Many neighborhoods in Fairfax County are located within luscious tree canopies, filled with flora and fauna.
“The folks that we’re trying to reach are going to be in those urban environments where they’ve got sidewalks, and they’ve got maybe a bush and some grass,” Schwab said.
“We’re going to be pulling up at our small parks. There are 420 parks in Fairfax County — some of them are just tiny postage stamps with a playground,” said Schwab. “We’re going to go there and help people explore nature, where they are.”
She said the county wants to make sure its residents have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of nature, but added that the access barrier is a hard thing to solve.
“Getting people transportation to places, and having time to actually take that opportunity,” Schwab said.
The Wonder Wagon aims to spark curiosity of nature, regardless of where people live.
“Ants are everywhere, right?” said Schwab, citing an example. “Learning more about ants and how important they are to the environment, having empathy for ants might actually help them care a little bit more about nature. As the Park Authority, we want to build stewards, people who care about the community they live in.”
Having access and interest in nature benefit residents in many ways.
“Many times nature is a recreational activity, and it’s good for their health,” said Schwab. “Like bird-watching — have they noticed there’s more than one kind, or have they counted them? That’s something they could do, on a regular basis, for free.”
Schwab said the Wonder Wagon will be dispatched to parks and neighborhood events, but is also providing a link for neighborhoods to request a visit.
She hopes a visit from the mobile nature center will spark a lifetime interest in the outdoors.
“Even when the Wonder Wagon leaves, I feel like they’ll be inspired to go and spend more time in the nature they have,” Schwab said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
