finesse Worm (Strike King 3X Elaztech or Zoom/Yum). Fish it shallow on a Texas Rig, Carolina Rig or a Shaky Head setup.

Flipping Jig (Strike King Bitsy Flip ¼ oz or Catch Co Gamechanger Lures Trashmaster). Fish the jig both shallow and deep, swimming it or bouncing it along the bottom around cover.

Squarebill Crankbait (Strike King KVD or 6th Sense Cloud 9 Magnum). Fish it around shallow, visible cover or through schools of baitfish.

Topwater (Strike King Buzz King or 6th Sense MagDog Topwater). Buzzbaits around shallow cover, or a walking bait around schools of baitfish will prove successful this time of year.

The second step is to fish in the right body of water. Areas that have either rocky points, banks, shallow flats near creek or river channel, or matted vegetation are all excellent places to make a few casts and see what is lurking below.

In Fairfax County, you can find these bodies of water at Burke Lake, Huntsman Lake, Lake Accotink or Lake Mercer.

Bass will begin to move into shallower areas during this time of year due to hotter conditions creating a lack of oxygen in deeper spots.

As we move into the late summer and early fall period, monitor the water for those sharp 8- to 10-degree drops because this will put the bass into a frenzy and increase your chances of success.

Fishing after a heavy rain is another opportunity for anglers to increase their chances, as the rain will cause a change in water temperature and move baitfish out of the creeks.

Late summer and early fall offer some of the absolute best bass fishing you can experience.