September 2008 Newsletter
Special Feature: 2008 Virginia EE Conference
Funding and Award Deadlines
Upcoming Events
Partner Updates and Resources
Your Virginia
2008 Virginia Environmental Education Conference
- Registration ends September 10th!Nearly 150 are expected to attend the annual professional development conference September 17 - 18 at Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, VA. Author Rick VaN Noy, professor at Radford University will kick off the conference. Rick’s book, A Natural Sense of Wonder, Connecting Kids with Nature through the Seasons, answers the call to action raised by The Last Child in the Woods. In the spirit of Rachel Carson's The Sense of Wonder, Rick journeys out of his suburban home with his children chronicling his determination (and at times frustration) to get his kids outside. This book will be available for purchase during the conference. To help arrange carpooling, a list of participants has been posted at xxx.
Funding and Awards Deadlines
Applications being accepted for monies from sale of Chesapeake Bay license plates until October 1; $393,086 available
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.”
Grant funds will be awarded in May-June 2009. 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. Grants are awarded for one year, except in special circumstances. Grant funds may not be used to supplant existing state or local general fund appropriations.
More information on the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, including the application, grant guidelines, and a catalogue of past projects can be found at http://dls.state.va.us/cbrfac.htm.
Upcoming Events
Please see Calendar of Events for a listing of public programs and professional development offerings. For a list of professional development opportunities for educators, visit www.vanaturally.com/summer.html
14th Annual Clean Virginia Waterways Cleanup
When: September 20, 2008
Where: Belle Isle and Ancarrow’s Landing, Richmond and other sites
(CVW) is working hard to have the BIGGEST and best cleanup of Virginia’s rivers, streams and beaches this fall (September 1 through October 31), and we are trying to reach as many like-minded citizens to join one of the 150+ that will be held all over the state. Visit http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccsitesva08.htm or call 434-395-2602 if you have any questions about this annual event.
16th Annual Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife
When:September 19-21, 2008
Where:Cape Charles, Virginia
Join the Virginia CZM Program and keynote speaker Pete Dunne in CapeCharles for the 16th Annual Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival. Pete Dunne, the man the Wall Street Journal called “the bard of birding,” is the author of seven books, Vice President of the New Jersey Audubon Society and director of its Cape May Bird Observatory. http://www.esvachamber.org/festivals/birding/
Where:Cape Charles, Virginia
Join the Virginia CZM Program and keynote speaker Pete Dunne in CapeCharles for the 16th Annual Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival. Pete Dunne, the man the Wall Street Journal called “the bard of birding,” is the author of seven books, Vice President of the New Jersey Audubon Society and director of its Cape May Bird Observatory. http://www.esvachamber.org/festivals/birding/
Concert by the Bay
When: September 21, 2008 (2:00 - 4:00 p.m.)
Where:OceanViewBeachPark, Norfolk, VA 23503
Co-sponsored by CBF, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Virtexco, Ceres, and The Port of Virginia, this a family friendly, fun-filled event with a great view of the Bay! We will have live bluegrass music by TownMountain, door prizes, and more. So bring your beach blanket or chair and enjoy! This rain or shine event is free and open to the public, so spread the word! For more information: and to RSVP by September 15th visit www.cbf.org/clean or call 800/SAVEBAY to let us know how many will attend.
When: September 21, 2008 (2:00 - 4:00 p.m.)
Where:OceanViewBeachPark, Norfolk, VA 23503
Co-sponsored by CBF, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Virtexco, Ceres, and The Port of Virginia, this a family friendly, fun-filled event with a great view of the Bay! We will have live bluegrass music by TownMountain, door prizes, and more. So bring your beach blanket or chair and enjoy! This rain or shine event is free and open to the public, so spread the word! For more information: and to RSVP by September 15th visit www.cbf.org/clean or call 800/SAVEBAY to let us know how many will attend.
Eenvironmental Outreach Coordinator (REQ NO: 09-193)
Location: Chesterfield County
Deadline: September 18, 2008 at 5:00pm
For more information or to apply: http://www.chesterfield.gov/humanresourcesmanagement/joblist.asp
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in environmental studies or related field and two years of experience working with citizen volunteers; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Excellent organizational and communication skills; experience working with the development and use of databases and similar software required. Experience with water quality or other environmental issues desired; CVA certification desired. Duties: Serve as assistant to the Water Quality Manager coordinating all volunteer and environmental outreach activities related to the county's Virginia Stormwater Management Program VSMP ; maintain contact with volunteers; acquire and distribute necessary supplies and equipment for volunteer efforts; write volunteer newsletters; facilitate meetings; conduct volunteer training; develop and maintain databases, educational materials, presentations and website; apply for and manage grants.
Location: Chesterfield County
Deadline: September 18, 2008 at 5:00pm
For more information or to apply: http://www.chesterfield.gov/humanresourcesmanagement/joblist.asp
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in environmental studies or related field and two years of experience working with citizen volunteers; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Excellent organizational and communication skills; experience working with the development and use of databases and similar software required. Experience with water quality or other environmental issues desired; CVA certification desired. Duties: Serve as assistant to the Water Quality Manager coordinating all volunteer and environmental outreach activities related to the county's Virginia Stormwater Management Program VSMP ; maintain contact with volunteers; acquire and distribute necessary supplies and equipment for volunteer efforts; write volunteer newsletters; facilitate meetings; conduct volunteer training; develop and maintain databases, educational materials, presentations and website; apply for and manage grants.
COVES 2008, Meeting the Climate Change Challenge Conference
September 17-19, 2008
Greater RichmondConvention Center, Richmond, Virginia
Greater RichmondConvention Center, Richmond, Virginia
The Opening Night of the Exhibit Hall on September 17 will be free to the general public. The Exhibit Hall will feature Green Products, Alternative Fueled Vehicles, and a Green Building Poster Gallery. Conference will also feature tours of Green Building projects. It's all about the Economy! Find out more at www.vsbn.org/coves2008.
Partner Updates and Resources
Welcome New Partners
Your Virginia
Register Stewardship & Education Projects for Recognition
September 1 through October 31 is the annual Stewardship Virginia campaign. Collecting acorns as part of Stewardship Virginia is a great way for scouts, 4-H clubs, daycare centers and schools to get involved in this year's fall campaign. The acorns collected are planted in nurseries and later used by volunteers to plant trees along streams and rivers. Forest buffers around streams and rivers help keep our waters clean. The forest's floor is spongy and absorbs excess water and pollutants before they enter the stream. Trees help cool the waters, hold soil in place, provide habitat and cover for wildlife and fish, and filter the air. Wetlands are extremely important as nature's water filtering system. Many species of trees have adapted to flood plains and thrive in wetlands. Pin Oaks, Willow Oaks and Water Oaks are a few of the oak trees that are good trees to plant around river and swamp borders. Remember to get the landowner's permission before collecting acorns. Find trees that have plenty of acorns and leave some for the wildlife.
Please take a look at the list of tree seeds below that the Virginia Department of Forestry is collecting this fall. You can leave bags of acorns or seeds at your local Virginia Department of Forestry county office http://www.dof.virginia.gov/info/my-county.shtml. Please collect only one type of seed per bag, and label it with the name and county if possible. You might find this Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America to be helpful. http://govdocs.evergreen.edu/pdf/forestservice/guides/native-oaks2003.pdf
Volunteers can register their event at www.dcr.virginia.gov/stewardship and receive certificates of appreciation signed by Governor Tim Kaine and Secretary Bryant. The first 50 groups to register their Stewardship Virginia acorn collection will receive a free copy of a tree identification guide, Common Native Trees of Virginia.
For more ideas and resources for other types of projects, visit: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/stewardship/svresourceguide.htm
Virginia Natural Resource Agency News
For the latest information about VA’s seven natural resource agencies visit www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/Agencies/agency.cfm and click on the agency link you need.
Litter Picks
Special Projects Grant Applications for Litter and Recycling are due by September 18, 2008
The special projects grant applications for litter and recycling grants MUST be received by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality by September 18, 2008. To download the application and the grant guidelines, go to: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/recycle/programs.html10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Piedmont Regional Office located at 4949-A Cox Road in Glen Allen. You are invited to attend this meeting and be available to answer any additional questions that the Fund Board might have about your special project application. and scroll down to where it says “Special Projects Funding.” There is presently approximately $100,000 available in special project grant award money. There is no minimum or maximum amount that a local government or non-profit with government representation may request. The Fund Board will meet to discuss the applications received and they will decide which projects they will fund and how much of the requested amount to award to each project. The Fund Board is scheduled to meet at
Virginia Council on Litter Prevention and Recycling Upcoming Conference
The Virginia Council for Litter Prevention and Recycling (VCLPR) is hosting a conference at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fredericksburg October 22 – 24, 2008. For additional information contact Clara Mills at cmills@spotsylvaniava.usor Rosemary Byrne cleanfairfax1@aol.com
Adopt-a-Highway Fall Cleanup Day is September 13, 2008
The Virginia Department of Transportation is requesting that their Adopt-a-Highway groups participate in the annual fall cleanup which has been scheduled for Saturday, September 13, 2008. For more information about the Adopt-a-Highway Program go to: http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/prog-aah-default.asp. If you are interested in adopting a stretch of road or want to do a one-time pick up along a stretch of road, contact the local Adopt-a-Highway coordinator. They are listed by counties. Go to: http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/prog-aah-coords.asp.
Continued Interest in Litter Signage
The April and May/June editions of “Litter Picks” requested feedback from local litter program managers on the effectiveness of litter signage. The article also contained a link to a study that was done in Australia. Rachael Budowle, the Solid Waste Community Programs Coordinator for the Town of Blacksburg and her colleague Elsie Drake, a Ph.D. candidate at CABS has been researching litter messages. Ms. Budlow wrote:
The April edition of Litter Picks called for opinions about the effectiveness of negative vs. positive litter messages. Respondents to the call prefer positive messages and thought that negative messages may even create more litter. The Center for Applied Behavior Systems (CABS) at Virginia Tech and other environmental behaviorists have been researching these very concepts for years. Elise Drake, a Ph.D. candidate at CABS has been researching litter messages most recently. She and Rachael Budowle, the Solid Waste Community Programs Coordinator for the Town of Blacksburg, have compiled a review of studies about litter and messages. This information can help you use behavioral psychology to improve your litter programs.
Download a PDF of the review here: Behavioral Antecedent Interventions Targeting Environmental Protection/Preservation
For more information, contact Rachael Budowle at rbudowle@blacksburg.gov or (540) 961-1806.
Assorted Items of Professional Interest
Congress Expected to Vote on Major Environmental Education Legislation
Legislation that would strengthen environmental education is expected to come to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on September 9, 2008. The No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 3036), passed by the House Education and Labor Committee earlier this summer, would reauthorize the National Environmental Education Act and also amend it to authorize additional grant funds to strengthen environmental education at the national, state, and local levels, and expand the purposes of the teacher training program in environmental education. The Campaign for Environmental Literacy is leading advocacy efforts on this bill. Go to www.fundee.org/action/
For more EE resources, visit http://www.vanaturally.com/vanaturally/partner_resources.html
For up-to-date news about national environmental education opportunities, consider subscribing to EE-News, a twice-monthly email bulletin provided by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). www.naaee.org
Fun Fact
The toxic chemicals leached from discarded cigarette butts present a biohazard to the water flea at concentrations of more than 0.125 butts per liter, or about one butt per two gallons of water. For more information about the impacts of cigarette litter, visit http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cigbuttimpacts.htm.
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