Clifton Institute

Our mission is to inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature, to study the ecology of our region, to restore habitat, and to conserve native biodiversity.

More About Us

Our three program areas are environmental education, ecological research, and the conservation of native biodiversity. Our 900-acre field property in central Fauquier County, which is under permanent protection with a conservation easement, provides a beautiful and easily accessible location for our programs. Our goals for 2023 are to teach 3,000 children and adults about nature, to continue restoring our 100-acre native grassland, to provide land management advice to 75 landowners, to help kickstart the native seed industry in Virginia, and to track Box Turtles to better understand how to conserve this charismatic and declining species.

We provide environmental education to people of all ages. We offer many education programs throughout the year (over 200 in 2023!), ranging from native seed collection workshops to lichen identification classes to monthly nature walks.  Every program is different and there is always so much to learn about. Underlying the diverse topics we cover, there are a few unifying themes: we want both children and adults to enjoy spending time outside in nature, to feel curious about the natural world, to have fun learning about nature, and to be inspired to take care of native plants and animals. We know from personal experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from knowing deeply about and feeling connected to the natural landscape around us and we want to bring that joy to as many people as possible.

Clifton Institute staff, interns, and collaborators do ecological research to better understand the causes of decline in native plants and animals and to identify land management practices to support declining species. All of our research projects produce actionable recommendations that inform land managers and conservation practitioners. We are interested in the conservation and restoration of native grasslands and savannas, the conservation of declining species on working lands, and mitigating the effects of suburban and exurban development on native species. Our research projects contribute to the scientific understanding of the northern Piedmont ecosystem and we give members of the public opportunities to participate in meaningful scientific studies.

We work to restore native plant communities on the Clifton Institute’s 900 acres, and we advise private land owners and government agencies on how to restore the lands they manage. By eliminating non-native plants and planting native species, we rebuild degraded habitats which allows declining plants and animals to recover and thrive. We use our research on native plant communities and declining birds to guide our restoration work and the advice we give. We continue to refine our methods and advice based on the results we observe at the Clifton Institute and at participating properties around the region.

Testimonials

"The staff at the Clifton Institute balance education and field research in a way that I have not found elsewhere. I’ve grown more as a naturalist in my 6 or so months volunteering there than I have in over 5 years of volunteering at neighboring institutions and am more motivated than ever to pursue my own citizen science research. The staff’s enthusiasm is contagious, their knowledge inspiring, and their patience for all my questions worthy of praise. I am profoundly grateful for all they do and will continue volunteering there as long as they’ll have me." —Juan Gonzalez, longtime volunteer

“Having the opportunity to partake in the myriad of programs that the Clifton Institute has to offer in this amazing setting has become part of our family experience.  Whether we’re on a guided hike to learn about the various species of mushrooms or how to identify various species of tree by their bark or even witnessing, from a safe distance, a controlled prescribed burn to help reduce populations of invasive plants and insects and to rejuvenate the area, our family of 6 can always look forward to a new adventure where we always learn something new!” —JP Martinez, program participant and father of program participants

"As a cancer patient, I can say that nothing has been more uplifting than to experience nature through the programs offered at Clifton Institute, whether watching a northern harrier float across the fields of native grasses or swamp sparrows bobbing up and down in the lower marshy areas. And then there are walks to admire and learn about frogs and salamanders, wildflowers, trees, lichens, and so much more. The directors and staff are incredibly engaged and knowledgeable and so welcoming to anyone who wants to learn about what surrounds us when we step off the cement. The education, land restoration, and research they conduct make it a wonderful place to realize hope for our future both individually and collectively." —longtime program participant