August 2020
Watershed Calendar
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Hello ,
Many traditional 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. Read on and see all the cool things happening in your community this month, because we're happy to share them with you!
We are offering a limited number of stream monitoring workshops this month that comply with CDC and VASOS recommendations for social distancing and safety. We hope to continue to offer these opportunities as we move into fall, and they'll be announced here in the Watershed Calendar.
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
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Stream Monitoring Workshops |
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NVSWCD resumes workshops in August! |
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NVSWCD stream monitoring workshops are resuming, with safety as our first priority. It may seem very different than the stream monitoring that you're used to, but we hope to have you join us.
New precautions for stream monitoring workshops include:
- social distancing and spacing out equipment
- small group sizes
- masks are required for all participants
We expect these workshops to fill up quickly, so follow the links below to register or join the waitlist. Priority is given to volunteers who have completed the IWLA online training.
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Cub Run, Centreville - Wednesday, August 19, 5:00-7:30pm - Register Here
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Horsepen Run, Herndon - Thursday, August 27, 5:00-7:30pm - Register Here
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Big Rocky Run, Centreville - Friday, September 11, 10:00am-12:30pm (9/11 Day of Service) - Register Here
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NVSWCD/VASWCD Opportunities |
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NVSWCD "Soil" Your Undies Challenge
Participate July-September 2020
Have you ever wondered how healthy your soil is? Take the Soil Your Undies Challenge and find out! NVSWCD is challenging farmers and ranchers across Fairfax County to bury a pair of cotton underwear as part of a campaign to promote soil health awareness. Find out more on our website!
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Conservation Poster Contest
Where would we BEE without pollinators?
Submit by: August 14, 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.
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VCAP FY2021 now Accepting Site Visit Applications!
Closes August 19, 2020 @ 5:00pm
It's that time of year again! The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program's goal is to improve water quality in local rivers and streams by helping participants mitigate their drainage and erosion problems with stormwater best management practices. To apply for a site visit, please visit the Site Visit Request application here.
Timeline for FY2021
- August 19th, 2020 at 5:00pm - Site Visit Request period closes. No applications will be accepted after this date, NO EXCEPTIONS.
- September 2nd - Staff will begin reaching out to the top 50 site visit request applications and site visits will begin.
- December 16th - Site visits will be completed by this date.
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Stream Monitoring
Citizen Science & Training Opportunities
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Stream Selfie
You can collect and share important data on the amount of trash at your neighborhood stream, if your stream is monitored for water quality, and more, just by taking a quick photo. Your observations will help us tell the story of our country’s waterways. Snap a stream selfie and check out other submissions! While you're at it, check out all the other cool citizen science projects on SciStarter!
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Creek Critters
Ready to start monitoring, but not quite ready to take on official training and certification? Creek Critters has got you covered! This app guides you step by step through the process of finding and identifying bugs in your stream. Perfect for families, public programs, and even as a solo activity, Creek Critters is easy and fun. Collect bugs by following simple step-by-step instructions, and identify your bugs with an interactive identification key. Once you’ve identified your bugs, Creek Critters does the rest! The app automatically calculates your Stream Health Score based on your findings. This score can tell you how healthy your stream is! Learn more and get started!
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Izaak Walton League Stream Monitoring Training
Want to become a certified Save Our Streams monitor? Now you can start the certification process from the comfort of your home with online interactive webinars! Simply watch the video versions of in-person training lectures: Introduction to Water Quality and Introduction to Macroinvertebrates. Miss the live sessions? You can still watch the recordings! After viewing the trainings, you have the opportunity to take part of the stream monitor certification exam, with the in-person portion to follow. See all the information you need here!
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Virtual Community Opportunities, Events & Webinars |
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Xerces Society - Gardening for Invertebrates Webinar Series
Webinar: Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary on Your Property
When: Thursday, August 27, 7:00-8:30pm
Co-hosted by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and Friends of Mason Neck State Park. What can you do on your own property to attract and support wildlife? To learn how, join us! $5 registration fee. Learn more and register here.
Wetland Ecology
When: Tuesday, September 8, 7:30pm
Dr. Christian Jones of George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center will give a presentation titled “Wetland Ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic: Types, Functions and Threats.” Hosted on Zoom by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, registration required in advance. To sign up, please email info@fodm.org and put “September 8 program” in the subject line and your name in the body of the email. Free.
Virtual Walk & Talk: Healthier Streams for a Healthier Community
When: Thursday, September 10, 7:00-8:30pm
Join Fairfax County staff Charles Smith & JoAnne Fiebe for a virtual walk and talk about ideas for making this stream part of the community again. We’ll show videos of a recent site visit, talk with Charles and JoAnne about the vision for the Route 1 redevelopment, and talk about how, as we face bigger rain storms, redevelopment can be tied to creating healthier streams, and therefore a healthier world for us. Free. Register and learn more.
HOAs and Condo Associations: Planning and Managing Common Open Space
When: Friday, September 25 and Saturday, October 24 (choose one) 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Join us for an engaging session on ecologically sustainable community master planning and land management in Loudoun County. The examples will be from Loudoun but the information is applicable anywhere, so all are welcome. Details here.
Conservation Advocacy 101 for HOAs and Condo Associations
We can act locally in our own communities to create change. Learn how you can make a difference. You'll get a chance to think about your own community, begin developing your own action plan, and participate in breakout discussions. Requested donation $10-$20. Click on the dates above to register.
Plants Shaped by Water
When: Tuesday, November 10
Charles Smith will give a presentation on plants shaped by water. We will hold this meeting via Zoom. Hosted on Zoom by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, registration required in advance. To sign up, please email info@fodm.org and put “November 10 program” in the subject line and your name in the body of the email. Free.
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All Around the Garden
Gardening Webinars and Resources
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Virtual Master Gardener Helpdesk
Join Virgnia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Summer 2020 for Virtual Plant Clinics! The once in person clinics are now on a virtual online platform with current social distancing restrictions due to COVID-19. Master Gardener volunteers at these clinics offer free, unbiased, and research- based advice on selecting and caring for your ornamental plants, vegetables, and lawn. This is a FREE service. Clinics will be offered three times a week at varying times. Check out this link for more details!
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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
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Nature by Design has curbside pickup, and plenty of same-day browsing appointments are always available. Just give them a ring.
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Earth Sangha is offering free delivery.
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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.
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Do No Plant Unsolicited Seeds from China
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is aware that people across the country have received unsolicited packages of seed from China in recent days. APHIS is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection and State departments of agriculture to prevent the unlawful entry of prohibited seeds and protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and noxious weeds.
Anyone who receives an unsolicited package of seeds from China should immediately contact their State plant regulatory official or APHIS State plant health director. Please hold onto the seeds and packaging, including the mailing label, until someone from your State department of agriculture or APHIS contacts you with further instructions. Do not plant seeds from unknown origins.
People with questions can also call:
844-820-2234
Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
Virginia Contact: Karen A. Williams, USDA APHIS PPQ
5657 South Laburnum Ave., Richmond VA 23231-4536
Office Phone: 804-226-5262
Cell Phone: 757-812-2064
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By Rebecca Shoer, Save Our Streams Coordinator
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By Janet Quinn, Fairfax Master Naturalists
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