Recognizing outstanding work

Dungannon Elementary uses mini grant to build Monarch Waystation

Dungannon Elementary School students and their mentor, teacher Lenora Chandler, completed a Monarch Waystation with a mini grant received after the Clinch River Youth Summit.

The Roundtable oversees mini grants as part of a Virginia Department of Forestry grant. The grant also funds an educator symposium, which is this Saturday. (See flyer below)

DES worked over the summer, assembling raised bed containers, adding soil, and planting. This habitat is an attractive feature at the school entrance. More of Mrs. Chandler's photos are posted on our website, uppertnriver.org.

Other school mini grant projects will be featured in the next newsletter.

Roundtable & partners complete two conservation camps for third graders

Presenters offered a variety of creative approaches to teach their lessons at the Roundtable's two conservation camps this fall. From dressing up like a beaver to learn the different characteristics of this critter in one lesson to pouring out a precise amount water to show the usable amount of this natural resource on Earth in another lesson.

Thank you to all of the wonderful presenters and to the schools that participated in these annual education events.Go to the Roundtable's website for more photos.

Clinch River Symposium still accepting participants

If you want to attend the symposium, registration is open until the event starts!

Recognizing citizens

Roundtable Board of Directors Chair Dustin Keith presented an award to the "We Say No to Moss 3 Landfill" group at the fall member meeting. This group led the campaign to discourage a private landfill from being located in Russell County. Accepting the award were Amy Branson, Brandi Hurley, and Jennifer Chumbley.

Catching the macros!

Beth Fairbanks, a professor at Virginia Highlands Community College, assisted with our stream monitoring workshop as part of the Virginia Highlands Festival. Beth (at right in photo) demonstrated how to catch and identify macroinvertebrates to an intrigued group of participants.

Fixing broken stuff!

Talented fixers repaired everything from an automatic vacuum to a broken zipper at the Fix-It Fair. Keep Virginia Beautiful awarded another grant to the Roundtable to host this event. Fixers stayed busy during the event and took items home for further repair.

Jeannie O'Dell registered everyone at the event.

Brandon Blevins and Martha Chapman make repairs.

Ceiling added to outdoor classroom shelter

The Roundtable's Smyth County Conservation Camp went well, although participants had to dodge stinging insects nesting in the new shelter. Randall Sheets, the contractor who completed the most recent round of additions to the site, including building the shelter, added a ceiling following the event. Earlier this year and last fall, Randall had also built the new staircase from the parking lot above the site to the outdoor classroom, rebuilt the animal tracks concrete, and improved the pathway and learning station circular areas.

Dungannon Elementary uses mini grant to build Monarch Waystation

Join us for the annual Muster Grounds stream cleanup!

Thank you to all funders, donors & supporters!