2019 Earth Science Week, Oct 13-19

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From David B. Spears, State Geologist to Va Master Naturalists

Virginia Master Naturalists,

Since 1998, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) has sponsored earth science week (ESW) during the month of October (www.earthscienceweek.org). This year, earth science week will be October 13-19. The theme of this year’s event is “Geoscience is for Everyone”, an exciting theme that encourages everyone to learn more about the earth sciences, regardless of their background, age, or ability. The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) has been an active supporter of earth science week for several years https://www.dmme.virginia.gov/dgmr/EarthScienceWeek.shtml. This year we are again reaching out to our colleagues in Virginia to promote this important event.

 

There are several ways that your chapter can get involved:

  • Sponsor an event during earth science week. It could be aligned with one of the special days designated during earth science week that focus on earthcaches, science literacy, getting students outside, diversity in earth science, fossils, geologic maps, and archaeology. Learn more about these focus days by visiting http://www.earthsciweek.org/focus-days. If you let us know about your event, we will promote it on our web site as well.
  • Encourage your members to submit an entry to the ESW video or photography, contests, which are open to all ages. Entries are due by 5 PM on Friday, October 18. To learn more, visit https://www.earthsciweek.org/contests.
  • Obtain a free Earth Science Week kit from AGI by visiting http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials. These kits are full of posters, activities, and additional resources. A limited number of kits are also available for pick-up directly from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy in Charlottesville or Big Stone Gap.

I hope you will be as excited about this event as I am. If you have any questions or need additional information, do not hesitate to contact DMME at (434) 951-6310.

Sincerely,
David B. Spears
State Geologist

Project FeederWatch Workshop, Nov. 9th

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National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston 20190
Saturday, 9 November 2019
9 – 11 am

Project FeederWatch is the easiest citizen science you will ever do! From the comfort of your home, you simply count the winter birds that visit your feeders and report your data to Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

This FREE workshop will cover a bit of the history of Project FeederWatch, its purpose, tips for identifying birds, and the protocols to be followed while counting. They’ll spend some time practicing with the birds at the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia feeders. Light refreshments will be served.

Instructor: Carol Hadlock, volunteer extraordinaire and pioneer with the Audubon at Home program, will instruct this workshop.

Although the workshop is FREE, registration is required.

100th NVSWCD Green Breakfast, Sep. 14th

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Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA
Saturday, 14 September 2019
8:30 am

Walking Tour of Fairfax County Government Center Stormwater Infrastructure

To celebrate the 100th Green Breakfast, you are invited to join us for a tour of the Fairfax County Government Center Stormwater Infrastructure.

Please Note: Special Location!
We will meet on the path at the start of the meadow behind and to the left of the main Government Center building, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia 22035. View a map showing the meeting place.

Gather beginning at 8:30 am, the tour begins at 9:00 am
No prior registration required. No breakfast provided this time.

The Green Breakfast will return to its regular location and breakfast on Saturday, November 9, 2019.

If you have any questions, please contact the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District at [email protected].

Raptor Education and Photo Encounter, Oct. 19th

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Mason Neck State Park Picnic Area

Red-tailed hawk

7301 High Point Rd, Lorton, VA 22079

Saturday, 19 October 2019
Two sessions: 10am or 1pm
$65 for either of the two 90-minute sessions

Would you like the opportunity to photograph magnificent raptors from just 10 feet away? Imagine being close to owls and hawks with your camera in a natural outdoor setting.

The Friends of Mason Neck State Park and Secret Garden Birds and Bees are offering a unique opportunity to get up close to some beautiful birds. Participants will be able to photograph raptors up close. At least four raptors, including a Red-shouldered Hawk, a Red-Tailed Hawk, an Eastern Screech Owl and a Barred Owl, will pose for you on a natural looking perch. You’ll hear from Secret Garden Birds and Bees staff about each one of them, making this a learning experience as well.

This is a fundraising event that will help the Friends continue to present programs and work on projects in support of the Park. $40 of each registration fee is tax deductible to the extent permissible by law.

Space is limited to 20 participants per session, so don’t wait to register! Register at  Raptor Photo Session.

Friends of Mason Neck Owl Moon Meeting, Sep. 14th

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Mason Neck State Park Visitor Center
7301 High Point Rd, Lorton, VA 22079
Saturday, 14 September 2019
7 – 9 pm

Imagine sitting outside in the Park as the evening skies grow dim.  The sounds of the night erupt as the park’s wildlife begins its nocturnal prowl.  You might hear the call of a coyote or the hoot of a majestic owl as it flies to defend its territory.

Join Friends of Mason Neck State Park under the tent for a very special program – “A Year in the Life of an Owl”.  Featuring a Barred Owl, a Great Horned Owl, and an Eastern Screech Owl, and presented by the raptor rehabilitators and educators of Secret Garden Birds and Bees, this is a ‘must see’ presentation.

What makes this so special?  In addition to being interesting and educational, you will have the rare opportunity to view and these magnificent raptors up close as the rehabilitator walks through the tent and literally brings the birds to you!

Learn what great horned owls, barred owls, barn owls, and eastern screech owls are doing from January through December. Follow them through courtship, nesting, raising young, fledging and finally dispersal of the young to their own territories.

This event is open to the general public.  Registration is only $10 per person, which will help to offset the cost of the program.  Entrance to the park is free (no parking fee) after 6:30 pm.  You can register at Owl Moon Registration.

HOAs and condo associations: Sustainable solutions to landscaping headaches, Oct. 4th & Nov. 2nd

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Northern Virginia Community College, Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center

Annandale Campus, Annandale VA Friday, October 4 or Saturday, November 2
(Choose one date to attend. The content will be identical.)
9:30am – 1 pm

Is your community association board dealing with erosion or flooding problems? Is your property management company paying to maintain a lot of lawn that is not being used? Is your landscaping committee looking for ways to beautify community property while supporting birds and butterflies?

Unused lawns. Impervious surface. Heavier rain storms. Invasive introduced plants. These are just some of the reasons for our degrading suburban and urban environments. But planting native plants can help address these problems while improving the overall beauty, sustainability, and ecology of our area.

Board members, landscape committees, property managers, and landscape maintenance companies are particularly encouraged to attend, but everyone is welcome. See details and sign up here.

Rain gardens for homeowners workshop, Sep. 21st

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Sully Government Center
4900 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly VA
Saturday, 21 September 2019
10am – 12 pm

Come to this FREE workshop to learn about designing and planting a rain garden at your home! Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground. A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off streets, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams, the Occoquan River and the Potomac River, which are drinking water supplies for the region. Speakers include specialists from Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. Registration is limited, learn more and register here.

Stream monitoring events, Sep. – Nov.

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Sugarland Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park, Herndon VA
Sunday, 8 September 2019
10:00am-12:30pm

Join Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District as they discover aquatic life in Sugarland 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.

Accotink Creek Stream Monitoring Session

Lake Accotink Park, Springfield VA
Saturday, 14 September 2019
9:30 – 11:30am

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.

Holmes Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

Roundtree Park, Falls Church VA
Saturday, 19 October 2019
9 – 11:30am

Join Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District as they discover aquatic life in Holmes 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.

Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop

Reston VA
Saturday, 19 October 2019
1:30 – 4:30pm

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

Reston VA
Saturday, 16 November 2019
11am – 2pm

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.

Behavior-centered design for the environment training

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Rare Center for Behavior and the Environment
1310 N. Courthouse Road, Suite 110, Arlington, VA, 22201
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 703.522.5070

October 16 & 17, 2019
9:00 am–5:00 pm

Register now

Want the key to unlocking greater impact from your environmental programs?

Environmental and conservation organizations have deep expertise in the natural sciences. But if human behavior is the biggest threat to the environment, we need a better understanding of what motivates people. Join Rare for an interactive behavior-centered design training, and gain tools and techniques for moving people toward more sustainable behaviors.

What is Behavior-Centered Design (BCD)?

A process that blends insights from the behavioral sciences and approaches from design thinking to build breakthrough solutions to environmental challenges.

Who is this training for?

• Conservation and environmental practitioners

• Program designers and policy staff

• Sustainability professionals

Why would a BCD training help you?

• Behavior is at the root of both conservation problems and solutions

• Strategies that incorporate human behavior can achieve larger and lasting impact

• BCD holds the potential for unlocking fundraising opportunities

• It provides a step-by-step process for identifying target behaviors and developing strategies       to achieve them

What will I leave the training with?

• Applicable skills and easy-to-use tools

• Hands-on experience with a behavior-centered design process

• A tutorial on Rare’s behavior change toolkit

• A  membership in a learning network of practitioners

 

Upcoming programs at the gorgeous Clifton Institute

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Six exciting programs are coming up at The Clifton Institute:

Creatures of the Night

Walk with A Naturalist

Bugscaping: Regenerative Landscaping for the 21st Century

Colors of Clifton: Preserving the Palette of Autumn

Mindful Naturalists: Nature Yoga

Nature Journaling with Joyce Andrew

 

Some are free, some have a small fee, all require registration.