October 2026 Stream Monitoring, Community Science Events, and Learning Opportunities

October 2026

Watershed Calendar

Rescue Trees from Invasive Vines

Invasive vines like English ivy, Oriental bittersweet, and porcelain-berry are strangling our trees. Every weekend in October, you can join the Fairfax Tree Rescuers to learn how to clip invasive vines and save trees, while also learning to identify beneficial native vines.

These events are free and open to anyone, but registration is required. Learn more about times and locations, what to bring, and how to register on the Fairfax Tree Rescuers website.

We'd love to hear from you (and share more cool content) on our Facebook and Instagram. Thanks for supporting environmental stewardship in Fairfax County!

Yours in conservation,

The NVSWCD Communications Team

Stream Monitoring

Virginia Save Our Streams Stream Monitoring Certification - Field Certification Event

When: Saturday, October 17, 9:00-12:00pm

Where: Colvin Run, Lake Fairfax Park, Reston

Are you interested in obtaining a Virginia Save Our Streams Stream Monitoring certification? This certification is not required for our workshops, but it allows you to monitor your own site if you wish. The certification consists of three parts - watching online webinars, passing an online macroinvertebrate ID exam, and taking an in-person field protocols exam. Watching the webinars and successfully passing the macroinvertebrate ID exam are required before taking the field certification. Want to get your stream monitoring certification at this event? Please email Ashley instead of using the registration links.

Please note: our next field certification event will be held in Spring 2027

Pimmit Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Wednesday, October 7, 3:00-6:00pm

Where: Kent Gardens Park, McLean

Pimmit Run is NVSWCD's newest stream site, as well as our most eastern site in the county. Reaching this site requires a short walk over paved and unpaved trails. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Cub Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Sunday, October 11, 9:00-12:00pm

Where: Cub Run Stream Valley Park, Centreville

This site features some of the largest hellgrammites we find in Fairfax County. Haven't heard of them? Be sure to research this super cool macroinvertebrate! Just a stone's throw from the parking area, this site is very popular and we can certainly see why. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Colvin Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Saturday, October 17, 9:00-12:00pm

Where: Lake Fairfax Park, Reston

This stream monitoring site has been monitored for more than 10 years by dedicated volunteers from the Northern Virginia Chapter of Trout Unlimited. We often see plenty of dragonfly and damselfly larvae at this site. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Accotink Creek Long Branch Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Saturday, November 14, 9:00-12:00pm

Where: Long Branch Stream Valley Park, Fairfax

Adopted last spring, this stream is tiny but mighty. We found a lot of diverse macroinvertebrate populations the last time we visited this site! This site is located within a short walk from the parking area over a paved trail. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

Little Difficult Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Thursday, November 19, 9:00-12:00pm

Where: Fred Crabtree Park, Herndon

This small stream is located in a peaceful, wooded park a short hike away from the parking area. Little Difficult Run often scores very highly on our macroinvertebrate index because its watershed lies almost completely within the protected parkland. Reaching this site requires hiking through the woods and over uneven terrain. Please note that this will be our last stream monitoring workshop of the fall season. Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

We're very excited to contribute our stream data to state and national datasets. If you'd like to see data from all the NVSWCD regional stream monitoring team's active sites, you can find our organization on the Clean Water Hub.

Upcoming Events

Volunteer Opportunity - Community Garden Workday

When: Saturday, October 24, 10:00am-1:00pm

Where: James Lee Community Center, Falls Church

The James Lee Community Center's community garden is one of several gardens supported by NVSWCD. For this community garden workday, we'll be tackling a few projects to get the garden in good shape including: weeding the garden beds, re-mulching the garden walkways, and installing a drip irrigation system. No prior gardening experience is required, and all garden tools are provided. The work will involve standing, bending, and some moderate lifting. Please come prepared with comfortable clothes, closed-toe shoes, water, and work gloves if you have them. Learn more and register to volunteer here.

October NVSWCD Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, October 27, 9:30 am

Where: NVSWCD Office/Herrity Building, Fairfax

The NVSWCD Board of Directors normally meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month (except for August and December.) The meetings are held in a hybrid format virtually on Teams and in-person in the Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax VA 22035. Meetings begin at 9:30am (unless announced otherwise) and are open to the public. Learn more about our board meetings here.

Build-Your-Own Rain Barrel Workshop

When: Sunday, November 8, 3:30pm - 5:30pm

Where: Green Acres Community Center, 4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax

At this workshop, you'll learn how to install and maintain a rain barrel and build your own rain barrel to take home with you. The cost for this workshop is $55, all materials will be provided, and registration is required. Learn about rain barrels here and register for the rain barrel workshop here.

Youth & Student Programs

Youth Conservation Leadership Institute

Applications due Thursday, October 8, 2026

We love this VASWCD program for high school students! The Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a program focusing on volunteer service, environmental stewardship, leadership and connecting students with environmental issues in their local communities. As a participant in the Youth Conservation Leadership Institute, students will develop and implement a project of their choosing with assistance from the YCLI program director and their local Soil & Water Conservation District and will be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service with a focus in the natural resource conservation field. Learn more and apply here.

Conservation Assistance Program Spotlight

Homeowner Collaboration

Two neighbors in the Little Hunting Creek Watershed recently worked together to manage stormwater flowing along their shared property line and collecting in a swale that led to the street. These Mount Vernon residents each applied for a Conservation Assistance Program (CAP) grant for the area along their property line. They requested a site visit from the NVSWCD CAP team, who recommended that the homeowners use densely planted native plants to slow the flow and absorb the stormwater flowing through their shared side yard. This practice is called Conservation Landscaping. Our CAP team then worked with the homeowners and landscaper to ensure the project met the program requirements for cost-share assistance. Now, they have replaced 835 square feet of lawn with native plants, and with every storm, they keep stormwater runoff from flowing into nearby Little Hunting Creek.

Learn more about NVSWCD's Conservation Assistance Programs:

Visit our CAP Website

If you have already received a site visit and are ready to apply, the next application deadline is October 9th.