In honor of Environmental Awareness Month this September, James River Soil and Water Conservation District (James River SWCD) is excited to share our latest milestones and upcoming events in our September Newsletter! We hope you enjoy learning about our conservation initiatives across Chesterfield and Prince George counties.

Pictured: Anne Devine Leading "VCAP Start to Finish" Session

Pictured: Callie Moyers Leading "Lesson Plan Writing" Session

Our team recently led multiple sessions at the Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees (VACDE) Annual Training at Graves Mountain Lodge. Anne Devine, our Conservation Technician, led a session detailing the entire Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) process from start to finish, allowing all Conservation District employees to have a streamlined understanding of the program. Callie Moyers, our Education and Outreach Coordinator, led a session to connect Conservation District educators through the Open Space Model. She also led a session on lesson plan writing using the 5-E Model.



By leading these sessions, our team can better understand the perspective of Conservation District employees from across Virginia, helping to improve our programs in the future!

James River SWCD has programs for all grades that align with the Virginia Science SOL objectives. These programs are available for K-12 schools, libraries, home school systems, daycares, scout groups, and more. To request a program, click the link below:

Our Programs in Action: Scout Patches

We offer free scout patch programs to Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops in Chesterfield and Prince George counties! We have two patch programs available: Living in Your Watershed Patch (4th grade+) and Soil Expert Patch (3rd grade+). These patches will help students apply conservation knowledge to their local environment, helping to uplift young environmental stewards!

Pictured: Equipment on local Prince George County farmland

We have created a new form for requesting the No Till Drill! This planting tool can help improve farmers' bottom line by promoting soil health, conserving moisture, and reducing erosion. If you are unable to use the form below to request our No Till Drill, reservations are also accepted via phone!

Planting season is here! Our Agricultural Conservation Technician, Patrick Powers, is available to discuss all available practices to help improve your bottom line while promoting conservation. Farmers are encouraged to contact Patrick before September 15th to ensure practices are approved improved by our September Board Meeting!

Pictured: Colin Badcock, Environmental Stewardship Scholarship Recipient, participating in the 2026 Local Envirothon Competition

Congratulations Colin Badock for receiving our Environmental Stewardship Scholarship! Colin's dedication to conservation is reflected in his impressive leadership history, as he has participated in many James River SWCD programs. He earned Camper of the Week at Youth Conservation Camp, served as Team Captain for his high school's Envirothon Team, and built hands-on experience as our 2026 Environmental Stewardship Intern. Colin is well-prepared as he heads off to the University of Vermont's Patrick Leahy Honors College to pursue a double major in Biology and Environmental Sciences. We wish him luck and are honored to support his continued academic journey!

Our Conservation Technician, Anne Devine, works directly with homeowners in urban and suburban areas to help find solutions to environmental problems like erosion, poor drainage, and poor vegetation. Through the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP), landowners can be reimbursed for a portion of their stormwater restoration project. This solves problems on landowner's property while helping preserve local landscapes, for a fraction of the price!

Interested in VCAP? Request a site visit today.

Our goal is to serve the Chesterfield and Prince George community to our full potential, prioritizing conservation initiatives residents value most. In order to improve our methods, we'd love to receive feedback from those in our community. Please fill out our Community Feedback Survey to help us advance our mission and better serve our local environment.