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Don Chernoff

Volunteer

• Meet Other River Lovers! - Ongoing
• Donate Your Time and Artistic Talent
• Potomac Conservancy Internships - Communications, Growing Native

Speak Up!

• Contact Your Representative Today to Support an Important Conservation Easement
  Tax Incentive Bill

Events & Trips

• Capital River Relief - Through April 22
• Growing Native Tree Plantings - April 14 and 21
• Greener DC Schools Action Days - April 14, 21, 27-28 and May 18-19
• Backyard Buffer Kits Available - Deadline, April 15
• Dayhiking on the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - April 15 and April 29
• 2007 NVSWCD Seedling Sale - Order by April 16
• Birding Walk - April 21
• I'm in a Conservation State of Mind: Reducing Our Footprint on Planet Earth - April 25
• Justice William O. Douglas Memorial Hike - April 28
• River Center Docent Training - April 28
• River Center at Lockhouse 8 Season Opening - May 5
• Voices of the River: Banjoist Reed Martin - May 6

News & Notes

• Breaking News: 12000 River Road Treecutting Application Denied
• West Virginia to Study Land Conservation Funding Options
• Lock in a New Weekend Job at the River Center
• Potomac Watershed Sites on Endangered Battlefield List
• Waterfront Development Threatens Eagle Population Along the Potomac
• Potomac Conservancy Leads AmeriCorps Chainsaw Training in Frederick
• Stream Ordinance May Expand
• Scientists Refine Search for Cause of Shenandoah Fish Kills

Good Neighbor Conservation Tip

• Fewer Weeds with No-Till Gardening

Support the Conservancy Today

• Charity Begins at Home: Place a Potomac Conservancy Charity Badge on Your Web Page
• Join Potomac Conservancy

Donate Your Time and Artistic Talent!
Are you an artist who would like to use your talent for a good cause? Here is the opportunity you’re looking for. Potomac Conservancy needs an artist who can draw plants and other natural landscapes for the Growing Native Curriculum. If you are interested, please contact Colleen Langan, Growing Native Project Director at 301.608.1188, ext. 211 or langan@potomac.org.

The duration and time requirements for each internship opportunity vary. A minimum commitment of 16 hours per week for 8-10 weeks is preferred. Limited stipends may be available on a competitive basis.

To apply for a Potomac Conservancy internship, send a resume and cover letter describing your interest and experience to info@potomac.org.

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In mid-March, Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Dave Camp (R-MI) introduced HR 1576, which proposes to make permanent the newly expanded tax incentive for conservation easement donations.

Make contact with your Representatives today! HR 1576 has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, so it is a good time to contact your representative and ask him or her to support the bill.

The bill permanently extends the tax incentive for conservation easement donations passed by Congress in late 2006. This incentive:

• Raises the deduction a landowner can take for donating a conservation easement from 30% of their income in any year to 50%;
• Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income; and
• Extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take tax deductions for a voluntary conservation agreement from 5 to 15 years.

Currently, the 2006 law will expire at the end of 2007. This House bill would prevent that, and permanently ensure donations of conservation easements are a possibility for modest income level landowners.

President Bush has also endorsed making the new tax incentive permanent in his fiscal year 2008 budget. If these expanded tax incentives are made permanent, family farmers, ranchers, and other moderate-income landowners will be able to conserve the land they love while obtaining a significant tax benefit for making the charitable donation of a conservation easement.

What you can do: Contact your Representative to support HR 1576. More information and a sample letter are available at www.lta.org/publicpolicy/tax_incentives_letter.htm.

For more information: Phone numbers for your Senators' and Representatives' Washington DC offices can be found at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.

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Capital River Relief
Through April 22, Various sites in the watershed

Capital River Relief is gearing up to begin its 2007 effort to remove trash and debris for the shores of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. Since its inception in 2004, Capital River Relief has removed almost 300 tons of trash from the Potomac and Anacostia rivers with the help of hundreds of volunteers, businesses and community leaders. This year the Capital River Relief campaign will kick off on March 28 and will conclude on Earth Day, April 22. Items dragged from the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers are loaded on to a barge in the Potomac. The trash is sorted out and either recycled or sent to the landfill.

The Potomac Conservancy is looking for interested groups and individuals who would like to volunteer. Groups and individuals can participate in morning sessions (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.), afternoon sessions (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.), or all day. Volunteers will work directly with the Living Lands and Water Foundation. Living Lands and Waters will transport volunteers via boat to various locations along the Anacostia and Potomac to collect trash on the shore that is other wise not easily accessible. This is a fun event and an important action to preserve the beauty of the Potomac. For additional information or to volunteer, contact Chris Vassil: cvassil@susandavis.com, 202.414.0779; or Bryan Seipp: seipp@potomac.org, 301.608.1188, x207.

Growing Native Tree Plantings
We need your help to plant trees this spring. Here are two public planting events:

Saturday, April 14, Waterford Park in Frederick, Md.: Growing Native volunteers in coordination with The Friends of Waterford Park and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will plant 200 tree seedlings at Waterford Park in Frederick, Md. The event will take place on from 9:30 am-12:30 pm.

Saturday, April 21, Utica Park in Thurmont, Md.: Growing Native volunteers along with Frederick County Division of Public Works and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are planting trees along a stream at Utica Park in Thurmont, Maryland, followed by a park opening ceremony. The event will take place from 7:00 am-9:00 am.

For more information on these events, contact Colleen Langan, Growing Native Project Director, langan@potomac.org; 301.608.1188, x211; www.growingnative.org.

Backyard Buffer Kits Available
Deadline for applications: April 15

If you live in Frederick County, Maryland, and have a drainage ditch, stream, creek, or river flowing through your property or live adjacent to such a waterway that does not have a cover of trees and shrubs, you could qualify for a free “Buffer in a Bag.” The Potomac Watershed Partnership, in cooperation with Maryland Forest Service, the Monocacy River Watershed Restoration Action Strategy Committee, and other state, county, and local conservation groups is offering the Backyard Buffers Program to Frederick County homeowners.

Qualified Frederick County homeowners will receive one Buffer in a Bag, enough for a 50-foot section of an unprotected waterway on or adjacent to their property. Each bag will include 25 trees and shrubs of native species suited for streamside growing conditions, which will stabilize the soil and act as a buffer by filtering out pollutants before they enter into our local waters and also provide habitat for wildlife.

A brief application must be submitted before April 15, 2007. Click here for an online brochure. To learn more about Backyard Buffers and how you can receive your free Buffer in a Bag please contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service at 301.416.7261 or e-mail at cmiller@dnr.state.md.us.

Dayhiking on the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Sunday, April 15, Riverbend Park, Great Falls, Va., 9:00 am
Sunday, April 29 at the River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal, Cabin John, Md., 9:00 am

Potomac Conservancy is partnering with the National Park Service to raise awareness and use of the historic and natural regional treasure that is the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. This land and water trail stretches from the tidewaters of the Potomac to Ohiopyle, Pa. We will be leading several day hikes to explore different areas of the trail. Join us for beautiful spring walks. Bring your field guides!

Birders, wildflower lovers, and other naturalists—we need your expertise! Contact Eliza if you're interested in helping to lead one or more of the hikes.

Contact Eliza Cava at cava@potomac.org to RSVP or for more information, or call 301.608.1188, x213.

2007 NVSWCD Seedling Sale
Prepaid orders by April 16; pickup on April 20-21, Fairfax County, Va.

The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District is holding its annual spring seedling sale. The seedling package consists of 16 seedlings, all of which are native to the DC Metro area. TPlace pre-paid orders ($17.95) by April 16. You will receive a confirmation receipt and a map to the pick-up site (in Fairfax County, off of Braddock Road, two miles outside the Beltway).

For more information, including pictures of what your seedlings will look like when mature, or to receive an order form, call NVSWCD at 703.324.1460, e-mail conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/seedlingsale.htm.

Birding Walk
Saturday, April 21, 7:00 am
Violette's Lock (Lock 23), C&O Canal National Historical Park

Make your reservations by April 14. Free. Contact C&O Canal Association’s Jack Devine, jack@artcfa.com; 301.947.7400.

Justice William O. Douglas Memorial Hike
Saturday, April 28, 10:00 am
Paw Paw Tunnel, C&O Canal National Historical Park, Paw Paw, W.V.

Meet at Paw Paw Tunnel picnic area (mile 155.8). Hikers will board the buses, then hike back either 5 or 10 miles, your choice. There is a $5 bus fee. Contact C&O Canal Association’s Dorothea Malsbary at dmusgrave@alumni.brown.edu.

River Center Docent Training
Saturday, April 28, 2:00 pm 'til 4:00 pm
River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal National Historical Park, Cabin John, Md.

The Conservancy is looking for river history buffs to help maintain and staff the River Center at historic Lockhouse 8 on the C&O Canal. This year, the River Center will feature a new exhibit, Backyard to the Bay, which will educate visitors about the Potomac River, its connection to the Chesapeake Bay, and what they can do in their own backyards to protect these resources. The full docent description is available at www.potomac.org/join/volunteer.html.

Volunteers who wish to help staff the River Center should contact Judy Welles at welles@potomac.org.

River Center at Lockhouse 8 Season Opening
Saturday, May 5, 10:00 am ‘til 2:00 pm
River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal National Historical Park, Cabin John, Md.

The River Center at Lockhouse 8 opens to the public for the 2007 visitor season with a new “Backyard to the Bay” exhibit. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibit – with specials guests and refreshments – will take place at 10:00 am. Please join us!

The Lockhouse will be open weekends, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm, May through October. To RSVP for the grand opening celebration, contact Potomac Conservancy at info@potomac.org; 301.608.1188.

Voices of the River: Banjoist Reed Martin
Sunday, May 6, 3:00 pm 'til 4:00 pm
River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal National Historical Park, Cabin John, Md.

Join the Potomac Conservancy for its first Voices of the River of the 2007 River Center season. This kick-off will feature old-time banjo with Reed Martin. Perfect for the entire family! To RSVP for this free event, contact Judy Welles at welles@potomac.org; 301.608.1188, x212.

Breaking News: 12000 River Road Treecutting Application Denied

On April 30, the Montgomery County Planning Director denied the 12000 River Road application to install a fence and cut down more than 50 native, hardwood trees adjacent to the C&O Canal. We applaud the Planning Department’s decision to fully and fairly enforce requirements of the Forest Conservation Law. The landowner now has 30 days to appeal that denial to the Planning Board. For more information, contact Anne Merwin, Director of Policy at merwin@potomac.org.

West Virginia to Study Land Conservation Funding Options

On the last day of its 2007 session, the West Virginia state legislature passed a resolution (HCR 48) authorizing a study of state funding options for land conservation. This is a terrific step forward, as West Virginia is one of only seven states in the nation that does not have state-level funding for land conservation. State-level funding would expand land conservation efforts across the state by providing money that can also be used to leverage federal dollars. West Virginia’s conservation community currently has very limited access to federal funding because of the lack of matching funds.

The passage of HCR 48 is a victory for the Coalition of West Virginia Land Trusts, of which the Potomac Conservancy is a leading member. The Coalition promotes land conservation across the state by seeking public investment and support. We will be working closely with other Coalition members and with the West Virginia legislature to develop the best funding study possible. For more information, contact Anne Merwin, Director of Policy at merwin@potomac.org.

Lock in a New Weekend Job at the River Center
NORTH POTOMAC GAZETTE, March 28, 2007

You can both travel back in time and ensure a healthier future for the Potomac River by signing on as a volunteer ‘‘lock keeper” at the River Center at historic Lockhouse 8 on the C&O Canal in Cabin John. More>>

Potomac Watershed Sites on Endangered Battlefield List

Civil War Preservation Trust has released its annual report on endangered Civil War battlefields. The list includes properties within the Potomac River watershed, including Cedar Creek, Harpers Ferry, and sites in the Northern Piedmont. More>>

Waterfront Development Threatens Eagle Population Along the Potomac

In the 40 years since the bald eagle was first protected as an endangered species, the bird's population in the lower 48 states has soared from a low of about 400 breeding pairs to more than 9,000 nesting couples. That growth has the federal government planning to take the eagle off the endangered species list in late June 2007. Biologists worry that the fast pace of waterfront development in key eagle habitat could make the majestic bird's robust numbers fleeting.

On March 15, National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," ran a two-part story on the continuing threat to the bald eagle. The series highlights the eagle nesting areas along the Potomac River.

• Eagle Population Up, But Prime Habitat Threatened
• Eagles Vie with Landowners for Waterfront Property

Potomac Conservancy Leads AmeriCorps Chainsaw Training in Frederick

In early March, Potomac Conservancy and a team of experts led AmeriCorps*NCCC volunteers in a weeklong Wildland Fire Chainsaw Training. The volunteers donned safety helmets and revved up chain saws to help manage vegetation that is choking an important woodland area in the Frederick Municipal Forest. After the training, the volunteers will go to the Gulf Coast to assist with hurricane relief efforts.

Frederick area newspapers covered the weeklong training:

• Volunteers Pitch In to Improve Health of Trees Along Potomac - THE FREDERICK NEWS POST, March 14, 2007
• Catoctin Park Hosts Chainsaw Training - FREDERICK GAZETTE, March 15, 2007

Stream Ordinance May Expand
FREDERICK GAZETTE, March 8, 2007

An ordinance proposed to expand stream buffers in the Lake Linganore watershed will go to public hearing, Frederick County commissioners agreed Tuesday. More>>

Scientists Refine Search for Cause of Shenandoah Fish Kills
THE DAILY PRESS (Hampton Roads, Va.), March 5, 2007

ROANOKE, Va. -- With spring approaching, Virginia scientists are planning a more comprehensive attack to find the cause of the mysterious fish kills in the Shenandoah River and its tributaries. More>>

Fewer Weeds with No-Till Gardening

You will have less weeding and less watering over the summer months if you install a no-till garden. These gardens are easy to set up and maintain, protect soil ecology, and stimulate plant growth. Start your garden by placing newspaper, several sheets thick, on the ground. Add 2-3 inches of straw or hardwood bark mulch on top to hold the newspaper in place. Dig holes through the covering to plant your garden, pulling the mulch back around your plants.

This tip came from the 2007 Conservation Calendar. The calendar, which is chock full of hints for year-round conservation, is distributed by the Virginia Soil & Water Conservation and Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardeners, and the Shenandoah RC&D Council.

For more information about minimizing your impact on the environment, download our Good Neighbor Handbook.

Charity Begins at Home: Place a Potomac Conservancy Charity Badge on Your Web Page

There’s a new way to show your support for Potomac Conservancy. Network for Good's charity badge allows you to raise awareness and money for the Conservancy with an "ad" on your blog, social networking site, or web page. You can personalize the badge with a photo, video, and/or text. The badge tracks in donations in real-time. It's a fun new way to support the Conservancy!

Here is the link to the Potomac Conservancy badge: www.networkforgood.org/pca/PersonalCharityBadge.aspx?pcaid=103610.
More information about charity badges is available at www.readwriteweb.com/archives/charity_badge.php.

Join Potomac Conservancy

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