Announcements 2025.11.24

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program Upcoming Events – Various Dates, Starting: November 28, 2025
2.) Request for Site Qualifications (RFSQ): Nontidal Wetland/Stream Mitigation Project – Closes: November 30, 2025
3.) Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund Grant -- Applications Due: December 1, 2025
4.) Webinars Celebrating 85th Anniversary: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) – Various Dates, Starting: December 2, 2025
5.) Sustainability Matters Events – Various Dates, Starting: December 2, 2025
6.) 11^th Annual Turning a New Leaf Conference – December 3, 2025 –
7.) Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Events – Various Dates, Starting: December 3, 2025
8.) Water and Wastewater Training – Various Dates, Starting: December 4, 2025
9.) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Upcoming Events – Various Dates, Starting: December 6, 2025
10.) Request For Proposals: Amelia Street School Accessible Trail Design -- Submission Deadline: December 8, 2025
11.) Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) Events -- Various Dates, Starting: December 10, 2025
12.) Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) Winter Level 1 Training – Various Dates: January-March 2026   
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
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 Julia Porter, VWMC intern, for developing and organizing this week’s set of VWMC announcements.
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
1.) Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program Upcoming Events – For more information about these events and others, see https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/eventscalendar.html.
   ++ Fifteen Minutes in the Forest – Next: November 28, 2025 (After the Storm: Disaster Response) -- Recordings of past presentations, including: “Before the Storm,” are at https://www.youtube.com/c/VirginiaForestLandownerEducationProgram.
   ++ Remote Pilot (Drone) Certification Test Prep -- December 17-18, 2025; January 6-7, 2026; February 11-12, 2026; etc.
   ++ Virginia Association of Forest Health Professionals Annual Conference --  February 12-13, 2026 – Blacksburg,Va.
   ++ Southwest Virginia Woods & Wildlife Conference -- February 21, 2026 – Blacksburg, Va.
   ++ Northern Virginia Woods & Wildlife Conference -- February 28, 2026 – Culpeper, Va.
++++++++++++++++++++
2.) Request for Site Qualifications (RFSQ): Nontidal Wetland/Stream Mitigation Project – Closes: November 30, 2025 – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is requesting site qualifications for a contractor that can provide nontidal wetland and/or stream mitigation project site(s) in the Chesapeake Bay, Middle James River, Upper James River, Potomac River, and Roanoke River basins in Virginia. The purpose is to provide mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts for which the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (VARTF) has been utilized as compensatory mitigation. TNC will also consider lump sum purchase of mitigation credits from an approved mitigation bank or banks.  Learn more and submit a proposal at https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/virginia-aquatic-resources-trust-fund/. Announced by the Nature Conservancy.
++++++++++++++++++++
3.) Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund Grant -- Applications Due: December 1, 2025 -- Communities across the Commonwealth are invited to apply for grants and loans to support flood mitigation projects that enhance community resilience and reduce the impact of flooding. Additional grants are available for Coastal Storm Risk Management and Flood Risk Management projects that have received construction authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For more information, see https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/dsfpm-cfpf. Organized by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. 
++++++++++++++++++++
4.) Webinars Celebrating 85th Anniversary: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) -- For more information and to register, visit https://www.potomacriver.org/ (link in main heading). Organized by ICPRB.
   ++ December 2, 2025 (11am) -- Reconsidering Connectivity: A North Branch Potomac Case Study
   ++ December 5, 2025 (12pm) -- Land Prioritization Mapping to Protect Drinking Water Quality
   ++ December 9, 2025 (11am) -- The Future of Water in the DC Metro Area
++++++++++++++++++++
5.) Sustainability Matters Events -- For more information about these and other events, see https://www.sustainabilitymatters.earth/events.
   ++ Dark Skies, Bright Futures -- December 2, 2025 (7-8pm) – Virtual
   ++ Winter Tree ID & Potluck -- December 14, 2025 (1-3pm) -- State Arboretum of Virginia, Boyce, VA
++++++++++++++++++++
6.) 11^th Annual Turning a New Leaf Conference – December 3, 2025 – Richmond, VA – Theme: “Chart the Course, Shape the Future: Together for a Greener Good” – This event will focus on exchanging ideas about sustainability in landscaping, stormwater management, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship. For more information, see https://www.chesapeakelandscape.org/turning-a-new-leaf-conference/. Organized by The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council.
++++++++++++++++++++
7.) Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Events -- For more information and to register, see https://blueridgeprism.org/events.
   ++ Webinar: Invasive Plants in Winter -- December 3, 2025 (1-2pm)
   ++ Webinar: Winter Invasive Plant Control -- December 4, 2025 (1-2pm)
   ++ Invasive Plant Training Workday -- December 5, 2025 (11am-1pm) – Fernbrook Natural Area (Albemarle Co.) -- Offered by Blue Ridge PRISM and The Nature Conservancy.
++++++++++++++++++++
8.) Water and Wastewater Training – Learn more about these events and others at https://www.rcap.org/training-events/. Also, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program (SERCAP) provides free math tutoring for individuals interested in becoming Water Operators (contact Joey Hiner at jhi...@sercap.org). Trainings offered by SERCAP, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), and others.
   ++ Small Systems Training: Risk, Resilience, Rates, Reporting and More! – December 4, 2025
   ++ Private Wells and Septic Systems: Vital Parts of Rural Living – December 9, 2025
   ++ Streamlining Water Utility Operations with GIS Mapping and Smart Surveys – December 16, 2025
++++++++++++++++++++
9.) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Upcoming Events – Learn more about these events and see more events posted on the calendar at https://events.cbf.org/calendar.
   ++ Fort Valley Tree Planting -- December 6, 2025 (8:30am-2:30pm) – Fort Valley, Va.
   ++ Ramsey Church Tree Planting – December 16, 2025 – Richmond, Va.
   ++ Virginia 2026 General Assembly Preview (Virtual) -- December 17, 2025 (6:30-8pm)
++++++++++++++++++++
10.) Request For Proposals: Amelia Street School Accessible Trail Design -- Submission Deadline: December 8, 2025 -- Richmond, VA -- Proposals are for the planning and design of an outdoor educational, engaging, accessible, and recreational trail at the Amelia Street School in Richmond. The trail should also include sustainable stormwater management practices. For more information, see https://www.allianceforthebay.org/2023/11/amelia-street-trail-design/. Offered by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. 
++++++++++++++++++++
11.) Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) Events
   ++ Webcast: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Watershed Planning – December 10, 2025 -- Learn more and register at https://cwp.org/2025_webcast_list.php.
   ++ 2026 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference – April 14-16, 2026 -- Charlotte, NC -- Theme: “Building Resilient Watersheds: Advancing Innovation and Partnership in Rapidly Changing Environments” -- Early registration ends January 31, 2026. -- https://www.cwp.org/2026_conference.php
++++++++++++++++++++
12.) Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) Winter Level 1 Training – Various Dates: January-March 2026 -- These trainings focus on the design, installation, and maintenance of stormwater BMPs. Early-bird registration ends November 30, 2025; use code GREEN26 to save $50 through November 30, 2025. For more information and to register, see https://cblpro.org/cblp-level-1/. Organized by the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC).
   ++ Hybrid: January 27-28, 2026 (9am-12:15pm), plus 1 field day (February 5, 2026 in Arlington, VA; February 26, 2026 in Norfolk, VA; March 11, 2026 in Charlottesville, VA; or other dates/locations).
   ++ In-Person (9am-4pm): February 4-5, 2026 (Arlington, VA); February 25-26, 2026 (Norfolk, VA); March 10-11, 2026 (Charlottesville, VA); or other dates/locations
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. Thank you to our sponsors!

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.