May 4, 2025 — The Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA) is pleased to announce a major acquisition of the Old Afton Farm property adjacent to our existing land in Fauquier County, Va. With this purchase from longtime neighbors the Schellenberg Family, the Outdoor Lab footprint will expand from 225 acres to 311 acres, ensuring the ridge top of Biscuit Mountain remains free from rapidly encroaching development and offering expanded grounds for Arlington Public School students to explore and learn about our natural environment.
“This is the biggest investment in APS students by AOEA since its founding,” said President Mike Maleski, “and we are delighted to permanently protect this portion of land and our watershed that provides so many opportunities for students to gain hands-on appreciation of the natural world.”
This purchase is a significant step in the AOEA’s ongoing work to expand and modernize the Outdoor Lab, ensuring future generations of students continue to reap the benefits foreseen by our founder, Phoebe Hall Knipling. As we approach our 60th anniversary in 2027, the AOEA is engaging architects for master planning of land use and facilities for the Outdoor Lab for the next 60 years.