April 14, 2010 E-Newsletter Make Earth Day Count, Do Something Local !
Dear friend of VCN,
April 22nd marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Since 1970 citizens have used this day as a way to educate, advocate and benefit our planet. This anniversary year is no exception. There are many ways you can get involved around the state from attending festivals to getting outdoors in your own backyard.
Visit VCN's event page to view earth day and other events in your area. VCN will also be attending several Earth Day festivities statewide. If you live in or near Roanoke, Charlottesville or Richmond come out and stop by our booth at your local event.
There are also many other things you can do to have an impact:
Plant a tree.
Turn off your lights and conserve energy for an hour or more.
Pledge to walk or ride a bicycle instead of using your vehicle.
Take your children outside and discover nature.
Pick up trash at a local park.
Contact your representatives and tell them about environmental issues you care about.
Donate to VCN. Your steady support helps protect Virginia's land, air and water. Your donation provides funding for our environmental education and outreach efforts.
When you donate to VCN, you:
support grassroots conservation groups all across Virginia.
help expand our environmental education and outreach efforts.
stay informed with the network's quarterly newsletter.
receive invitations to VCN special events and training opportunities.
If you listen to climate scientists — and despite the relentless campaign to discredit their work, you should —it is long past time to do something about emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. (Article)
The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population jumped 60 percent from last year, an indication that tougher regulations are helping revive the once troubled crustacean, officials said Wednesday. (Article)
Environmentalism and fiscal conservatism more often than not are thought to be mutually exclusive, but in this instance, Fairfax County is proving that those ideologies can coexist. (Article)
The Western Virginia Land Trust works with Franklin County landowners who wish to preserve their land and keep it in a rural or agricultural condition. (Article)
Virginia Creates Portal to Map Trails and Bikeways
The Virginia Department of Transportation, Department of Conservation and Recreation and Virginia Tech have collaborated to create a GIS-based tool to provide a “snapshot” of existing and planned trails and bicycle routes within Virginia. “The objective is to represent the state as a whole statewide database and to develop an online decision making tool for VDOT and DCR,” said John McGee, one of the project initiators at Virginia Tech.
Virginia Waterways Cleanups
Cleanups are held between September 1 and October 31 on the coast and on inland waterways. Last year, more than 5,600 volunteers not only removed litter and trash from Virginia’s rivers and beaches, but they also recorded what they found on Data Cards.
Clean Virginia Waterways, a program affiliated with Longwood University, provides trash bags, data cards, pencils, and media support for all these cleanup events. Site Captains also receive a T-shirt that features a different native turtle each year. There is no cost to participate thanks to generous support CVW receives from our sponsors including Longwood University, Altria, Ocean Conservancy and Glad Bags. You can also go to “www.signuptocleanup.org” to find local cleanup events, or to signup to lead a cleanup in your community.
Sassafras River Association Riverkeeper Location: Georgetown, MD Deadline: April 16, 2010
The Sassafras Riverkeeper is an Advocate/Scientist, serving as the eyes and ears of the River. The Sassafras Riverkeeper is responsible for the development and implementation of an advocacy program to prevent pollution and habitat degradation in the Sassafras River and its watershed. The Sassafras Riverkeeper advances the Sassafras Watershed Action Plan, ensuring the implementation of restoration efforts. The Sassafras River Association is a proud member of Waterkeeper Alliance. The Sassafras Riverkeeper ensures compliance with Waterkeeper’s Quality Standards. (Full Description)
Climate Science Communication Intern - National Wildlife Federation Location: Reston, VA
This position is ideal for a recent graduate with a scientific background who is interested in learning more about science policy, communication, and outreach. There will be opportunities to participate in science policy activities and briefings in the Washington, DC area. (Full Description)
Education/Media Internships - James River Association Location: Richmond, VA Deadline: April 23, 2010
The James River Association seeks two full-time, seasonal interns to assistant with the Education and Outreach Program. Interns will be primarily gathering video footage, photographs and data for an online, interpretive river map. Interns will also assist with and document summer camp activities. Positions begin June 1st and end August 6th (dates flexible).
Responsibilities:· Film and photograph day camp and overnight canoe camp activities (equipment provided).· Assist with additional camp duties as needed.· Gathering site data for interpretive map project.· Enter data for map project into database. (Full Description)
Green Power Business Development Manager, 3Degrees
Location: Northern Virginia or Richmond, VA Deadline: April 23, 2010
3Degrees is seeking an energetic, professional and detail oriented individual in Richmond or Northern Virginia. This position will support a best-in-industry team that partners with utilities to increase the development of renewable energy.
This is a full time position. Your primary responsibility will be to design and deploy an effective business development effort to enroll new business and commercial customers in the Dominion Green Power program, and to respond to requests from such customers about the Dominion Green Power program. (Full Description)
Together Green Event: Front Royal - April 17th
Volunteers trying to make a difference for bird and wildlife conservation – both adults and children are welcome to attend and help out. Every person counts. This TogetherGreen event, sponsored by Toyota, is part of a continuing string of partnership events between the National Audubon Society and the National Park Service. Volunteers will help lop and saw out invasive species from the Trumbo Hollow property, which is part of a globally significant Important Bird Area.
Join IBA this Saturday, April 17th, 2010, from 10:00 AM through the mid-afternoon.The National Park Service’s Trumbo Hollow property just south of Front Royal, VA. Directions will be provided upon request.
For more information or if you are interested in volunteering please contact David Bryan, Outreach Coordinator for the Virginia IBA Program, at dbryan.audubon@gmail.com or (804)-766-7880.
CBES Spring Beach Cleanup - May 1st
The cleanup will be in lower Northampton County beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday May 1st. . If you’d like to volunteer, contact the CBES office
at 678-7157 or info@cbes.org for information on where to meet.
Bandy Field Nature Park Clean Up Day - May 1st Come help clean up Bandy Field Nature Park! We will be picking up trash and removing invasive species to beautify this lovely nature park. To volunteer please sign up by contacting Anna Mathis at amathis@acb-online.org or 804-775-0951. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring gloves and a bottle of water. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Bring pruning shears and large trash bags if you have them. Plan to meet at 9:00 a.m. at the 4-space parking lot along Three Chopt Road. If you're driving, please park across Three Chopt from the Field's small parking lot along Hanover Avenue that runs into Three Chopt, and along the side street that runs perpendicular to Hanover. If it starts raining the evening before or morning of the May 1st Cleanup, you will be notified by e-mail if we need to cancel. Saturday, May 15th will be our Rain Date.
Bike, Bands and the Bay Festival - May 14th to 16th
The sponsors of the Tour de Chesapeake are having the first ever Bike, Bands and the Bay Festival on May 14th- 16th. This year BikeWalk Virginia, Mathews County, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation are partnering to make the Tour de Chesapeake even better. The weekend will be filled with bike riding, great music, and water activities that embrace the scenic beauty and precious ecology of the bay. For more information and to register visit http://www.bikechesapeake.org/.
Learning Grant Program Offers Funding for Climate Change Education
Nature of Learning is a community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to use national wildlife refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues. 2010 Theme is Climate Change.
Grants Target Rural Communities
The company focuses its grantmaking in the following areas: education, with an emphasis on science; agriculture; and farm safety.
Support for Programs Addressing Agricultural Issues
The mission of Farm Foundation is to work as a catalyst for sound public policy by providing objective information to foster a deeper understanding of issues shaping the future for agriculture, food systems, and rural regions throughout the U.S.
National Wildlife Refuge Projects Funded Provides seed grants ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 to innovative proposals that seek to increase the number and effectiveness of organizations interested in assisting the Refuge System nationwide.
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