Environmental Stewardship Adventure Days

I wanted to pass this along from my firends at Adventure Links.

Get Outside & Give Back This Summer

Environmental Stewardship Adventure Days 2009

With such a enthusiastic response in 2008, Adventure Links is once again organizing three Environmental Stewardship Adventure Days. These volunteer opportunities are designed to support our local parks and wildlife areas while getting families active and outdoors.  The giving goes both ways too – spend the morning doing trail and river clean up and the afternoon participating in complementary adventure activities! The day trips are free and open to all volunteers over the age of 8. We encourage families to come together, and participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Shenandoah River Clean Up DATE: June 27 TIME: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM MAX:  20 Volunteers Spend the day on the river cleaning up the banks and pulling out debris from the river. Rafting is a refreshing retreat from the hot summer rays. Elizabeth Furnace Clean Up DATE: July 18 TIME: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM MAX: 20 Volunteers Help clean up Elizabeth’s Furnace! We will be removing debris from the bottom of the rock and surrounding trails, then rewarding ourselves with an afternoon of rock climbing. Bear’s Den Clean Up DATE: September 12 TIME: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM MAX: 20 Volunteers Come hike the trails around Bear’s Den Hostel, a favorite Blue Ridge stop for Appalachian Trail hikers. We’ll help maintain the several loop trails around the hostel, while learning the rich history of the AT. Please call Adventure Links at (800) 877-0954 or visit our web site at www.AdventureLinks.net for more information.

Adventure Links
21498 Blue Ridge Mountain Road
Paris, Virginia 20130
800.877.0954

21st Potomac Watershed Cleanup April 4

Why Participate?

The Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup has become a decisive catalyst for progress that ignites people throughout the watershed with the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s community spirit. The largest regional event of its kind, the Cleanup provides a transforming experience that engages citizens and community leaders and generates momentum for change.

flickr photo: Potomac River uploaded on September 25, 2008 by NCinDC

Since 1989, more than 40,000 volunteers have teamed with 300 partner organizations to tug over 1,500 tons of trash from the watershed´s streams, rivers and bays. Last year´s haul of over 291 tons included more than 18 tons of recyclables, 2,625 tires, 13,000 balls, 25 bicycles, 26 shopping carts, 100lbs. of metal piping, 6 TVs and 2 bathtubs!

Volunteers

• Take the Potomac River Citizen Pledge
• Participate in the Trash-a-Thon
• Join the group Look What I pulled out of the Potomac River on Facebook
• Find a cleanup site Volunteer to pick up trash at any existing cleanup site
• 2009 Cleanup Site Information will be posted in March

Site Leaders

• Register to host a cleanup
  

LEARN MORE >>>

Feb 1 and Feb 5: Learn how to stop illegal runoff at construction sites

This announcement is at Potomac Riverkeeper’s web site …

Take action against one of the biggest problems in our watershed: polluted runoff from construction sites. In our new “Get the DIRT Out” volunteer program, residents learn how to evaluate the polluted runoff violations on construction sites, report violations, and help ensure that construction sites are not contaminating our rivers and streams.

Sunday, February 1
10:00 am – 12:00 pm at
REI in Fairfax
11950 Grand Commons Ave
Fairfax, VA 22030

Thursday, February 5
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at
Halfway Firehouse
11114 Lincoln Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740

click here to register!

LEARN MORE >>>

Be a Forest Watchdog

In these economic times where local and state governments are making due with shrinking budgets, YOUcan help by being the eyes and ears for those that protect our state’s natural resources. The Virginia Department of Forestry is short handed and needs help in finding logging jobs.  IT IS THE LAW in Virginia that loggers must report all new logging jobs to the Department of Forestry.  Despite this, many “bad jobs” go unreported.

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT WATER POLLUTION FROM BAD LOGGING JOBS!

Neighborhood Forest Watch is a program of Virginia Forest Watch.  You can help the Virginia Department of Forestry by joining and becoming a “FOREST WATCHDOG” and reporting ANY and ALL logging jobs in your neighborhood to Virginia Forest Watch.

flickr photo: "Vantage" Uploaded on February 21, 2008 by Kevin LaCamera

Virginia Forest Watch will report these logging jobs to the Va. Department of Forestry (VDOF) so they can visit the job.  When VDOF staff visit a logging job, they will advise the logger on how to PREVENT problems.  OR, if damage is being done to our streams, they will direct the logger to CORRECT the problem.

You can CALL 276-479-2176 or contact them by email at  vafw@mounet.com

When reporting a potential incident to Virginia Forest Watch asks that you provide the following information:

1.       EXACT LOCATION OF THE JOB  (Route #, Landmarks, etc.)

2.       NAME OF THE LANDOWNER  (If you know it)

3.       NAME OF THE LOGGER  (If you know it.  Look for name on trucks, etc.)

4.       ANYTHING BAD THAT CONCERNED YOU   (Roads through the stream?)

5.       DATE YOU FIRST SAW THE LOGGING JOB: IS IT ACTIVE?

Virginia Forest Watch (VAFW) is a grass-roots based coalition of individuals and environmental groups organizing throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia with a mission to”maintain and restore the natural ecology and biodiversity of woodlands across Virginia through education and citizen participation.”

Vernal Pool program to be offered March 7 at Rust Nature Sanctuary

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Audubon Naturalist Society are co-sponsoring a program on Vanishing Vernal Pools. Vernal pools, also called ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species.

WHEN: Saturday, March 7, 2008 9am-4pm

WHERE: Rust Sanctuary, 802 Children’s Center Rd. SW, Leesburg, VA 20175

Isolated wetland at Rust Nature Sanctuary

As the hours of daylight lengthen and temperatures begin to rise, animals that have spent the winter in hibernation begin to stir. Some of the earliest to become active are certain frogs and salamanders that use vernal or temporary pools for breeding. Unfortunately, these pools–and their breeders–are facing many threats.

This program will be held at ANS’s Rust Sanctuary in Leesburg, VA and will include an indoor session on vernal pool ecology, followed by an outdoor exploration of vernal pool habitats at the Rust Sanctuary and other nearby locations.

Registration is Required. Members (ANS & LWC): $29; Nonmembers: $41. To register contact Audubon Naturalist Society at 301-652-9188 x16 or 703-669-0000.

Those who plan to become monitors in LWC’s Amphibian Monitoring Program for the 2009 Season can register by email with Nicole Hamilton and the fee will be covered by LWC.

Get directions HERE

Feb 28: LWC kicks off Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring Program

Saturday, February 28, 2008
1pm-3pm
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Rd., Leesburg, VA 20175
Registration Required.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy County Coordinators for the Virginia Bluebird Society will provide an orientation at Banshee Reeks on nest box monitoring and the protocol used in Loudoun for collecting and reporting data. They will give an overview of the program, discuss the current trails being monitored around Loudoun and take us through a slide show about bluebirds, their nesting habits, habitat needs and preferred foods.

Monitoring materials will be available to attendants. Registration required – please sign up on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy website or contact Elizabeth Evans at 540-822-5438.

Get directions to this event

Via Piedmont Environmental Council

Conservancy completes Loudoun bird list, plans for Loudoun Bird Atlas by 2014

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) has announced the completion of a Birds of Loudoun County list, including over 295 birds identified in the county through September 2008, with over 110 confirmed or probable breeders.

BIRDS OF LOUDOUN COUNTY LIST SERVES AS FOUNDATION FOR UPCOMING MULTI-YEAR BIRD ATLAS PROJECT

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy seeks volunteer and financial support to provide lift

According to LWC the Birds of Loudoun County list will serve as the foundation for an upcoming Loudoun County Bird Atlas project, organized and funded by LWC. From spring 2009 through spring 2013, members of LWC, and other volunteer birders, will donate their time to the atlas with bird experts consulted for quality control. The purpose of this citizen science project is to establish a comprehensive list of birds in Loudoun County, including their dates of occurrence throughout the year and distribution throughout the county. Special emphasis will be placed on birds that breed here. A “Birds of Loudoun” booklet will then be published in 2014, providing the atlas results and information on important bird areas within the county.

To accomplish the task of collecting data, LWC will divide Loudoun County into blocks of approximately 10 square miles each. Participants will be assigned to different blocks to ensure county-wide coverage and will be given a field card to record their observations. Data processing will be handled by BBA (Breeding Bird Atlas) Explorer, a free online system hosted by USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and National Biological Information Infrastructure.

As the atlas project develops over the coming months, LWC will need many volunteers to collect field data. Anyone interested in volunteering with this project or seeking more information, should contact Atlas Coordinator Spring Ligi at sligi@loudounwildlife.org. Monetary donations for the project are greatly appreciated and can be mailed to: Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, P.O. Box 2088, Purcellville, VA 20134-2088.

DOWNLOAD Birds of Loudoun County list HERE

Find out how YOU can volunteer HERE

Assemble your own Rain Barrel in October

Rain Barrel Workshops Scheduled for Loudoun Residents

Via press release at Loudoun.gov

Yes, Loudoun we have rain barrels!  Why rain barrels?

flickr image: Rain Barrels Uploaded on July 2, 2008 by fireballsedai

Rain barrels have started to re-emerge as an economical and practical way for homeowners to conserve water, reduce runoff, save money, and help protect our waters.  The lack of rain last year has left many looking for ways to conserve water.  A rain barrel collects the water that runs off the roof and makes it available for homeowners to water plants, fill the birdbath, or wash the car, the dog, or even muddy feet.  It can even be used in toilet tanks when the well pump isn’t working.  This water is free and the water is collected before it runs off and picks up sediment and contaminants that pollute our streams and rivers that drain to the Potomac River and eventually the Chesapeake Bay.

The Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District will be presenting 2 workshops where homeowners can learn more about the benefits of rain barrels and make one to take home.

The workshops will be held Thursday, October 9, 2008, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Old Hillsboro Schoolhouse in Hillsboro and on Monday, October 20, 2008, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Heritage Farm Museum in Sterling.  The workshops are open to all Loudoun County residents.  Participants are reminded to dress appropriately as they will be constructing their own barrel.   There will be a $50 charge per barrel, and pre-registration is required.   Due to limited supply and availability, there will be a two-barrel-per-household limit.

A registration form is available online here.

For more information or to have a registration form sent to you, call the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District at 703-777-2075 or send an email to suzie.brown@va.nacdnet.net.

# # #

Contact: Suzanne Brown, Loudoun Soil & Water Conservation District, 703-777-2075

Loudoun stream monitors keeping eye on landfill expansion

The Loudoun County Solid Waste Facility is expanding.  Unfortunately that expansion seems to include relocating a portion of The Woods Road into Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve.  Banshee Reeks is Loudoun’s only county-owned nature preserve and the portion that would be most impacted is within the headwaters of a special ecological community.

Mountain / Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp along a spring-fed tributary of Goose Creek at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Loudoun County. This is one of a few examples of the community type found in the western Piedmont region. Photo: Gary P. Fleming / © DCR Natural Heritage.

Banshee Reeks includes a rare Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp, which has been recognized as one of the finest examples of this rare ecological community in the Western Piedmont.  Local conservation groups have been working to stop the road realignment claiming that the county landfill can meet the waste management needs of the community without realigning the road and running it  through one of the county’s most sensitive areas.

A team of volunteers from the Friends of Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and the Virginia Master Naturalists – Banshee Reeks Chapter have joined together to form a stream monitoring team.   With the help of experts from the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, monitors have already collected baseline stream data that demonstrates current conditions in the stream.  Over time, continued monitoring will reveal any changes that occur in the stream ecology.

The stream monitors fear that construction of a realigned Woods Road or expansion of the landfill will change the quality of the stream and ultimately jeopardize the seepage swamp.  Sediment from clearing and construction could end up in the stream.  Additional pollutants from the landfill operation could also alter the water chemistry and affect the quality of the stream.

Stream monitoring is one way to document changes in aquatic insects that are indicators of the stream’s health.  If a decline in water quality is detected, it can then be linked to construction activity immediately upstream of the monitoring stations.

Monitors use a net to collect insects from the stream (photo: bruce mcgranahan)

The monitoring team will collect insects and other aquatic life from the stream.  Each insect is identified and the numbers of each kind recorded.  The sampling station is given a score that represents the stream’s relative health.  A high percentage of aquatic insects (called macroinvertebrates) that are intolerant to pollution indicates good water quality.  Conversely if most of the insects collected are pollution tolerant that indicates poor water quality.

Tiny insects are removed from the net, identified, and counted (photo: bruce mcgranahan)

Meg Findley and Otto Gutenson, both of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, are assisting the team in developing a sampling strategy and will teach the monitoring protocols to additional team volunteers in Spring 2009.

Insects are sorted into ice cube trays awaiting identification and counting (photo: bruce mcgranahan)

• If you are interested in learning more about The Woods Road realignment and how it may affect Banshee Reeks you can learn more <HERE>

• To learn more about Stream Monitoring visit the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy website <HERE>

• If you would like to learn more about being a volunteer monitor at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve send an email to bruce.mcgranahan@gmail.com

Help start an Environmental Club in your school

Start an Environmental Club by: Marina Hanes at AboutMyPlanet

The first environmental club I belonged to was in elementary school. We would get together after class to sing environmentally friendly songs and learn ways that we could reduce our waste and save resources. A club like this can be especially valuable for younger children, because it instills compassionate values early on.

Extracurricular activities are probably the most fun part of being in school. There are various activities to choose from, so you’re bound to find something that you like. Or you can always create your own club like an environmental club. Environmental clubs can be established in any type of school (kindergarten, elementary, high school and college).

Environmental clubs are simple to start. All you need is ... READ MORE AT AboutMyPlanet >>>

“Not a drop of water should escape without making something grow”

Paul Mankiewicz, a biologist, botanist, and erstwhile philosopher, has a vision for New York City. He calls it “zero discharge”:

– “Not a drop of water should escape from the city without first making something grow.”

Paul Mankiewicz wants to harness wastewater to make things grow.

By Moises Velasquez-Manoff| Staff Writer of The Christian Science Monitor/ September 11, 2008 edition

Rainwater should be caught and used to cultivate greenery. “Gray water” from showers, baths, and sinks should irrigate rooftop gardens. Trees dotting streets are good, but a belt of grasses and shrubs lining roadways would better catch and utilize runoff. Restored wetlands around the city would filter any water that escapes. All water entering the city should pass through a natural system on its way out.

– “What you have to do is bring the land to life,” he says. “Our footprint is not an abode for life. It’s the opposite; it’s sterile.”

Mr. Mankiewicz, executive director of the Gaia Institute in New York and treasurer of the city’s Soil and Water Conservation District, has designed ecosystems for 30 years. He had a hand in the city’s very first “green streets,” patches of greenery sprouting up alongside roadways in recent years, and the Bronx’s first green roof.

Read More at the Christian Science Monitor >>>

We need more Guerrilla Gardeners!

I am so enthralled with this new movement that this is a follow-up to my post on August 28th, They sneek in at night … While I don’t want to advocate anything illegal (like trespassing) I do think there are a lot of public and private spaces that need beautification.  Imagine discovering each morning, on your walk or commute to work, that gardens keeping popping up in yards, open spaces, and “lost” corners.

“Guerilla gardeners scope out their communities, make a plan and then head out on covert operations to vandalize the cities with nature. There are a million different ways to guerilla garden, but whether you choose to do it solo or with a group, in a public space or in a neighboring junkyard, these 12 steps can help make sure your beautification efforts are a success.”

Guerilla Gardeners caught in the act. Image from WebEcoist.org

Troops, here’s 12 steps taken from WebEcoist:

1. Take stock of neglected patches of land in your area. They might be vacant lots, sidewalk parkways, medians, highway shoulders, or public parks. Possibilities to beautify these spaces are practically endless – all it takes is some DIY spirit.
2. Pick a space to start with and plan what you’d like to do with it, when, how and with whom. You’ll need to decide on a budget, to make sure you don’t end up biting off more than you can chew. Gardening, when not planned carefully, can get expensive. Pick an area close to home, and stay small to start. You can find other guerilla gardeners in your area at the forums on GuerillaGardening.org, or bring some friends.
3. Find a cheap source of plants. One of the best is your own backyard if you’ve got one, or other gardeners in the area. A great place to check for free unwanted plants is Freecycle.org, where gardeners often offer up plants when they’re making changes to their own green space. You can also make friends with a worker at a nursery, who can get you plants that look less than perfect for a bargain. Even cheaper is to plant seeds rather than plants, which will bloom into beauty over time rather than providing instant gratification, but need more care in the interim.
4. Choose your plants wisely. Native plants appropriate for the natural conditions of the area are best, since they won’t need a whole lot of water or special soil. Plus, you’ll avoid accidentally introducing invasive species into the ecosystem. GuerillaGardening.org recommends choosing hardy plants that can stand up to careless trampling by pedestrians as well as plants that make a big impact with color or texture. Evergreen shrubs, herbs and bulbs are great choices.
5. Gather up some tools. You don’t need an arsenal of expensive equipment – at the least, though, you should have a trowel and some gloves. A large spoon can sub for a trowel when necessary. If you’re a gardening newbie, you might want to pick up a book or read a gardening primer online.
6. Plan to get muddy – and to run if necessary. Wear pants that you don’t mind getting stained, since you’ll be kneeling in dirt and splashing a bit of mud around when you water everything. It’s also a good idea to cover your shoes in plastic bags to protect them (and take the bags off if you have to make a quick getaway) or Wellington shoes, which protect your feet and don’t look like obvious gardening gear. Dark clothing is best.
7. Bring some kind of easy-to-carry container to haul off waste like nursery pots and weeds. A plastic storage tub, 5 gallon bucket or large reusable sack will make it easy to haul it all off to a dumpster and/or compost bin when you’re done.
8. Carry out your ‘attack’ at a time when you won’t be bothered, and make sure you have adequate transportation. Nighttime is generally best. If you don’t have a car, a bicycle will work for small jobs if you can strap all of your plants and supplies to your back.
9. Plan to water everything. If there isn’t a source of fresh water nearby, you’ll need to occasionally bring some in watering cans or other containers to keep the plants happy. Some ambitious guerilla gardeners even keep barrels full of water in the backseats of their cars, with a spigot and hose connected at the bottom.
10. Check on your efforts regularly. Add compost when necessary, and pull weeds. Don’t let all of your efforts go to waste from neglect, or your guerilla gardens will turn back into ugly spots in desperate need of care.
11. Seed bomb desolate areas if you can’t easily get to them. Seed bombs are simply balls of compost, clay and seeds that you can throw over fences or into other hard-to-reach areas for beauty in unexpected places.
12. Spread the word about guerilla gardening in your area. Talk to other gardening enthusiasts about your work, put posters around the area where you’ve gardened, and network with others online.

Read More at WebEcoist >>>

What does it mean to be “Sustainable”?

There’s lots of buzz about being more sustainable, sustainable energy, etc.  But, what exactly does that mean?  There is an excellent post at Chelsea Green that helps define what it really means to be “sustainable“.  Here are three key points to understand:

The economist Herman Daly has suggested three simple rules to help define sustainability:

•For a renewable resource–soil, water, forest, fish–the sustainable rate of use can be no greater than the rate of regeneration of its source. (Thus, for example, fish are harvested unsustainably when they are caught at a rate greater than the rate of growth of the remaining fish population.)

•For a nonrenewable resource–fossil fuel, high-grade mineral ores, fossil groundwater–the sustainable rate of use can be no greater than the rate at which a renewable resource, used sustainably, can be substituted for it. (For example, an oil deposit would be used sustainably if part of the profits from it were systematically invested in wind farms, photovoltaic arrays, and tree planting, so that when the oil is gone, an equivalent stream of renewable energy is still available.)

•For a pollutant, the sustainable rate of emission can be no greater than the rate at which the pollutant can be recycled, absorbed, or rendered harmless in the environment. (For example, sewage can be put into a stream or lake or underground aquifer sustainably no faster than bacteria and other organisms can absorb its nutrients without themselves overwhelming and destabilizing the aquatic ecosystem.)

Read the whole article here >>>

Plan to attend Family Stream Day Oct 18

2008 Annual Family Stream Day

Saturday, October 18, 2007
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Loudoun Water, 44865 Loudoun Water Way, Ashburn, VA 20147

On Saturday, October 18 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, an “Exploring Our Streams” day is planned.  The event coincides with the opening of the Aquiary at Loudoun Water’s Broad Run Water Reclamation Facility.

This is the 7th annual “Family Stream Day” planned by Loudoun Watershed Watch.  This year’s event is co-hosted by the Loudoun Environmental Stewardship Alliance (LESA) and will offer exploration of a local urban stream and hands-on discovery of the smart landscaping, stormwater and erosion control, stream assessment and monitoring, and the many ways you can help your local streams and environment.

The theme this year is:

“Loudoun Streams—Keep ‘em Clean”
Aquiary Display and Loudoun Water The day’s events will include:

• Opening ceremony of the Aquiary
• Water quality monitoring demos
• Soil erosion
• Smart landscaping
• Stormwater
• Games for kids
• Wetland habitat
• Water conservation

Read More at Loudoun Watershed Watch >>>

Do you do it for nature, or for yourself?

“A study of purple martin landlords—those who keep and monitor special birdhouses on their land—revealed that they were more motivated to take part in the conservation project for egoistic rather than altruistic reasons.”

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2008) — Volunteers who take part in conservation efforts may do it more for themselves than the wildlife they are trying to protect, a University of Alberta case study shows.

The study, which compared self-motivated volunteers with recruited ones, was launched to find out what compelled people to donate their time. Understanding why they take part in conservation projects is important, says Hvenegaard. “Past research shows that people take part in wildlife activities for many reasons and so require a sophisticated level of management. Our findings reinforce that.”

Read More at ScienceDaily >>>

August 10 is KLB Potomac River Clean-up Event

Keep Loudoun Beautiful’s final clean up event of the summer, Sunday August 10, is a canoe, rubber raft trip down the Potomac River to collect trash from the river banks.

Volunteers meet at the Brunswick Maryland Train Station at 12 noon and a bus will transport you to the launching spot on the Potomac.  Participants collect trash on the float down the river back to the train station. The trip will last until around 6 p.m.

The clean up event is FREE and KLB memberships will be available. Pizza, drinks, and t-shirts are provided to everyone who participates at the end of the trip.

Canoes, rafts and life jackets are provided by KLB. Bring your own drinking water for the float; snack or bag lunch, sunscreen, hat and gloves. Wear clothing that is weather appropriate and can get wet and dirty. Wear sturdy shoes that can get wet such as old sneakers. No sandals or open-toed shoes. Leave a change of clothes for the end of the trip in your car.

PERMISSION SLIPS must be signed by an adult the day of the trip. Letters of participation will be provided for student records. Maximum number of participants = 60. Minimum age = 8 yr.

If you would like to participate, please contact Devon Smith,  540-338-7603, to make a reservation. KLB guarantees you’ll have fun while providing this valuable service to the waterways of Loudoun County!

Anyone can be a Citizen Scientist

Citizen Science. What is it? Wikipedia defines it this way:

“Citizen science is a term used for projects or ongoing program of scientific work in which individual volunteers or networks of volunteers, many of whom may have no specific scientific training, perform or manage research-related tasks such as observation, measurement or computation. The use of citizen-science networks often allows scientists to accomplish research objectives more feasibly than would otherwise be possible. In addition, these projects aim to promote public engagement with the research, as well as with science in general. Some programs provide materials specifically for use by primary or secondary school students. As such, citizen science is one approach to informal
science education.”

Image: flickr photo uploaded by dermoidhome

According to a post at Science Cheerleader, Citizen Scientists are all the rage. Author Darlene Cavalier writes:

As a kid, perhaps you wanted to grow up and be a scientist…and baseball player, famous chef, president, or first [fill-in-the-blank] astronaut. Then came middle school and the emergence of hormones/testosterone and stereotypical overtures reminding you that science is for geeky boys or socially dysfunctional girls. High school just ramped all of this up but at least in middle school you did some cool classroom science experiments.

Some science-loving adolescents (like the Science Cheerleader) weren’t swayed by any of this, but couldn’t afford college, started a family or chose other careers.

Well, have I got news for you folks! People like us, untrained in the sciences, are clamoring to be engaged in science at rates unmatched since the days of Ben Franklin. A growing number of so-called “citizen scientists” are not waiting for invitations to participate in science policy discussions or hoping the next generation will improve its dismal science literacy rates. Instead, they are jumping in to change the way science gets done. And having a lot of fun in the process!

Citizen scientists monitor water quality, tag butterflies , count birds, record earthquake tremors and observe and record celestial patterns. Here are three good resource sites where you can learn about other cool citizen science opportunities: Terrie Miller’s Citizen Science blog, Cornell University’s Citizen Science ToolKit and the Society for Amateur Scientists.

In July, news of Sky Survey,an international collaboration mapping a large section of the universe, spread over the web. Within a few months, more than 100,000 volunteer citizen scientists classified more than 1 million galaxies.

John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, notes that as “more and more amateurs and the researchers they work with realize the potential, and people see that their contributions matter, the era of the citizen scientist will explode.”

Read more at Science Cheerleader >>>

Image: Pixdaus: God Gave Us Pics!

There are many opportunities for Citizen Science. There are probably opportunities to meet your current interests or something that could develop into a new interest.

image credit: Cappaert, David

What about Spider WebWatch, which is a biodiversity monitoring effort for biologists, naturalists, educators and students? From more than 4,400 species of spiders in North America, 9 were chosen as eight-legged ambassadors. You can learn to identify them, view the sighting reports, and read some active discussions online.

Or, Firefly Watch? According to their web site
Firefly Watch combines an annual summer evening ritual with scientific research. You can join a network of volunteers and make observations in your own backyard. Particpants can track their progress online and interact with fellow Citizen Scientists and help scientists map fireflies found in New England and beyond. No specific scientific training required.

If your interest is birds, you must visit Citizen Science Central at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

The National Wildlife Federation offers FrogWatch USA for volunteers to learn the calls of local frogs and toads then report which ones you hear calling in the spring and early summer. Data is entered through an online form.

Image: Releasing a tagged Monarch. Photo by Anne Okonek.

If you’re fascination is with Monarch Butterflies you can find several opportunities here.

You can even get ideas from a Citizen Science blog called Citizen Science Projects.

There are also lots of opportunities close to home. For example Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy has organized Stream Monitoring, Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring, local Amphibian Monitoring, the Annual Butterfly Count in August each year, the Christmas Bird Count in December, and the International Migratory Bird Count in May.

If you are interested in a better understanding of nature, science and ecology, and would like to develop or participate in Citizen Science projects you can also sign up to be a Virginia Master Naturalist
here.

Outdoor opportunities listed at loudounnature.org

Here is a list of organizations and activities from the “it’s their nature” website:

Adventure Links offers Summer Camp, school and youth group programs, and adult and corporate programs which include a variety of engaging, active and transformational activities. We focus on adventure summer programming for youth, team building adventure activities for schools and groups and team building seminars for corporations.
800.877.0954 or http://www.adventurelinks.net/.

The Rust Nature Sanctuary of the Audubon Naturalist Society fosters stewardship of the region’s environment by educating citizens about the natural world, promoting conservation of biodiversity, and protecting natural habitat.  Located on the edge of Leesburg, the sanctuary is secluded on 68 acres of woodland and meadow and offers a beautiful place to walk the trails, have a picnic, or enjoy one of our many environmental education programs.  Our education programs include adult programs, school programs, scout programs and summer camps.  Take photographs and leave with pleasant memories and plans to return again and again. http://www.audubonnaturalist.org or www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=515

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy aims their activities and programs to appeal to a wide variety of interests and skill levels.  Recent talks in our speaker series include topics on salamanders, bald eagles, wildflowers and cougars. Each year, LWC participates in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Count.
http://loudounwildlife.org/index.htm

Virginia Master Naturalists are volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginia conserve and manage natural resources. The local Banshee Reeks Chapter can provide speakers or leaders for nature walks for your organization, school class, or scout troop.
http://www.vmnbansheereeks.org/index.html

Piedmont Environmental Council offers summer camps and a fellowship program for college students.
http://www.pecva.org/

The Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital – Girl Scout Mission Statement:  Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
http://www.gscnc.org/

Claude Moore Park offers a variety of activities for people of all ages. Because of Claude Moore Park’s open spaces, miles of hiking trails, pavilions, and ponds, the park hosts classes and activities that take advantage of these natural resources.
http://www.loudoun.gov/claudemoorepark

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is a 700-acre nature preserve now open to the general public between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. every weekend. Members of the newly formed Visitor Information Volunteer Association (“VIVA”) at Banshee Reeks staff the preserve during the weekend.
http://www.co.loudoun.va.us/prcs/parks/banshee.htm

Earth Force engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future. We do so by training and supporting educators in programs that enable young people to lead community action projects focused on creating sustainable solutions to local environment issues in the community.
http://www.earthforce.org/section/aboutef

The Smithsonian Naturalist Center in Loudoun County, Virginia, invites visitors ages 10 and older to use its 36.000 object hands-on collection of natural history objects, 6,500 books, and scientific equipment. Identify natural objects and curiosities, draw work on school projects, or just browse. The center offers a full range of services, special events, and school programs for middle school, high school and beyond.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/education/naturalistcenter.htm

Luck Stone is a private, family-owned corporation that is committed to being a steward of the environment. Luck Stone operates three quarries and one architectural stone center in Loudoun County, and its associates actively engage with local schools and communities in geology and environmental education. www.luckstone.com

Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District promotes educational and technical programs in the field of natural resources conservation which meet the agricultural and urban conservations needs of the District. http://loudoun.vaswcd.org/about.htm

Frederick County Schools adopt 20 percent tree canopy goal. Could Loudoun follow with 20, 15, 10, or even 5 percent?

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News from the Potomac Conservancy

FREDERICK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADOPT INCREASED TREE CANOPY GOAL

First School District in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Frederick County, MD April 23, 2008 –

Frederick County’s Board of Education unanimously voted to support a goal to increase the tree canopy for all Board of Education of Frederick County properties to 20 percent over the next 30 years. Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS), which currently has 12 percent tree cover, is the first school district in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to adopt a tree canopy goal.

Potomac Conservancy, with support from the US Forest Service, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Home Depot Foundation and local partners, worked closely with Frederick County’s Board of
Education and FCPS Facilities Services Division and Schoolyard Habitat Program to establish the 20 percent system-wide tree canopy goal for the school district.

“Trees are absolutely fundamental to improving the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay,” said Heather Montgomery, the Potomac Conservancy associate leading this effort. “Potomac Conservancy is thrilled to be able to participate in this program. This work affects the water quality of the local community as well as on one of our greatest natural resources, the Chesapeake Bay.”

Tree canopy slows stormwater by intercepting rainfall, and helps to improve air and water quality. Increasing tree canopy on school grounds also provides shade from harmful UV rays;
enhances outdoor learning opportunities; and has the potential to decrease heating, cooling, and grounds maintenance costs.

In his April 24, 2008, letter to Potomac Conservancy, Frederick County’s Board of Education President Daryl Boffman said, “The Board, in adopted policy and practice, is supportive of many
efforts that serve to reduce energy use and protect the environment. In particular, with respect to the tree canopy goal, the objectives of the Conservancy and our own Schoolyard Habitat
Program are closely aligned and complementary to one another.”

Working with Frederick County’s Schoolyard Habitat Teacher Specialist and members of the Monocacy & Catoctin Watershed Alliance, the Conservancy has led over 1,400 students,
teachers, and volunteers in planting more than 600 native trees and shrubs at schools since last fall. By planting trees, students are participating in creating positive, lasting environmental
change while creating exciting outdoor classrooms.

Broadlands to celebrate “Community Wildlife Habitat” designation on May 3rd

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Broadlands to be Certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat

Leading a nationwide trend in community concern for habitat loss, the community of Broadlands in Loudoun County, Virginia will be officially designated a Community Wildlife Habitat, the 25th in the country to receive this honor.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) commends the dedicated residents of Broadlands for their wildlife conservation efforts and for coming together for a common purpose – to create a community where people and wildlife can flourish. At a time when communities are faced with the problems of losing habitat to development, Broadlands stands out as a model for other communities to emulate. The knowledge and inspiration that this project has generated will lead Broadlands residents and visitors to take better care of their natural world.

Broadlands is a 1500-care master-planned community in Ashburn, VA, registered their project back in March of 2003, when the Community Wildlife Habitat program, and the community itself was still being developed. Broadlands is built along Stream Valley Park, a linear park system that runs through the community. Numerous trails, wetlands, woodlands and parks provide wildlife habitat and have been certified. The Broadlands Homeowners Association sponsors nature-related activities for adults and children, based out of the community’s Nature Center.

The Community Wildlife Habitat project is part of NWF’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat™ program. These projects benefit the entire community of plants, wildlife, and people through the creation of sustainable landscapes that require little or no pesticides, fertilizers, and excess watering. These landscapes help keep water and air resources clean. They are healthier for people and the environment, and are less resource-dependent than conventional landscapes. Habitat landscapes can serve to beautify our urban areas and give residents pride in their neighborhoods. A Community Wildlife Habitat project multiplies this positive effect by creating multiple habitat areas in backyards, schoolyards, corporate properties, community gardens, parkland and other spaces.

To date, only 24 other communities have been recognized with Community Wildlife Habitat certification: Alpine, CA; Zionsville, IN; Reston, VA; Tukwila, WA; Chamblee, GA; South Riding, VA; Hidden Springs, ID; Montreat, NC; Chesterfield, MO; Camano Island, WA; Coconut Creek, FL; Milton, MA; Callawassie Island, SC; Sonoma County, CA; Wilton Manors, FL; Hesston, KS; Briarcliffe Acres, SC; Belding, MI; Lake Forest Park, WA; Sweetwater in the Foothills, AZ; Great Fall, VA; and Plantation, FL. Since 1973, NWF has provided millions of people with the basic guidelines for making their landscapes more wildlife-friendly. There are over 97,000 certified habitats nationwide.

For more information please visit www.nwf.org/community.

WHEN AND WHERE: Saturday, May 3rd, 2008: 10:30am – 12:30pm at Broadlands Nature Center, 21907 Claiborne Parkway, Broadlands, VA 20148

CONTACTS: Oya Simpson, Broadlands Habitat Team Chair, 703-725-8040

Susanne Ortmann, Audubon Naturalist, Broadlands Nature Center, 703-729-9726

Roxanne Paul, National Wildlife Federation, Operations Coordinator, Habitat Education Programs, 703-438-6586