River Chat - Nansemond River Preservation Alliance
! River Chat! “The mission of the NRPA is to work with government, business acivic organizations to better manage the environmental stewardship of the Nansemond River watershed. Elizabeth Taraski, Executive Director: [email protected]! NansemondRiverPreservationAlliance.org 757.745.7447 TEAMWORK! Oyster Sanctuary, Living Shoreline: NRPA, Volvo-‐Penta and Eagle Scouts create a winning project to help the Chuckatuck Creek. NRPA, VolvoPenta, a four-‐year NRPA corporate partner, and Boy Scout Troop #1 are plan<ng a Living Shoreline on the northern boundary of Volo-‐Penta’s property located along the Chuckatuck Creek. Bob Crocker, manager, VolvoPenta Test Facility, Suffolk, will co-‐lead the project with NRPA representa<ves Cindy Pinell, Karla Smith and John Wass. Bob has been a very ac<ve and important member of NRPA since 2010. Crocker captains the boat for the monthly water sampling session along the Nansemond River, serves on the NRPA Water Quality CommiRee and was a former NRPA board member. VolvoPenta allows the buses for the NRPA program in the schools to park at their facility so the students can have easy access to the boat for the NWI School program outdoor waterway experience. “VolvoPenta is the ideal corporate friend. NRPA and the community are grateful for VolvoPenta’s commitment to protec<ng Suffolk’s waterways and helping to educate the next genera<on of environmental stewards”, stated Elizabeth Taraski, NRPA, execu<ve director. Boy Scout Alex Pinell will lead the project for the boy scouts’ component as part of his plan to earn Eagle Scout status. NRPA members and the boy scouts will spend two–three days plan<ng the na<ve plant sprigs along a 200 Z shoreline. The sprig plan<ng needs to be done at low <de and involves digging 8-‐10 inch deep holes in the moderately shelled shoreline. Walter Priest, living shoreline expert, visited the site and developed the plan. VolvoPenta is supplying the na<ve plants, tools and supplies. NRPA is also establishing an oyster sanctuary in the Volvo’s riparian area, just north of the living shoreline. Oysters have an important role in filtering the water and will protect the marsh grasses. Easy access to an oyster sanctuary will also allow NRPA to expand the Nansemond Watershed Ini<a<ve outdoor classroom research experience for students. ! The result of this teamwork will be a true living shoreline that correctly filters and cleanses Chuckatuck Creek waters for decades to come. Alex Pinell, from Boy Scout Troop #1 is helping to lead the! living shoreline project as part of his Eagle Scout program. SPRING 2015 MORE PARTNERSHIPS April 2: NRPA will par<cipate in a panel chaired by the College of William & Mary Law School, Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic at the VMI, Center for Leadership & Ethics, 26 th Annual Environmental Symposium. April 18: NRPA will have an exhibit at the Nansemond River Garden Club Garden Tour at Harbourview. March 2015 NRPA River Chat Volunteers from Keurig-Green Mountain, Unilever and local youth group ! work to restore and stabilize the 100 ft buffer at Bennett’s Creek! On March 24 and 25, NRPA and Mike Kelly, Principal Planner, Suffolk Parks & Recrea<on will lead a group of 100 Keurig-‐Green Mountain employees to complete Phase 1 of the Buffer Restora<on Project at BenneR’s Creek Park. “Keurig-‐Green Mountain has supported NRPA’s program in the schools for the past two years and wanted to do more for the community. We asked NRPA to iden<fy an environmental related project for our employees. This is the company’s first large scale project since we opened our facility in Windsor”, commented Anne Williams, Community Rela<ons Site Liaison. Employees will have the op<on to report to work as usual at the facility or par<cipate in the BenneR’s Creek Buffer Restora<on Project. Keurig-‐Green Mountain is paying for the na<ve plants and trees, project supplies and refreshments. Suffolk Parks & Recrea<on has collaborated with NRPA on several environmental educa<on projects since 2011. The buffer restora<on project designed by Mike Kelly will help stabilize the buffer, increase the filtering of sediments, and re-‐establish a walking path so park patrons do not enter the sensi<ve buffer area. NRPA representa<ves will be joined by Master Naturalists’ members to lead the five-‐person work teams. Teens who are par<cipa<ng in the Mission Madness Weekend organized by the Coopera<ve Bap<st Fellowship of Virginia will be joined by Keurig-‐Green Mountain employees to begin Phase 2. The project will be completed in May by Unilever employees as part of their Community Service Day ac<vi<es. ! ONGOING PARTNERSHIP NRPA Nansemond Watershed Ini<a<ve: Connec&ng the Classroom with the Environment. NRPA is comple<ng the second year of our program to educate all City of Suffolk Public School seventh graders on significant environmental issues that affect our local waterways and their inhabitants. Nearly 2,000 students have par<cipated in the program and are becoming informed and commiRed environmental stewards. The City of Suffolk Parks & Recrea<on representa<ves along with NRPA volunteers staff the Marshfield Study hands-‐on exhibits at BenneR’s Creek Park. The Marshfield Study consists of eight hands-‐on sta<ons. Each sta<on provides an opportunity for the students to acquire fundamental scien<fic tes<ng skills in the correct procedures in using scien<fic instruments, record and analyze data, learn about the Nansemond Watershed and interact with the natural habitats. NRPA is seeking addi<onal volunteers. March 2015 NRPA River Chat College of William & Mary Law School: Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic -‐ The College of William & Mary Law School Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic students will conduct a study on the causes of the degrada<on in the Nansemond River as reflected by the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and shellfish bed condemna<ons. As part of their study the law students will propose poten<al policy changes that the City of Suffolk could consider to implement the TMDL more effec<vely and thereby lower E. coli levels in the water. Lauren Coleman! W&M Law School Student! will lead the study. On August 26, 2014, the Virginia Department of Health issued two new shellfish condemna<on closures along the Nansemond River and BenneR’s Creek due to high E. coli levels in the water. The Department made the closures aZer collec<ng data on fecal coliform levels in the water over a period of thirty months. The closures have significantly affected local oystermen, reducing the acreage of harvestable oyster grounds and causing increased pressure on the other por<ons of the Nansemond that remain open for harves<ng. No end date has been set to reopen the condemned areas and the closures will remain in effect indefinitely un<l the Department of Health determines that bacteria levels are safe. The City of Suffolk currently has a TMDL in place for fecal coliform that provides a plan for cleaning up bacteria levels in the Nansemond River. First, the W&M project will involve inves<ga<ng and assessing the causes of the high bacteria levels in the closure areas. Second, the W&M project will discuss poten<al policy changes that the City of Suffolk should consider to implement the TMDL more effec<vely and thereby lower bacteria levels in the Nansemond River. Water quality commiRee members meet to discuss local waterways. Members pictured here: Steven Kirkpatrick, Steve Barnum, Robert Crocker, Neil Wilson, Paul Fisher, Philip Ford Addi<onal Shoreline CommiRee members not pictured: Pam Courtney Cindy Pinell Bob Foley Jack Van Straten Pat Hillard John Wass Bob Johnson ScoR Wilson Geoff Payne Nick Worth SAVE THE DATE APRIL 21……RIVER TALK – How are our Waterways? A presenta<on by Steve Barnum, Chair, NRPA Water Quality CommiRee and Karen Forget, Execu<ve Director, Lynnhaven Now. Loca<on: CE&H Ruritan Community Hall, 8881 Eclipse Drive 6:30 – 7:00 Social. 7:00-‐8:00 Program VOLUNTEER COVE ! SEEKING VOLUNTEERS • APRIL 18: NRPA EXHIBITS • APRIL 25: BUFFER RESTORATION PROJECT: BENNETT’S CREEK PARK • APRIL 27 & 28: MARSHFIELD STUDY; BENNETT’S CREEK PARK Contact Elizabeth Taraski: [email protected] March 2015 NRPA River Chat OFFICERS NRPA OFFICERS! James Shirley! Richard Barry III ! President DIRECTORS Joseph Verdirame, MD ! ! BUSINESS FOUNDATIONS! John Wass, Vice President/ Treasurer/ Education Co-Chair! & ALLIANCES! Virginian Pilot, Landmark Foundation! Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community! Volvo Penta! Suffolk River Heritage! Wheelabrator Techologies! Va Coastal Coalition! BASF Corporation! Jean Johnson, Secretary/! COMMUNITY, ENVIROMENTAL ALLIANCES! Batten Bay Farm! River Chat Editor! Howard W. Martin Jr ! Governance! John D. Eure Jr. ! Government Relations! Steve Barnum ! Water Quality, Chair! Karla Smith! Education Co-Chair! John Newhard! Shoreline Committee Chair! NRPA DIRECTORS! Elizabeth Taraski,! George Y. Birdsong! Bennetts Creek Pharmacy! CEH Ruritan Club! Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund! Birdsong Corporation! Chesapeake Bay Foundation! City of Suffolk Department of:! Chuckatuck Creek Landing Co.! Chuckatuck Historical Society! Litter Control! Community Action Coalition of Virginia! Elizabeth River Project! Economic Development! Hoffler Creek Preserve! Parks and Recreation! Copico Print Services! Izaak Walton League! Planning! Duke Automotive! James River Association! Public Works! Enviro Mechanical Sales! King’s Fork Woman’s Club! Ferguson Enterprises! Lynnhaven Now! Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.! Nansemond River Garden Club! Nansemond River Power Squadron! Nature Conservancy of Virginia! Oyster Reef Keepers of Virginia! Possum Ruritan Club! Foundation! David Eberwine! Rotary Club/ North Suffolk, Downtown Suffolk! Lowe’s! Paul E. Fisher! Mike Duman Auto! Robert W. Harrell Jr.! Geoff Payne! Cindy Pinell ! EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCES! City of Suffolk Public Schools! Homeschooled Children! Suffolk Center for the Cultural Arts! Old Dominion University! VIMS! Towne Bank Foundation! Suffolk-NansemondHistorical Society ! Unilever! Suffolk Master Gardeners! ! VA. Enviromental Endowment! Dwight Schaubach! Virginia Department of Environmental Quality! Nansemond Suffolk Academy! Suffolk Foundation! Brian Martin! NOAA! Suffolk Art League! Smithfield Gardens! Lem Lewis! National Park Service! Isle of Wight Academy! Pruden Foundation! Thomas Hazelwood! Great Dismal Swamp and Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge! Senior/Cadette Girl Scouts! Norfolk Southern Corp.! Sandy Hart! & FEDERAL ALLIANCES! Boy Scouts, Troop 1! Hampton Roads Community! Dana Dickens! CITY, REGIONAL, STATE, ! Bennetts Creek Nursery! Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce: Lead Hampton Roads! Executive Director! ALLIANCES Tidewater Community College! W&M / VA Coastal Policy Clinic! You are invited to become a member of NRPA and join the over 300 citizens, businesses, foundations and ! government agencies that are Making a Difference in Suffolk............ ! NRPA is a 501 (C) 3 tax-exempt organization. (27-2941030)! Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law.! DONOR LEVELS: ! SUSTAINING 15,000! BLUE RIVER ADMIRAL CAPTAIN CREW ! ! ! !! !! ! ! Name: 5,000 3,000 1,000! 500 PATRON FAMILY INDIVIDUAL STUDENT 100 40 25! 10! Please make check payable to NRPA. ! P.O. Box 6090, Suffolk, VA 23433! Elizabeth Taraski: [email protected] 757-745-7447! NansemondRiverPreservationAlliance.org! ! _________________________________________________________________________! Address: _________________________________________________________________________! Phone: ______________________________ Email: ___________________________________! Your email address allows us to send you important updates and information about activities and events.! NRPA will NOT share your information.!
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