Sangha Stewards Applications Open Now!

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Image courtesy of Earth Sangha

Sangha Stewards Application here.

Earth Sangha is excited to announce that they’re opening applications for their Sangha Steward program! The Sangha Stewards is a way for volunteers looking for more independent and technical work to join them at their nursery, field sites, and office to help them manage more complex tasks and receive extra training.

Sangha Stewards will be invited to work more closely with their staff and to join their monthly staff training sessions (they’ll have snacks!). Days and times are more flexible and they’re looking to work with their Stewards to develop their skills and what sort of work they’re most interested in.

They have four categories for Sangha Stewards:

Nursery and Propagation: While they already do a lot of potting up, they frequently have species that need a little bit more detailed care: perhaps it’s a tray with mixed species, maybe they have delicate seedlings that need to be teased apart, or they need someone with a keen eye and a steady hand to remove weeds among rare or sensitive native plants. Or maybe you just want to relax and help them hand water through the summer. This is work that can be done independently or as part of our regular volunteer days.

Building and Infrastructure: They always have a backlog of maintenance and construction tasks at the nursery, whether it’s adjusting irrigation lines or helping them build more oak and hickory rodent exclosures. If you’re handy with tools, they could use the help here!

Invasives and Field Sites: The invasives never sleep, so they could use an extra set of eyes and hands out at some of their field sites. This could mean checking sites periodically for Early Detection Rapid Response species or even doing a little bit of independent pulling or helping them lead volunteers at their field days. They’ll make sure to familiarize you with their sites and train you on the species and areas they’re looking to target. Keeping invasive vines off their Habitat Refuges will be one of their top priorities.

Office: For those of you who would rather be inside, they do need periodic help at their office. It may not be as frequent as the other categories, but printing labels and helping them organize their Acorn newsletter mailings would be a big help!

If you’re interested in joining, they’ve put together a Google Form you can fill out (see link above) and Michaelanne will be in touch soon. (If you have any questions, please see the volunteer page of our website or email Michaelanne at [email protected].) As they’re beginning this program, they’re going to limit the number of spots; as they grow, if folks are interested, they can open up this opportunity to more people.

CE – Blue Bird Trail at River Farm, March 7th

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New on-line CE opportunity for FMN.

When: Thursday evening, March 7th at 7pm.
How long: Approximately 1 hour
Description: Eastern Bluebirds were once as common as robins in Northern Virginia until the early 20th century when introduced species, habitat loss and pesticides caused alarming population declines. Join in to learn how this lovely species has made a heartening comeback and how Fairfax Master Naturalists are helping at Washington’s River Farm.

Presenter: FMN Susan Farmer is a longtime Blue Bird nesting box monitor at Huntley Meadows and a member of Virginia Blue Bird Society. She is the FMN liaison for the FMN-AHS partnership and recently organized the installation of 8 nesting boxes at River Farm. An article on that installation may be found in this newsletter.

This is an FMN only CE session and registration is required via Better Impact (BI) by 5 March.

To register:
1. Login to BI and click on your ‘Opportunities’ tab.
2. Select ‘Opportunity Calendar’ from the pull-down list.
3. Find event in the displayed calendar and click on it to see event details.
4. To sign up, click on the ‘Sign Up’ box in the lower right. This automatically signs you up and puts the event on your personal calendar.
5. To claim 1 CE hour: please use “All Continuing Education -> FMN All other Chapter Training”, as the Approved Org.

6. The Zoom session link will be sent to all who register by 5 March. The email will be sent to the email of record in BI. The session will be recorded.

FCPS Science Fair Judges Needed, Various Dates

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Image courtesy of FCPS.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is looking for science experts to judge their Fairfax County Science Fairs across the county.

Local FCPS Science Fair Judges

— Local high schools are looking for judges for their individual fairs.
— Judges do not need any prior experience judging but should have a background in science.

Regional Science Fair Category Judges

— Saturday, March 16, 2024 at Robinson Secondary School, 5035 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA
— Judges need to have an education and expertise in one of the many categories at Regional Fair.
— All interested parties are encouraged to apply but should preferably hold an advanced degree or possess extensive academic and/or professional experience in a science or engineering category.
— Chairpersons are needed to oversee the judging for each category.
— Parents, teachers, and family friends are not allowed to judge in categories in which their child, student, or family friend’s child is competing.

Please fill out this Google Form to indicate how you’re interested in supporting FCPS Science Fairs.

Invasive Removal and Habitat Restoration, Various Dates

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Photo: FMN Margaret Fisher, Trees being engulfed by invasive plants

Various dates and times

Various locations

Join these efforts to remove invasive species, repair trails, and otherwise beautify natural spaces! Visit the links below to learn more.

Winter Waterfowl Count, February 3rd and 4th

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Photo by FMN Ana Ka’ahanui.

Saturday, February 3, 7:00 AM – Sunday, February 4 – 2:00 PM
Various locations
FREE, but registration is required!

The Winter Waterfowl Count is a citizen science effort organized by Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) to track data about winter waterfowl. This survey complements the Christmas Bird Count, and the data is shared openly with the public. When it started in 2008, ASNV volunteers covered the Potomac River from Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County to Quantico Marine Base in Prince William County, as well as many inland bodies of water. In 2020 ASNV expanded the survey to include areas along the Potomac River in King George and Westmoreland Counties down to the mouth of the Potomac River where it empties into Chesapeake Bay.

Although ASNV expect many veterans from past years to return, they can always use new volunteers. Beginners are welcome but are strongly encouraged to attend the Duck and Waterfowl Identification webinar on January 25. Each volunteer will be assigned to a team led by an experienced birder. Each team determines the start time, which will vary between 7:00 and 8:30am. End times may also vary depending on assigned survey locations.

This count is organized by Larry Cartwight. The deadline to register is Tuesday, January 30 at 9:00 PM so that you can be assigned to a team in time for the count on Saturday morning.

Larry Cartwright is an avid birder and leads several avian related surveys in Northern Virginia. He lectures on birds and birding for the Lifetime Learning Institute at Northern Virginia Community College. His lecture topics have included the evolution of birds from feathered theropod dinosaurs and birding in the Alaskan tundra. Larry has received several awards from scientific and conservation organizations, including the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s Jackson M. Abbott Conservation Award for 2013.

Surveys: Occoquan Bay NWR Natural Resources, November 29th and/or December 20th

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Photo: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher by Rusty Moran

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 and/or
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
7:30 am – 12 pm
Occoquan Bay NWR
13950 Dawson Beach Road
Woodbridge, VA

Participation is limited. Email to make a reservation here.

Many know Northern Virginia for its economic dynamism, cultural development and ever-changing landscape. Less well known are the places sheltering remnants of an earlier, vital, natural history. If you would like to discover native birds, other fauna and flora — in the company of dedicated citizen scientists — then consider joining one or more of the continuing natural resource surveys at Occoquan Bay NWR, Meadowood Recreation Area and other parks and preserves in eastern Fairfax and Prince William Counties. Each of these publicly-protected sites has a particular blend of habitats representative of Northern Virginia’s special natural character.

A report of each of the weekly, monthly surveys is emailed to participants as well as the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and other managing agencies. Summary reports, checklists and analyses of survey data provide an up-to-date inventory of species and insight into the state of populations.

Service Project at Monticello Park, November 19th

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Photo: Northern Parula by Randy Streufert

Sunday, November 19, 2023
1 – 3 pm
Monticello Park
320 Beverly Drive, Alexandria

This program is part of Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Stretch Our Parks initiative, in partnership with the staff of Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Culture.

Please join them for a service project in Monticello Park to restore trails damaged by erosion and remove non-native invasive plants to make room for more native plants that will benefit all of the park’s wildlife including its birdlife. This park is well loved among birders – so pitch in to help keep this gem of a park in good shape!

Please dress in layers, wear solid footwear and bring work gloves if you have them.

About Monticello Park: Among local birders, this 6.5-acre park is renowned for its great diversity of migrating warblers; nearly all eastern species have occurred here. The park’s creek is a focus for migrant activity, which is significant throughout the day. A steep canyon and creek are the prominent features of the site. This site was designated a Community Forest. Visit mpnature.com to learn more about the bird species that depend on this crucial migration stop-over.

“Take Back the Forest” Twin Lakes Golf Course Invasives Management Area, November 5th

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Photo Image: Courtesy of FMN Joe Gorney

Sunday, 5 November 2023
2:00-6:00 PM

Twin Lakes Golf Course
Invasives Management Area
6201 Union Mill Road
Clifton, Virginia

Site Leader Contact Information:
Joe Gorney
Cell/Text: 703-861-7322
[email protected]

FMN Members,

I’m the Site Leader for the Twin Lakes Golf Course Invasives Management Area in Centreville (just south of the Centreville High School). I have a workday planned for Sunday afternoon, November 5, staring at 2:00 PM. While I already have my full slate of 10 volunteers for that day (mostly students and their parents), I’m soliciting extra FMN volunteers to remove large vines and shrubs from a particularly overgrown area. I have reserved a large (30 yards) roll-off dumpster for the day, which will only be available for the weekend, and I would like to fill it.

The work would consist primarily of lopping or sawing off woody vegetation and dragging it about 75 yards to the dumpster. Our tools will be loppers and small tree saws. The principal targets include Autmn olive, Asiatic bittersweet, honeysuckle vine, and honeysuckle shrub. We might also dig out some of the roots with shovels.

If you are able to help on that day, please let me know via email. Although this event is already “full” on the on-line FCPA volunteer system (which is capped at ten volunteers), I could use at least another 10 people so that we can fill the dumpster! While I normally plan my volunteer workdays for two hours, I plan to keep cutting and dragging from 2:00-6:00 PM, to take full advantage of the dumpster. I will also reserve extra loppers, saws, shovels, tarps, and gloves from FCPA for the workday. I will report volunteer information and hours worked to FCPA after the event.

Please let me know if you can help “Take Back the Forest.” Thanks!

Supplies:
Tools and gloves will be supplied. Please bring water, insect repellant, and sunscreen. Wear long sleeves, long pants, hats, and sturdy shoes.

Parking:
Enter the golf course from the main entry off of Union Mill Road, just south of Centreville High School. Once you enter through the gates, drive about 0.4 miles to the northern clubhouse parking lot and turn left into the lot. Park along the northern edge of the parking lot, closest to Work Area 1.

Work Areas:
Work areas are the north of the northern parking lot. Most student volunteers will continue to focus on Area 1. FMN volunteers will focus on the mature invasives within Area 2.

Joe Gorney

TWIN Lakes IMA Site Leader
[email protected]

Invasive Removal and Habitat Restoration, October and November Dates

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Photo: Earth Sangha, Section of restored native woods at the preserve.

Join these efforts to remove invasive species, repair trails, and otherwise beautify natural spaces!

Stream Monitoring Citizen Science & Training Opportunities, October and November Dates

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Photo by FMN J. Quinn, Stream monitoring at Pohick Creek.

 

Little Difficult Run Stream Monitoring Field Training

When: Saturday, October 21, 2023
9:00-11:30am
Where: Fred Crabtree Park, Herndon

This beautiful stream site is located a short hike into the woods and has a large diversity of macroinvertebrates. A visit to this site is highly recommended for anyone looking to practice their macroinvertebrate identification skills, for their VASOS certification or for fun! Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Sugarland Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Monday, November 6, 2023
2:00-4:30pm
Where: Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park, Herndon

This site is lovely in the fall, and we usually find some fun hellgrammites and crayfish. This site is also close to one of the largest great blue heron breeding and nesting grounds in the region, and we may see some visitors from their northern range in the area. Pretty neat! Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

Pohick Stream Monitoring Field Training

When: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
2:00-4:30pm
Where: Pohick Creek Stream Valley Park, Springfield

This site has a greater flow and wider stream than any of our other sites. Does more water mean more macros? Only one way to find out… Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Big Rocky Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Saturday, November 11, 2023
1:00-3:30pm
Where: Cabell’s Mill, Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Chantilly

Join us for our last stream monitoring of the fall season! Volunteers at this site often visit and enjoy the park’s nature center and interpretive trails. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

More Training and Stream Monitoring Opportunities

The NoVa Soil & Water Conservation teams are  very excited to contribute their stream data to state and national datasets. If you’d like to see data from all the NVSWCD regional stream monitoring team’s active sites, you can find our organization on the Clean Water Hub.