Oak Spring Garden Foundation

### Context Profile for Oak Spring Garden Foundation

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable land management practices. Their mission is to steward the Oak Spring estate, a 700-acre property rich in diverse ecosystems, to protect and foster wildlife communities. They aim to share their conservation efforts and knowledge with the public through educational programs and community engagement.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - OSGF hosts various events, including guided biodiversity walks, educational workshops, and community programs focused on conservation and sustainability. The "Biodiversity Walk" is a recent event that invites participants to explore the estate's flora and fauna while learning about conservation practices. They also engage in fundraising campaigns to support their initiatives and promote awareness of biodiversity issues.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone of OSGF's communication is friendly, informative, and inviting. They use clear and accessible language to engage a diverse audience, including novice and seasoned nature enthusiasts. The content is structured to provide essential information while encouraging participation and fostering a sense of community.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The organization does not appear to use emojis in their communications, maintaining a professional and straightforward approach in their messaging.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: Established by Paul and Bunny Mellon, OSGF is committed to conservation and education.
   - **Scale**: The foundation operates on a 700-acre estate, focusing on biodiversity conservation.
   - **Impact Metrics**: Specific metrics were not detailed on the website, but their activities emphasize community engagement and educational outreach.
   - **Volunteer Info**: Information about volunteer opportunities is not explicitly mentioned, but community involvement is encouraged through events.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - Use clear and concise language that is accessible to a broad audience.
   - Maintain a friendly and inviting tone, encouraging participation and engagement.
   - Structure content to provide essential details upfront, followed by additional context or instructions.
   - Avoid using emojis to maintain a professional appearance.
   - Include calls to action that inspire readers to participate in events or support the foundation's mission.

This context profile serves as a foundational guide for creating tailored content for the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, ensuring alignment with their mission, tone, and audience engagement strategies.

General Admission

Overview:&nbsp;Join the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) and Michael Gaige for a day exploring plant communities and interpreting the landscape on a Northern Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail. This section traverses a number of interesting ecological areas including pine knobs, rocky slopes, rich hardwood hollows, and distant views. Stone walls, old fields, and abandoned homesites make it all the more interesting providing the perfect adventure to analyze and unpack the formation of various plant arrangements and their response to ecological and human disturbances. What to Expect: In total, the hike will cover about 6.5 miles (with about 1,500 feet of elevation gain and loss) and is best suited for participants experienced in moderate to strenuous hikes of approximately the same distance. As this is a one-way trail, once started, participants must be able to complete the hike. Participants will initially meet at the Snickers Gap trailhead where an OSGF van will transport the group to the start point of the hike. The hike will end at the same trailhead near parked cars. Note outside of an outhouse, there will not be any restrooms available on the trail so please plan accordingly.Participants should arrive prepared for an all-day adventure with proper footwear, sufficient water, additional snacks and appropriate dress for the weather, rain or shine. Binoculars and digital cameras encouraged.The pace of the hike will accommodate discussion of the landscape and breaks but will be attentive to concluding on time. Complimentary Items:&nbsp;A boxed lunch will be provided. When purchasing ticket(s) for lunch, you will select either a:<ol fr-original-style="" style="width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A turkey sandwich OR</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A gluten-free, vegan option</li></ol>Exact menus will be determined closer to the date of the event. All lunches will include a small side such as a fruit salad, or chips.&nbsp;Please note that unfortunately, we can not accommodate specific dietary needs. If you have dietary restrictions and are unable to eat the provided lunch, please plan to pack a sack lunch. About Oak Spring Garden Foundation:&nbsp;The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation&rsquo;s inaugural President, OSGF provides workshops, short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants, gardens and landscapes. Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts. Availability: This walk will be capped at 12 participants. Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Zeffy until full.

Hi <span data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name , Thank you for registering for Ecology and History on the Appalachian Trail! We look forward to seeing you there. Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Overview: Join the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) and Michael Gaige for a day exploring plant communities and interpreting the landscape on a Northern Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail. This section traverses a number of interesting ecological areas including pine knobs, rocky slopes, rich hardwood hollows, and distant views. Stone walls, old fields, and abandoned homesites make it all the more interesting providing the perfect adventure to analyze and unpack the formation of various plant arrangements and their response to ecological and human disturbances. What to Expect: In total, the hike will cover about 6.5 miles (with about 1,500 feet of elevation gain and loss) and is best suited for participants experienced in moderate to strenuous hikes of approximately the same distance. As this is a one-way trail, once started, participants must be able to complete the hike. Participants will initially meet at the Snickers Gap trailhead where an OSGF van will transport the group to the start point of the hike. The hike will end at the same trailhead near parked cars. Note outside of an outhouse, there will not be any restrooms available on the trail so please plan accordingly.Participants should arrive prepared for an all-day adventure with proper footwear, sufficient water, additional snacks and appropriate dress for the weather, rain or shine. Binoculars and digital cameras encouraged.The pace of the hike will accommodate discussion of the landscape and breaks but will be attentive to concluding on time. Complimentary Items: A boxed lunch will be provided. When purchasing ticket(s) for lunch, you will select either a:<ol><li>A turkey sandwich OR</li><li>A gluten-free, vegan option</li></ol>Exact menus will be determined closer to the date of the event. All lunches will include a small side such as a fruit salad, or chips. Please note that unfortunately, we can not accommodate specific dietary needs. If you have dietary restrictions and are unable to eat the provided lunch, please plan to pack a sack lunch. About Oak Spring Garden Foundation: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF provides workshops, short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants, gardens and landscapes. Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts. Availability: This walk will be capped at 12 participants. Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Zeffy until full.

Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Ecology and History on the Appalachian Trail

Bluemont

General Admission

$50