National Take a Hike Day at Varina LandLab Conservation Area

Grab your friends and family and set a course for the Varina LandLab Conservation Area in celebration of National Take a Hike Day!

Saturday, November 15, 2025
Varina LandLab Conservation Area

Join CRLC as we celebrate National Take a Hike Day (aka National Hiking Day) by getting outside and taking in the beauty and benefits of our 353-acre public lands located in eastern Henrico County, Virginia. Join us for one activity or all during this free open house at the LandLab. The Varina LandLab Conservation Area is open daily from dawn to dusk. 

8:30am-10:30am – REGISTRATION IS CLOSED Join the Richmond Audubon Society for a guided morning Birding Hike, led by RAS Field Trip Chair and biologist, Matt Brooks. Binoculars available for use thanks to a grant from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

9:00am – 11:00am – REGISTRATION IS CLOSED to help Land Stewardship Manager, Ashley Moulton, add native plants and grasses.

11:00am-12:00pm – Drop in (No registration necessary) to learn how to build a brush pile to encourage wildlife and insects to your backyard with Master Naturalist, Ann Hardy. Location along Trailhead 2 at 9051 Deep Bottom Rd, Richmond, VA 23231.

From dawn to dusk, enjoy the Varina LandLab’s nearly five miles of trails, educational signage, picnic tables and benches, and views of the James River and Four Mile Creek.

This program is generously funded by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and Chesapeake Bay License Plate Program.

Presenters Bios:

Matt Brooks:
Matt Brooks has worked as a biologist for several decades focusing on birds, plants, wetlands, and rare species. He studied birds in longleaf pine savannas for his master’s research at LSU. He later worked in the Southwest for nine years. Matt is a Professional Wetland Scientist, Virginia Professional Wetland Delineator, the Pocahontas Chapter president of the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Field Trip Chair for the Richmond Audubon Society. He also enjoys playing music and gardening.

Ann Hardy:
Ann Hardy is a Virginia Master Naturalist and a passionate advocate for native ecosystems and community education. For over a decade, Ann has been transforming her property in Varina to support a thriving, balanced food web through the intentional addition of native plants and the creation of habitat sculptures—natural structures built from materials harvested on-site that decompose over time while providing essential shelter, food, and space for wildlife.

Ann’s demonstration invites participants to explore how simple, sustainable practices—like building brush piles—can support wildlife, restore habitat, and deepen our connection to the land.