geomantic

Just released by the City of Alexandria (VA) Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities’ Horticulture and Natural Resources Section is this survey (.pdf) of the native plants of Alexandria. The survey was conducted from 2002 to 2007 and yielded a total of 810 native species (including infra-specific taxa and hybrids) representing 374 genera and 128 families. Accompanying the study is a presentation loaded with photographs new and old documenting the natural history of Alexandria and environs, as well as a geological map of the surficial  geology annotated with place names, old and new.

This is a tremendous resource for those trying to restore habitat or simply replicate the native vegetation in suburban landscapes in and around Washington, DC. I applaud regional field ecologist Rod Simmons, the primary author of the report for his devotion to place, to science, and his contribution to the understanding and preservation of the natural habitat of the Washington area.