September 2018
Watershed Calendar
Dear ,
Thanks for staying up-to-date with NVSWCD's great stream monitoring and community programs! We hope to see you soon at our 94th Green Breakfast with FCPS superintendent Dr. Scott Braband!
September Stream Monitoring Events
Springfield Friends of Accotink Creek Stream Monitoring Session
When: Saturday, September 8, 9:30-11:30am
Where : Lake Accotink Park, Springfield
Volunteers assess ecological conditions in streams, based on the presence and abundance of bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Today we will also have the option to use the Creek Critters app. Call or email for directions to the monitoring site. See Friends of Accotink Creek event calendar  for additional stream monitoring information.

Reston/Herndon NVSWCD Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Thurdsay, September 13, 4:30pm-7:00pm
Where : Fred Crabtree Park, 1208 Fox Mill Road, Herndon
Join NVSWCD in monitoring a local stream. The monitoring site is a short walk from the parking area, and you'll enjoy seeing a variety of stream organisms. Register for this event by emailing Ashley Palmer or view the biological stream monitoring calendar to see all upcoming NVSWCD stream monitoring events.

Gainesville Prince William SWCD Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Saturday, September 15, 10:30am-1:30pm
Where : Links Pond Circle, North Fork Broad Run, Gainesville
Join the Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District as they monitor this important waterway. For site directions, registration, or more information, please email Veronica Tangiri .
September NVSWCD Events
Happy Farm Happy Barn Manure Management Workshop
When: Wednesday, September 5, 6:30-8:30pm
Where : Barn 2 Frying Pan Farm Park, 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon
Come hear subject matter experts talk about horse farm waste management options, the "do's" and "don't's" of waste management, composting techniques, benefits of "recycling" manure waste in pastures, and the avialable financial assistance to build a waste composting/storage facility right on your hourse-keeping site. Presented by NVSWCD's Senior conservation Specialist, Willie Woode. Light dinner provided and registration is required. Visit the event website to learn more and register. Free event.

Green Breakfast
When: Saturday, September 8, 8:30-10:00am
Where : Brion's Grille, 10621 Braddock Rd., Fairfax
NVSWCD facilitates a bi-monthly gathering to discuss environmental topics in a casual setting on a Saturday morning. Attendees include agency representatives, interested citizens and community members, students, lawmakers, members of the business community and representatives of local non-profits. Six green breakfasts are held each year. Dr. Scott Brabrand, superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, will be the guest speaker at the next NVSWCD Green Breakfast. Breakfast buffet will be served for $10 payable by cash or check. Learn more about the Green Breakfast program and other outreach initiatives on the NVSWCD website .
Virginia Waterways Cleanups
Join Clean Virginia Waterways for the 24th Virginia Waterways Cleanup, part of the global International Coastal Cleanup! Local community groups will be cleaning up local parks, streams and rivers throughout the state, including many locations in and around Fairfax County. Consider hosting your own site or volunteer at someone else's! The effort runs from September 1 to October 31. More information and a list of sites already registered and looking for volunteers can be found on the  Clean Virginia Waterways website  and the Clean Fairfax Community Map .
September Community Events
Gardening Talks
When : Wednesdays in September, 7:00pm
Where : Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington
September 5 - Making Teas and Using Herbs from Your Garden
September 12 - Fruit Trees for Landscape
September 19 - Lasagna Gardening
September 26 - International Flavors for the Gardens
Learn more about the program by visiting the Arlington Central Library Calendar . Free Event.

How Plants Support Wildlife
When: Wednesday, September 12, 7:30pm
Where: Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria
Plants support tremendous biodiversity and complex food webs, including food for insect-eating birds and other wildlife. On September 12, entomologist Dr. Desiree Narango will share her research comparing how well native and nonnative trees provide food for the Carolina chickadee, other insectivorous birds and other wildlife. “I study the ways that plants and animals interact with each other, their environment and with us. Most of my work takes place in novel landscapes drastically altered by humans, urban forests and residential yards,” she says. Her work can help people preserve and restore biodiversity. Dr. Narango received her Ph.D. in Entomology and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware in May 2018. This free, public program is sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, the Northern Virginia Bird Club, Plant NoVa Natives and the Virginia Native Plant Society, Potowmack Chapter. Free Event.

Potomac River Cleanup at Jones Point Park
When: Saturday, September 15, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Jones Point Park, 100 Jones Point Dr., Alexandria
Volunteer Opportunity! Join Potomac Conservancy  on September 15th to give one of our favorite local spots a little TLC on World Cleanup Day! Our volunteers have collected an astonishing 20,875 pounds of trash this year. Sign up today to help us reach an all time high of 25,000 pounds before the year is over! For more information and to register for this free event, visit the event page .

Friends Of Runnymede Park Native Plant Sale
When: Saturday, September 15, 9:00am-2:00pm
Where: Runnymede Park, 195 Herndon Parkway, Herndon
Watermark Woods, located in Hamilton, VA., and Nature By Design from Alexandria, VA, will be selling native, pesticide-free plants that are perfect for home landscaping, and provide nectar and host plants for pollinators. Native plants are well adapted to local soil, weather and moisture conditions, and our local wildlife have evolved to take advantage of the food and shelter they provide.

Fairfax County Well Water Clinic
When: Monday, September 17, 7:00-9:00pm
Where: Virginia Cooperative Extension, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
Do you know what's in your drinking water? While public water supplies are tested daily for contaminants, most private water supplies, like wells and springs, are rarely tested. It is recommended that well owners test their water at least annually for bacteria and nitrates. Learn more about the quality of your water and how to care for your water system at the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Fairfax County Well Water Clinic. At this brief informational meeting, you will pick up sample kits and get instructions on how to collect your sample. For more information, please contact VCE at 703-324-5369 or visit the website for more information. 

Fairfax Food Council Garden Workshop - Planting an Edible Fall Garden
When: Tuesday, September 18, 6:30-8:00pm
Where: Herndon Elementary School, 630 Dranesville Rd., Herndon
Do you want to improve the gardening program at your neighborhood school?
Please come on a tour of Herndon Elementary’s Garden to learn about their edible fall garden and engaging curriculum to get children excited about growing food. Learn more and register by September 14 at the Urban Agriculture Working Group website . Free Event.

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals Level 1 Training
When: Thursday and Friday, September 20-21, 9:00am-4:00pm
Where: Washington DC
One 2-day class is required. Before signing up for a class, you must submit an online application. Once application is approved, please return to the website to pay and choose your class. Each class, led by regional experts, incorporates classroom work with a field-based practicum and BMP inspection/verification training. CBLP emphasizes critical thinking, interactive learning, and collaborative practice. You may take the class and sit for the exam in any location.  Learn more or register.
Discounts are available for firms or organizations that send 3 or more staff. Please contact beth@cblpro.org to inquire. Paid Training.

National Public Lands Day Cleanup
When: Saturday, September 22, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington DC
Volunteer Opportunity! Celebrate National Public Lands Day with Potomac Conservancy, American Rivers, and Friends of Theodore Roosevelt Island. You'll join over 75,000 volunteers in a nationwide effort to clean our public parks and lands. For more information and to register, visit the event page.

Magnificent Monarchs
When: Saturday, September 22, 1:00-3:00pm
Where: National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife center Dr., Reston
Monarchs and their amazing migration to Mexico are in peril for many reasons. Learn about the monarch life cycle, migration, cycle, how you can attract them to your home garden or favorite public space, and how to raise them to send them on their fall journey. Resources for milkweed and garden design also included. The class instructor, Georgina Chin, is an elementary school teacher with a passion for monarchs and an instructor with Monarch Teacher Network. Learn more and register for the class through the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia . Paid Event.

NatureFest
When: Sunday, September 23, 1:00-5:00pm
Where: Runnymede Park, 195 Herndon Parkway, Herndon
Explore various nature stations throughout the park including butterflies, bees, life in the meadow, web of life, and much more. Live animal shows throughout the day with bats, mammals, raptors, and reptiles. Arts and crafts and fun for the whole family will be included! The event is co-sponsored by The Friends of Runnymede Park and Herndon Parks and Recreation Department. Call if your group would like to volunteer (703-435-6800 ext. 2014). Satellite parking with a passenger van shuttle will be available to and from the Herndon Police Station, 397 Herndon Parkway. Learn more from the Friends of Runnymede Park . Free event.

Audubon Naturalist Society Stream Science Classes
When: Several dates in September
Where: Chevy Chase MD and Boyds MD
For 25 years, ANS has been teaching the natural history of aquatic ecology and training volunteer stream monitors who track the health of our region’s streams. Learn from the experts: study stream science in their introductory classes, and you just might be inspired to become a stream monitor yourself! The advanced classes are perfect for those interested in deepening their knowledge about biological stream monitoring and are taught by Maryland Biological Stream Survey-certified instructor Cathy Wiss. Classes are great for fly fishermen, citizen science program or team leaders, aquatic resource biologists, and anyone interested in monitoring and understanding stream health. Registration is required, cost is $10/member and $25/non-member. Learn more and register .
In Conservation News
National Association of Conservation District's President Brent Van Dyke discusses conservation efforts for the Chesapeake Bay watershed on the podcast Adams on Agriculture -- Listen In!
The Potomac Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan was recently published by the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. The Plan identifies Potomac River challenges and recommends solutions. Read more about the plan here.