November 2021 Civic Affairs Committee Report

Fairfax County Police Reston District Virtual Community Information Forum Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

The Reston District Police Station is holding a virtual Community Information Forum next Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Officers will provide an update on public safety issues in our community and be available to answer questions. Join via Zoom or call in at 888-363-4735 and use code: 990007.

Crime Down 13.2%, Public Safety Staffing Challenges Persist

This week, the Board of Supervisors received an update from Police Chief Kevin Davis and a comprehensive overview of staffing challenges in our public safety agencies. The good news is that the serious crime rate is down and there are 3,614 fewer victims this year than last. I credit this decrease to the good work of our Police officers and the strong cooperation we get from the community. County policies like the Trust Policy signal our commitment to the safety and security of all residents, while reassuring residents who cooperate with the Police that their privacy will be protected.

Unfortunately, there has been an increase in homicides driven largely by an increased number of domestic violence incidents. While this increase is likely driven by the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic violence will continue to be one of our greatest threats to public health and safety. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and we need to raise awareness!

We also received a briefing on staffing shortages in the Police Department, Fire and Rescue Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Department of Public Safety Communications. Like every county agency and private-sector employer in our region, they are experiencing challenges recruiting and retaining talent. In the Police Department, Chief Davis has streamlined the hiring process, hired an Officer Retention Specialist, assigned mentors to Academy recruits, and established a goal for 30% of our officers to be women by 2030. Moving forward, we must ensure that we are offering pay and benefits packages that remain competitive in a rapidly-changing labor market.

The Board of Supervisors authorized a public hearing for Tuesday, November 9 to consider proposed redistricting plans.

These plans propose new local election districts for the Board of Supervisors and School Board, and after the new districts are adopted, they will be in place for the next 10 years. Please note, the County’s redistricting effort will not change school boundaries.

There were 64 plans submitted in total by the Board-appointed committee established to recommend new maps and the public, and these plans may be reviewed through an online dashboard.

The public is strongly encouraged to submit input or comments on these plans before the hearing, as well as provide testimony on November 9. Submit input by email, mail, video or phone, or sign up to speak at the public hearing.

Learn more by visiting the County’s website.

When: Saturday, November 13, 10:00am-12:30pm

Where: Sugarland Run, Herndon – Register Here

NVSWCD stream monitoring workshops comply with all CDC safety guidelines. You can learn more about stream monitoring with NVSWCD here. This is our last regularly-scheduled stream monitoring workshop of 2021. We hope to see you there!

Izaak Walton League Stream Monitoring Certification Online Training

Want to become a certified Save Our Streams monitor? Start the certification process from the comfort of your home with online interactive webinars! Simply watch the video versions of in-person training lectures: Introduction to Water Quality and Introduction to Macroinvertebrates. See all the information you need here!

Creek Critters by Audubon Naturalist Societ

Audubon Naturalist Society’s Creek Critters® app walks you through finding and identifying the small organisms – or critters – that live in freshwater streams and creating stream health reports based on your findings. As you identify critters, you’ll be building a stream health report. Check out the Creek Critters app and learn more!

Advanced Macroinvertebrate Identification

When: Now through December 31, 2021

Audubon Naturalist Society’s (ANS) Stream Science series begins online with Healthy Stream Biology. This introductory course is required for those who wish to join ANS’ Water Quality Monitoring Program in Maryland and Washington, DC, and strongly recommended for anyone who does aquatic monitoring, fly fishermen, stream restoration scientists, consultants, and engineers, and of course naturalists and biologists. More information.

Dive Into the PocketMacros App

The Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University with Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Stroud Center, and Clemson University have launched the FREE mobile app version of Macroinvertebrates.org, the Atlas of Common Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Eastern North America. The app features 150 taxa, including nine orders of aquatic insects plus other benthic macroinvertebrates, commonly used in water quality biomonitoring and environmental education. Available for Android and Appledevices.

Simplify the Holidays – Holiday Waste Reduction

When: Tuesday, November 2, 2:00-3:00pm

The Center for Biological Diversity is holding a free webinar about simplifying the winter holidays through waste reduction. Just after the Halloween candy is gone, we start to think about winter holiday gift giving. Join us for a webinar that includes tips, tricks and hacks for a low-waste and less stressful holiday season. Walk away with shareable resources you can use immediately in your work. Register here.

NoVA Outdoor Educators Workshop

When: Thursday, November 4, 11, 5:30-6:30pm

Join NoVA Outside for a series of free workshops to explore and design outdoor/environment inquiry-based engagements for students of all ages. This workshop will focus on a variety of approaches to outdoor learning and will feature a collaborative work period. Visit the NoVA Outside website for updates and to see content from our previous workshops.

Getting to Carbon Neutrality: Reimagining Our Homes

When: Thursday, November 4, 7:00-8:30pm

EcoAction Arlington presents a webinar during which industry experts will describe the basics of zero carbon buildings and how to transform our homes and other buildings to meet the goal for carbon neutrality. Learn how energy efficiency improvements and electrification of our heating systems, hot water tanks, and various appliances can reduce emissions while saving money and improving comfort in our homes. There will also be an optional tour of zero carbon buildings in Arlington on Saturday, November 6. This event is cosponsored by the Arlington Hub of the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and the Potomac River Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. More information/registration.

Gardening for Pollinators in Fall and Winter

When: Saturday, November 6, 11:30am-12:30pm

Offered by the United States Botanic Garden, listen to this online talk by Dr. Clare Walker. The last flowers of the season may be blooming, but did you know you can support pollinators in your garden year-round? Join to hear how you can plant for pollinators, as well as create nesting sites and overwintering habitats for bees, butterflies, and more. Become a pollinator protector this fall! Register here.

America Recycles Day Poster Contest

Entries due Monday, November 8

This year the Fairfax County Recycling Program is asking its friends to create a poster that celebrates the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Your design might be used on their website or even on a collection truck in the community to remind our neighbors of the simple things that they can do to protect our environment.

Designs may be made by hand or digitally, but all art should be original. Posters should be drawn on paper that is letter-size or larger (ledger-size, or 11×17, is best). Digital versions should be high resolution so that they can be enlarged. By entering the DPWES America Recycles Day Poster Contest, you agree to abide by the rules, including allowing DPWES to reproduce submissions. The deadline for submission is Monday, November 8, 2021. Learn more and find the entry form here.

When: Saturday, November 13, 9:00am

Details TBA

NVSWCD’s popular Green Breakfasts are now virtual! All Green Breakfast webinars begin at 9:00am and are hosted on WebEx. To register for this webinar or learn more, please email conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov.

When: Sunday, November 14, 3:00-4:30pm

Join Dr. Herlitz Davis for a personal journey through Jamaica, from Cockpit Country to the Blue Mountains. Dr. Davis will introduce you to the fascinating Avifauna of Jamaica through stories of his life growing up in nature, and through his doctoral research at George Mason University and the Smithsonian Institution.  If you like good coffee, if you like hummingbirds and owls, if you like adventure, you will like this presentation! This event is FREE, but registration is required.

Meet Your Wildest Neighbors: Raptors of Virginia, Maryland, and DC

When: Tuesday, December 7, 7:00pm

Where: Rust Library, Leesburg VA

It is thrilling to watch a Red-tailed Hawk soar beneath a bright blue sky or hear a Barred Owl call on a cold, clear night. Have you ever wondered where they live, what they eat, or how they raise their young? We invite you into the secret lives of these magnificent birds of prey. The personal stories of the live hawks, owls, and falcons who will be present will help you identify our native species, understand their valuable contribution to a healthy environment, and learn what we can do to provide for their welfare in the face of climate change and an increasingly human world—with good news, bad news, and a few surprises along the way. This program by certified raptor rehabilitator Liz Dennison is being jointly sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Loudoun County Public Library. Questions: Contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

Plant NOVA Trees is in Full Swing

The Plant NOVA Natives partnership has launched Plant NOVA Trees, a five year drive to significantly increase and preserve the native tree canopy in Northern Virginia. The drive launched in September 2021 and continues through the fall of 2026. To launch the native tree campaign, PNT will be sponsoring a region-wide Celebration of Trees through November. Check out the calendar of events for Fall 2021.

2022 VAEE Annual Conference

ResiliencEE & Reinvention

When: February 24-26, 2022

Join VAEE for the 2022 Virginia Association for Environmental Education conference at the Airfield Conference Center and 4-H Educational Center in charming Sussex County, VA from Thursday, February 24th to Saturday, February 26th. VAEE hopes to provide you a safe, healthy, and inclusive learning opportunity during the return to in-person for 2022! The 2022 VAEE conference theme is resilencEE & reinvention. Re-imagine a post-COVID world for Environmental Education; a world with diverse partnerships, resilient communities, and a broader concept of what it means to be an Environmental Educator. Enjoy a conference full of professional development, networking, learning, and field experiences that will help you expand your knowledge of environmental literacy, efforts, and resources in the Commonwealth and beyond. For details including the registration packet, scholarship information and more visit the 2022 Conference website here.

Learn about native plants by putting stickers on them at conventional nurseries; serve as an event planner, app creator, social media volunteer and more. Learn more. 

Cub Run Stream Valley Park Cleanup

When: Saturday, November 6, 9:00-11:30am

Join the Cub Run Stream Valley Park Volunteer Team in cleaning up trash and litter in Cub Run Stream Valley Park. There will be multiple meet-up locations, and gloves and bags will be provided. More information, meet up locations, and registration.

Help Tackle Invasives in the Native Plant Site

When: Saturdays, November 6 and December 4, 10:00am-12:00pm

Where: Meet at the native plant site, past the second bench on the Haul Road trail. GPS coordinates: 38.777739, -77.050540

Help protect native plants by pulling invasive plants in the Friends of Dyke Marsh native plant site. FODM will train volunteers to identify the five or so target plants. Sign up by sending an email to info@fodm.org. Put “invasive plants” in the subject box Invasive plants can threaten and outcompete native plants. Bring gloves, hand clippers and water. You will be provided with instructions, examples, and trash bags Wear long sleeves and pants and sun protection. There will be some tools to share. The event will be cancelled if lightning or severe storms are anticipated.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Seeks Eagle Cam Volunteers

LWC will play an important role in helping to educate the public on the habits and behaviors of Bald Eagles through remotely operating two high-quality livestream cameras and by moderating the website chat function.

Training will take place in November.

Clean Virginia Waterways International Coastal Cleanup

When: Now through November

Thousands of volunteers gather along the shorelines of Virginia’s rivers, lakes, bays, and beaches to cleanup litter and debris, and recycle found items. They also complete Data Cards or use the CleanSwell app, to collect valuable information about the amounts and types of litter and debris they are finding. Please participate in this statewide and international effort dedicated to cleaning the world’s waterways. If you would like to be a LEADER of a cleanup, please signup to be a Site Captain or call Clean Virginia Waterways at 434-395-2602, or send an email to cleanva@longwood.edu