On-campus stormwater facilities have been seen simply as a means to manage a school's runoff, not a place to learn. However this approach is changing in Fairfax thanks to the County's Stormwater Planning Division.  Their nationally-recognized R3 (Revitalize, Restore, Replant) program treats stormwater management facilities as teaching and learning labs through student-led native plant installations.  Stormwater Planning ecologists will share an overview of the program and highlight some recently completed projects. A hot breakfast buffet and beverages are included with the $10 cost of admission. Pay at the door, cash preferred and no RSVP required. 

Volunteering to lead a storm drain labeling project is a fun way to give back to the community and help protect our natural world. Each project focuses on a neighborhood, informing people who live there about the dangers of dumping anything into a storm drain. Storm drain labeling is an effective, low-cost method of educating residents about water quality problems in our streams, lakes, rivers and the Bay. NVSWCD is currently recruiting volunteers to lead storm drain labeling projects. Find more information online.

Environmental Education Grants

 Two interesting environmental education grant programs are currently accepting applications.

- EcoTech Grants offer up to $2,500 to engage children in inquiry-based, STEM-related projects that leverage technology and/or use nature-based design to address environmental problems in local communities.

-Project Learning Tree's Greenworks Grants offer of up to $1,000 to fund student-implemented projects that green the school or improve an aspect of the neighborhood's environment.

Date: Saturday, July 14th, 8:30am

Location: Brion's Grille, 10621 Braddock Rd, in the University Shopping Mall

Date: Saturday, July 14th, 9:00am - 11:30am

Location: Pohick Creek Stream Valley Park, Springfield

Date: Saturday, July 14th, 10:30am - Noon

Location: Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Dr, Reston

Date: Sunday, July 15th, 10am - Noon

Location: James Long Park, 4603 James Madison Hwy, Haymarket. Park at the Old Library parking lot.

Date: Saturday, July 21, 8:00am

Location: South Run Rec Center, 7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield

Date: Saturday, July 21, various times

Location: Multiple parks throughout Fairfax County

Date: Thursday, July 26, 8:30pm - 9:30pm

Location: Burke Lake Park, Fairfax Station, VA

Date: Sunday, July 29th, 1:30pm - 4:00pm

Location: Parkland behind South Run Rec Center, 7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield

Join certified volunteer monitor Veronica Tangiri as she monitors her adopted site along beautiful and healthy South Run as it flows under a leafy canopy of trees between Burke Lake and Lake Mercer. Please RSVP to Veronica for directions.

Date: Saturday, August 18th, 9:00am - 3:00pm

Location: Manassas Battlefield National Park, Park Headquarters

Want to take your volunteering to the next level? Become a Certified Stream Monitor and adopt your own site to monitor quarterly! Candidates for certification must have attended at least 3-4 monitoring workshops/sessions or have other prior experience. The workshop will consist of a morning review of invertebrates and watersheds, followed by time for the written portion of the test. In the afternoon, certification candidates will be observed as they perform a stream monitoring at Young's Branch. Those not seeking certification are welcome to attend as well. Other activities and a lunch break will be offered while the certification test is underway. To RSVP and for more information, please contact Dan Schwartz or Veronica Tangiri.