Help restore native habitat at Lake Accotink Park, October 4

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Lake Accotink Park
Lake Accotink Park Rd., Springfield VA
Saturday, 4 October 2019
8 – 10am

Please consider helping Invasive Management Area volunteers to remove alien invasive plants that degrade natural areas by out-competing native plants for resources.

Wear long sleeves and pants (due to poison ivy), and sturdy footwear.  Bring water to stay hydrated (the park has water fountains so reusable bottles are recommended), and use insect repellant for protection against ticks and mosquitoes.  We will supply gloves and equipment.

Please let Elaine know if you can participate or have questions.  She can be reached at [email protected].

Directions to the Invasive Management Area:  Take Springfield/644W exit from I-95, which puts you on Old Keene Mill Road. At 3rd stoplight, turn right on Hanover Rd. Continue on Hanover (through residential section) to Highland Ave. Turn Left. Turn right on Accotink Park Rd. The park entrance is on the left (an industrial area is on the right). Accotink Park Rd. continues here. Take it until you reach the marina area.

Come to orientation for new volunteers at Riverbend and Scott’s Run, Nov 2

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Photo: Ana Ka’Ahanui

Saturday, November 2
9:30 AM -12.30 PM
8814 Jeffery Road, Great Falls, VA 22066

Want to become a volunteer at Riverbend Park or Scott’s Run? Attend the Fall Volunteer Orientation to learn about  opportunities, projects, and events. Positions for Animal Care Volunteers and Program Volunteers are currently open! If you want to get involved in park restoration/other projects, you are more than welcome to join us!

This session will run in two parts:

  1. Orientation for ALL new volunteers (9:30-10:30 AM)
  2. Orientation for specialties such as Animal Care, School Program Leads, and other projects.

 

Animal Care

Volunteer Claire Phan feeding a box turtle a fresh earth worm!

If you love animals this is the opportunity for you! Learn about local wildlife & become a caretaker to our rescued reptiles & amphibians.

Apply by 10/31 to [email protected] 

Click here to register for Animal Care orientation and training.

 

 

School Program Leads

Volunteer Tom Blackburn showing students a soil sample

Love nature, science, and history? Become a program leader at Riverbend and help educate elementary students about Native American history, soils, wildlife, watershed science, biology & more!

Apply by 10/31 to [email protected] 

Click here to register for becoming a School Program Lead Volunteer.

 

 

 

Resource Naturalists: Fall Planting Projects (14+ or w/ adult)

Chris Lansing educating volunteers on Mile a Minute clean up

Want to get involved in resource management, restoration, and conservation? Become a Resource Naturalist! We have a few planting projects to complete before winter.

Click here to register.

Email [email protected] with questions and to RSVP fo orientation on Nov 2

 

 

Scott’s Run Cleanup Group! (14+ or w/ adult)

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Join the SRNP Cleanup Group! Open for students, families, and anyone interested in keeping the park and Potomac river free from litter.

Click here to sign up for fall cleanup days

Want to schedule your own group cleanup? Email Valeria Espinosa!

 

 

Scout Programs Assistant Volunteer! (18+)

Interested in supporting our girl scout and boy scout programs? Join our interpretive team and learn about outdoor/nature education! 

Click here to sign up

 

 

Final Birding Walks!

Friday 10/4 and 10/18 from 8-10 AM @Nature Center

Don’t miss the final birding walks with Kris Lansing and Robin Duska. To sign up email Valeria Espinosa or call 703-759-9018

 

Virginia Working Landscapes fall workshop: Supporting wildlife in winter

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Photo: Lori Scheibe

November 22, 2019
9:00 am – 02:00 pm
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, Virginia

Category: Workshops

Join Virginia Working Landscapes for an informative workshop to learn how to optimize your property to promote habitat for native biodiversity through our coldest winter months!

The morning will include lectures from:

  • Dr. Amy Johnson, Virginia Working Landscapes, on how to support overwintering birds.
  • Dr. T’ai Roulston, Blandy Experimental Farm, on what pollinators need during the winter months and how you can help.

The afternoon will include a field trip to (address provided closer to event date for registered attendees) to see some of the winter habitat features discussed in the presentations.

More details coming soon….but don’t wait to reserve your seat! Event is Free but registration is required.

Please note: No pets allowed at SCBI

REGISTER HERE

Lead and contribute to FMN Chapter committees in 2019 and 2020

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Photo: Ana Ka’Ahanui

From President Joe Gorney to Chapter Members,

As a volunteer organization, our chapter succeeds based on the collective efforts of many people participating in an array of service activities. The same is true of the management of our chapter. At the end of this year, we will have a significant number of people rotating out of Board positions. Please consider serving on the board as an officer or committee chair, or as a member of a committee.  Your perspectives and ideas are enormously valuable.  Serving in one of these positions would take only a few hours each month but would be invaluable in helping our chapter to thrive.  And all of these hours count toward your service hours! Please submit your expression of interest to Fairfax Chapter Virginia Master Naturalists. Don’t delay!

Listed below is a description of the respective officer and committee chair positions. And if you’re not ready to be an officer or committee chair but would still like to help, you can still be a part of a committee as a member.  (We would especially like to have a diversity specialist under the Outreach Chair).

Secretary (officer)

Solicits board meeting agenda items; posts meeting agendas; takes and records meeting minutes; maintains chapter bylaws and handbook. Keeps us all accountable and working together!

Treasurer (officer)

Maintains the budget and accounting records; produces a monthly financial report; pays bills; collects dues; presents the financial records for audit; coordinates with committee chairs to produce the annual budget. Allows us to spend our money wisely to accomplish our mission!

Hospitality  (committee chair)

Coordinates general member meetings and basic training graduation activities including logistics, activities, and refreshments; orders and manage sales and/or distribution of fundraising items and logo items if needed. A welcoming presence at our activities!

Outreach (committee chair)

Promotes the chapter and its mission through outreach activities; manages booth staffing for outreach events; opens the eyes of the community to our mission and our work; helps ensure a diverse membership; motivates others to become members. Keep our good works in the forefront!

Continuing Education (committee chair)

Identifies, solicits, and approves continuing education proposals based on the criteria provided by VMN; notifies members of approved opportunities; maintains a catalog/calendar of opportunities.  Help us all to stay motivated and sharp!

Membership (committee chair)

Leads a small, dedicated, and experienced team; responsible for maintaining FMN and VMN membership directories; tracks and issues service awards and certifications; serves as member of Student Selection Committee.  Help welcome new members and foster camaraderie among current members!

Service (committee chair)

Approves service project proposals using established criteria; notifies members of opportunities; maintains a diverse catalog of opportunities. Help us all to serve our community!

Communications (committee chair)

Maintains the chapter public website, newsletters, social media, and chapter email account. Leads three or four strategically-minded people who communicate effectively and enjoy keeping all of us in the know. Earn hours from the comfort of your home while connecting us all to the chapter!

Ecopsychology-a talk on the intersection of us and nature

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Photo by Barbara J. Saffir (c)

Rust Library
380 Old Waterford Rd NW, Leesburg, VA 20176
Saturday, 5 October 2019
1 – 2pm

Dr. Laura Rodriguez will speak on Ecopsychology: From Nature as Other to Us as Nature.

Every day you hear or read news stories describing the ecological devastation of our time. You question, can I, one person in 7.7 billion, do anything to turn this tide? Yes, you can! Like a flock of starlings swooping, diving, and wheeling in the sky, you are vital to the forward movement of the whole.

The emerging field of Ecopsychology can point the way of individual thought and action which benefits the whole. Through Ecopsychology, as we expand our concept of “us as nature,” we can create change in the narrative of disconnection with nature and foster an ecological ethic of care for our communities and the world.

Dr. Rodriguez is on the faculty of Viridis Graduate Institute, an international graduate school for Ecopsychology. She has also spoken on this topic many times including at Science Alliance for Valuing the Environment, Lourdes University, OH; Mercy Health – St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Multidisciplinary Medical Grand Rounds, OH; and others. This program is presented by the Virginia Master Naturalists, Banshee Reeks Chapter.

World Migratory Bird Day film festival, Oct. 23rd

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Photo (c) by Barbara J. Saffir.

NVCC Annandale Campus, Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center (CE) Forum and Theater
8333 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22003
Saturday, 23 October 2019
9am – 3pm

9:30 a.m. – “ALBATROSS” – CE Theater
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Secret Life of Birds and Bees: Raptor Lecture, Live Owls – CE Forum
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Exhibitor Hall – CE Seminar Rooms
12:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion – CE Forum
1:30 p.m. “BIRD OF PREY” – CE Theater

Synopsis of the Fairfax County Recycling Program presented September 16th

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On Monday, September 16th, Erica Carter, the Fairfax County Recycling Coordinator spoke to the Fairfax Master Naturalists at their quarterly meeting. The bottom line: Recycling in Fairfax County is very complicated! One reason it is complicated is that Fairfax County has standards for what can and cannot be recycled in their facilities based on what products its brokers will purchase. However, curbside haulers who use different brokers or buyers for their recycled items may have different standards. A RESIDENT MUST CHECK WITH THEIR OWN CURBSIDE HAULER TO DETERMINE THE STANDARDS FOR THEIR RECYCLING. E.g., American Disposal (call (703) 368-0500) and Republic do not use Fairfax County standards because they have their own buyers for processed recycling.

Glass breaks and contaminates other recycling so it is no longer accepted in County single stream recycling. Large purple containers are located near many County government centers where glass is collected for recycling.  Learn more here.

Any kind of clothes hangers, hoses, cords and plastic bags are huge problems for the recycling facilities because they catch in the machines and must be detangled by hand. In addition, dirty diapers, takeout food containers and shredded paper cause other problems.  PLEASE DON’T RECYCLE THESE ITEMS!

Good news about the receptacles for plastic bags located outside of grocery stores!  Bubble wrap, plastic packing tear off balloons, and zip-lock bags which are clean and dry are also acceptable.

Buyers seek out recycled plastic when oil prices are high because it is less expensive than making new plastic; when oil prices are low recycled plastic is less in demand.

Fairfax County is currently recycling about 50% of the items that come to its two transfer stations. There is no landfill in Fairfax County. Unrecyclable material is incinerated and the resulting energy is used to provide electricity to 80,000 homes.

FMN Members are big winners in VMN photo contest

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“Handsome Meadow Katydid,” First Place in the Macro/Night Category. Photo (c) by Barbara J. Saffir

At the 2019 VMN Statewide Conference and Training held 20-22 September 2019, VMN Program Director Michelle Prysby announced the 2019 photo contest winners.

FMN photographers won in three categories!

“Chincoteague Sunrise,” Third Place in the Virginia Landscapes Category. Photo by Fred Siskind.

 

“Snakeball,”  First Place in the Virginia Wildlife Category.  Photo (c) by Barbara J. Saffir.

 

 

 

 

 

South Run Rec Center “Erosion Knoll” needs gardening TLC volunteers

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South Run Recreation Center
7550 Reservation Drive, Springfield VA
1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 9-11 am
2nd Saturdays from 9-12 for May-October and 12-3 pm from November – April

Enthusiastic and energetic volunteer gardener at South Run is seeking like-minded individuals to provide input on erosion control native plantings for a fairly small incline. Ideally, these volunteers would supervise the planting and maintenance of this area once the plants are obtained. South Run has dedicated landscape volunteer days monthly as shown above but knowledgeable supervision is much needed.

Interested? Contact Sally Berman via [email protected].  Planning volunteers may meet with Sally outside of scheduled volunteer times.

Those who just want to volunteer occasionally can go to https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/#/opp_details/180570

Those that want to volunteer regularly go to:
https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/#/opp_details/179743

Native Plants Intern needed at Meadowlark Botanical Garden

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Meadowlark Botanical Garden
9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna, VA 22182

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, a NOVA Park, is seeking a paid intern to support its work with native plants and conservation gardening.
Meadowlark has several native plant collections including the Potomac Valley Collection (PVC) and the Virginia Native Wetlands Collection (VNW). The gardens within the PVC are based on biogeography and floristic composition within the Potomac River basin. The VNW includes species that occur within the state as a political unit.
The Native Plants Intern will gain experience:
• Managing and communicating with volunteers;
• Participating in all aspects of horticultural duties-weeding, mulching, planting, propagation;
• Maintaining databases of bloom time, plant records, etc.
This position is a paid, two day a week internship from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. If interested, please email Keith Tomlinson, Park Manager, at [email protected].