Animal caretaker needed, Riverbend Park

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Photo: Barbara J. Saffir (c)

Riverbend Park

8700 Potomac Hills St.
Great Falls, VA 22066

Do you love animals? Riverbed Park is seeking volunteers to help care for their display animals at the Visitor Center and the Nature Center. Duties include feeding, watering, cleaning tanks/enclosures and monitoring the animals. Learn about the natural history of reptiles and amphibians. Volunteers younger than 16 may be able to participate with an adult upon approval from the Animal Care Manager. Training is provided.  Interested?

Service opportunity: Vernal pool monitor

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Huntley Meadows Park

3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria, VA 22306

Do you enjoy muddy boots, long off-trail walks, and learning about the life cycles of amphibians? Then this is the volunteer opportunity for you!

Purpose: To monitor vernal pools, including flora and fauna. To record pool data, record and identify species, and determine breeding cycles.

Duties: Complete survey protocol every 2-3 weeks year round. Record environmental data using monitoring equipment and identify and count faunal species including egg masses, in accordance with protocol. Follow safety procedures.

Qualifications: Must have a strong interest in nature and the stewardship of Fairfax County. Ability to work independently, off-trail over uneven terrain for up to 4 miles, in a variety of weather conditions. Willingness to learn faunal identification, including egg masses and tadpoles. Ability and willingness to enter vernal pools to complete survey. Must complete the training program. Weekday availability. Must attend site orientation and on-the-job training as required. Volunteer and Outdoor Safety Training will be provided.

ContactHalley Johnson
703-768-2525
[email protected]

More about this and other Huntley Meadow opportunities here. 

Master Naturalists:  This opportunity falls under a pre-approved service project in the Service Project Catalog on the website.  Record your hours as C106-FCPA Citizen Science Programs. This project covers data collection on wildlife populations, native plants or other natural resources for Fairfax County Park Authority’s nature centers, such as Huntley Meadows Park, and Fairfax County Park Authority’s Resource Management Division.

Saving the Earth one person at a time: Volunteer to staff a table for Plant NOVA Natives

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Photo by Barbara J. Saffir (c)

Please sign up here to talk about the value of planting native plants with visitors to the Mount Vernon District Environment Expo: Saving the Earth One Person at a Time.

November 10, 2018
7:15 – 11:15 am

Post this lovely flyer where people might see it: enviroexpoposter-flyer-final

Animal Care, Native Plants & More at Hidden Oaks

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Hidden Oaks Nature Center is a great place to volunteer!  It has welcoming staff, training and support, and flexible scheduling.  To top it off, there’s a warm feeling for friendship and belonging, often expressed at volunteer socials and get-togethers.  Come join us!

Visitor Information Desk – Volunteers needed Saturdays & Sundays, 12-5 pm.  Greet visitors and orient them to the exhibits, park and programs.

Native Plant Gardener – Through October, includes weeding and occasionally watering or mulching the space, weekly or every other week.  Fairfax Master Naturalists’ support is recognized with a permanent sign in the garden!

Animal care:  Dates & times flexible – feed and care for animals on exhibit.

Scout Merit Badge Programs:  Assist staff naturalists in leading scout merit badge programs, such as Environmental Science, Mammal Study, Reptile & Amphibian, Wonders of Water, Sustainability.

To volunteer, contact Suzanne Holland, or call 703-941-1065.

Hidden Oaks Nature Center  7701 Royce St., Annandale VA

Write articles for FCPA ResOURces newsletter (yes, for credit)

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If you enjoy writing about the natural world, and want to educate and inspire visitors to Fairfax County parks, consider becoming a volunteer journalist. In this capacity, you’ll choose a recreation center or park site and learn as much as you can about it. When you’re ready and the deadlines are within reach, you will write articles for the ResOURces newsletter. (And earn service hours–good deal in the wintertime, especially). Code EO12

Interested? Contact Tammy Schwab

Potomac Conservancy Native Tree Planting, October 20th

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Saturday, 20 October 18

10:00am-12:00pm

Stonegate Park, Frederick, MD

Volunteer opportunity! Do your part to stop pollution and restore our hometown river by spending a fall morning planting trees! Bring your friends and family and join Team Potomac and Stream-Link Education as they plant 200 trees at Stonegate Park in Frederick, MD on Saturday, October 20! You know that trees and fresh air go hand-in-hand, but trees are also a river’s best friend. Our healthy forested lands protect the water we drink and the river we love. Learn about the essential link between trees and healthy rivers while getting tips on how to plant your own trees at home and enjoying the great outdoors. Learn more details about the event and register.

Improve wildlife habitat with Northern Virginia Conservation Trust

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The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT) sponsors volunteer events that take place on properties that they own or on properties that have conservation easements on them throughout Northern VA. Volunteers help remove  invasive species, plant trees, and clean up trash.

The goal is to improve the wildlife habitat on these properties, and improve the water quality within the watersheds where many of these properties are located. Through these projects, NVCT hopes to educate and motivate Northern Virginians to plant native species, protect wildlife habitat, identify and remove invasive species, and simply enjoy nature.

Events are usually scheduled on the weekends. See calendar and Meet-up site, and FMN service project calendar. Most events last for two hours and take place between September and May.

No training or experience is required before participating in one of our events. The staff person on-hand will provide any training before the event starts. Volunteers should dress appropriately (long pants, long sleeves, hats, sturdy shoes), gloves/hand tools (if they have them), water, and snack. NVCT will bring any necessary equipment and supplies.

Help plant natives this Sunday, October 7th

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Mount Vernon Government Center

2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA

Sunday. 7 October 2018

4-6 pm

Join in a fall planting event in the newly established gardens at the Mount Vernon Government Center!  The group will be installing native plants in the front planting beds that were established this past spring.

They will also continue with some weeding of the planting beds as time allows.

Bring your favorite garden tool(s), gloves, snack and a bottle of water.
Since you will be working in the gardens please dress appropriately for this type of work including a hat, sunscreen, long sleeve shirt and long pants, and good shoes for working outdoors.

For questions and to register, contact Cathy Ledec.

Fairfax County Parks Watershed Clean Up Day, October 13th

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Saturday, 13 October 2018
9-11:30am
Multiple locations
Do your part to clean up our parks and local waterways by registering to participate in a Watershed Clean Up Day event. Volunteers are needed from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Cub Run RECenter, Hidden Pond Nature Center, Huntley Meadows Park, Lake Accotink Park, Lincolnia Park, Riverbend Park and Scotts Run. For details and to sign up, call the site or visit the website. This a great activity for community and scout groups to earn service hours. For information about clean-ups at non-staffed sites, contact Julie Tahan at 703-324-8740.

What’s in these streams? Come find out!

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Ever wonder what’s living in our local streams? Join a stream monitoring team and help gauge local water quality by surveying aquatic organisms living on the stream bottom. Led by certified stream monitors, the teams welcome interested observers and offer an opportunity to explore Northern Virginia’s lovely creeks.

NVSWCD Sugarland Run Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Saturday, 6 October 2018, 10 am-12:30pm
Where: Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park, Herndon

Registration is required and limited. Register by email to Ashley Palmer at [email protected], Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Education Specialist.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Stream Monitoring Session
When: Sunday, 7 October 2018, 10:30am-12:30pm
Where: Goose Creek

Limit 7. Registration required. The exact location will be sent to registered participants closer to the date. The rain date for this event is October 14. Contact [email protected] for registration and questions.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Stream Monitoring Session
When: Sunday, 14 October 2018, 9-11am
Where: Waterford

Limit 7. Registration required. The exact location will be sent to registered participants closer to the date. The rain date for this event is October 21. Contact [email protected] for registration and questions.

Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop
When: Saturday, 20 October 2018, 1-4pm
Where: Reston
Get involved with a small team to collect data and identify insects with the goal of assessing the health of Reston’s stream. Not only do you get to learn about streams, it also provides an opportunity to make new friends. Learn more and register.
Holmes Run Stream Monitoring Session
When: Sunday, 21 October 2018, 9am-12pm
Where: Falls Church
Join a volunteer certified stream monitor as she assesses ecological conditions in streams, based on the presence and abundance of bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Registration is required and limited. Register by email to Valerie Bertha.
Hidden Pond Stream Monitoring Session
When: Saturday, November 3, 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Springfield
Join a volunteer certified stream monitor as she assesses ecological conditions in streams, based on the presence and abundance of bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Registration is required and limited to 5 registrants. Register by email to Susan Demsko.