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A Senate panel has voted to name "Shenandoah" the new state song for Virginia, which has been without a song since 1997. In this traditional folk song, what is "Shenandoah"? Look
for the answer at www.potomac.org. |
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Potomac
Conservancy
8601 Georgia Avenue
Suite 612
Silver Spring, MD 20910
p 301.608.1188
f 301.608.1144
info@potomac.org
~
Protecting the health, beauty,
and enjoyment of
the Potomac
River and
its tributaries ~
Banner
image by
Don Chernoff
Be a Leader: Clean Up the River Volunteer
to lead a cleanup site as part |
 |
- Lead an Educational Outing - Throughout the summer and fall
-
Make
Beach Drive Recreation-Friendly - Speak up by February 15
- Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker - February 24
- Nature Photography Expo - February 25-26
- River-Friendly Community Presentations - Throughout March
- Progress for Virginia's Rivers, but Still a Long Way to Go
- New Potomac River News Updates on www.potomac.org
- Good Neighbor Tip: River-Friendly De-Icing
- Native Tree Sale
Read about river stories from people like you in this new feature
| Date | Event |
Leading
up to Rain or shine Free
|
Lead
a River Cleanup Site Join the Potomac Conservancy in the 18th annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup! Volunteer to lead a cleanup site on Saturday, April 8. Site leaders will be responsible for recruiting volunteers, picking up cleanup materials (trash bags, gloves) from Potomac Conservancy offices prior to the event, registering and leading volunteers at the cleanup, collecting data on the gathered trash, and delivering the collected trash to a suitable drop-off site. The Conservancy already has several sites identified, but is seeking to expand its reach in the watershed. If you have ideas for locations that need cleaning up, please contact us. During the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, which is coordinated by the Alice Ferguson Foundation, volunteers will remove trash from more than 300 sites across the watershed. Contact: Bryan Seipp, Director of Restoration, seipp@potomac.org. |
Saturdays
and Sundays, |
Lead
an Educational Outing The Conservancy is coordinating its 2006 recreation activity and educational outreach calendar. If you have a talent or skill and would like to lead an activity at our River Center at Lockhouse 8, please let us know. Lead a naturalist walk, teach a wood carving class, or give a banjo lesson. Let us know how you can help! The River Center at Lockhouse 8 offers visitors a new understanding of the Potomac River, its connection to the Chesapeake Bay, and what they can do to protect these special resources. Though closed through the winter, it will reopen in May. Contact: Heather Montgomery, Conservation Program Assistant, montgomery@potomac.org. |
Make Beach Drive Recreation-Friendly
Late last year, the National Park Service released a final general management plan for Rock Creek Park that abandons its 2003 proposal for car-free recreation zones on Beach Drive on weekdays. The new plan replaces this solution with the implementation of controversial traffic-calming measures such as speed humps or speed tables. According to some cyclists and skaters, this could be even worse than the status quo.
The public comment period for this new proposal closes on February 15, so speak up for biking and skating along Rock Creek's Beach Drive today. Comments must be postmarked by the 15th.
For more information: Visit People's Alliance for Rock Creek's website.
| Date | Event |
Friday, 7 'til 9 pm Registration
required: |
Hot
on the Trail
of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Be among the first in the Washington Metropolitan Area to hear from Bobby Harrison about how he found and videotaped the "extinct" ivory-billed woodpecker deep in an Arkansas swamp. Mr. Harrison is one of the first two qualified observers to see the ivory-billed woodpecker since 1944! Mr. Harrison will also share tips and techniques for better bird photography and will show incredible bird photographs taken on expeditions ranging from Florida to Arizona to Canada. This keynote presentation is the kick-off of the Meadowlark Nature Photography Exhibit. To learn more: Visit Meadowlark Botanical Gardens' website. |
Saturday
& Sunday, February 9 am 'til Free |
Nature
Photography Expo The fourth annual Meadowlark Nature Photography Exhibit will showcase stunning images of nature created by members of the Northern Virginia Alliance of Camera Clubs, several of who have donated images to the Potomac Conservancy for its outreach purposes. A juried event, only images of the highest standard will be on display. The exhibit also hosts a variety of other activities, including a live raptor demonstration, guest speakers, book signings, photo critiques, and raffles. While you're there, visit Meadowlark's 80 acres of gardens, including its Potomac Valley collection, which features native plants and the unique habitats they represent in our region. To learn more: Visit Meadowlark Botanical Gardens' website. |
March
8, 14, |
River-Friendly
Community Presentations Join the Potomac Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy to learn about simple and inexpensive “Good Neighbor” practices you can adopt to ensure a healthier and more natural Potomac River. Topics covered will include landscaping with native plants, creating wildlife habitat, and fertilizing your lawn in a river-friendly manner. This presentation will be offered four evenings throughout March:
All topics discussed during these presentations are covered in the Good Neighbor Handbook, a joint publication of the Potomac Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy. Contact: Heather Montgomery, Conservation Program Assistant, montgomery@potomac.org. |
Progress for Virginia's Rivers, but Still a Long Way to Go
On Monday, January 16, nearly 1,000 Virginians gathered in Richmond to urge the General Assembly to secure dedicated, long-term funding to clean up the state's rivers and streams. During the rally, Senator Frederick M. Quayle announced that he would introduce a bill that proposes funding from existing fees for recording deeds and a new $1 per night tax on motel stays.
Just this week, the General Assembly decided, due to the urgency of addressing transportation issues, to carry Quayle's bill over to next year. But progress is being made: a one-time allocation of $200 million was proposed by Governor Warner before leaving office last December, is backed by Governor Kaine, and has been publicly supported by Republican Senate and House leaders.
The Conservancy will continue to partner with other members of the Healthy Rivers Initiative to push for dedicated funding for Virginia's waters next year. Because the proposed funding will focus on point source pollution (from sewage treatment plants and other single location sources), the Initiative will particularly push for monies to address nonpoint source pollution (from urban and suburban streets, farms, etc.), which is the sole cause of sediment in our streams and rivers.
Learn more about how you can support the Healthy Rivers Initiative.
Virginia Voters for Clean Water Rally was coordinated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
New Potomac River Updates on www.potomac.org
To help you keep apprised of issues affecting the Potomac River, its tributaries, and its watershed lands, the Potomac Conservancy introduces "Potomac River in the News" on its homepage, www.potomac.org. Check in daily to see the most important headlines.
Good Neighbor Tip: River-Friendly De-Icing
Conservative estimates suggest that 2.5 million tons of salt are applied to roadways each year in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. When this salt washes over the land, it kills plants that are sensitive to high soil chloride levels, and once it reaches our rivers and streams, it can kill many aquatic organisms.
Here are a few tips to be sure that you keep the river in mind when dealing with cold weather elements this winter:
1. Apply salt sparingly. Using more salt doesn’t always translate into faster melting.
2. Read the label. Many de-icing products contain toxic compounds, so read the package before you buy it. Avoid products that contain urea, a form of nitrogen, which is one of the greatest nutrient polluters of the Potomac and the Bay. Calcium chloride is safer than sodium chloride (rock salt).
3. Shovel often. De-icers are most effective when there is only a thin layer of snow or ice, so get out that snow shovel!
For more river-friendly tips, download a free copy of the Conservancy's Good Neighbor Handbook.
Have a community tree planting coming up this fall on your school grounds, local park, or other public space? Need native trees or shrubs? Take advantage of the Maryland Department of Natural Resource's Tree-Mendous plant sale, now through April.
Many of the trees for sale were grown from seedlings collected by volunteers in past Growing Native seed collections. Species include oak, redbud, sycamore, tulip poplar, and others.
To order your plants: Visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/treemendous or contact Terry Galloway, Maryland DNR Forest Service, 410.260.8531, tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us.
Potomac Reflections is a new feature of www.potomac.org through which the Conservancy's supporters share their stories about how they relate to the Potomac River.
This month, Bill Szymanski, Potomac Conservancy member and volunteer, reflects on how he and his children enjoy recreating in the Potomac Gorge:
"The Potomac's Mather Gorge, especially around Difficult Run Rapids as seen from my kayak, is a magical place, and my favorite place to connect to the river. It offers incredible, ever-changing natural beauty dramatically close to Washington, DC. Seasons change, water levels and temperatures change, wildlife mixes and behaviors change. It is never the same place twice.
My kids and I love the Gorge. We love to hike the river and eat breakfast burritos at Fisherman's Eddy in Great Falls National Park. From here, we get a beautiful view of the Falls and river, which is especially dramatic at dawn when the fog is rising..."
To submit your own story for publication, email Jen Schill, Director of Communications & Membership, schill@potomac.org.
Donating Online Is Easy & Secure
The Potomac Conservancy is trying to make it as easy as possible for you to show your support of our work. You can join, renew, and make special gifts securely online at www.potomac.org.
In an effort to dedicate more of your contributions directly toward our river protection and restoration programs, we will also soon be introducing some electronic renewal notices.
If you have any membership questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We want to hear from you!
Contact: Jen Schill, Director of Communications & Membership, at schill@potomac.org or 301.608.1188, x208.
RiverUpdate
is an e-newsletter for Potomac Conservancy supporters. It provides
information on the Conservancy's volunteer activities and river-related
events. We welcome your feedback and comments on RiverUpdate. Please email us at riverupdate@potomac.org to let us know what you think. To subscribe or unsubscribe, click here. |