Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District

09/21/2023

Gotta collect 'em all! 🌰🔍

Help us plant the forests of tomorrow. Collect acorns, walnuts and chestnuts and drop them off at any DOF office by Oct. 16.

Collecting tips and more info: https://ow.ly/yhSi50PMPBw

09/14/2023

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a recognition program for High School (9th-12th) students that focuses on volunteer service and environmental stewardship. Find an application at www.loudounsoilandwater.com/youth-conservation-leadership-institute

09/07/2023

The 5th annual Loudoun Student Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS), will take place at the Academies of Loudoun, on April 24, 2024 from 5-8 pm.

This is an early announcement so you can begin planning a display with your students. Projects examples include: environmental artwork or poems, hydroponic gardening, and evaluating the impacts of road salt on local streams.

Participation is open to all K-12 students in Loudoun County representing public and private schools, homeschoolers and members of community-based youth organizations such as 4-H clubs and Scout troops.

09/06/2023

09/05/2023

Getting ready for a fall cleanup around the house? residents can dispose of household hazardous waste items safely and free of charge at the next county-sponsored collection event this Saturday, September 9, 2023, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at the Harmony Park and Ride in Hamilton. Details here: https://bit.ly/3P2pviN

08/31/2023

TEACHERS of LOUDOUN! Our Teacher Mini Grant program is now accepting applications! Go to www.loudounsoilandwater.com/education/teacher-mini-grants to learn more, see past projects and download an application.

08/24/2023

Check out the amazing artwork of our 2023 Conservation Poster Contest winners, Youth Conservation Leadership Institute, Teacher Mini Grants and more in our Conservation Education Newsletter -> https://tinyurl.com/yc4ecpmv

08/24/2023

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a recognition program for High School (9th-12th) students that focuses on volunteer service and environmental stewardship. Find an application at http://www.loudounsoilandwater.com/youth-conservation-leadership-institute/

08/21/2023

Join us at this virtual event to learn more about bringing more birds to your backyard. "Build an oasis and they will come".

08/16/2023

Our Teacher Mini Grant program is now accepting applications! Go to www.loudounsoilandwater.com/education/teacher-mini-grants to download an application.

08/11/2023

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a recognition program for High School (9th-12th) students that focuses on volunteer service and environmental stewardship. Find an application at www.loudounsoilandwater.com/youth-conservation-leadership-institute/

08/10/2023

We want to hear from you! Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Loudoun is conducting a Community Needs Assessment to better understand the current needs of the residents we serve here in Loudoun County. Please share your feedback at: https://bit.ly/47gTRGp

We are asking all Loudoun County residents to complete the survey, whether or not they have used Extension’s services. Your valuable perspective will help us prioritize programs to best meet the needs of the people in our communities. The survey is confidential and takes about 10 minutes to complete.

We appreciate your response! Thank you!

12/16/2022

VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners' Virtual Lecture Series is ramping back up with the new year. In January, we welcome Commercial Horticulturalist Beth Sastre, who will train us on the SLF life cycle and teach us how to spot SLF egg masses in the wild!

Learn more about this event at bit.ly/VCE230112-About, and sign up for event reminders at bit.ly/3UWqj9X.

12/15/2022

SAVE THE DATE!
5th Annual Native Plant Symposium on February 11, 2023

This will be a hybrid event, providing both an in-person venue with vendors for one-to-one conversations and the option to attend virtually. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.

DATE: February 11, 2023
TIME: 9AM to 4PM
LOCATION: Verizon Auditorium
George Mason University
10900 University Blvd.
Manassas, VA 20110

The Keynote Speaker will be Nancy Lawson. Nancy will speak on Ecosystem Gardening, nurturing your backyard habitat for wildlife. Nancy is a habitat consultant and a national speaker on garden ecology. She founded The Humane Gardener to pioneer creative planting strategies and other animal-friendly landscaping methods. You can read more about her at https://www.humanegardener.com/humane-gardening-tenets/.

Other topics from our panel of expert speakers include: Rain Gardens, Forests, Meadows, Landscape Design, Insect and Pest Management, and more!

*Parking is free for attendees
*Registration opens early January
*Snow date Feb. 18th, 2023

Hope to see you all there!

12/15/2022

In Part 7 of Pasture Project’s video series on adaptive grazing, we focus on managing pastures to create habitat for wildlife. Dr. Allen Williams has collabo...

12/13/2022

Congratulations to Loudoun SWCD’s Jennifer Venable, Education Outreach Specialist for being awarded the 2022 Chaffin Employee of the Year Award by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts at their recent Annual Meeting held in Roanoke.

12/08/2022

Congratulations to Bhavesh Bhagat, winner of the 2022 VCAP Community Partner Award!! VCAP (Virginia Conservation Assistance Program) is an urban cost-share program that provides financial incentives and technical/educational assistance to Loudoun County homeowners and businesses who install Best Management Practices (BMP’s) in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed to create more watershed-friendly landscapes. Great job Bhavesh, we appreciate your conservation efforts! Learn more about VCAP at www.loudounsoilandwater.com/vcap.

12/08/2022

Congratulations to Karla Evans of Creek Hill Farm in Loudoun! She is the 2022 Grand Winner of the Clean Water Farm Awards from the Potomac River Basin. We appreciate her conservation efforts!!

12/02/2022

Visit https://mywaterway.epa.gov to learn about the health of your watershed!

11/30/2022

When dropping off your recyclables at a Loudoun recycling center, please don't leave any recyclable or non-recyclable items on the ground.

11/28/2022

Why you should leave the leaves in your yard:

🍂 They act as a natural mulch and fertilizer that suppresses weeds and returns nutrients to your yard
🍂 They insulate and protect the roots of trees and plants from cold weather
🍂 They provide shelter to many wildlife species

If grass is a priority, you can still use leaves for these benefits; learn how: https://dof.virginia.gov/in-praise-of-fallen-leaves/

11/18/2022

11/15/2022

Celebrate "America Recycles Day" by making a pledge to recycle. Pledges will be entered in a regional prize drawing. Prizes include a $300 gift certificate from REI (all ages), and a $300 gift certificate from REI plus a $500 grant for a K-12 school environmental club/project (K-12 students only). Learn more at bit.ly/3EvozPU

Happy America Recycles Day! ♻ Thank you for recycling. For more information: bit.ly/3EvozPU

11/14/2022

The final Loudoun County Household Hazardous Waste collection event of 2022 is scheduled for this Saturday, November 19, 2022, at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. Find details here: http://bit.ly/3GgjjRA

11/09/2022

Interested in getting started with hydroponics? VCE Loudoun's Beth Sastre is teaming up with PennState Extension to offer Hydroponics Growers School 101. Learn about which vegetables are best suited for hydroponic growing, practical growing methods, useful equipment, and food safety. Sign up at bit.ly/3DfIHVt

11/04/2022

GREAT NEWS! Harini Prabhu, a current freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, entered our 2022 Annual Conservation Poster Contest, "Healthy Soil, Healthy Life", this past spring as an 8th grader at Mercer Middle School. After winning locally in her grade category (7 - 9), her work of art competed at the state level and won again! Congratulations Harini! We wish you luck at the NACD national competition!! We appreciate all of our students who chose to support conservation of our natural resources by participating in this year's contest. Check out the winners of the local competition here -> http://www.loudounsoilandwater.com/swsw-poster-contest/

11/02/2022

Check out this season's Wander Magazine! It has a great article by our own Chris Van Vlack, Urban/Ag Conservationist, on the importance of Loudoun's Prime Agricultural Soils, features about young farmers in search of land in Loudoun and more!
https://tinyurl.com/3sy5wmdt

11/01/2022

Interested in learning more about Envirothon? Students and potential coaches, attend the in-person training at Graves Mountain Lodge in Madison County on Saturday November 19, 2022 from 9am to 4pm. Learn more about Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and Aquatics...and the special topic this year, Adapting to Climate Change. Cost is $20 per person including lunch & coffee, or $5 for training only, funding may be available to cover costs from your local district.
Register at https://tinyurl.com/envirothontraining2022. Loudoun students and teachers please email [email protected] for questions.

10/28/2022

Why leave the leaves?..'First, because it keeps leaves out of landfills. Every year, about 8 million tons of leaves end up there.
And second, because leaves help the grass.
Leaves are full of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
"Those nutrients are being returned to the soil," Susan Barton, a professor and extension specialist in landscape horticulture at the University of Delaware, told NPR. "But probably even more important than that, it's the organic matter. It's the fact that you've got this tissue that then eventually decomposes and improves the soil health."'

It's best to chop up and leave a thin layer of leaves in the grass. Rake excess amounts into a landscape bed or garden.

10/25/2022

County residents are invited to bring their unwanted electronics to the county-sponsored electronics recycling event this Saturday, October 29, 2022, at the Leesburg Park and Ride lot, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Fees are charged for certain electronics and there is a limit to how many items are accepted per vehicle. Details here: https://bit.ly/3f2KUKH

10/25/2022

Happening today! Come learn more about Envirothon, a team-based natural resource competition for high school students, at the Virtual Envirothon Kickoff event starting at 4:30pm.

Mark your calendars and join us for a Virtual Envirothon Kickoff on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 4:30-5:30PM! Coaches, Students, Partners, SWCDs, & others are all welcome. Hear from Dominion Energy & learn more about the coming program year including this year's Oral Presentation topic. Register in advance here and receive your own zoom link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkde6grT4jE9Z0vkTQuMz5bNvxu4N7X4Jm

10/19/2022

Now through Nov 15, 2022, the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative (VGBI) is accepting applications for its 2023 financial incentives program. Entering its second year, VGBI provides incentives for producers and landowners who adopt either of two specific best management practices that protect grassla...

10/17/2022

Join us this Saturday at Puppies & Pumpkins!

Come celebrate Adopt-a-Dog month with your canine friends! Join Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve for its Puppies & Pumpkins Festival on Saturday, October 22nd, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.! This event will feature a costume contest for pets and their owners, pumpkin decorating, working dog demonstrations, and adoption information for Loudoun County Animal Services (LCAS) animals seeking a forever home. You can also enjoy educational exhibits offered by local partners, story time with a librarian, hayrides around the preserve, and a free face painting. Everyone who comes wearing a costume will receive a "doggie bag" filled with goodies.

Visitors are encouraged to bring donations for LCAS animals, in particular:
- canned food for adult dogs and cats
- high-quality "stinky" dog treats

You can also stop by the FOBR booth for a chance to win your very own Banshee Reeks walking stick. We hope to see you there!

10/12/2022

FREE Household Hazardous Waste collection event this Saturday at the Leesburg Park and Ride, Sycolin Rd., from 8:30-2:30.

The next County Household Hazardous Waste collection event will be held Saturday, October 15, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at the Leesburg Park and Ride on Sycolin Road. Residents of Loudoun may safely dispose of their household hazardous waste free of charge. Details here: https://bit.ly/3CqCftl

10/06/2022

Salt Watch volunteers are needed!

While road salt keeps us safe on icy roads and sidewalks, it can also pose a threat to fish and wildlife, as well as humans. Loudoun Wildlife wants to test our local waterways and discover the extent of salt pollution in our area - and then use this data to conduct local advocacy work. Loudoun Wildlife’s Stream Team is gearing up for the 2022-2023 Salt Watch season and we need volunteers, especially in the Leesburg area.

Learn more here: https://loudounwildlife.org/citizen-science/stream-monitoring/salt-watch/

10/05/2022

This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Envirothon Competition! Potential coaches and students who are interested please register below for the virtual Envirothon Kickoff meeting on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 4:30-5:30PM. Find more details at https://vaswcd.org/envirothon, and register for the virtual kickoff event at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkde6grT4jE9Z0vkTQuMz5bNvxu4N7X4Jm?fbclid=IwAR1qXiq02YdvZWtRbQBMY33xeJbj-idsCX6hv6339tDifWH3YYKEoMLGbgI

Mark your calendars and join us for a Virtual Envirothon Kickoff on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 4:30-5:30PM! Coaches, Students, Partners, SWCDs, & others are all welcome. Hear from Dominion Energy & learn more about the coming program year including this year's Oral Presentation topic. Register in advance here and receive your own zoom link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkde6grT4jE9Z0vkTQuMz5bNvxu4N7X4Jm

09/29/2022

Teachers of Loudoun! Our Teacher Mini Grant Program is now accepting applications. We help with projects that promote environmental education objectives. Help your students get outside by starting a pollinator garden, cleaning up the watershed, planting trees and more...see past projects and download an application here: http://www.loudounsoilandwater.com/.../teacher-mini-grants/

09/28/2022

**The YCLI Application DEADLINE IS Sept. 30th!**
The Youth Conservation Leadership Institute is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 program year.🦋🐸🐝🌎 Go to vaswcd.org/ycli to learn more.

09/23/2022

Loudoun County is hosting a business hazardous waste collection event on Thursday, October 6, 2022. Pre-registration is required by Friday, September 30. Details here: https://bit.ly/3R4eVXE

County will host a hazardous waste collection event for businesses on Thursday, October 6, 2022. Pre-registration is required. The deadline to register is Friday, September 30. Details here: https://bit.ly/3R4eVXE

09/22/2022

**The YCLI Application DEADLINE IS Sept. 30th!**
The Youth Conservation Leadership Institute is now accepting applications! Please apply by September 30th for the 2022-23 program year.🦋🐸🐝🌎 Go to vaswcd.org/ycli to learn more.