A Germantown homeowner photographed a black bear drinking from a birdbath; neighbors nicknamed it “Yogi.” Maryland DNR urges residents to secure feeders and report sightings.

Copperhead snakes are surfacing earlier across the Washington, D.C. area; local rescues report dozens of encounters and offer safety tips and yard advice. Experts link the early activity to a variable spring.

After years of delays, Skyland Town Center in Southeast D.C. cut the ribbon on a nearly one‑acre community park that adds play space, seating and a multiuse plaza. City officials say public investment helped unlock the stalled redevelopment.

A January Interior directive is prompting managers to roll back hunting limits at dozens of park units, from Cape Cod to Jean Lafitte, drawing cheers and warnings. Officials say safety closures remain but implementation is already underway.

Nearly 120 wildland firefighters say rescinding the Roadless Rule would invite more human starts and put crews in harm’s way.

Thousands of honey bees clustered on the Renwick Gallery across from the White House Friday; beekeepers were called in to relocate the swarm.

A bridge‑beam milestone at the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center moves the Ward 8 expansion closer to a late‑summer 2026 opening and USTA‑level junior events.

Conservationists appealed to the Ninth Circuit after a judge cleared Ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium project, saying it threatens Tiehm's buckwheat.

A DOI memo and the White House FY2027 budget push the Park Service toward 'visitor‑facing' roles while conservationists warn a roughly $736M cut could gut staffing and repairs.

A $51.6 million gift from Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla will fund a new Arabian leopard habitat at the National Zoo, with construction slated for late summer 2026 and an opening targeted for 2029.

Crews excavated a stretch of the National Mall near the Smithsonian to repair a sinkhole; the National Park Service says repairs should wrap up by the end of April.

NPS will fence off Meridian Hill’s upper lawn starting March 23 for fountain and turf repairs, and neighbors have launched a petition and lawn party to push back. Organizers want phased access and clearer timelines from park managers.

Japan is donating 250 cherry trees to Washington this spring to mark the U.S.'s 250th and to replace trees removed during Tidal Basin seawall repairs.