 A list of project names only can be found at Name Only (short list) VMN Peninsula
Open Service Projects
Project: Audubon Spring Bird Count Project Type: Citizen Science Description: A yearly total U.S. Audubon count : compiled and studied for bird numbers and migration routes; to preserve and improve the habitat areas in those fly-a-way routes for the health and welfare of those migratory species as well as non-migratory birds.
Date(s): April 23, 2011 Location: Primary area will be Tabb as defined by the Audubon regional map. Contact: Phyllis Roth, pjssr@cox.net Project: Backyard Wildlife Mapping Project Type: Citizen Science Description: Wildlife Mapping is an outreach program that allows school children, citizens, community groups, and other city, county and state organizations to collect wildlife-related information that will be available to everyone. The program provides an opportunity for students and volunteers to perform field studies that contribute to the state's biological databases by observing and noting the location of wildlife in the commonwealth. The Backyard Wildlife Mapping Project will allow Chapter Wildlife Mappers to be eligible to claim one hour a month for mapping wildlife in their own yards/neighborhoods. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Throughout the Peninsula Contact: If qualified, coordinate observation and reporting on your own. Wildlife mapping is required and a password will be supplied after training to recored data on the Game and Fisheries website. Project: Bio-Char Project Project Type: Citizen Science/Stewardship Description: This is a project proposed by Megan Tierney, Hampton Extension agent, in partnership with the Hampton MG’s with Carol King as the contact. Working with Langley NASA, Hampton MG’s and the city of Hampton, volunteers with help create Bio-Char (a means of carbon sequester which also provides a soil amendment as a product) and use it in experiments on plant growth in amended soil. The volunteers will have the opportunity to gain knowledge of the practices as well as training for teaching and demonstrating Bio-Char in places such as schools. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Blue Bird Gap Farm Contact: Megan Tierney and Carol King, 757-727-1401 Project: Blue Bird Gap Pond Improvements Project Type: Stewardship Description: The purpose of this stewardship project is to improve the water quality and usability of the area. The MN’s will create a design for improvements to the pond area, implement it with planting and water testing, and provide care afterwards. Pond Management training will be provided by David Crosby of VCU. A grant has been obtained to provide for the plants. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Blue Bird Gap Farm Contact: proposed by Megan Tierney in partnership with Jim Steward of Hampton Parks and Recreation. Phone nos: 757-727-1401 and 757-827-2765 Project: Blue Bird Trail Maintenance Project Type: Stewardship/Citizen Science Description: The Bluebird Trail on the Deer Run and Cardinal Golf Courses in the Newport News City Park has been in use for 37 years. In 2009 the 100 nesting boxes produced 337 bluebird fledglings. The boxes are maintained including guards to keep out raccoons and data is collected on nest building, egg laying and hatching. Data is sent to the Virginia Bluebird Society The trail has also been used by graduate students from William and Mary in study regarding effects of pesticides on bluebirds. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Newport News Park Contact: Libby Carmines - carmy5@aol.com Project: Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Discovery Labs Project Type: Education and Outreach Description: CBNERR hosts a family friendly discovery lab event each month (Jan-Oct) on different marine science topics. Participants visit stations in the lab to learn about whatever topic is being focused on that month, for example in the past we have done labs on shorebirds, fish of the York River, mollusks, etc. The labs run from 6-8pm and people visit the stations at their own pace. There is also a short speaker at 6:30pm that gives a little more detail about the subject. Volunteers for this project would man a station in the lab. Volunteers would need to show up to the lab at approximately 5:15pm to get training on what they will be doing that night and then work through 8pm when the lab ends. Varying stations could include a touch tank, kids' craft table, microscope station, etc. Location: Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, VA Contact: Sarah McGuire, Education Coordinator, Chesapeake
Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia, Virginia Institute of
Marine Science - mcguire@vims.edu Project: Continuation of the Extreme Makeover Project Project Type: Stwewardship Description: The James River Association that is responsible for monitoring the quality of the James River arranged for plantings and volunteers to plant gardens with trees, shrubs, and periennals on the left front of the Grissom library and at the end of the parking lot last spring. The plantings were done to prevent runoff/pollution into the Warwick River that is a tributary of the James. The association is in need of volunteers to help maintain and water the plantings on a regular basis. Another follow-up day will be held in the spring. The JRA contact is Amber Ellis at aellis@jrava.org. The MN contact is Charlotte Boudreau at dgardener_0@verizon .net. The start date is early February with the date and time to be arranged with the MN notified ahead of time. Project: Delmarva Tip Annual Butterfly Count - NEW Project Type: Citizen Science/Advanced Training Description: Help with the annual butterfly count of Eastern Shore. Date: July 24, 2011; 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Location: Wildlife Refuge, Tip of Eastern Shore of VA Contact: Hal Weiringer and Lynn Davidson: hal.lynn@comcast.net; 410-570-7348 Project: Extreme Stream Makeover Project Type: Stewardship Description: The Extreme Stream Makeover (ESM) is a week long restoration project designed to improve the health, sustainability and aesthetic appeal of a selected stream within the James River watershed. During the planning process, involved parties work together to promote watershed awareness and pollution control throughout the community. Partners assess the creek and surrounding watershed to identify and document existing and potential pollution problems. This assessment helps to identify and prioritize projects. ESM project locations are selected based on the site assessment, feasibility, landowner permission and opportunity for water quality improvement. Implementation is a week-long process that puts in place a series of rainwater runoff and pollution reduction measures as well as habitat restoration projects. Each day, approximately 100 volunteers from the community will participate in the restoration activities. Depending on the project selection, participants will remove trash, learn how to construct and install rain barrels, plant steamside buffers and build rain gardens. Every facet of the restoration project is accompanied by an education component – it is important that people not only learn how to do these projects, but that they also understand why they are doing them. The ESM also incorporates a series of lessons, designed to correlate with Virginia SOLs, for local students. In the past, the James River Association (JRA) has gone into local schools to teach about the James River watershed, emphasizing watershed health, management and conservation. Students will learn how and why selected projects can improve local creeks, the James River and beyond. Date(s): April 11, 2011 to April 15, 2011 Location: Extreme Stream Makeover 2011, the fourth of its kind, is scheduled to take place in the Stoney Run watershed in the City of Newport News. We are still in the planning phase, but project locations have been identified at the Grissom Library, the Stoney Run Athletic Complex and Denbigh High School. At the library we will be creating several areas to capture and treat runoff from the parking lot. There are several projects planned at the athletic complex including a wetland planting in an existing drainage area and retrofitting a large managed turf area in the parking lot. Additional projects include a buffer planting, trash cleanups and a rain barrel workshop for homeowners. The final number of projects and their scopes will be determined based on the amount of available funding. Contact: Michelle Kokoli Phone: (804) 788-8811 ext. 204 E-mail: mkokolis@jrava.org Project: Forest Wetlands Study Project Type: Citizen Science Description: Dr. Jim Perry’s Wetland Ecology Lab at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science seeks volunteers to assist with the field work for a 7 year forested wetland investigation. The study seeks to improve the understanding of successful forested wetland restoration by investigating the growth and survival of 7 species of native wetland trees planted in three hydrologically distinct mesocosm cells at the Virginia Department of Forestry New Kent Forestry Center. The implications of this study are far reaching in the furtherance of wetland science and restoration ecology, and we need your help! We will be measuring the growth and survival of our 3000 trees on the following dates: Location: New Kent Forestry Center 11301 Pocahontas Trail Providence Forge, VA 23140 Contact: Wes Hudson Phone: (804) 684-7549 E-mail hwhudson@vims.edu Project: Grandview Cleanup Project Type: Stewardship Description: This is a one day stewardship project taking place at Grandview on October 22nd. Volunteers will be supplied with trash bags and gloves so they can collect as much trash as possible on foot that day. Please note that you must register directly for this event at causink@hampton.gov . The limit is 25 people for this site and it fills up quickly. You will need to supply name, group, email, and phone number where you can be reached at the last minute. Date(s): October 22, 2011 Location: Grandview, 9 am to 1 pm Contact: Dawn Currier, Sandy Bottom Park, 825-4657, dcurrier@hampton.gov Project: Greater Dismal Swamp Birding Festival 2011 Project Type: Education/Outreach Description: Volunteers are needed to accompany scientist on guided bird walks on Friday and Saturday, May 13th and 14th. Volunteers are needed to provide a general level of assisting bird watchers with wildlife , not expertise on birds. Volunteers may also be needed to accompany scientist led bus tours and provide general support and information about habitat and wildlife. The Festival runs from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. However, guided bird walks occur from 7:00-9:30 am. The bus tours are of 1/12/ hour duration and occur throughout the day.) Refuge staff has also invited the chapter to have a display at the festival on Saturday, May 14th. Date(s): May 13th and 14th Location: Greater Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, VA 23434 Contact: Deloras Freeman, Visitor Services Specialist, Deloras_Freeman@fws.gov Project: Living Barrier Project Type: Stewardship Description: This is a stewardship project designed to help Waste Management at Bethel Landfill in Hampton with guidance and help in creating a living evergreen barrier between the complex and its sight line to Interstate 64. The living fence will provide habitat and cover for wildlife as well as serve as a barrier. The PVMN participants will assist in the planning and installing of the living fence with their horticultural knowledge. Planting will be in the fall with planning beforehand. Training will be provided by the extension agent or MG volunteer. Date(s): Ongoing. Location: Bethel Landfill in Hampton Contact: proposed by Megan Tierney, 757-727-1401 Project: Longleaf Pinecones Project Type: Stewardship Description: This project involves identifying, collecting, and marking longleaf pinecones from this threatened species. Seeds will be used to support reforestation in southeast Virginia. Pinecones are harvested from a remote location with limited toilet facilities. The project supports VMN state sponsors, Department of Forestry and Department of Conservation and Recreation. Date(s): Ongoing. Pinecones are usually harvested each year in October. Location: Southwest corner of Suffolk near Southampton County. Contact: Pam Courtney at pjcourtney@verizon.net. Project: Master Naturalists Go Green at Virginia Living
Museum
Project Type: Education / Outreach and Stewardship Description: Work through the Virginia Living Museum volunteer program to: 1. Serve as interpreters for the Living Green exhibit 2. Help maintain exhibit areas (weeding, raking, etc.) Support community awareness through presentations of —Gardeners Guide to Global Warming created by the National Wildlife Federation. Date(s): VLM Orientation and training in June will take 4 hours. Help interpreting will be ongoing during the summer as will maintaining the exhibit areas. There is no end date. Location: Virginia Living Museum and in the community. Contact: Charlotte Boudreau - charlotteaboudreau@gmail.com Project: Mariners' Museum Trail Maintenance Project Project Type: Stewardship Description: This project was proposed by Charlotte Boudreau, Chris Gwaltney, and Larry Lewis to take care of areas of the park that the trail technician, Tim Minich, does not have time to address because of higher priority work. The areas in need will be assigned by Tim Minich and will include (but are not limited to) horticultural activities. Volunteers should have the ability to do mild to moderate strenuous work such as weeding , mulching , digging, planting, lifting, and pruning and willing to get dirty or wet. Larger tools are supplied by Tim. Volunteers need to bring trowels, hand pruners, small saws, kneelers, and water. The start date was the beginning of December. Weekly sessions are held on Tuesday afternoon from 1 to 3:30 weather permitting. Other days can be arranged by contacting Tim at tminich@MarinersMuseum.org Project: Master Naturalists Interpret Exhibits at Virginia Living Museum Project Type: Education /Outreach Description: VMN will support the indoor and outdoor exhibits at the Virginia Living Museum as exhibit interpreters. This interpretation will serve to educate the public on Zones in Virginia and native animal habitats. The project will involve working through the VLM volunteer program to: 1. Serve as interpreters for the indoor exhibits 2. Serve as interpreters for the outdoor or trail exhibits Date(s): Ongoing Location: Virginia Living Museum Contact: Charlotte Boudreau - charlotteaboudreau@gmail.com Project: Master Naturalists Provide Grounds and Habitat Maintenance on the Trail at Virginia Living Museum Project Type: Education / Outreach and Stewardship Description: Virginia Master Naturalists will help maintain the grounds and habitats on the trail (Virginia Living Museum) so the public can observe natural habitats of the various animal species. They will help maintain the grounds to learn about the needs and value of native plants and trees. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Virginia Living Museum Contact: Charlotte Boudreau - charlotteaboudreau@gmail.com Project: Natural Wonders Road Show Project Type: Education/Outreach Description: Provide natural history interpretative talks and displays for school groups, scouts, parks and recreation groups and at public events. Items selected will meet specific learning objectives including lifecycles and environmental stewardship. Samples include marine fossils, minerals, animal casts, scale models, and nests. Brochures will be from various agencies including Peninsula Master Naturalists. Project will not duplicate "Zoo in my suitcase," but will also be portable in a wheeled container. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Throughout the Peninsula Contact: Pam Courtney - pjcourtney@verizon.net Project: North American Bird Phenology Project Type: Citizen Science Description: The USGS has several million manual records on bird arrival cards from 1880-1970 which are being added to a database. The project began in 2009 and participants log on to a website to enter each record individually (several minutes per card.) Once completed the project will be used to evaluate bird populations and the effect of weather on migrations. Each Master Naturalist with access to the internet can participate at any time. Training is given on line (15 minutes) and minimal personal identification is needed to begin entries. A computer resolution of 1280 by 800 is ideal. Project will be evaluated on the number of correct records entered. Web site is www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bpp/. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Any internet accessible computer Contact: Brad Halcums - pjcourtney@verizon.net Project: Oyster Gardening Project Type: Education/Outreach Description: Students (fourth and fifth graders) will measure and record the growth of a random sampling of oysters. On a monthly basis water salinity, water clarity, mortality will be measured and aquatic plants and animals will be reported on. Equipment is provided by Osyter Reef Keepers of Va. Beach. Students will take the oysters to a reef in the York River in May. This trip will be coordinated with the VIMs Educational Department. Contact: Diane Raisner 757-813-5138. Project: Oyster Reef Ball
Project Type: Stewardship Description: Volunteers will help build reef balls that will be used to help restore oyster reefs in rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Depending on the day, volunteers will be setting up and assembling the molds, assisting with filling the molds, opening molds, and removing the reef balls. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will provide all materials and tools needed for this project. Volunteers should dress for the weather and dirty work. Closed toe shoes are essential. Date(s): Tuesday, April 5th from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 6th from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. and Thursday April 7th from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Location: Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, VA Contact: Laura Engelund - lengelund@cbf.org Project: Preschool Outreach Project Project Type: Outreach Description: This project focused on developing and providing short, interactive hands-on natural history lessons to preschool students. Lessons will be designed for three to five year old children. Lesson documentation and material will be prepared and made into kits that can be readily taken into a classroom or outdoor group setting. This project will take plance at various preschools beginning at Mallory Head Start. The project began on 9/1/2011 and is ongoing. Minors are involved so volunteers must be trained in working with youth and the Above Suspicion Policy. Date(s): Ongoing. Contact: Susan Walton is the contact person for this and can be reached at sawalton46@hotmail.com or at susan.walton@vmnh.virginia.gov. Project: Prothonotary Warbler Monitoring Project Type: Stewardship Description: Activities for VMN volunteers for Project for Northwest River Park in Chesapeake entails: · Regular nest box monitoring (100 nest boxes) and banding of nestlings and unbanded adults. This requires navigating river in motorized canoe by two people at least once a week. Launch from Northwest River Park in Chesapeake. · Dr. Reilly intends to have 100 Prothonotary Warbler boxes on Northwest River by the start of spring migration early April 2011. The person who will band the birds must be a licensed subpermittee bander under Dr. Bob Reilly, Master Bander. Likely banders are Steve Living, DGIF, and Shirley Devan, HRC VMN who will share banding duties for this project. TWO people are required for each outing. The other person will navigate the canoe and provide assistance and security. Dr. Reilly will train volunteers on use of canoe, battery, and trolling motor, etc. Date(s): 2011 spring and summer nesting season for Prothonotary Warblers. Likely will continue in subsequent years. Location: Northwest River Park, Chesapeake, VA - 1733 Indian Creek Road, Chesapeake, Va 23322 Contact: Shirley Devan (Historic Rivers) - Sedevan52@cox.net Project: River Rats Project Type: Stewardship Description: The James River Association (JRA) is starting a new program, RiverRats, and would love some of your members to become involved. By launching the RiverRats program, JRA plans to bring together an effective network of conservation-minded river lovers that will become a powerful force for protecting the James River. Many people self describe themselves as “river rats” because of the passion they have for spending time on the river. The goal of the RiverRats program is to provide a structure for river enthusiasts to use their passion and time on the river to benefit the river’s well being. Each RiverRat will select a section of the James River or one of its tributaries and volunteer to monitor it and take some action to protect it. RiverRats commit to patrolling their chosen section of waterway-on foot, paddling, or boating- at least three times each year and report what they find. Additionally, JRA RiverRats will take on an outreach, restoration, or education project for the river. JRA will support RiverRats through trainings, assistance by the James Riverkeepers, special website access, support for river conservation actions and annual meetings. Date(s): Training January 29th to February 19th, Project Ongoing Location: James River Contact: Amber Ellis, Watershed Restoration Associate, James River Association (804) 788.8811 ext.205 – Email: aellis@jrava.org Project: Storm Sewer Medallions - NEW! Project Type: Stewardship Description: Gluing 4 inch stainless steel discs to concrete surface of storm drains in order to notify York County residents that their storm sewers drain into the Chesapeake Bay and to not dump waste into them. Date(s): Ongoing activity. As long as supplies last, sewers remain to be marked. Location: Sites throughout York County Contact: Anna Drake, 757-890-3752, drakea@yorkcounty.govProject: Virginia Living Museum Collections Project Type: Education /Outreach Description: Provide assistance to science educators in teaching natural history to children and adults. Visitors will be at the Living Museum and at offsite events. Materials will be selected from the collections area to support specific teaching objectives. After the session materials will be returned to their designated location. Feedback on results from the sessions will be provided by instruc-tors so materials can be altered as needed. Classes will also be conducted in the Collections area as required. Date(s): Ongoing Location: Virginia Living Museum and in the community. Contact: Pam Courtney - pjcourtney@verizon.net Project: Virginia Living Museum Signage Project Project Type: Education Project Description: This is an Education Project that involves creating signs for the VLM Plant Sale, a follow-up project would be to create signs for the future “learning garden” The signs would be developed using Microsoft word on the VLM Horticulture Computer. The signs would include a photograph of the plant, Its scientific and common names, and other information requested by the Horticulture office. If plant photographs are not available, Chip would photograph them and process them digitally for inclusion in the signs The finished project would include laminating and mounting the sign in a fram to be determined by the Horticultural department. Date(s): This project began 0n 8-12-2011 and is ongoing on a weekly basis for 6 hours. Contact: The contact for this project is Preston O. “Chip” Petre 868-6058 cell 813-9728. His e’mail is ppetre@ aol.com Project: Wildlife Mapping at Riverview Park Area Project Type: Citizen Science Description: Observe wildlife at Riverview Park. This project will support the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Program Wildlife Mapping program. This information could be useful to Menchville High School teachers who currently bring students to this area as part of their instruction. Baseline wildlife utilization information would be a great asset as future teacher training and restoration projects are being considered for this area by the Center for Wetland Conservation at CNU. Location: Riverview Farm Park, Newport News, VA—with emphasis on the accidental non-tidal wetland (on either side of a service road) and the tidal marsh area closer to the James River accessible by a boardwalk. Date(s): Ongoing Contact: Jackie Roquemore - jacqueline.roquemore@cnu.edu Project: A Zoo In My Luggage Project Type: Education/Outreach Description: Clyde Marsteller's portable menagerie of insects, reptiles and other small wonders of the natural world travels to local elementary schools and other locations to expose children of all ages to regional flora and fauna while teaching a message of environmental stewardship. Assisting Clyde as part of his Zoo Cru earns volunteer service hours for Peninsula Chapter members. Location: Throughout the Peninsula and occasionally the state. Date(s): Ongoing Contact: Clyde Marsteller - clydeccedm@aol.com |
Service Projects |