Stream Monitoring Events: Serve and Learn

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Certified Monitors Networking and Team Building Workshop

Saturday, November 18

Time: 11am – 1pm

Location: Manassas National Battlefield, Administrative HQ Building

The Northern Virginia and Prince William Soil and Water Conservation Districts are proud to announce the first networking and team building event for certified volunteer stream monitors! Meet fellow certified monitors, discuss best practices with long-time volunteers and staff from the two Conservation Districts, and hear about new national-level stream initiatives from the Izaak Walton League, the coordinators of the Virginia Save Our Streams Program. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Dan Schwartz. Open only to volunteer monitors who have passed their certification test.

 

Stream Monitoring Workshop: Reston

Monday, November 20

Time: 10am – 1pm

Location: Snakeden Branch behind the Walker Nature Center, Reston

Join Walker Nature Center staff as they monitor Snakeden Branch in the forested parkland behind the Center. To RSVP and get directions, please fill out a Reston Volunteer Application and then sign up through the event calendar.

Habitat Network, A Citizen Science Social Network

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Cornell Ornithology Lab and The Nature Conservancy have joined together to create Habitat Network (http://content.yardmap.org), the first citizen science social network. Habitat Network is a citizen science project designed to cultivate a richer understanding of wildlife habitat, for both professional scientists and people concerned with their local environments. They collect data by asking individuals across the country to literally draw maps of their backyards, parks, farms, favorite birding locations, schools, and gardens. They connect you with your landscape details and provide tools for you to make better decisions about how to manage landscapes sustainably.
The kinds of questions  they are seeking to answer with your help are:
1 What practices improve the wildlife value of residential landscapes?
2 Which of these practices have the greatest impact?
3 Over how large an area do we have to implement these practices to really make a difference?
4 What impact do urban and suburban wildlife corridors and stopover habitats have on birds?
5 Which measures (bird counts? nesting success?) show the greatest impacts of our practices?

Members, Service Project C253-Habitat Yard Mapping has been approved for your use.  You can map your own yard, a local park, or other public or private property for which you have access permission.

September 30th: Growing Native – Get Nuts for Public Lands!

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Growing Native season is almost here! Try your hand at tree and seed ID while doing your part for the Potomac.

Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to help collect native tree seeds in the beautiful and historic Leesylvania State Park.

These seeds will go to local nurseries that grow trees for reforesting efforts across the region.

What could possibly make this day even better?

September 30th is National Public Lands Day! National Public Lands Day is the largest single volunteer effort for public lands. If this year is anything like the last, you will be joining over 75,000 volunteers at more than 2,100 public land sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to do your part for these national treasures.

  Leesylvania State Park
2001 Daniel K Ludwig Drive
Woodbridge, VA, 22191United States (map)

Visit the Potomac Conservancy website to learn more