• Say NO to the Edsall Substation at Plaza 500

    We need your voice to stop the approval of a proposed 5-acre substation (artistic rendering shown above). This substation is only being proposed because of an approved (but not yet built) data center. It would be just 67 feet away from a townhome community, connecting to transmission lines that would run straight through a Resource…


  • De la maleza a la naturaleza: Community Empowerment for Invasive Management

    How community environmental leaders along Route 1 in Alexandria learned about invasive species management–and then took action in their community!


  • Fairfax County’s FY27 budget is open for comments!

    Fairfax County is facing another economically tough year, and the County Executive’s draft budget reflects the challenges via streamlining and cutting costs. For the past several years, in conjunction with our partners in the Fairfax Parks Coalition, we have engaged in budget advocacy to ensure the County is making wise investments in the Fairfax County…


  • Ask Fairfax County’s Board to Support the Planning Commission’s Recommendations for Active Transportation

    Fairfax County is updating its Active Transportation Plan, and we need your help to ensure that the Board of Supervisors passes it with recommendations that promote trail development that does not damage our environment. On May 5, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing regarding the Active Fairfax Transportation Plan Study (PA-2025-00001) and…


  • Virginia’s General Assembly: highs and lows

    Updated 4/13/26 @ 11:15am Thank you to Nature Forward volunteers Anne DeNovo, Chris Powell, Heather Safford, and Sabine Miller who helped track VA legislation this General Assembly and co-wrote this blog post with NOVA Conservation Advocate Renee Grebe! Lots of good environmental wins and some progress still to be made It is undeniable that many…


  • Nature Forward Statement on Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Sale of Publicly Owned, County Land for New Data Center Development

    For Immediate Release – March 18, 2026  For more information contact Lisa Goodnight at [email protected] or 301-450-1478, or Nature Forward Communications Director [email protected] 301-450-1458 Chevy Chase, MD – Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors undermined its own climate goals and One Fairfax equity policy by unanimously approving the sale of publicly owned, County land to a…


  • 2026 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities

    2026 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities (Updated as of 4/8/26 @ 11:47amSee updates post-General Assembly here: https://natureforward.org/2026-va-ga-wrap-up/ . . . This year’s Virginia General Assembly (a time when legislators get together to make a new set of laws) has seen a lot of change since last year. Virginia has a new governor – the first…


  • Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly will be different

    A lot has happened since the November 2025 state elections! Virginia’s General Assembly will be a bit different this year. Here’s a quick lay of the land: What else will be different? Key topics we’ll be monitoring Join us in Richmond for Lobby Days: February 4 & 9, 2026 Hop on a bus, join a…


  • Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Show Disregard for Residents with Vote on Electrical Substations

    For Immediate Release – December 11, 2025 For more information contact Lisa Goodnight at [email protected] or 301-450-1478, or Nature Forward Communications Director [email protected] 301-450-1458   Chevy Chase, MD – In a unanimous ruling, Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors dealt a huge blow to residents and communities negatively impacted by data centers and their associated energy infrastructure,…


  • Fairfax County’s Policy Plan & substation ZOA must be stronger

    Tell our Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to Strengthen Data Center Regulations! Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors will be making two important data-center-related decisions on Tuesday, December 9. They will be (1) deciding which updated Policy Plan language to approve and (2) holding a public hearing on updating the electrical substation zoning ordinance amendment. The…