July 2019
Watershed Calendar
Dear ,

For all of you stream monitors that have considered becoming certified, good news! NVSWCD is partnering with Prince William SWCD to put on a certification workshop to be held on Saturday, August 10, 9am-3pm at Manassas National Battlefield Park. Here, you'll have the opportunity to become certified and monitor your own stream. See more details below!

If you have questions on the certification test, study materials, or anything else relating to the certification workshop, feel free to reach out to Ashley Palmer at Ashley.palmer@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-1423. We'll see you there!

For certified stream monitors, the summer monitoring season starts July 1 and ends August 31. Now is your opportunity to get out and explore your stream this summer! If you need new monitoring supplies, reach out to Ashley and get restocked for summer stream monitoring.
Stream Monitoring & Stream Cleanup Events
Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Saturday, July 13, 8:00-11:00am
Where: Reston VA
Spring is here and the warm weather is creeping back. What better way to enjoy the changing seasons than to get your feet wet in one of Reston’s streams? RA
welcomes new volunteers to assist with stream monitoring at several locations. Get
involved with a small team to collect data and identify insects with the goal of
assessing the health of Reston’s streams. Not only do you get to learn about streams,
it also provides an opportunity to make new friends! Learn more and register .

Pope's Head Creek Stream Monitoring Session
When: Saturday, July 13, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Old Colchester Rd., Fairfax Station VA
Please join us at this lovely site where we can drive right up to the stream bank. No experience necessary. Find details here . RSVP to Margaret  here . 

Little Pimmit Run Stream Monitoring Workshop
When : Saturday, July 13, 10:00am-12:30pm
Where : Off Maddux Lane, McLean, VA
Join NVSWCD as we discover aquatic life in Pimmit Run! This official NVSWCD stream monitoring workshop covers watershed health, what macroinvertebrates tell us about stream quality, and what you can do to prevent pollution in your local stream. This workshop will also help to prepare you to become a certified stream monitor, and is the last NVSWCD workshop before the certification workshop in August. Registration is limited. Send questions to Ashley Palmer and RSVP here .

Lake Accotink Stream Cleanup
When : Sunday, July 14, 9:00-11:00am
Where : Lake Accotink Park, Springfield VA
* Lake Accotink Trail entrance at Ellet and Inverchapel Road
* Lake Accotink Marina
* Lake Accotink Trail entrance at the end of Danberry Forest Drive (Kirkham and Uxbridge Court Playground
Meet at one of the above locations, pick up trash bags from the volunteer lead, and hit the trail to fill your trash bags with debris. Long sleeves, gloves, boots, and long pants are encouraged. Learn more on the Friends of Accotink Creek calendar .

Broad Run/Dawkin's Branch Stream Monitoring Session
When: Saturday, August 3, 10:30am-12:30pm  
Where: Bristow, VA
Parking is in the upper parking lot of Victory Lakes Elementary School parking at 12001 Tygart Lake, Bristow VA 20136. Follow signs near the playground to the Broad Run trail near the kiosk area. Join Sonnie Coffey at this beautiful adopted outdoor learning site for more water quality awareness in Prince William County. You're invited to come learn more about benthic invertebrates and how they can determine the water quality of a stream. For more information and RSVP, please contact  Sonnie Coffey .

Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Wednesday, August 14, 1:00-4:00pm
Where: Walker Nature Center, Reston VA
Spring is here and the warm weather is creeping back. What better way to enjoy the changing seasons than to get your feet wet in one of Reston’s streams? RA
welcomes new volunteers to assist with stream monitoring at several locations. Get
involved with a small team to collect data and identify insects with the goal of
assessing the health of Reston’s streams. Not only do you get to learn about streams,
it also provides an opportunity to make new friends! Learn more and register .

Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Saturday, August 24, 8:00-11:00am
Where: Reston VA
Spring is here and the warm weather is creeping back. What better way to enjoy the changing seasons than to get your feet wet in one of Reston’s streams? RA
welcomes new volunteers to assist with stream monitoring at several locations. Get
involved with a small team to collect data and identify insects with the goal of
assessing the health of Reston’s streams. Not only do you get to learn about streams,
it also provides an opportunity to make new friends! Learn more and register .
NOVA Stream Monitor Certification Workshop
This event is jointly organized by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District and is open to anyone aspiring to become a Certified Stream Monitor.

Once certified, a monitor can adopt a stream site to monitor quarterly. The certification/training follows the Virginia Save Our Streams (SOS) monitoring protocol and the data collected is sent to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

All certified monitors are also invited to seize this opportunity to meet with the Chesapeake Monitoring Council Coordinator for new monitoring meters or get old meters calibrated.
To register and for more information,
please contact Veronica Tangiri  (Prince William) or Ashley Palmer (Fairfax)
NVSWCD Events
2019 Conservation Poster Contest
Deadline: October 4, 2019
The Youth Poster Contest is a national competition. Students submit entries to their local Conservation District. Winning entries can be sent to state and even national competitions for judging and awards. The contest is open to the public, private or home school students, girl scout/boy scout troops, etc. Please note that both Girl and Boy Scouts that participate in the contest and submit valid entries at any level are eligible to receive the VASWCD Conservation Poster Patch.
·          K-1
·          2-3
·          4-6
·          7-9
·          10-12
Entries must be submitted to the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District by October 4, 2019. Learn more and enter .
Community Events
Fairfax Master Naturalists Fall 2019 Basic Training Applications Now Open!
Come learn from local experts who cover topics in biogeography, citizen science, ecology, geology, interpretation, native flora and fauna, weather and climate, and much more. The Basic Training Course, the first step towards initial certification, offers fun and interactive instruction on our local environment. Becoming certified typically takes 6 to 12 months. The first step is attending all classes and field trips (or making them up), completing the final exam and presenting a service project. Initial certification, as well as annual recertification, requires 8 hours of continuing education and 40 hours of volunteer service. Basic and continuing education is both educational and useful for preparing participants to volunteer as master naturalists in their communities.  Click here for the application ; the deadline is July 19th.

Stream Life Program with Fairfax County Park Authority
When: Monday, July 8, 6:00-7:00pm
Where: Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Centreville VA
(4-Adult) Search for stoneflies, hellgrammites, water pennies and crayfish. Explore Big Rocky Run with a naturalist, use dip nets and kick nets to catch and release these creatures and learn about their role in the environment. Learn stream monitoring techniques and the impact humans have on these fragile ecosystems. Wear shoes that can get wet, and meet at the pond. The cost is $6 per person. For more information, call 703-631-0013.

Indoor Gardening with Fairfax Food Council
When: Tuesday, July 16, 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Daniels Run Peace Church, Fairfax VA
Ryan Pirault, Founder of Livity Works LLC, will be sharing his techniques, knowledge and experience in this introductory class on "Whole House Permaculture." Building a culture of permanent agriculture and sustainability is something all of us can participate in even if we live in a tiny cramped apartment. Take this class to learn about growing mushrooms, sprouts, and other healthy food inside your home or apartment. Hosted by the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. Registration is required. Learn more and register here .

Dyke Marsh Invasive Plant Removal
When: Monday, July 8, 9:00am and Monday, July 22, 9:00am
Where: Haul Road Trail, Dyke Marsh, Alexandria VA
Help us tackle invasive plants in our native plant area along the Haul Road trail in Dyke Marsh on July 8 and July 22, 9 a.m. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, gloves and sun protection. Bring water. We will help you identify the target plants (no more than 5) and show you what to do. It’s easy! Sign up at info@fodm.org .
Help Stop the Spread of a New Species of Water Chestnut
Localities, pond management personnel and the general public are asked to look for a new species of Water Chestnut (genus  Trapa ) recently found in the Potomac Watershed. It has been spreading since 1995 so you may have already encountered this floating aquatic vegetation growing over the surface of a pond, lake or other fresh waterbody. This species  is identified by the seed cases having two spines instead of four found in the Eurasian Water Chestnut. Reports of this or other invasive aquatic species can be made via a free phone app .  Water Chestnut (an annual) will sprout in May 2019, spread over the water surface and then flower and fruit by July; it drops seeds all season until it senesces after a hard frost. To stop the spread, management by harvesting the plants by mid –July is very successful in eradicating the plants but it may take several years of effort, if some seeds lay dormant.
Invasive Watch:
Spotted Lantern Fly
A potentially very serious pest of grapes, peaches, hops, and a variety of other crops, the spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, was detected in Frederick County, Virginia, on Jan. 10, 2018. It is important to look for it and report any finds. The spotted lanternfly has also been reported on a range of ornamentals around the home and in the landscape; in high numbers, the insect can become a nuisance pest to homeowners.

by Plant NoVA Natives
Image: Pollinator Garden on Mason Neck