“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.

Survey: Meadowood Butterfly and Dragonfly Survey, October 20th

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Photo by Plant NOVA Natives, Mourning Cloak Butterfly

  

Meadowood Recreation Area
10406 Gunston Road
Lorton, VA, 22079 United States (map)

Butterfly and dragonfly surveys are carried out in temperate months (April-October), normally on Friday mornings, at one of four sites around Occoquan Bay, all within the 15-mile diameter circle established for the annual North American Butterfly Association’s Annual Count.

The results of these surveys are made available to the participants and other interested individuals and agencies, including the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, and agencies of the U.S. Interior Department. The results of the butterfly-dragonfly surveys are summarized, along with the results of the general surveys, in an annual report.

Participation is limited. Email us to make a reservation here.

AHS – Projects and Partnerships

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Article by FMN Susan Farmer

Fairfax Master Naturalists  chapter is partnering with the American Horticultural Society (AHS) at their River Farm location in Fairfax County. River Farm is a beautiful 27-acre property located along the George Washington Parkway overlooking the Potomac River that has been AHS headquarters since 1973. The River Farm location is one of George Washington’s original five farms.

AHS headquarters – photo Jerry Nissley

Members of Virginia Master Naturalists, Fairfax Chapter (FMN) will provide volunteers in support of AHS activities as well as promote awareness of AHS educational opportunities inline with the FMN mission.

To help celebrate their 50th year at River Farm, AHS initiated several new projects in 2023. With the help of volunteers, River Farm is replacing the old azalea garden with 2400 native plants, converting a large lawn into a native meadow, renewing all the bluebird boxes, building a greenhouse, and creating an accessible path through the wooded area to the riverfront. FMN will be working with other AHS volunteers and staff to fulfill their vision.

AHS Border garden – photo Jerry Nissley

FMN created three project codes to cover AHS Stewardship projects, Educational programs, and Citizen Science opportunities.

S275: Stewardship Projects at American Horticultural Society River Farm
E275: Educational Projects at American Horticultural Society River Farm
C275: Citizen Science Projects at American Horticultural Society River Farm

AHS formal garden – photo Jerry Nissley

Two opportunities on the top of their list for FMN are the removal of invasive vines to prep for native plantings and to re-establish their bluebird trail. The Invasive Vine Removal Program will be on consecutive Saturday mornings beginning October 7th. Help restructuring the bluebird trail and then subsequently monitoring the boxes will start very soon. FMN Susan Farmer has volunteered to be the FMN liaison for all projects at River Farm.

If you would like to get involved at this national showcase for gardening and horticultural practices along gorgeous river front property, please contact Susan at [email protected]

AHS HQ view from River side – photo Jerry Nissley

National Public Lands Day, September 23rd

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For 30 years, National Public Lands Day has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands.

Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to be a part of their celebration of National Public Lands Day by taking part in any of a wide selection of service activities to protect the natural, cultural and recreational resources of our treasured park system!

Check out their list of service opportunities by location that day.

Image: Courtesy of Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District

Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District: Soil Your Undies Campaign

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Article and Images Courtesy of The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District

 

Soil Your Undies Campaign

Soil Your Undies Challenge

The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District is challenging residents all across Fairfax County to bury a pair of cotton underwear as part of a campaign to promote soil health awareness. How does it work? Just bury a pair of cotton underwear and dig it back up after at least 60 days. It’s the quick and dirty way to test the microbial activity in your soil. The more the underwear is deteriorated, the healthier your soil!

Although you can use the Soil Your Undies Challenge to check your soil health at any time, the most microbial activity occurs during the warm summer months, making this an easy and fun addition to your summer break plans!

Soil Your Undies Challenge Steps

Join the Challenge!

Step 1: Look for a place where you want to study the health of the soil. Make sure you are only studying sites on your property or with the permission of the landowner.

Step 2: Bury a pair of white cotton undies (or any white cotton clothing item) 3 inches under the soil’s surface. Be sure to take a “before” photo.

Step 3: Don’t forget to mark your study site with a flag or other easily-identifiable marker!

Step 4: Wait at least 60 days (this is the hard part…)

Step 5: Locate your marked study site and dig up your cotton undies. Be sure to take an “after” photo.

Step 6: How healthy is your soil? Healthier soils have a lot of microbial activity, and the healthy fungi and bacteria in the soil will break down your cotton undies. The more degraded your undies are, the more microbial activity you have in your soil, and the healthier your soil is.

Step 7: Share the results of your citizen science project! Email your photos and any notes you may have to [email protected], and share your results with us on Facebook @nvswcd and on Instagram @NorthernVirginiaSWCD. We’ll be sharing our results with you, too!

About Soil Health

Healthy soil contains billions of microbes that consume organic material (in this case, cotton underwear). In fact, one teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microbes than there are people on the planet. In addition to chowing down on organic matter like cotton, they also help soil resist erosion, cycle nutrients, and store water.

As world population and food production demands rise, keeping our soil healthy and productive is of paramount importance. By farming using soil health principles and systems that include no-till, cover cropping, and diverse rotations, more and more farmers are increasing their soil’s organic matter and improving microbial activity. As a result, farmers are sequestering more carbon, increasing water infiltration, improving wildlife and pollinator habitat—all while harvesting better profits and often better yields. In backyards, healthy soil can promote the growth of a healthy lawn and landscaping, as well as help water infiltrate and prevent erosion.

You can improve soil health by following these four steps:

  1. Avoid soil disturbance wherever and whenever possible.
  2. Maximize soil cover with living plants and residue.
  3. Maximize biodiversity by growing a variety of plants and managed integration of livestock.
  4. Maximize living roots in the soil throughout the year.

Plan Pollination

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Cover photo Jerry Nissley

The pollinator garden redux at the Potomac River Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge is certainly not a complete success story yet but the story behind how it got started and kicked off is a complement to success.

FMN table at Eagle Festival (Photo Jerry Nissley)

Let’s rewind … FMN set up an outreach table the Mason Neck Eagle Festival a few months ago. Near day’s end Gabby Youngken, Visitor Services Specialist at Potomac River NWRC, stopped by to see if FMN could advise them on how to refurbish their on-site pollinator garden. As circumstances would have it Sarah Mayhew had recently established an FMN Chapter Project (CP179) at Mason Neck to do their gardens. With FMN Steph Johnson as technical advisor, Sarah and other FMN members, along with Friends of Mason Neck, developed a phased work and maintenance plan/schedule and were in the midst of working it.

‘Before’ picture (Photo Jerry Nissley)

Fast forward … Because everything was documented the Mason Neck plan was easily extensible to NRWC. Surely since NWRC is directly across Belmont Bay from MNSP it stands to reason they would have the same weeds. Right? FMN sent MNSP plans to NWRC for review; followed up with a site visit to NRWC; met the staff; toured the property; and then tailored the plan for them. We then had to gather a volunteer base to execute the plan. FMN contacted Merrimac Chapter, since they operate in Prince William county. FMN has a frequent volunteer in the NWRC visitor center – he was in. Master Gardeners was interested in helping. NWRC has a few volunteer groups they tap and of course several hard working interns from the American

‘After’ picture. Invasives destined for proper disposal. Phase one done. (Photo Jerry Nissley)

Conservation Experience, EPIC Program. With the team set, Gabby picked 8 Aug to kickoff the project. Many hands make short work! Phase one done!

The team was able to save several native plants for reuse, turn the soil to remove roots, and then cover with black plastic (to smother roots) until the scheduled fall planting.

So the ‘success’ to date is really credit to how the group came together as a result of outreach to cooperate and collaborate on a project that benefits our park systems. Stay tuned for more on this effort when it completes.

Bonus factoid: The Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a complex of three National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia located along the Potomac River.
The three refuges are:
* Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge
* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge
* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge
The first two are administered jointly for planning, while the third is currently treated separately.
The pollinator garden is at the Occoquan Bay site.

Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz, September 9th

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Image Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

Saturday, September 9, 2023
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Cost: Free!

Riverside Preserve
8150 Leeds Manor Rd
Marshall, VA 20115

Registration is required!

Come along while the Clifton Institute partners with the Fauquier County Department of Parks and Recreation to participate in the Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz! 

Participants will explore Riverside Preserve with the goal of documenting as many different kinds of butterflies and bees as possible! This event is part of the Fauquier County Bee City USA initiative to learn about and conserve pollinators in the county. All levels of naturalists are welcome!

Please note that this program meets at Riverside Preserve, NOT at the Clifton Institute. The address is 8150 Leeds Manor Rd, Marshall, VA 20115. Participants will meet by the environmental education shed / port-a-potty. You can park on the lawn near the building, or you can drive all the way to the lot at the bottom of the hill and walk back up.

Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.

Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Registration is REQUIRED.

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let organizers know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute liability release policy.

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Report Your Plantings: Every Tree Counts!

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Photo: Courtesy of Plant NOVA Trees

From Plant NOVA Trees:

Every tree counts! And counting every tree also helps show whether Northern Virginia is meeting its environmental goals. The Virginia Department of Forestry is counting planted trees to see if Virginia is meeting its stormwater goals to protect the bay, and the Department of Environmental Quality is asking Northern Virginia to plant 600,000 trees by 2025.

​Birch leaf_edited.png                  Birch leaf_edited.png

Since most available land in Northern Virginia is private property, this goal will not be met without planting thousands of new trees in our own neighborhoods. Help keep track of the progress and build momentum by reporting your tree planting. The tree planting reports are forwarded and added to the Virginia Department of Forestry’s My Trees Count map, which is updated a couple times a year.

​As of 7/20/2023:  12,677 trees and shrubs reported!

Click to report your tree and shrub plantings

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