Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD)
Project Background
The Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District (CSWCD) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Geographically, it includes the Counties of Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock. Founded in 1939 by citizens concerned about soil and water conservation, the CSWCD is the largest of forty-seven conservation districts within Virginia and serves an area covering 1,445 square miles with about 111,000 constituents.The CSWCD develops a wide range of programs to encourage community participation in conserving and protecting soil, water and related natural resources. Address: 351 Lakeside Drive, Culpeper, Va 22701. Click for directions.
The Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District (CSWCD) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Geographically, it includes the Counties of Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock. Founded in 1939 by citizens concerned about soil and water conservation, the CSWCD is the largest of forty-seven conservation districts within Virginia and serves an area covering 1,445 square miles with about 111,000 constituents.The CSWCD develops a wide range of programs to encourage community participation in conserving and protecting soil, water and related natural resources. Address: 351 Lakeside Drive, Culpeper, Va 22701. Click for directions.
CS (Citizen Science) Activities with Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD)
Stream Monitoring
ORMN Project Contact: Jere Willis: jmhwillisiii(at)gmail.com
The purpose of stream monitoring is to evaluate and record relative stream health by surveying benthic macro-invertebrates present in designated Virginia streams. The streams are designated for monitoring by the various Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the Commonwealth. ORMN is partnered with Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District for training, certification, and stream assignment.
ORMN volunteers may participate in a stream monitoring session under the guidance of a certified lead monitor. Lead monitors are responsible for conducting the sampling, and recording results. Results are then posted online as part of the Save Our Streams initiative. Participants will enter designated Virginia streams and, using a kick net, will conduct up to four sampling of benthic macro-invertebrates present in the stream. Macro-invertebrates are counted by species and returned to the stream after the count is completed. Additional stream health indicators, such as temperature of water, relative sedimentation, and type of vegetation cover, etc., are also recorded during the monitoring session.
ORMN Project Contact: Jere Willis: jmhwillisiii(at)gmail.com
The purpose of stream monitoring is to evaluate and record relative stream health by surveying benthic macro-invertebrates present in designated Virginia streams. The streams are designated for monitoring by the various Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the Commonwealth. ORMN is partnered with Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District for training, certification, and stream assignment.
ORMN volunteers may participate in a stream monitoring session under the guidance of a certified lead monitor. Lead monitors are responsible for conducting the sampling, and recording results. Results are then posted online as part of the Save Our Streams initiative. Participants will enter designated Virginia streams and, using a kick net, will conduct up to four sampling of benthic macro-invertebrates present in the stream. Macro-invertebrates are counted by species and returned to the stream after the count is completed. Additional stream health indicators, such as temperature of water, relative sedimentation, and type of vegetation cover, etc., are also recorded during the monitoring session.
- Locations: Monitoring stations on designated Virginia streams in the Upper Rappahannock River Basin.
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: Stream monitoring may involve exposure to heat, cold, dampness, rain, sun, ticks, poison ivy, snakes and insect bites/stings. Participants will enter the water of local streams. Slip hazards can be numerous, depending upon the site.
- Special Requirements: None.
- Time Commitment: Monitoring sessions generally run from 2 to 4 hours depending upon the quality of species uncovered during the net sampling. Numbers and experience of participants can greatly impact the time needed to complete the monitoring protocol.
ED (Education) Activities with Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD)
Envirothon
Project Contact: Stephanie DiNicola: stephanied(at)culpeperswcd.org
Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students who learn stewardship and management concepts and work to solve real and hypothetical environmental problems. The program is field oriented, community based and gives students an opportunity to work with natural resource professionals. At each level of competition, students are tested on their knowledge of natural resources — soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and a current environmental issue. Students visit five “in the field” test stations where written and hands-on problem-solving is required along with an oral presentation formulating a strategy for addressing an environmental problem. The events are competitive, but education is the bottom line. ORMN volunteers assist by helping with organization and registration for local and regional competitions, serving as judges of the local, regional or state competitions and coaching teams.
Project Contact: Stephanie DiNicola: stephanied(at)culpeperswcd.org
Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students who learn stewardship and management concepts and work to solve real and hypothetical environmental problems. The program is field oriented, community based and gives students an opportunity to work with natural resource professionals. At each level of competition, students are tested on their knowledge of natural resources — soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and a current environmental issue. Students visit five “in the field” test stations where written and hands-on problem-solving is required along with an oral presentation formulating a strategy for addressing an environmental problem. The events are competitive, but education is the bottom line. ORMN volunteers assist by helping with organization and registration for local and regional competitions, serving as judges of the local, regional or state competitions and coaching teams.
- Locations: In the past, local competitions have been hosted at Germanna Community College, Locust Grove Campus, 2130 Germanna Hwy, Locust Grove, VA 22508 (Rt 3 between Culpeper & Fredericksburg - click for directions) and at the Picnic Shelter below Graves Mountain Lodge, 205 Graves Mountain Lane, Syria, Madison County, VA (click for directions to the Lodge.)
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: None known.
- Special Requirements: Volunteers must review the Risk Management policy on the Virginia Master Naturalist website, paying special attention to the “Above Suspicion Policy.”
- Time Commitment: Day-long competitions are held in the winter and spring, and generally last from early morning to mid-afternoon. Volunteers determine the number of competitions with which to assist.
Events & Assistance
ORMN volunteers assist CSWCD staff at public events and with other staffing needs, such as assisting with registration of attendees, preparing information folders, placing traffic signs, setting up and staffing exhibits, directing visitor flow and answering questions.
ORMN volunteers assist CSWCD staff at public events and with other staffing needs, such as assisting with registration of attendees, preparing information folders, placing traffic signs, setting up and staffing exhibits, directing visitor flow and answering questions.
- Locations: Varies.
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: Involvement in this activity may include exposure to heat, cold, dampness, rain, sun, ticks, poison ivy, snakes and insect bites/stings.
- Special Requirements: May need to be able to deal with the public. If youth are involved, ORMN volunteers must review the Risk Management policy on the Virginia Master Naturalist website, paying special attention to the “Above Suspicion Policy.”
- Time Commitment: Varies.
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is an investigative or experimental project that engages students in thinking critically about the Bay watershed. ORMN volunteers assist in day-long stream-side events for elementary school and middle students in Greene, Madison or Orange Counties. The students engage in hands-on activities to learn about stream-bottom-dwelling macro-invertebrates, physical testing and chemical testing of water and plant identification. ORMN volunteers join personnel from Culpeper SWCD, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service to facilitate a variety of activities.
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is an investigative or experimental project that engages students in thinking critically about the Bay watershed. ORMN volunteers assist in day-long stream-side events for elementary school and middle students in Greene, Madison or Orange Counties. The students engage in hands-on activities to learn about stream-bottom-dwelling macro-invertebrates, physical testing and chemical testing of water and plant identification. ORMN volunteers join personnel from Culpeper SWCD, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service to facilitate a variety of activities.
- Location: These activities may be held on a stream below Graves Mountain Lodge, 205 Graves Mountain Lane, Syria, Madison County, VA. Click for directions to the Lodge. Another location is Prospect Heights Middle School, 202 Dailey Dr, Orange, VA 22960. Click for directions.
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: Involvement in MWEE may involve exposure to heat, cold, dampness, rain, sun, ticks, poison ivy, snakes and insect bites/stings. Participants will enter the water of local streams. Slip hazards can be numerous, depending upon the site.
- Special Requirements: ORMN volunteers must review the Risk Management policy on the Virginia Master Naturalist website, paying special attention to the “Above Suspicion Policy.”
- Time Commitment: Each day-long event is completed within school hours.
Training Stream Monitors for Certification
ORMN Project Contact: Jere Willis: jmhwillisiii(at)gmail.com
ORMN stream monitors who are certified by the Izaak Walton League train volunteers to become certified stream monitors for CSWCD monitoring activities.
ORMN Project Contact: Jere Willis: jmhwillisiii(at)gmail.com
ORMN stream monitors who are certified by the Izaak Walton League train volunteers to become certified stream monitors for CSWCD monitoring activities.
- Locations: Various streams/rivers in ORMN watershed
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: uneven terrain, wading in shallow moving water, slippery rocks
- Special Requirements: Completion of Izaak Walton League's "Save Our Stream" online courses (2) and field practicum on stream monitoring protocols/procedures and conducting a stream sampling, identification of invertebrates, and completion of the results report to IWLA.
- Time Commitment: Online courses on your own timetable; field practicum 3 -4 hours.
ST (Stewardship) Activities with Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD)
Stream Restoration
ORMN volunteers install vegetative riparian buffers and streamside forests to provide shade, food, improved wildlife habitat and increased stream bank stabilization, while reducing sediment and nutrient loading to the stream.
ORMN volunteers install vegetative riparian buffers and streamside forests to provide shade, food, improved wildlife habitat and increased stream bank stabilization, while reducing sediment and nutrient loading to the stream.
- Locations: Various Chesapeake Bay Watershed streams within the 5-County Culpeper SWCD area.
- Physical Requirements/Safety Hazards: Stream restoration may involve exposure to heat, cold, dampness, rain, sun, ticks, poison ivy, snakes and insect bites/stings. Slippery stream banks and rocky streams are possible.
- Special Requirements: None
- Time Commitment: Time varies.