May 2019
Watershed Calendar
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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!
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Stream Monitoring & Stream Cleanup Events
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Bryan Branch Stream
Monitoring Session
When
: Sunday, June 2, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Where
: McLean, VA
Join certified stream monitor Zoe Winston at her site in Bryan Branch. We will check on the health of one local stream in McLean. County and state officials will use the data you collect to assess the overall condition of our streams and help determine watershed management initiatives. Come learn more and help. RSVP to
Elizabeth Winston
.
Prince William Stream Monitoring: Airport Creek in Lake Ridge, Occoquan Watershed
When:
Sunday, June 2, 11:00am-1:30pm
Where: Near Salemtown Dr., Woodbridge VA 22192
Parking is just past Mojave Lane on Springwoods Drive (look for the Water Quality Event sign). Join Janis Cook at this beautiful adopted site in the Lake Ridge area for water quality monitoring experience. For more information and RSVP, please contact Janis Cook:
Jcook3910@aol.com
Accotink Creek Stream Monitoring Session
When
: Saturday, June 8, 9:30am-11:00am
Where
: Lake Accotink Park, Springfield VA
GET YOUR BRAIN WET! Join Friends of Lake Accotink Park and Friends of Accotink Creek for a rewarding and fun time for adults and children who enjoy helping our parks and environment by identifying and counting stream critters to document the health of the stream. RSVP
here
.
Prince William Water Quality Monitoring: Hooes Run - Occoquan Watershed
When
: Saturday, June 8, 10:00am-12:30pm
Where
: Castile Ct., Woodbridge, VA
Parking: Visitors parking lot and curb. Join Ashley Clark and Veronica Tangiri in monitoring this beautiful site of the Hooes Run as it enters the Occoquan Reservoir / River area. Chemical and biological data will be collected. RSVP to Veronica Tangiri at
waterquality@pwswcd.org
.
Potomac Cleanup at the Long Branch Community Center
When
: Saturday, June 15, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where
: Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring MD
Join
Potomac Conservancy
,
The Office of Congressman Jamie Raskin
, and
Montgomery Parks
in a stream and park cleanup at the Long Branch Community Center in Silver Spring, MD! We’ll be collecting trash, beautifying our community, and fighting for clean water on a beautiful summer day! Potomac Conservancy will provide trash grabbers, gloves, bags, and all other materials for a successful cleanup. Register
here
.
Difficult Run Stream Monitoring Workshop
When
: Saturday, June 22, 10:00am-12:30pm
Where
: Difficult Run Stream Valley Park, Leigh Mill Rd. Great Falls, VA 22066
Join NVSWCD as we discover aquatic life in Difficult 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. Registration is limited. Send questions to
Ashley Palmer
and RSVP
here
.
Prince William Water Quality Monitoring - Powells Creek, Woodbridge
When
: Saturday, June 29, 10:00am-12:30pm
Where
: Along 15601 Northgate Dr., Montclair VA
Join Buck Arvin and the Merrimac Master Naturalist Team in monitoring the Powell’s Creek in the Montclair area. Residents are welcome to come support the data collection of this stream and learn more about the water quality in their local stream.
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NOVA Stream Monitor Certification Workshop
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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,
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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
.
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Grand Opening: Neabsco Creek Boardwalk
When: Saturday, June 1, 10:00am
Where:
Rippon Landing, 15125 Blackburn Rd, Woodbridge, VA
Join the Prince William County for the grand opening of the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk. Attendees will have the opportunity to celebrate the opening of a world-class recreational amenity here in Prince William County and be among the first members of the public to set foot on this stunning ¾ long boardwalk meandering through tidal wetlands. Secondary parking is available at Porter Traditional School and the Rippon Lodge Historic Site. Shuttle busses will run between locations for visitors' convenience.
Help Native Plants Thrive
When: Monday, June 3, 9:00-11:00am
Where: Haul Road Trail, Alexandria VA
Join Friends of Dyke Marsh on June 3 and help control invasive plants in their native plant area. They will help you identify the target plants. Bring water, gloves, clippers and loppers. Wear sturdy shoes, long sleeves and pants, and sun protection. You might want to bring bug spray. Meet at the native plant site along the Haul Road trail. RSVP to
info@fodm.org
.
Ecology Walk
When: Sunday, June 9, 10:00am
Join Friends of Dyke Marsh
for an ecology walk led by naturalist Charles Smith. We’ll learn about tidal marsh ecology, vegetative communities, system stressors, seasonality of vegetation and wildlife and ecosystems’ importance. Meet at the Haul Road entrance at 10 a.m. Bring water, wear sturdy shoes and sun protection. We request that you not bring pets.
Learn more
.
Paddle the Potomac: An Alternative Happy Hour with Clean Air Partners!
When: Wednesday, June 12, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Key Bridge Boathouse, 3500 Water Street NW, Washington, DC
Join
Potomac Conservancy
and
Clean Air Partners
for our first Alternative Happy Hour Paddle of the season. Your $10 ticket gets you a boat rental and two hours of paddling along the iconic DC skyline. This event is perfect for beginners, experts, and everyone in between! Reserve your place
here
.
Rain Barrel Workshop
When: Saturday, June 15, 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington VA
Rain barrels purchased from retail sources can be expensive. As part of a regional initiative, NVSWCD offers build-your-own rain barrel workshops and distributes low-cost rain barrels to Fairfax County citizens. You will learn how to install and maintain a rain barrel and take one home! By installing a rain barrel at your home you will provide your plants with water they will love, save money and water, and protect the Chesapeake Bay! The workshop is free to attend and learn more about rain barrels, and building a rain barrel for you to take home is $55.
Learn more
about the program and
register
to attend a workshop.
Fairfax Food Council Presents: Gardening with Deer, Squirrels, and Other Hungry Creatures
When: Tuesday, June 18, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Where: Daniels Run Peace Church, 3729 Old Lee Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22030
Are you feeding wildlife instead of the people your garden produce was intended to nourish? You’re invited to hear Adria Bordas give a presentation on preventing deer, squirrels and other creatures from overwhelming your garden. The last half of this workshop will be a roundtable discussion of local gardeners sharing tips and techniques for making your garden a less easy target for birds and four-footed filchers. Click
here
to register.
2019 Fairfax County ESLI Environmental Education Conference
When: Saturday June 22, 9:00am-3:00pm
Where: Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035
Connect with high school and college students from around Virginia, DC and Maryland to learn about ways you can get involved with environmental education initiatives in your school and community. Learn effective environmental education games and teaching skills that you can use to teach kids in your community, and enjoy a free sustainable meal. This one-day conference will be held on June 22, 2019 and is located at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax, VA. The event is free for students. Contact us at
ecoschoolleaders@gmail.com
or visit our website at
www.eslileaders.org
to learn more, and click
here
to register.
Native Bees: Why They Matter and How to Support Them
When: Saturday, June 22, 12:00pm-2:00pm
Where: Brambleton Library, 22850 Brambleton Plaza, Brambleton, VA
At this Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy sponsored event, you’ll learn about the many fascinating and bee-utiful native bees that live in our gardens and the plants that support them. You will get a close-up look at Mason and Leafcutter Bees, discuss some simple ways that you can attract native bees in your garden, and help them thrive. Hosted by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, RSVP
here
.
Fairfax Food Council Presents: Indoor Gardening
When: Tuesday, July 16, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Where: Daniels Run Peace Church, 3729 Old Lee Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22030
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. Click
here
to register.
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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.
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Invasive Watch:
Spotted Lantern Fly
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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.
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