| Conservation Assistance Available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) The following is from our friends at NRCS: "If you’ve ever taken a drive in rural Augusta or Rockingham counties, you have likely passed a farm that uses some type of conservation practice with the help of their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field office. At the NRCS, we work with landowners to plan, install, and implement conservation practices to accomplish a suite of conservation goals. Improving water quality, reducing soil erosion, and creating wildlife habitat are just a few of the resource concerns the NRCS works with farmers to control. We aim to not only gain conservation benefits from working with farmers, but also increase overall agriculture production on farms.
We offer free technical assistance and advice in many areas including soils, livestock, crops, management, agronomy, and agricultural engineering. In addition, we have conservation programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that offer financial assistance in overcoming the costs of installing conservation practices. Locally, some of our most popular practices are: stream fencing to exclude livestock from surface water, grazing systems including cross fencing and water troughs, manure storage facilities for livestock, and high tunnel systems that extend the growing seasons of local produce. If you are interested in receiving either technical or financial assistance on your farm, we will be glad to help at your local NRCS field office. We take applications for financial assistance, year-round, and subsequently fund those applications in batches. If you’d like more information, please reach out to the contacts below."
Augusta County - Verona Service Center, 540-248-6218 District Conservationist: Ashleigh Cason Rockingham County - Harrisonburg Service Center, 540-534-3105 District Conservationist: Cory Guilliams
| | Board Directors and Committee Chairs Some of the most active and dedicated volunteers in FOMR are in leadership positions, serving as a Committee Chair or serving on the Board of Directors. We currently have the following committees working hard throughout the year: Science, Stewardship, Education, River Access Program, Safety, Community Programs, Communications, Friendsfest, Board Development, and Fundraising. Each committee needs leaders to be the visionaries of and coordinators for the activities that their team makes happen. In addition to committee leadership roles, FOMR’s Board of Directors creates the strategic plan for how to bring FOMR’s mission to life, choosing between all the activities and programs we could do, to what we actually will do to achieve our most important goals and keep our work in line with our values. They provide the legal governance of FOMR. They create our budget and raise funds to achieve our program goals and pay for our staff. We cannot thank these leaders enough for the time and skills they liberally donate to make FOMR a solid, lean, effective grassroots organization, and to keep our river healthy and beautiful. Kudos to our past and present Committee Chairs and Board Directors! You are amazing! | | Used Tire Legislative Bills
The Virginia General Assembly is now considering two bills regulating disposal of used tires. This is an issue that is dear to our FOMR hearts, and you have the opportunity to read about and comment on these bills to your legislators.
Read the story in the Virginia Mercury, (by Charlie Paullin - January 30, 2024) HERE.
Here is the Senate version of the bill, HERE.
And here is the House version of the bill, HERE. Thank you to FOMR member, Reese Bull, for bringing this issue to our members' attention! | | Fish Tissue Monitoring 2022 Data Available
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) shared the following information about aquatic data results in their January 16, 2024, Vol 3, No. 1 newsletter: "VDEQ conducts routine studies of fish tissue and bottom sediments in state waters to assess the human health risks for individuals who may consume fish, to identify impaired aquatic ecosystems, and to plan and track the progress of cleanup efforts. Results are made available to the public each year on DEQ's fish tissue monitoring webpage.
In 2022, VDEQ collected fish tissue samples primarily from sites in the watersheds of the Potomac River, Albemarle Sound (including Great Dismal Swamp and Currituck Sound tributaries), and Big Sandy River, although samples were collected from all of Virginia's major river basins. In addition to routine statewide monitoring, VDEQ also conducted a special fish tissue monitoring study in the Dan and Roanoke Rivers to evaluate the effects of coal ash in these river systems. Samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and a suite of 17 metals, including mercury. VDEQ also collected bottom sediment samples from the Potomac River basin (32 samples), Albemarle Sound basin (four samples), and James River basin (one sample), which were analyzed for PCBs."
Thank you to FOMR member, Wayne Nolde, for helping to link us all with VDEQ's webpage of data!sss | Current RAP Booklet Version (02.26.24) | March 21 Best Management Practices Consultation Meeting 26 FOMR Board Meeting (open to all)
April 20 Earth Day Staunton 23 FOMR Board Meeting (open to all) 27 Riverfest | Friends of the Middle River Web: www.friendsofthemiddleriver.org Email: info@friendsofthemiddleriver.org |
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