Announcements 2024.11.18

[Walker, Jane]

1.) James River Association (JRA) Events – Various Dates, Starting: November 20, 2024
2.) Center for Watershed Protection Webinars -- November 20, 2024 and December 11, 2024
3.) Elizabeth River Project Volunteer Opportunities – Various Dates, Starting: November 21, 2024
4.) Workshop: Drought and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Southeast U.S. – Registration and Abstract Deadline: November 22, 2024; Workshop: January 7-9, 2025
5.) Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Volunteer Opportunities – November 25, 2024 and December 6, 2024
6.) 2024 Winter Photo Challenge – Submission Deadline: December 1, 2024
7.) Beach & Dune Public Hearing – December 3, 2024
8.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) News
9.) Request for Candidate Nominations: Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) – Nomination Deadline: December 16, 2024
10.) Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) News
   ++ Research Grant Program – Concept Papers Due: December 20, 2024 (
   ++ Student Poster Competition – Abstracts Due: December 30, 2024
11.) Request for Proposals: Youth Environmental Education Grant Program – Deadline: January 16, 2024
12.) Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District (PWSWCD) News
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/
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See recent announcements and learn more about the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) at www.VirginiaWMC.org. Feel free to forward these announcements. When forwarding, please acknowledge the VWMC. If you have a water-related announcement of regional or statewide interest, send it to vw...@vt.edu and ask that it be distributed to the VWMC membership. If someone forwarded this message to you, you can join the VWMC for free by sending your name, water-monitoring affiliation (if applicable), and contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone number) to vw...@vt.edu. Thank you to the VWMC’s intern, Logan Flanagan, for developing today’s announcements. 
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1.) James River Association (JRA) Events
   ++ Volunteer Opportunity: Fall Buffer Maintenance Days -- Numerous volunteer opportunities in November to plant native tree seedlings and perform tree shelter maintenance (starting November 20, 2024). Learn more and register at https://thejamesriver.org/riparian-stewards/
   ++ Upcycling Holiday Craft Event -- December 14, 2024 (12pm) – Lynchburg, VA – Learn more and register at https://form.jotform.com/243174525915964
   ++ Volunteer Opportunity: Invasive Species Removal: Join the James River Park System Task Force for habitat restoration on Chapel Island in Richmond, VA. Sign up at https://form.jotform.com/91265234017956.  Next opportunity is January 17, 2025.
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2.) Center for Watershed Protection Webinars -- Learn more about these webinars and register at https://cwp.org/2024-webcasts/.
   ++ Green Infrastructure – November 20, 2024 (1pm)
   ++ New Tools for Watershed Management – December 11, 2024 (1pm).
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3.) Elizabeth River Project Volunteer Opportunities – Learn more about these and other opportunities at https://elizabethriver.org/volunteer/. Interested individuals may also sign up to be an Outreach Volunteer. Organized by the Elizabeth River Project.
   ++ Ryan Resilience Lab – November 21, 2024 and December 10, 2024 (10am-12pm) – Norfolk, VA – Assist in maintaining the native landscape, shoreline buffer, and more.
   ++ Paradise Creek Nature Park – December 7, 2024 and December 14, 2024 (9-10:30am) – Norfolk, VA – Assist with weeding, planting, cleaning, and other light maintenance.
   ++ Litter Clean-Up Opportunities – December 14, 2024; January 25, 2024; and February 8, 2024 (9-10:30am) – Norfolk, VA
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4.) Workshop: Drought and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Southeast U.S. – Registration and Abstract Deadline: November 22, 2024; Workshop: January 7-9, 2025 -- Raleigh, NC – Theme: “Informing Drought Response and Ecological Resilience to Future Low-Flow Events” -- This workshop will focus on understanding drought/low-flow ecosystem impacts and water resource management in the context of the Southeast, ecological drought monitoring in the near-term, and incorporating drought/low-flow in long-term resilience and planning. Learn more and register at https://cpaess.ucar.edu/meetings/drought-aquatic-ecosystems-se-workshop. Convened by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)-led Southeast Drought Early Warning System (SE DEWS) and the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC; managed by the U.S. Geological Survey).
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5.) Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Volunteer Opportunities – Contact Neal Friedman at nfri...@allianceforthebay.org or 804-775-0951 for more information. 
   ++ Garden Clean Up at Dogwood Middle School – November 25, 2024 -- Richmond, VA
   ++ Church Hill Street Tree Planting – December 6, 2024 -- Richmond, VA
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6.) 2024 Winter Photo Challenge – Submission Deadline: December 1, 2024 – Submit up to three photos with a short description and credit information. Photos must be nature-focused (humans and human structures should not be prominent). Learn more and submit a photo at https://serc.si.edu/webform/2024-winter-photo-challenge-entry-form. Organized by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC).
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7.) Beach & Dune Public Hearing – December 3, 2024 (9:30am) – Hampton, VA – The hearing will consider an application submitted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center -- Wallops Flight Facility to conduct three barge landing tests on the beach adjacent to Launch Pad O-B for the transport of rocket components to the flight facility situated along the Atlantic Ocean in Accomack County. No comment forum defined for this notice. Learn more at https://townhall.virginia.gov//l/ViewNotice.cfm?GNID=2996 or contact Beth Howell at jpa.p...@mrc.virginia.gov or 757-247-2214. Organized by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
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8.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) News
   ++ VAEE Board Member Nominations – Application Deadline: December 15, 2024; Terms Begin: January 1, 2025 (two-year terms) – Learn more and submit nominations at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxogRjcKuRjMiUDv2BjYbBuwhvciDaSzNmT4PNWcOeuUOwcg/viewform. Self-nominations are encouraged.
   ++ VAEE Annual Conference – February 9-11, 2025 – Roanoke, VA – Learn more and register at https://www.eevirginia.org/2025-conference-registration. Early-bird registration ends December 6, 2024.
   ++ Environmental Education Certification Program – Enrollment Period: January 6-17, 2025 – Learn more and enroll at https://www.eevirginia.org/programs/certification.
   ++ Interactive EE GIS Map – Virginia’s Office of Environmental Education is creating a statewide GIS map to connect programs and educators. Add your program to this resource to enhance collaboration and environmental literacy. Submit your program info at https://genthrive.org/partner-organization/virginia-department-of-conservation-recreation/.
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9.) Request for Candidate Nominations: Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) – Nomination Deadline: December 16, 2024 – The EPA invites nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the Environmental Financial Advisory Board. Any person or organization may nominate qualified persons. The board seeks to maintain diverse representation and candidates should demonstrate experience in environmental finance. Learn more about EFAB and view the full request at https://www.epa.gov/waterfinancecenter/efab. Organized by the U.S. EPA.
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10.) Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) News – Contact found...@wqrf.org with any questions.
   ++ Research Grant Program – Concept Papers Due: December 20, 2024 (11am) -- Accepting concept papers (not to exceed 5 pages) on the efficacy of point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) drinking water treatment technologies in real-world settings. A maximum of two grants, each up to $100,000, will be awarded. Learn more at https://www.wqrf.org/open-rfps.html.
   ++ Student Poster Competition – Abstracts Due: December 30, 2024 -- WQRF and the American Public Health Association Water and Health Committee are inviting current undergrad – post-grad students interested in drinking water to participate in a competitive call for posters.  Learn more and submit a poster at https://www.wqrf.org/posters.html.
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11.) Request for Proposals: Youth Environmental Education Grant Program – Deadline: January 16, 2024 (4pm) – Open to schools, nonprofit organizations, community associations, faith-based organizations, and more in portions of Virginia in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Learn more and apply at https://cbtrust.org/grants/youth-environmental-education-grant-program/. Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Note: Applicants can request funds from one of the following tracks.
   ++ Track 1: Out-of-School Outdoor Investigations for Youth Provided by Community-Based Organizations (up to $10,000)
   ++ Track 2: Outdoor Classroom, School-Yard Habitat, or Community-Based Improvement Requests (up to $10,000)
   ++ Track 3: Professional Development for Formal, Non-Formal, and Community Educators (up to $5,000)
   ++ Track 4: In-school MWEEs for Pre-K-12 Students (up to $5,000)
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12.) Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District (PWSWCD) News
   ++ Water Quality Monitoring – Become a certified monitor and learn about the health of local streams.  Learn more at https://www.pwswcd.org/water-quality-monitoring. Learn more about these programs by contacting Veronica Tangiri at waterq...@pwswcd.org.
   ++ Adopt-A-Stream/Pond/River or Water Quality Monitoring Program – Learn more at https://www.pwswcd.org/adopt-a-stream.
   ++ Neabsco Creek Watershed Bandalong Cleanup -- Every 3rd Wednesday of the Month -- Contact Andrew Uglow at AUg...@pwcgov.org to learn more.
   ++ Report Sightings: Two-Horned Trapa (Trapa bispinosa) -- Residents in Prince William County, cities, and towns should become aware of and help eradicate this invasive plant species present in ponds and waterways.  Learn more about how to identify two-horned trapa at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/two-horned-trapa-trapa-bispinosa.htm and https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/fstrbi.pdf. Report trapa at the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species website at https://nas.er.usgs.gov/sightingreport.aspx
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13.) Water Center Jobs Board – View a listing of current job opportunities and employment resources on the Jobs Board at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/.  Developed by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (Water Center).
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. Thank you to our sponsor!

You too can sponsor the VWMC announcements.  Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the VWMC to support information updates and other VWMC activities.  Make checks payable to: “The Virginia Tech Foundation” and on the memo portion of the check include “VWMC Fund #872802.” Mail contributions to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (0444, Attn: Jane Walker) at 210 Cheatham Hall, Virginia Tech; 310 West Campus Drive; Blacksburg, VA 24061.