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By Ashton Stinson, Program Director, Blue Ridge PRISM

The Blue Ridge PRISM, in conjunction with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hereby announces the availability of Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding to assist landowners with the removal of invasive plants.  The dollar amount available to an eligible landowner depends on many factors but could be as high as $22,000 spread over a three-year period.
 
Who is eligible?
Owners of nonindustrial private forestland and agricultural producers are eligible to apply for this program.  The land in question must be in the 10-county area served by the Blue Ridge PRISM (Albemarle, Augusta, Clarke, Greene, Madison, Nelson, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Warren counties) and be managed by the applicant.  Your local NRCS District Conservationist (see below) can walk you through other eligibility criteria that rarely apply and answer any questions you may have.
 
Other program details
Each landowner accepted into the RCPP program will sign a 3-year Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract with the NRCS. A $643,915 pool of funds has been reserved in the RCPP program solely for work on invasive plants within this 10-county area.  

Each application must include treating at least one of the following 10 high priority invasive species: ailanthus (tree-of-heaven), autumn olive, Chinese privet, garlic mustard, Japanese honeysuckle, Japanese stiltgrass, kudzu, mile-a-minute vine, multiflora rose, or oriental bittersweet.  Other species on the Invasive Plant Species List published by the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Natural Heritage Division may also be included in the application.  
 
How and when to apply
The current expectation is that the program will be open for applications sometime in October or November 2016.  The first contracts are expected to be signed with landowners in the December to February timeframe.  However, there are important steps that you can take now in order to submit an application.  

First you must establish farm records with USDA’s Farm Service Agency and verify compliance with the provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014 or “Farm Bill”.  Then you will work with your local NRCS District Conservationist and possibly your local Virginia Department of Forestry Area Forester to develop a conservation plan that outlines the specific species that will be treated and where the treatment areas are on your property.    If you want to have your contract signed over the winter in order to be ready to treat invasive plants when they first emerge in the Spring, then taking these steps now is important.  In many cases it will be helpful to develop the conservation plan before the plants go dormant later this year. Your NRCS District Conservationist will walk you through all the required steps.

Where can you get more information?

Contractor opportunity
As part of this program the PRISM and the NRCS will make available to landowners a partial list of potential contractors who provide services related to invasive plant removal and restoration of native species. If you are qualified to do this work, have relevant experience and references, are properly certified, and would like to be added to the list, please forward your information to info@blueridgeprism.org. The PRISM will be offering a contractor training session on identifying and treating invasive plants between now and the end of the year.
 
The Blue Ridge PRISM
The Blue Ridge PRISM is a collaboration of private landowners, conservation organizations, federal agencies, state agencies, local government entities, and companies involved with treating invasive plants.  Our mission is to reduce the impact of nonnative invasive plants in our 2.8 million acre, 10-county region. The Blue Ridge PRISM is a project of the Shenandoah National Park Trust, which is a 501c3 nonprofit and the fiscal sponsor of the Blue Ridge PRISM.
 
Membership is free and participation is open to the public. We invite you to attend our quarterly meeting on November 2, 2016 at Ivy Creek Natural Area in Charlottesville to ask questions and gain a better understanding the RCPP funding opportunity.  For more information, please visit www.blueridgeprism.org. To be added to our mailing list or to request additional information, please email info@blueridgeprism.org.
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This year marked the fourth annual photo contest held at the Virginia Master Naturalist statewide conference.  This contest acknowledges the wonderful talent that exists in our membership, as well as the important role that photography can play in teaching and learning about natural resources.  Each chapter was allowed to submit one photo to each of three categories: Virginia Flora, Fauna, and Other Species; Virginia Landscapes and Habitats, and Virginia Master Naturalists in Action.  Many chapters had internal competitions to select their winners. 

All entries were displayed at the statewide conference, and guest judges visit to select the award winners.  This year’s guest judges included:

• Karen Dillon – freelance reporter, columnist, and editor for the Laker Weekly
• Catriona Tudor Erler – internationally recognized freelance garden author, photographer, and speaker
• James Erler – specialist in architectural photography, developer of a photo database system for garden photography

And, without further ado, here are the 2016 photo contest winners!  See the bottom of the article for a slide show of many of the winning photos.

Virginia Flora, Fauna, and Other Species
First Place: “A Brighter Day” by Robin Jordan, Roanoke Valley Chapter
Second Place: “Swallowtails in Flight” by John Bunch, Historic Southside Chapter
Third Place: “Velvet Sunset in Big Meadows” by Tucker Caldwell, Merrimac Farm Chapter
Honorable Mention: “Fishing Spider in Tree” by Nancy Joel, Northern Neck Chapter
Honorable Mention: “Tree Swallow” by Mary Foster, Southwestern Piedmont Chapter

Virginia Landscapes and Habitats
First Place: “Ebb and Flow” by Arlene Crabbe-Kilduff, Northern Neck Chapter
Second Place: “King’s Creek” by Sara Lewis, Historic Rivers Chapter
Third Place: “Teaching Marsh” by Daina Henry, Peninsula Chapter
Honorable Mention: “Serenity Sunset” by Emmalee Smith, Pocahontas Chapter
Honorable Mention: “September Morning” by Joe Dupuis, Roanoke Valley Chapter

Virginia Master Naturalists in Action
First Place: “Getting Down and Dirty” by Capt. Debbie Ritter, Eastern Shore Chapter
Second Place: “Vernal Pool Monitoring” by Elisabeth Wilkins, Peninsula Chapter
Third Place: “Wild Thing…You Make My Heart Sing” by Patty Maloney, Historic Rivers Chapter

By Portia Belden, Certified Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer, Historic Rivers Chapter

It’s an amazing feat to produce a blockbuster film that captures the awe and curiosity of viewers, a film that raises questions and promotes discussion, a film that begs for sequels. The Historic Rivers Chapter has accomplished such a cinematic wonder with their Wildlife Camera Trap Project. 

The Historic Rivers Chapter has an on-going collaboration with our local sponsor, York River State Park, as well as the Department of Conservation and Recreation, one which emphasizes conservation of natural resources. We knew that there was a critical need for photographic evidence of the existence, activity, behavior, and habitat of the wildlife within the park. With a first-time director (Dean Shostak), inexperienced (wildlife) camera crews (at least 24 fellow Master Naturalists), untested equipment (unknown detection needs and capabilities) and filming in a vast, biologically diverse location (York River State Park, over 2,500 acres), we began setting cameras in March, 2015, using game trails as location guides. We recorded GPS coordinates and habitat location. Cameras were re-located approximately every 3 weeks. When retrieve
d, each camera typically produced 100-200 images and videos. 

Despite areas difficult to access and the steep learning curve of new technology, our cameras successfully provided photographic evidence of wildlife that has been sighted and anecdotally noted for years at York River State Park—deer, otter, beaver, coyote, fox, and even bobcat; thus not only confirming the existence and territory of these animals but also providing park biologists a means to assess animal health and critical habitat information for future bike path and campsite planning. Park visitors can be guided to observe animals and/or their tracks.  Chapter outreach will include working with the park on public exhibitions/presentation of the images and videos. With the data, we are also proud to be developing a new and very unique spreadsheet which will provide images and territory information for any given species with the click of a mouse.  
Our first year of filming wrapped up in March, 2016. We have discussed adding more cameras and, given our initial success, we hope to expand our efforts to include other Virginia state parks. Our project is a blockbuster indeed!        

By Julie Buchanan, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

The Virginia Outdoors Plan is the state’s comprehensive plan for land conservation, outdoor recreation and open space. The document helps all levels of government and the private sector meet needs pertaining to those matters. The plan is required for Virginia to participate in the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program. In addition, it provides guidance for the protection of lands through the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is working with Virginia’s planning district commissions and regional councils to review outdoor recreation and land conservation initiatives related to the Virginia Outdoors Plan. Meetings will be held in each region from August through November, and Virginia Master Naturalists are encouraged to attend.
 
Meeting attendees will be asked to provide input on:

• Regional outdoor recreation and land conservation projects
• Economics and tourism, health, play and youth outdoors.
• Scenic resource protection and recognition and dark skies.
• Government ownership of recreation lands.

 
The annual meetings provide stakeholders an opportunity to inform local decision makers. Information on the Virginia Treasures initiative will available to enable localities and regions to highlight recent achievements in land conservation and outdoor recreation.  

Aug. 23
2 p.m.
Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission
23372 Front St.
Accomac, VA 23301
 
Aug. 30
10 a.m.
Northern Neck Enterprise Center
483 Main St.
Warsaw, VA 22572
 
Aug. 31
10 a.m.
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission
125 Bowden St.
Saluda, VA 23149
 
Sept. 6
10:30 a.m.
Tabb Library in York County
100 Long Green Blvd.
Yorktown, VA  23693
 
Sept. 7
10 a.m.
Northern Virginia Regional Commission
3060 Williams Drive, Suite 510
Fairfax, VA 22031
 
Sept. 8
1:30 p.m.
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
723 Woodlake Drive
Chesapeake, VA 23320
 
Sept. 26
10 a.m.
West Piedmont Planning District Commission
1100 Madison St.
Martinsville, VA 24115
 
Sept. 27
10 a.m.
New River Valley Regional Commission
6580 Valley Center Drive
Radford, VA 24141
 
Sept. 27
2:45 p.m.
Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission
224 Clydesway Drive
Lebanon, VA 24266
 
Sept. 28
10 a.m.
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission
1021 Terrace Drive
Marion, VA 24354
 
Sept. 29
9:30 a.m.
Lenowisco Planning District Commission
372 Technology Trail Lane
Duffield, VA 24244
 
Sept. 30
Time and location to be announced
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
 
Oct. 4
10 a.m.
Southside Planning District Commission
200 S. Mecklenburg Ave.
South Hill, VA 23970
 
Oct. 6
1:30 p.m.
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission
9211 Forest Hill Ave., Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23235
 
Oct. 12
Noon
Crater Planning District Commission
1964 Wakefield St.
Petersburg, VA 23805
 
Oct. 13
2 p.m.
George Washington Regional Commission
406 Princess Anne St.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
 
Oct. 18
10 a.m.
Region 2000 Local Government Council
828 Main St., 12th Floor
Lynchburg, VA 24504
 
Oct. 18
3 p.m.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
313 Luck Ave. SW
Roanoke, VA 24010
 
Oct. 25
2 p.m.
Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library
1303 W. Third St.
Farmville, VA 23901

Oct. 26
2 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission
401 E. Water St.
Charlottesville, VA 22902-1505
 
Oct. 27
10 a.m.
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission
400-E Kendrick Lane
Front Royal, VA 22630
 
Nov. 17
10 a.m.
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission
420 Southridge Parkway
Culpeper, VA 22701
 
 
For information about meetings, contact Janit Llewellyn Allen at 804-786-0887 or janit.llewellyn@dcr.virginia.gov.