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August News

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Funding Sources and Upcoming Deadlines
Partner Updates and Resources
Your Virginia
Assorted Items of Professional Interest

Funding sources and upcoming deadlines

Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)Program- Directed Research Initiative
 Pre-proposals deadline: August 23
 Research funding is available for three new research initiatives to target challenges in the areas of stormwater BMPs, nutrient removal, and strategic asset management. These initiatives mark the first round of requests for pre-proposals (RFPP) released under WERF's new Program-Directed Research initiative. In addition, funds are available for unsolicited research. Researchers interested in submitting a pre-proposal are encouraged to visit the WERF website at www.werf.org/funding/avail_funding.cfm for more information and a complete RFPP.

Unsolicited pre-proposals are due two weeks prior on Aug. 9 . More information on WERF's unsolicited research can be found at www.werf.us/funding/avail_funding_unsolicited.cfm

3rd Annual HRAEE Conference
 August 25, 10:00 am- 3:30 pm , The Rose Room- Norfolk Botanical Garden
Registration Deadline: August 16
 The Hampton Roads Alliance for EE will host its third annual conference in August. To register for the one day event, visit www.vanaturally.com/hraee/3rdannual.pdf or email Holly Carson at hraee@msn.com

MWEE Professional Development Workshop
 September 18, 1:00 am- 5 pm , W.E. Skelton 4-H Education Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Deadline: August 20 Limit: 50
 MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience) Pre-Conference workshop will be sponsored by NOAA. Space is limited and will be open to the first 50 educators affiliated with MWEE projects that return their registration forms and pay the conference registration fee. There is no charge for the workshop but workshop attendees must register and pay the registration fee for the EE conference. www.vanaturally.com/eeconf_registration.doc The MWEE workshop will include lunch, dinner, breakfast, refreshments and one night lodging at double or triple occupancy on Monday, Sept. 18th.

2006 Virginia Environmental Education Conference and 2 nd Annual VaNaturally Partners Meeting
 September 19-20, W.E. Skelton 4-H Education Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
“Racing to Improve the Environment”
 Registration Deadline: August 25
 Virginia ’s annual statewide conference www.vanaturally.com/eeconference.html information. Space is limited. Double Occupancy will be available to the first 110 people that register. Remaining rooms will be available at triple occupancy. Room assignments are made on a first-come, first-served basis. We suggest you register by August 11, 2006. Registration will be CLOSED after August 25, 2006. www.vanaturally.com/eeconf_registration.doc

Litter and Recycling Grants Application
 Deadlines: August 31
 The Accounting Report for the FY 2007 locality program grant information is now available on the DEQ website. www.deq.virginia.gov/recycle/forms.html  Program Managers can download Guidelines, the Grant Application and Performance and Accounting Report forms. Please note the 25% carry forward limit on FY 2006 grant funds. Contact Steve Coe gscoe@deq.virginia.gov if you have any questions.

Red, White, and Green Climate Change Grant
 Deadline: September 1
 Youth Service America and the Civil Society Institute announce the Red, White, and Green Climate Change Grant. This opportunity is applicable to youth between the ages of 15-25 or to organizations that engage youth ages 15-25. Applicants will be expected to develop and implement a service project about climate change that engages their community and candidates running for election in November 2006. Projects should be youth-led, and the service must take place between October 1 and November 30, 2006 .

Application materials are available online at www.YSA.org Please download and review both the application and application guidelines. Email redwhiteandgreen@ysa.org if you have questions after reviewing the materials.

Virginia Classroom Grants
 Deadline: September 15
 Mark your calendar as the deadline for the next round of classroom grants for meaningful watershed educational experiences. Amounts of $500, $750 and $1,000 are available. www.vanaturally.com/classroomgrants.html

NOAA River/Coastal Community Based Restoration Grants Program
 Deadline: September 28
 The public is invited to submit proposals for funds to implement grass-roots habitat restoration projects that will benefit marine resources, including anadromous fish, under the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program. Projects funded will be expected to have strong on-the –ground habitat restoration components that provide educational and social benefits for people and the communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements. For more information, visit www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/funding_opportunities/funding.html

Captain Planet Foundation Grants
 Remaining 2006 Application Deadlines:September 30, December 31
 Captain Planet Foundation awards are between $500 and $2,500 for schools and nonprofit organizations that develop innovative environmental projects for youth that promote cooperation, planning, and problem-solving skills. www.captainplanetfdn.org/appProcess.html

NAAEE Conference, "Gathering at the Headwaters: Building EE in Society"
 October 10-14, 2006, in St. Paul, Minnesota  
 Register online now for the 35 th Annual NAAEE Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota . It will focus will be the role that environmental educators play in bringing together the many segments of society to create a more healthy, equitable, and sustainable world. www.naaee.org/conference/naaee-2006-conference-start

 The Remarkable Trees of Virginia Project
 Nominations Being Taken
 The Remarkable Trees project seeks to increase public understanding and appreciation for trees in our communities. Citizens are invited to nominate trees on-line, where they will be posted for all the world to enjoy. Approximately 100 trees will be featured in a book to be published in 2008. Trees can be a remarkable for their size, beauty, age, historic significance, community significance or for some other unique reason. For more information visit: www.cnr.vt.edu/4h/remarkabletree/index.cfm . Nominations accepted until October 31, 2006.

2006 Professional Development Institute
"Nature of Science"
November 16-18, Richmond Marriott Hotel  
The Virginia Association of Science Teachers proudly announces the 2006 Professional Development Institute.  The program continues to emphasize the importance of updating content area, teaching strategies, technology, Virginia Standards of Learning, and professional development on the K-16 levels. For more information and to register visit www.vast.org. Kevin Coyle, VP Education at National Wildlife Federation is keynote speaker on 11/18.

Partner updates events & resources

Welcome New Partners

2006 Virginia Naturally 5K
September 23, Pony Pasture Rapids, James River Park System
Race proceeds benefit the Virginia Junior Academy of Science. Walkers welcome too! For more information and the registration form visit www.vanaturally.com/race.doc ; www.vjas.org or www.envirsol.com/resources/index.php

Virginia Waterways Cleanup Day
 Volunteers Needed
 Last fall, more than 4500 volunteers helped clean Virginia ’s rivers, streams and beaches as part of Virginia ’s Waterways Cleanup Day. From Virginia ’s beaches to its mountains, cleanup events are being scheduled throughout September and October 2006. Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW), which organizes this annual cleanup, has a website to post activities and volunteer opportunities. Visit www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccsitesva06.htm or call CVW at 434-395-2602.

Gaia Theory Conference “The Gaia Theory: Model & Metaphor for the 21 st Century”
 October 14-15, George Mason University Law School , Arlington , VA
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, in conjunction with George Mason University and many other organizations, will host a conference about the Gaia Theory. The Gaia Theory is a compelling way of understanding life on our planet; an interdisciplinary context that is enriching science at every level. The theory has already inspired ideas and practical applications for climate research, energy and economic systems, policy, new scientific inquiry and other valuable work. Visit www.gaiatheory.org for more information and to register for the conference.

Nature Journaling with a Twist
 November 10-12, Flower Camp, Howardsville , VA
Join veteran teacher Rhona Roebuck at this weekend workshop devoted to observing and recording natural phenomena in innovative ways. Tuition of $350 includes instruction, materials, two nights’ lodging and five meals. To register or for more information, visit www.flowercamp.org or contact Nancy Ross Hugo, Director at 804-798-6364, nancy@flowercamp.org

Chesapeake Watershed Forum
 November 17-19, U.S. Fish & Wildlife National Training Center, Shepherdstown, W. VA
 The first annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum will feature five tracks with multiple sessions. It will provide an opportunity for watershed groups and local governments across the region to come together to learn new tools and techniques as well as share best practices. Goals of the regional forum are to strengthen the capacity of watershed organizations, highlight new tools and techniques, stimulate effective partnerships between watershed groups and local governments, and to build capacity for more effective communication with the public about the importance of watershed stewardship. www.acb-online.org/pressrelease.cfm?id=215

Your Virginia

2006 State Fair of Virginia
Mark you calendar! September 28 - October 8
 The State Fair of Virginia will be moving to Meadow Farm in Caroline County next year. The new site will be a showcase for conservation of Virginia ’s natural resources. In preparation for having a strong emphasis in this area, the Fair will feature a natural resource exhibit in the Commonwealth Building . Plan to visit the exhibit,” From Chincoteague to Cumberland Gap …” State agencies will continue to display their information in the outdoor area behind the building. Visit www.statefair.com/site.asp

 Virginia Museum of Natural History
 The Virginia Museum of Natural History, an agency of the Department of Natural Resources, seeks to increase understanding of and appreciation for the natural collections, publications, and exhibits. The museum – an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution – is accredited by the American Association of Museums, a distinction earned by fewer than 10 percent of museums in the United States . With 22 million objects in its collection, it serves nearly 1 million people annually through on-site and traveling exhibitions, classroom outreach programs and public events.

In September, the new museum opens with “Chinasaurs: The Great Dinosaurs of China,” the largest traveling exhibition of Chinese fossils ever to tour North America. The exhibit features fossils and skeleton recreations of dinosaurs that once roamed China. Also in September, the public will be able to visit the theater, education center and library, and will be able to see the new permanent exhibits being installed. Those permanent exhibits open in January 2007. Learn more by visiting www.vmnh.net or stop by the State Fair (September 28- October 8) to view several interactive exhibits.

Virginia Air Quality
 Visit www.deq.virginia.gov/airquality/ for current air quality and forecasts by region.

Virginia Natural Resource Agency News
 For the latest information about VA’s seven natural resource agencies visit www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/Agencies/agency.cfm and click on the agency link you need.

Assorted items of professional interest

Why Saving the Environment is Suddenly “HOT”
 The July 17, 2006, issue of Newsweek magazine cover story  The New Greening of America: From Politics to Lifestyle, why saving the environment is suddenly hot is a 10-page review of everything from green energy to green building, agriculture to shopping, the issue features some of the ways our lives are changing to incorporate sustainable practices. The story reports data that EE providers will find effective in their teaching, as well as stories about what motivated people and companies to adopt environmentally friendly practices.  www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13768213/site/newsweek/

 Teens for Planet Earth
 A unique program developed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, supports teens (ages 14-17) and teen leaders/educators as they carry out environmental service-learning projects. www.teensforplanetearth.org

 EETAP Online Environmental Education Courses

  • Fundamentals of Environmental Education ~ Online
    September 11 - November 17, 2006
    This course was developed by EETAP in collaboration with national EE experts.  It provides educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate quality environmental education into their instruction. 
  • Applied EE Program Evaluation ~ Online
    September 18 - December 1, 2006
    The course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource professionals in evaluating their education programs. Participants have the opportunity to develop and apply skills in designing evaluation tools such as surveys, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides. 

Graduate, undergraduate, or  non-credit enrollment options. Contact: Angela Lemar at Angela.Lemar@uwsp.edu or visit www.uwsp.edu/natres/rwilke/eetap/

“Coal to Electricity: What Happens to the By-Products?”~ Interactive Online Course
 Registration Ongoing
 This course is offered through the University of North Dakota Department of Continuing Education. Good resource for any educators, state environmental staff, engineers etc. involved with mineral education. To register contact UND Extension Program at 701-777-4814.

Environmental Communication for Behavior Change~ Online
Registration Deadline: December 20
January 16 - February 25, 2007 ~ Online
This course provides environmental professionals with a practical introduction to the strategies, methods, and tools of environmental communication that effectively lead to changes in behavior. The field-based skills gained through this course will benefit all practicing environmental professionals faced with the challenge of changing behaviors.
www.nicholas.duke.edu/del/continuinged/envcomm.html

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