Hail to the Trail - 13th Annual!

Bring your family and friends to the 13th annual Hail to the Trail event at the Chapman DeMary Trail on September 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. This event is free and fun for all. Participate in hands-on activities, learn about native plants and wildlife, make a pinecone birdfeeder, get native plant seeds for your garden, get your face painted, help plant trees as part of the Town's annual Arbor Day Celebration, celebrate the Town's Tree City USA designation, and more.

Here is a list of activities and participating organizations for this year's Hail to the Trail:
- Blue Ridge Wildlife Center - explore biofacts (pelts, skulls, wings, feet) of native wildlife they take in at their center, educational pamphlets, and potentially an ambassador animal from their center
- Keep Loudoun Beautiful - learn about recycling and how you can help with area clean-ups
- Loudoun County Building and Development - see a tree cookie and count the rings
- Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District - check out a display of wildlife bones
- Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy - examine animal scat, tracks, and animal skulls; test your frog jumping skills
- Parks and Recreation Advisory Board - play a nature memory game to win a prize
- Purcellville Arts Council - make pinecone birdfeeders to place along the trail and to take home
- Sweet Run State Park (Department of Conservation and Recreation) - make your own nature bookmark with animal track stamps and examine animal skulls, furs, scat, and more
- Town of Purcellville Water Division - take a water taste test to see if you can tell which is bottled water and which is Town water
- Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee - play a nature trivia game to test your knowledge and win a prize; decorate a packet and fill it with native flower seeds for your garden
- VCE Loudoun Commercial Horticulture - find out how much water soil can drink and paint with soil
- Virginia Master Naturalists - Banshee Reeks Chapter - discover the world of lichens with a blacklight
- Complete the Hail to the Trail passport to win a prize
- Go on a nature trivia walk and get all of the answers to win a prize
- Turn in acorns and other tree seeds to give to the Virginia Department of Forestry
- Help us plant trees
- Participate in the Town's annual Arbor Day Celebration and Tree City USA recognition
- Enjoy live music by Willie White
- Get a free slice of pizza
- Recognitions of local scouts for their environmental projects
- Enjoy live music by Willie White
- Get your face painted
- Get a free slice of pizza

Before coming to Hail to the Trail, gather acorns and nuts to give to the Virginia Department of Forestry using the instructions on the event page on the Town website. Get more information at www.PurcellvilleVa.gov/Hail-to-the-Trail and follow Hail to the Trail on Facebook.

The Chapman DeMary Trail, a 10-acre area which is considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town, is open to the public for environmental exploration, education, and recreation. Trail projects encourage environmental stewardship and have engaged students, scouts, and members of the community in learning about and protecting this habitat. The trail runs along the South Fork Catoctin Creek which is part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 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.

Hail to the Trail is hosted by the Purcellville Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee, a standing committee of the Town of Purcellville that focuses on environmental programs, sustainability, enhancement of the tree canopy, and continuation of the Town's Tree City USA designation. Get more information at www.PurcellvilleVa.gov/Hail-to-the-Trail and follow Hail to the Trail on Facebook.


Category: Lifestyle | Nature / Outdoors