Hidden in the City

When life brought me to Alexandria, VA, I was excited about moving to a big city that boasts the honor of being named one of the coolest cities to live in. I was excited to move into our beautiful apartment, across the street from a quaint little park and a moment's walk from the “Kiss and Ride” metro station. I looked forward to window shopping on King Street, quick trips to D.C., and endless new eateries to discover.

Excitement for the new city experience pushed to the front of my mind, my thoughts bounced along from possible adventures to must happen excursions, but a little bit of worry was lingering in the background. Would I be able to unwind in such a busy place? Will all the parks be too packed with people to enjoy? Would I still hear birds in the morning, see fireflies on hot summer evenings, be able to enjoy a breeze through an open window? How far would I have to go to find real nature?

For the first few months, I happily traveled around the D.M.V. exploring State and National Parks, Roosevelt Island being one of my personal favorites. In these places, I felt like I was in nature, but the drive to get there reminded me that I was far from it. We hit most of the attractions on our to-see list pretty quickly, making sure to explore all the sparkling wonders before the shine wore off. We went to Gadsby’s Tavern, visited the Capitol Mall, enjoyed a night at National Harbor, and began to crave weekends-in more and more frequently. I started to feel settled as summer drew to an end, and I felt the questions my doubt had raised before shoving their way to the front of my mind.

The park across the street is beautiful and never too crowded, but there is little natural flora and even less fauna. It's a mostly open area with a playground and a volleyball court, a paved walking path circles around most of it. There was a family of foxes here at first inhabiting the shrubbery enclosing the whole park, but the development of yet another apartment complex right next -door drove them away quickly. The construction disturbed their previously quiet den, it cut out a large stretch of untended field and a small but thick patch of native forest. The park mostly lacks the feeling of real nature needed to make it feel like home, for me and the foxes.

I am lucky to have plenty of time to explore this city on my feet, working full time as a nanny and owning two active dogs, I usually walk multiple miles each day. The dogs and I explore around my apartment, and the baby and I explore the opposite side of Huntington Avenue. It's taken me a while, and at least a million steps, to notice that real nature is hidden in little pockets all over Alexandria.

On the outskirts of my quaint little park, there is a picnic area cornered in by a woody backdrop and an unmowed section of grass and wildflowers labeled as a native plant regeneration area. All the other grass in the park is shortly manicured and heavily trafficked. The regenerative site really acts as a small meadow haven for insects and birds, and the trees surrounding it are old and apparently left to grow as they please. Here, if you can see past the parking lot, you can see a dual-use piece of land that serves as a stormwater drainage site and another unmowed section that is labeled as a wildlife sanctuary.

You can see so much in such a small place if you give yourself the time to look. These small sanctuaries host a swath of native plants that grow so thickly you can't see the ground, even in the months when nothing new is growing. The land surrounding the parking lot is still peppered with holes from emerging cicadas long after their passing. Butterflies, lightning bugs, frogs, and other tiny creatures thrive there, oblivious to how small their universe is inside this urban environment. Common species of birds like Morning Doves, Crows, Starlings, and Robins thrive in these spaces, they seem to get along well sharing their home with human spectators. The squirrels are everywhere, and they frequent these natural landscapes like it’s their favorite cafe, popping in to grab a snack and going on their way.

These two wild areas are for the wildlife, no human goes inside their designated patches, but the picnic tables in between them feel like my sanctuary. Sitting under the shade of the oldest residents of this neighborhood, listening to the breeze and aviary songs floating by, I feel at home. Despite living a busy life in an even busier city, I can relax and truly breathe there. More than just oxygen in and CO2 out, but peace in and chaos out.

On the opposite side of Hungtington Ave, while pushing a toddler in a jogging stroller, I stumbled upon a quiet loop of gravel trail. The trail loop surrounds and is enclosed by a thick stand of trees, woven together by ivy and greenbrier. I’ve seen so much wildlife in this section of land that can’t span more than 3 acres, it’s incredible how much can be found in such small places. I spotted a rare Eastern Box-Turtle, an organism whose range is only about the size of a football field. I’ve seen and identified Cardinals, Blue-Jays, and even a Whitetail Deer to my “nature-cat” companion. Our “little loop” is the start of our daily outing, weather permitting, and always sets the tone for the rest of our day. I hope that I am instilling a love of nature, an appreciation of the planet, and the importance of quiet time in the mind of my young friend as we explore our community together.

Behind our little loop is a stormwater treatment center that empties into Pike Branch, an offshoot of Cameron Run, that eventually leads to the Potomac. Here we watch the water flow, welcome migrating Canadian Geese, and giggle at goofy guls wading in the shallow water. I’m amazed every time we visit that so much real nature can be found within walking distance of my new home here in the city. It also makes me realize how much has been lost to allow this city to develop. Sometimes, I find joy in seeing the natural poking through the anthropogenic, but sometimes I grieve for what was once here. This city is a beautiful place, but surely this land was beautiful before the city too.

I can hear birds in the morning if I allow myself to listen, the breeze flows through my windows when I open them. Despite my doubt, I found places to unwind here, beautiful places that I never imagined would bring me such joy to discover. Other people have found these spaces too, but I’ve learned from the animals that the sanctuaries you find are never too crowded to enjoy. What is real nature is a matter of perspective, from my point of view it's here. There is a place for everyone in nature and nature all over the city, you needn't go far to find it.