Belle View in Alexandria in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Anatomy of a Tidal Marsh
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Circulate
Purple and blue on this map show the winding channels of the marsh, called guts, and the Potomac River. Tides pump Chesapeake Bay saltwater up the Potomac River and into the marsh. There it mixes with fresh water, nutrients and sediments.
Filter
Green plants act like kidneys, filtering pollution from the water. Marsh plants also slow down the movement of sediments, produce oxygen, and capture nitrogen.
Protect
Wetland forests, shown here as the mixed mosaic of green, yellow, and blue at the left, act like a protective skin. They anchor the shoreline and reduce erosion, sheltering Dyke Marsh and the people who live nearly.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment.
Location. 38° 46.218′ N, 77° 2.989′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is in Belle View. Marker can be reached from George Washington Memorial Parkway, 0.2 miles north of Belle View Boulevard when traveling north. Located on the Dyke Marsh Trail which starts at Belle Haven Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Dyke Marsh Trail, Alexandria VA 22307, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A Fine Improvable Marsh (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Place to Rest—or Nest (approx. ¼ mile away); Wasteland or Wetland? (approx. half a mile away); Colonial Fort (approx. 0.6 miles away); Historic Jones Point (approx. 0.7 miles away); These Trees (approx. 0.8 miles away); Capital View (approx. 1.1 miles away in Maryland); Load. Ready. Fire! (approx. 1.1 miles away in Maryland). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.
More about this marker. Text in Braille is on the right side of the marker, presumably the same as the main text.
Also see . . . George Washington Memorial Parkway - Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve. National Park Service (Submitted on September 19, 2017, by Samuel Paik of Gainesville, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2017, by Samuel Paik of Gainesville, Virginia. This page has been viewed 287 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 19, 2017, by Samuel Paik of Gainesville, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.