May 2020
Watershed Calendar
Hello ,
Many traditional May and June events hosted by NVSWCD and other environmental organizations have been cancelled or postponed due to rising concerns regarding COVID-19 and in efforts to best protect our volunteers. We hope that you'll use this time to take advantage of virtual learning opportunities and citizen science volunteer events.

As you've heard many times before, wash your hands, stay home, and take care of yourself. Keep in touch with NVSWCD on our Facebook and Instagram . Your friendly neighborhood stream monitors will be very happy to welcome you back when we can!

Ashley Palmer
Conservation Education Specialist
ashley.palmer@fairfaxcounty.gov
703-324-1423
Student Opportunities
Conservation Poster Contest
Where would we BEE without pollinators?
Submit by : May 15, 2020
Calling all K12 students! The Conservation Poster Contest for 2020 is now open with the theme "Where would we BEE without pollinators?" The contest is open to all students! All scouts who enter receive a Conservation Poster Contest Patch. Visit our website to see the contest rules and learn how to submit your poster.
VASWCDEF Student Patches: Soil Expert & Living in Your Watershed Patch
When: now through June 30, 2020
Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District is offering students the opportunity to earn patches even while social distancing. Students in 3 rd  grade and above will be able to earn the Soil Expert Patch , and students in 4 th  grade and above will be able to earn the Living in Your Watershed Patch . Check out their website to see how you can earn these special edition patches! (while supplies last)
Sustainable Garden Tour Coming in June!
See event updates on Facebook , Instagram , and on the Sustainable Garden Tour webpage
Virtual Green Breakfast Webinar
Green Breakfast - Fairfax County's MS4 Program
When : May 9, starting at 9:00 am

Snuggle up in the comfort of your own home, with your breakfast and beverage of choice while joining us online to hear from Heather Ambrose, MS4 Program Coordinator with Fairfax County DPWES-Stormwater Planning Division. MS4 stands for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System. Learn what this means and how this program connects many departments throughout the county to work together to limit the county’s contributions to water pollution, while also monitoring the health of our waterways.

If you have environmental stewardship events that you would like to promote, please send them to Laura Grape and she will share them during the webinar. Face-to-face interaction and networking are two things that make our Green Breakfasts so special!
Virtual Community Events & Webinars
Start a Sit Spot Routine
As more and more folks are quarantining themselves at home, especially with kids, things can get a little stir crazy. Living Earth wants to provide something to help you stay grounded and connected to nature. They have created a sit spot routine that you can add to your everyday routine to help things settle, and to feel real and grounded in these uncertain times. Subscribe on their website to receive one email with a powerful sit spot practice every morning for the next 14 days.
High Five From Nature: Five Ferns
When : May 5, 7:00pm
Virginia Master Naturalists is hosting a special webinar series for other naturalists that are stuck at home. This informal webinar series highlights five species or concepts on a topic in each session. In their May 5th session, VMN is covering five fern species. Learn more.
State of the Planet K12 Video Series
Whe n: Mondays and Wednesdays each week from 2:00-3:00pm
This video series put on by Columbia University highlights its many experts throughout the Earth Institute in order to share their sustainability related work. Launched for k12 students and educators, this series continues to share a variety of sustainable topics in the form of interactive activities and demos! Check out their website !
Making a Local Difference with Save Our Streams
When : May 6, 12:00-1:00pm
Save Our Streams volunteer monitors collect powerful data about water quality across the country. In Virginia, the Roanoke Stormwater Division and Henricopolis Soil and Water Conservation District both utilize the Save Our Streams protocol and data to make decisions about stormwater management and conservation initiatives. Join Danielle DeHart, Environmental Specialist with the City of Roanoke, and Stacey Heflin, Conservation Specialist for the Henricopolis SWCD, to hear about their experiences with Virginia SOS and how their departments are leveraging citizen science data to protect clean water. Learn more.
Art and Design Principles for Ecological Landscapes
When : May 6, 12:00-1:00pm
Ecological design is based on the same principles as landscape design, however, practitioners can become caught up in the arrangement of elements and materials and forget that the application of art and design principles are critical to evoke meaning, intent, and order. Consider this a refresher course for experienced designers and an introduction to design for emerging practitioners. This webinar is adapted from the introduction to Ecological Design in the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden’s Native Plant and Ecological Horticulture certificate program. Learn more.
Edible Landscaping Class
When : May 7, 5:00-6:30pm
Virginia Cooperative Extension is offering a free, online class on how to successfully grow fruit-bearing shrubs and trees. Learn how to grow elderberries, blueberries, cherries, apples and more! Learn more.
Rethinking Suburban Stormwater
When : May 7, 6:30-7:30pm
Dr. Jake Hosen, Perdue University, will expand on current research, including for stream restoration projects that take place in stream channels which new studies suggest have a low probability of success. Instead, distributed stormwater infrastructure that includes strategies such as bioswales, retention ponds, and infiltration systems can achieve better results for a smaller investment. Dr. Hosen will discuss the design principles behind distributed stormwater infrastructure and survey the results from localities that have implemented integrated stormwater management plans. Learn more.
Small Space Gardening for Pollinators
When : May 8, 10:00-11:30am
Learn which plants will attract and fill the needs of our native pollinators even if your garden space is limited to a small yard, a patio, or a balcony. Best gardening practices for pollinators and special considerations for designing and maintaining successful containers of native plants will also be discussed. Online class offered by Extension Master Gardeners. Learn more.
Watershed Hacks: Sustainable Lawns and Family Gardening
When : May 8, 11:00am-12:00pm
Take the Zen approach to lawn and find out how to manage your yard to look better while forking out less for fertilizer, herbicides and outdoor watering. Engage in simple and sustainable practices to reduce runoff and pollutant expert from your lawn. Learn how to identify and safely control the non-native plants that have invaded your yard. Learn new ways to trick your children into enjoying monotonous tasks like weeding, mulching and composting. In this series, we’ll focus on activities that are simple, low cost, and can be done with materials on hand or found on-line. Learn more.
Nature in Our Community - Why Biophilia Matters
When : May 13, 7:00-8:30pm
Biophilia is the premise that humans possess an innate connection to the natural world, supported by recent studies revealing that connection to nature continues to be a vital component of human health and well-being. Integrating the natural environment into the built environment further supports environmental resiliency, sustainability and economic vitality. Join EcoAction Arlington for an evening to explore biophilic cities and a preview of Arlington’s plan for integrating the natural world into our community as we develop, grow, and thrive. Learn more.
Conservation Advocacy 101 for HOAs and Condo Associations
When : May 14, 10:00-11:30am or June 17, 7:00-8:30pm
Impervious surface contributing to polluted water. Heavier rainstorms causing erosion. Expansive areas of turf grass with low ecologic value. Landscaping with invasive plants. As we think about all that impacts our degrading suburban and urban environments, it's also encouraging to know that we can act locally to create change. Learn more.
Spotted Lanternfly Update with Mark Sutphin
When : May 21, 10:00am
Join the Virginia Cooperative Extension for this webinar covering the spotted lanternfly (SLF) in Virginia: updates, how to identify SLF, and what is being done to help slow its spread. Learn more.
Sustainable Landscaping Solutions for Faith Communities
When : June 14, 2:00-4:30 pm
Where : Either via videoconference or St. Peter's in the Woods, Fairfax Station, VA
Join Plant NoVa Natives as they discuss how and why faith communities are using their places of worship to demonstrate stewardship of the Earth. Learn more.
Community News
Garden centers are open and brimming with native plants!
Most of the garden centers have posted their steps to ensure social distancing. Let's make this the best year ever for planting native plants!
Native-only sellers
  • Nature by Design has curbside pickup, and plenty of same-day browsing appointments are always available. Just give them a ring.
  • Earth Sangha is offering free delivery.
  • Watermark Woods offers curbside pickup as well as browsing.
Conventional nurseries
  • Each garden center has its own arrangement - check their websites. Plant NoVa Native volunteers have been able to put their Northern Virginia Native stickers on the native plants at many of them.
Information courtesy of Plant NoVa Natives