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September News

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What’s New?
Upcoming Deadlines
In The News
Welcome New Partners
Related Resources from Partners
Professional Development Opportunities  

WHAT’S NEW?

Your Ecological Footprint
Visit our new website www.vanaturally.com/footprint.html for tips on ways to reduce your ecological footprint. Over 100 environmental educators from across the Commonwealth attended the recent Environmental Education/VApril 6, 2006g of these new educational resources.

UPCOMING DEADLINES

Next Round of Classroom Grants Deadline is September 15, 2005
Mark your calendar as the deadline for the next round of classroom grants for meaningful watershed educational experiences. Amounts of $500, $750 and $1,000 are available. www.vanaturally.com/classroomgrants.html .

Living Shoreline Grant Proposals Due Deadline: September 23
 The Living Shoreline Grants program is designed to create and promote natural shoreline restoration projects, commonly known as “living shorelines”, around the Chesapeake Bay . This grant program is supported by a partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center (NOAA) and Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment. In 2005-2006, approximately $425,000 is available. Requests up to $50,000 will be accepted. Grant awards will be announced in February 2006. Requests for proposals in now available at www.cbtrust.org/grantprograms.html#Living

Applications Chesapeake Bay License Plates fund Deadline:  October 1
 The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Advisory Committee is accepting grant applications to conduct Chesapeake Bay- related education and restoration activities. The grants are funded with monies from the sale of the special Chesapeake Bay license plate “Friend of the Chesapeake .” This year $351,741 in grant monies will be awarded to eligible applicants. The deadline for submitting a proposal for 2006 support grants is October 1, 2005. Grant funds will be awarded in May-June 2006. To be eligible for receiving a grant, applicants should submit proposals emphasizing environmental education or restoration and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay. Projects focusing on environmental education should increase public awareness and knowledge about the Bay, and projects of a restoration and conservation nature should be action oriented. The application, grant guidelines and additional info can be found at http://dls.state.va.us/cbrfac.htm

Naturalist Course Offered at 4-H Center to Begin in September
 Holiday Lake 4-H Center located near Appomattox announces its nature-training course. The Central Virginia (Master) Naturalist Training Course hosted at the Center and offered by Mike Hayslett, coordinator of “Master Naturalist” courses since 1994. The course is designed for adults and mature youth and teaches a wide range of subjects related to nature, natural resources, conservation, and the outdoors. The course has a sliding payment scale to accommodate a range of participant abilities. Call the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center at 434-248-5444 for more information and application form.

Virginia’s Finest Trees
Nominations being taken until December 2005
 Please join us in searching for Virginia 's remarkable trees! The overall goal of this project is to increase awareness and appreciation of Virginia 's trees, especially among Virginia 's youth. Nominate a tree at www.cnr.vt.edu/4h/remarkabletree/about.cfm

IN THE NEWS

VA Dept. of Environmental Quality’s Community Involvement Meeting Dates
 About 70 people attended the Department of Environmental Quality’s open house and community meeting for the West Central Region in Roanoke on September 1, 2005 . The meeting was held as part of DEQ’s community involvement initiative to increase understanding of how DEQ operates, identify issues that are a priority in each region of Virginia and enhance opportunities for community involvement in environmental activities in Virginia .

The Roanoke meeting focused on a discussion of environmental issues relating to the Smith Mountain Lake watershed by a panel of experts representing American Electric Power Co., Smith Mountain Lake Association, Western Virginia Water Authority, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and DEQ.

Plan to attend a public meeting in your region to meet DEQ staff, identify environmental issues, and collaborate with other stakeholders to address priority issues in your area:

  • Sept. 22- Southwest Regional Office (Abingdon) Oct. 11- Piedmont Regional Office (Glen Allen)
  • Sept. 27- Tidewater Regional Office ( Va. Beach ) Nov. 17- Valley Regional Office (Harrisonburg )
  • Oct. 3- Northern Virginia Regional Office ( Woodbridge )

For more information, visit the website at:www.deq.virginia.gov/community/

September 24 is National Public Lands Day
 Saturday, September 24 is dedicated as National Public Lands Day. It provides an opportunity for volunteers to roll up their sleeves and build sweat-equity in America’s backyard- our public lands. Log onto www.publiclandsday.org to register your event. We encourage all environmental educators to participate.

Stewardship Virginia Fall Campaign
September 1 - October 31
Stewardship Virginia is a statewide initiative held twice annually to help citizens with projects that enhance and conserve Virginia's natural and cultural resources. Its focus is on projects that enhance water quality, control invasive species, improve recreational resources, preserve historic and cultural resources, preserve natural heritage resources, educate people about recreational, historical, cultural, wildlife and water resources, and improve wildlife habitat. Contact Bonnie Phillips at bonnie.phillips@dcr.virginia.gov or 804-786-5056 for more information.

Congratulations to the Augusta/Nelson 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP) for placing 3 rd at the National 4-H WHEP Contest held at Vines 4-H Center near Little Rock, Arkansas, August 3-7. The team was the only one to have both urban and rural management plans place in the top 5 with the rural earning 3 rd place and the urban earning 2 nd place. For more information on this program, please see www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/environment/wildjudging

Sunsets, Chardonnays, Kayaking and Backpacking: Virginia ’s Fall Has it All
In Virginia the autumn season is for more than just the eye. The Virginia Tourism Corporation www.vatc.org encourages people to also taste, touch, listen, experience and savor all that Virginia has to offer. From the Virginia Creeper Trail in Southwest Virginia to the Eastern Shore Birding Festival at Kiptopeke in early October, the Commonwealth is alive with fairs, festivals, concerts, tours, outdoor activities and culinary experiences- enough to fill up a day, weekend or weeklong vacation. Simply visit www.FallinVirginia.org, a one-stop resource on fall events, lodging, attractions, things to do as well as a scientific look at peak fall foliage dates.

October is Virginia Archaeology Month
Every October, the Commonwealth celebrates archaeology in Virginia at libraries, museums, historical societies, clubs and active archaeological sites around the state. Events range from exhibits, lecture series and tours, to special hands-on children’s programs. The theme for this year is Archaeology on the Edge: Environmental Archaeology in Virginia. For a listing of events: www.dhr.virginia.gov/arch_DHR/archaeo_index.htm or contact the VA Department of Historic Resources at 804-367-2323 x 134.

WELCOME NEW PARTNERS

RELATED RESOURCES FROM PARTNERS

Watershed protection mini-grants available
Water protection mini-grants are available through the County’s Protecting Resources in Delicate Environments (PRIDE) Program. Neighborhoods, stormwater facility (BMP) owners, and community groups can qualify for up to $500. Projects emphasizing water quality improvement through watershed restoration/protection include tree planting, wetland planting, BMP restoration, and stream bank stabilization.

The Mini-Grant Program is part of PRIDE’s watershed education initiative to enhance watershed protection and improve water quality. For more information, log on to www.protectedwithpride.org or contact Beth Davis, Environmental Education Coordinator at 757-253-6859

2nd Annual HRAEE Conference Honors Environmental Excellence Award Winners
 Barbara Dunbar, Holly Carson and Kathryn O’Hara are the recipients of HRAEE ’s first annual environmental excellence awards. Awards were given for Partner/Community Outreach, Increase Communications and Doing Big Things at The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg , VA on August 25. Over 80 educators attended this regional conference.

Environmental Jeopardy Resources (FREE)
 Earth Day Network (EDN) www.earthday.net has created the first two in a series of three interactive games on environmental issues. Designed like the game show, each edition of Environmental Jeopardy focuses on a specific environmental theme with in-depth answers and suggestions for how to conduct further research. Both available editions can be downloaded free by registering on the Teachers Corner of the website. All new members get a hard copy of the original edition along with the official game board. www.earthday.net/involved/teachers/join-Network.aspx

Respect the Beach Educational Materials
 Respect the Beach (RTB) www.surfrider.org/programs/respectthebeach.asp is an exciting coastal educational program that includes field trips, classroom lectures, handouts, video, and hands-on projects designed to coastal watershed processes, shoreline ecology and coastal area stewardship to K-12 students and community groups.

April 6, 2006ew poster from The Global Education Project: "Earth: A Graphic Look At the State of the World" includes 15 Maps, 99 Charts and Graphs - one Big Picture. This compact and comprehensive resource presents essential data and commentaries on the condition of the world's natural and human environment. Graphic and accurate, facilitates a quick comprehension of the overall state of the planet. Raising as many questions as it answers, this informative, up-to-date, and thoroughly referenced publication is sure to be of timely interest. www.theglobaleducationproject.org/index.shtml

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia --2005 Bigger Than Ever
Please join the effort! From Virginia ’s beaches to our mountains, cleanup events are scheduled throughout September and October! Find a cleanup site near you by going to the Clean Virginia Waterways web page: www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccva.htm

 Registrations for new cleanup events are still being accepted for September and October.  A registration form is on the CVW web site:
www.longwood.edu/cleanva/images/icc_virginia_signup_form.htm or call CVW at 434-395-2602.

Northeast Coastal Zone Management Partners Workshop
October 4-7, Virginia Beach, VA
 The Northeast CZM Partners Workshop is quickly approaching. We hope you can join us in Virginia Beach on October 4 – 7 for this unique gathering of Virginia coastal partners and CZM staff from NOAA’s northeast coastal region – including the states of ME, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, PA, NJ, DE and MD. Please visit the Virginia CZM Web site for more detail on the workshop agenda which will also include sessions on energy issues and growth management/coastal land use. If you have not already done so, please reserve your space at this unique workshop by September 16. The registration form is available at w www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/wkshpreg.html

6 th Annual Green Living and Energy Expo
October 21 - 22, 2005 , Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke , Virginia
Free Admission and Parking
 Learn about energy, conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building and sustainable living. Enjoy exhibits, demonstrations, seminars and door prizes.

Professional Development Resources from EE-Link
 The "Professional Resources" page on the NAAEE www.ee.org website offers http://eelink.net/pag es/Professional+Resources, which has links to connect to ideas and materials that educators can use to develop new perspectives and teaching strategies.

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