Thank you for your continued support of the Middle James Roundtable (MJRT)!
If you have information that you would like shared in the MJRT weekly announcements, please send it to [email protected].
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Ralph Northam: Blueprint to guide Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts
(The Virginian-Pilot)
EARLIER THIS year, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation released a report on the progress bay watershed states have made toward reducing pollution that harms the bay. I'm proud the report credited Virginia with a "strong roadmap for success," provided we accelerate our efforts.
That's exactly what we're doing.
Over the last 16 months, my administration has worked with scientific experts and a wide range of stakeholders to design a new roadmap for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, with the goal of reducing water pollution so future generations may experience the bay's full bounty. That's important to me because the bay was a vital part of my youth. Growing up near Onancock on Virginia's Eastern Shore, the bay was literally my back yard, and full of oysters, crabs, fish and seagrass.
To read the full article, click here.
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Richmond CBLP Level 1 Training
(September 10-11, 2019)
The Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Certification is a voluntary, regional credential for professionals who design, install, and maintain sustainable landscapes and green infrastructure practices in the Bay watershed. We now have over 400 Level 1 certified CBLPs in our network within the Chesapeake Bay Region, with approximately 160 in Virginia. Level 1 is our baseline credential emphasizing proper management of green infrastructure practices; while Level 2 is design and installation credential focused on advanced green infrastructure concepts and practices. Candidates can attend trainings and take exams anywhere they are offered. Level 1 CBLPs with green infrastructure experience are qualified to apply for Level 2 certification.
Level 1 consists of one two-day class that combines classroom learning about conservation landscaping (native plants, natural communities, habitat, soils, Invasives management) and stormwater BMPs, with a field-based maintenance practicum. The class also covers BMP inspection and verification protocols. Level 1 candidates are required to study independently and pass a written examination at a later date.
Who should get certified?
Level 1 candidates must have a degree, certificate, or certification in a related green infrastructure field, or have professional experience. Attending a CBLP Level 1 training provides continuing education and professional development for several existing certifications including: certified horticulturalists, arborists, urban nutrient managers, DEQ SWM and ESC inspectors/planners, certified designers (APLD, VSLD).
We offer discounts to organizations that host trainings or send 3 or more staff to a training.
For more information, visit
http://cblpro.org
or contact: Beth Ginter, CBLP Coordinator, [email protected].
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James River Regional Cleanup
(September 14, 2019)
Join the James River Advisory Council as we come together as a community to clean up the James River watershed.
THE 20TH ANNUAL JAMES RIVER REGIONAL CLEANUP WILL BE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14.
Each year, hundreds of volunteers make the cleanup a success. They collect hundreds of bags of trash and recyclable materials. We invite you to be a part of this tremendous regional effort!
Registration is easy. Select from a list of official James River Regional Cleanup sites, complete the online registration and show up Saturday, September 14. Sign-in will begin at 8:30 a.m., and refreshments will be provided between noon and 1 p.m.
This annual event is open to individuals, families, groups, boaters and paddlers! Bring water and gloves and wear closed-toe shoes. For information and to register, visit JRAC-VA.ORG.
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Virginia Environmental Assembly
(October 12, 2019)
-- Showcases the environmental community's collective state-level policy priorities in the coming year. Printed copies of the book will be available in October. Registration information coming soon. Organized by Virginia Conservation Network (VCN).
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Save the Date: Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting
(October 17, 2019)
The Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting is scheduled for October 17, 2019 at Victory Hall in Scottsville, VA from 12pm-4pm. This year's theme will be
"Restore. Explore. Reconnect.
The River is Closer Than You Think"
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More information will be coming soon. Registrations will open on September 1.
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Save the Date: Virginia Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference
(February 26-28, 2020)
This year's conference theme "EE for EverybodEE" is a celebration and call to action to make environmental education accessible to everyone in the Commonwealth.
Featuring workshops, networking, field trips and a day and a half of concurrent session VAEE 2020 promises to be our most exciting conference yet!
The 2020 Virginia Environmental Education Conference will be held at the Florence Elston Inn & Conference Center at Sweet Briar College in Amherst, Virginia from Wednesday, February 26th to Friday, February 28th.
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River Management Training Symposium
(May 12-15, 2020)
Presented by
The River Management Society. in partnership with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and Virginia Commonwealth University
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Virginia's Scenic Rivers Program.
The Virginia Commonwealth University River Studies and Leadership Certificate
program is proud to be co-hosting with the River Management Society and Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation the biennial RMS training symposium
against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of Virginia's Scenic Rivers Program.
Join your colleagues in river management training, best practice presentations,
posters, information-packed field workshops and fascinating evening programs. The meeting will be held at the VCU Monroe campus. We invite you to submit your
2020 River Management Training Symposium: From Mountain Creeks to Metro
Canals abstract by COB Monday, September 9, 2019. We welcome presentations
and panels from river management professionals (e.g., managers, planners,
academics, consultants, or students) that show how you, your organization, and/or
the profession are protecting or enhancing river values. Come help us learn about innovations, creative approaches, successes, and visions for the future of
sustainable river management!
Our objectives for this symposium are to:
1. Share current and cutting-edge research in the disciplines of river ecology,
watershed science, recreation planning.
2. Connect river managers across geographic regions.
3. Spark interdisciplinary conversations.
4. Provide opportunities for attendees to sharpen skills, share accomplishments, investigate questions and build new alliances
We are seeking proposals that fit within one or more of these program broad
thematic areas: 1. Mountain and Rural Rivers (Management Issues and Science):
Applied research and management practice in applying ecological, biological, geomorphologic or social frameworks to river management especially in headwater
areas. 2. Urban Rivers (Urban Renewal, Infrastructure, Issues and Economics): How rivers contribute to a community's identity and economic well-being. 3. Management Technology Tools: New technologies and how they are being used in transforming
river management. 4. Policy and Practice (State and Federal River Management Legislation, Policies and Systems): The next river protection initiative - will it come
from cities or states? Emerging policy or legislation that impacts how rivers are
managed. 5. Partnerships and Community Building: Initiatives and successful
models that join river management agencies, scientists, universities, advocacy
groups and/or communities to support river projects and protection. 6. Water and
River Corridor Trails: The relationship of trails to river management, resource
protection, recreational use, and public support.
Call for Presentations
Propose a training workshop or presentation as a solo presenter or group or poster HERE.
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James River Association Upcoming Events
To learn more about these events and others, see
https://thejamesriver.org/
("Upcoming Events" at the bottom of the page.) Organized by the James River Association.
++ Explore Turkey Island Creek -- September 7, 2019 - Richmond, VA
++ James River Regional Cleanup -- September 14, 2019 -- Lynchburg,
Richmond, VA
++ Films on the Canal Walk -- September 18, 2019 - Richmond, VA
++ The Great Return of the Atlantic Sturgeon Canoe Paddle -- September 19,
2019 - Richmond, VA
++ The Great Return of the Atlantic Sturgeon Boat Tour -- September 20, 2019 -
Richmond, VA
++ Stone's Throw Down -- September 21, 2019 - Richmond, VA
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DEQ Announces Up To $1.5 Million To Address Pollution Projects In Virginia Watersheds
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has announced up to $1.5 million in federal funds for competitive grants to improve water quality in Virginia. The funds will be used to support best management practices (BMPs) to improve impaired waterbodies across the state. Grant awards can range from $100,000 to $400,000 and applications are due Oct. 31, 2019.
Recipients are expected to implement improvement projects with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved local implementation plans designed to prevent and control nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in watersheds, which can consist of streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater. Improvement measures include the use of BMPs, such as retention ponds, fencing to prevent livestock access to streams and septic system repairs.
"Grantees have implemented projects under the federal Clean Water Act's Section 319 for nearly 20 years and in more than 225 watersheds across the commonwealth," said DEQ Water Planning Division Director Jutta Schneider. "These partnerships have contributed to significant water quality improvements at the local level."
"DEQ is proud to once again offer grant funds to support these important projects," said DEQ Nonpoint Source Project Coordinator Lauren Linville. "This program helps existing partners and grantees continue their excellent work, while also offering opportunities for new partners and organizations to address key local water quality issues."
More details, including the application form, are available on the DEQ
website.
Background
DEQ has been working on implementing cleanup plans for local watersheds since 2001. Nonpoint source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. Runoff carries away natural and human-made pollutants and deposits them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters. With public participation, DEQ develops implementation plans for each impaired watershed and includes BMPs, such as excluding livestock from streams, repairing failing septic systems and planting vegetation buffers.
For more information about NPS pollution and implementation priorities, visit DEQ's
websiteQuestions regarding this grant program may be directed to the
Nonpoint Source Grant Program.
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