Nature Forward

Nature Forward (formerly known as the Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS)) is for people who support conservation and want to do something LOCAL. ANS helps residents of the DC Metro area enjoy our region's rich natural treasures as we work to protect them for the future. Our local focus means that we fight for clean water, open space, and rural lands right here in our community. Each year, we take thousands of schoolchildren and adults into nature to de-stress and unplug. Support ANS, and we'll make sure that our local natural treasures are protected and enjoyed, today and into the future.

Nature Forward maintains three area nature sanctuaries, including 40 acres of wild space right inside the beltway. Our sanctuaries are open every day, for free, so that people can escape into nature and find respite from their busy lives.

We foster stewardship in the next generation by leading nature field trips and classroom environmental education for more than 10,000 schoolchildren in DC, Maryland and Virginia each year. Visit one of the schools Nature Forward works with and you'll see students growing organic vegetables, installing butterfly gardens, creating nature trails, and planting trees right on school grounds.

At Nature Forward, we're your advocate - fighting for conservation priorities here in the Metro region. We support a team of volunteers who monitor the health of local streams and use their citizen science data to advocate for clean water laws in our region. Nature Forward partners with other area groups to ensure that bag bills pass, that Tysons Corner redevelopment includes environmental protections, that Montgomery County maintains its Agricultural Reserve as a haven for local farmers. We've joined with Habitat for Humanity and their DC homeowners to plant rain gardens in home construction projects.

Our passionate staff keeps you informed about local environmental issues, through our eNews, web site www.natureforward.org, and our publication the Naturalist Quarterly. Come join us for a nature hike, an evening class, or a weekend foray into our region’s wild spaces. We take our mission to heart! "The Audubon Naturalist Society inspires residents of the greater Washington, DC, region to appreciate, understand, and protect their natural environment through outdoor experiences, education, and advocacy."

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