In early January 2019, the Dyke Marsh restoration breakwater became more and more visible as crews from Coastal Design and Construction continued to install 50 to 55 “marine mattresses” each working day. By January 8, they had placed 2,900 in the south marsh. On January 9, crews on a work barge and a rock barge began putting armor stone on top of the mattresses near the shoreline. A surveyor on the shoreline monitors the tide level and helps ensure that the mattresses are placed at the right elevation.
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During the current federal government closure, as of January 2, 2019, people can access the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve trail and our Sunday, 8 a.m., bird walks are allowed. Therefore, the walks will resume on January 6. All restrooms are closed.
The National Park Service website (www.nps.gov) says that “for most parks, there will be no National Park Service-provided visitor services, such as restrooms, trash collection or facilities or road maintenance.”
On November 8, 2018, 37 enthusiastic fourth graders from the Arlington’s Randolph Elementary School explored the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve with National Park Service staffers Brent O'Neill, Miguel Roberson and Susan Chumley, along with FODM volunteers.
On November 14, 2018, Brent Steury, Natural Resources Manager for the George Washington Memorial Parkway, told 65 FODMers and friends that the parkway is rich and biodiverse in its natural resources in a presentation describing the Parkway’s all-taxa inventory. The Parkway is a national park of which the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a unit.
Around 15 to 20 acres of Dyke Marsh stretch west of the George Washington Memorial Parkway behind the Belle Haven and River Towers Condominiums. This part of the marsh can be seen from the parkway and the condos, but it is not easily accessible to the public. Several FODMers regularly observe this part of Dyke Marsh.
The Friends of Dyke Marsh exhibited at Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck’s Environment Expo on November 10, 2018, an event which Supervisor Storck hopes to hold again. Over 130 people attended and were inspired to become better environmental stewards in eight workshops and in watching the movie “Hometown Habitat.”
