stepping into nature by Ana Ka’ahanui (Virginia Master Naturalist and Certified Forest Therapy Guide) Capital Nature
Wonder and joy are my favorite words. I’ve always been a curious person and I get a deep sense of satisfaction when I make discoveries and then share them with others. It’s what makes me feel most alive. I can say with certainty that I’ve been able to live my life with authenticity through my connection to nature and connecting others to nature. When 21% of the city area is designated for parks and that 98% of DC residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, I wondered, how I could bring the same joy to others?
Unexpected Inspiration It started with a leaf. I was walking our dog Lani on the trails near our home in Burke, VA, outside of Washington, DC. I was feeling a bit dejected with my head down. A colorful leaf caught my eye and I picked it up. I was awestruck by its beauty and
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started looking around at other leaves. How was it that I walked these trails for over ten years and didn’t notice all the leaves and their trees? I started taking pictures of my discoveries. I then posted a series of photos called #thedailyleaf on Instagram and had the most amazing responses from friends and family. People were grateful for a simple image of nature to make them smile in such a confusing and crazy time after the 2016 election. I decided to devote more time to learn about all the local trees, which grew to fungi, then birds and even slime mold! It’s as if I flicked a light switch on and the world of nature became intensely visible to me. My Mom likens it to the scene in the film The Wizard of Oz when everything goes from black & white to vivid color. With my newfound interest in biodiversity, I looked for ways
to educate myself and a friend encouraged me to pursue certification as a Virginia Master Naturalist. This communitybased natural resources volunteer program was the perfect fit for me as it allowed me to learn and share knowledge through education and citizen science. Community science, also known as citizen science, is when curious or concerned people collaborate with scientists in ways that advance scientific research on topics they care about. As soon as I learned that my photos of nature could contribute to global scientific research, I was determined to spread the word as much as possible. With so many people taking pictures of nature with their phones and cameras, it seemed like a no-brainer to me to encourage others to participate in citizen science activities using free apps such as
AIA|DC Urban Design Committee