Nina Mendez of Springfield feeds one of of the ’ScapeGoats landscaping goats and learns about invasive plant species. Photo by Tim Peterson.
Nina Mendez of Springfield is a big fan of Earth Day. “I want to clean the world and make it better,” she said.
Mendez’s mother heard about SpringFest Fairfax on Facebook and despite a somewhat chilly, overcast late spring day, they decided to come out. The event was held April 25 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.
The Mendezes were just two of several thousand in attendance at the county-wide public celebration of Earth Day and Arbor Day.
“I’m shocked so many people came out,” said Jen Cole, executive director of the celebration’s host Clean Fairfax. “It’s a testament to the event being such a great hit. The goal is for it to continue to grow at a good rate that is sustainable.”
Most activities and educational programming from representatives of the Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax Water, and other public works agencies was free, however in order to recoup some costs, other attractions like a rock wall and pony rides required a small fee.
Board of Supervisors chairman Sharon Bulova was one of several elected officials that celebrated the green achievements of Fairfax County, announcing during a presentation that “We have achieved 45 percent of tree cover.”
One of the local vendors was Charlotte Del Duca, whose Fairfax Station barn is home to a collection of male dairy goats that are the key players in her landscaping business, appropriately titled ’ScapeGoats.
“It’s letting nature take care of nature,” said Del Duca. She explained the goats are hired out to eat only invasive species of plants “that shouldn’t be here,” such as ivy and kudzu.