Two Fun, Family-Friendly Events for Earth Day
In partnership the Town of Exmore and Science on the Shore Melfa, Virginia – For immediate release. The Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Development Council (ES RC&D) and the Eastern Shore Watersheds Roundtable celebrate Earth Day with two free, fun, and family-friendly events. Both are free and open to the public. Participants at either event will learn why it is important to restore biodiversity to our residential properties, and what we can to do to make our landscapes functioning ecosystems once again. Both events will provide information about using native plants to restore the specialized relationships between animals and plants. Plants that evolved in concert with local animals provide for their needs better than plants that evolved elsewhere, and are also more resilient when faced with changing climates and weather impacts. The Presenters: Renowned author Douglas Tallamy is currently Professor and Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. Doug won the Silver Medal from the Garden Writer’s Association for his book, Bringing Nature Home. Shereen Hughes, Assistant Director of Wetlands Watch, Inc. and Virginia Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP), a bay-wide sustainable landscape credentialing initiative. Ms. Hughes is working to educate, engage and prepare private and public sector professionals from engineering, environmental, design, landscaping and planning fields to integrate conservation landscaping with habitat and shoreline protection to meet water quality and stormwater regulations, reduce flooding, protect natural resources and increase resiliency to sea level rise.
Additional Presentations by: Dot Field, Eastern Shore Region Steward, Natural Areas Research Coordinator, VA Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage Virginia Witmer, Outreach Coordinator, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Plant Easters Shore Natives Campaign, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Ron Graunke, Tidewater Growers, donating native trees and providing hands-on planting demonstration and discussion of some unusual ES natives such as PawPaws Event Details to Follow These events are presented by the ES Watersheds Roundtable which is funded by a grant from the VA Department of Environmental Quality and administered by the ES Resource Conservation & Development Council (ES RC&D).
Event Details “Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home” Friday, April 22, 6:00-8:30 PM Eastern Shore Community College
• Native Plants Presentation • Book Signing by Award-Winning Author Doug Tallamy • A Variety of Locally Grown Earth Day Exhibits
• Free Giveaways • Light Refreshments All the fun is free and open to the public at the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development Center
This event is part of the Science on the Shore Series and is partially funded from the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program through a grant from the NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NA13NOS4190135) under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. “Planting for a Resilient Landscape” Saturday, April 23, 12:00-3:00 PM Exmore Town Park Special Events Noon to 1:00 ONLY:
Live Appearance by Smokey the Bear
Live Music by Peg Snowden Volk, Pete Hartzler & Sarah Emerson Events Noon to 3:00:
• Native Tree Planting Demonstration • Native Tree & Shrub Giveaway (first 30 attendees)
• A Variety of Locally Grown Earth Day Exhibits
• Native Plant Books
• Fun Family Activities, Face Painting All the fun is free and open to the public Rain or Shine at the Exmore Town Park, Next to 3364 Main St. Exmore For more information about either event contact Josephine Mooney at: Esrcdc.projectsdirector@gmail.com; 757-710-7266
Eastern Shore Watersheds Roundtable Members
A-N Planning District Commission , Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chincoteague Bay Field Station, Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore, DCR’s Natural Heritage Program, Eastern Shore Resource Conservation & Development Council, ES Soil & Water Conservation District, Virginia Eastern ShoreKeeper, ES Health District, VA Dept. Health, Natural Resources Conservation Services, Resource Management Associates, The Nature Conservancy, VA Eastern Shore Land Trust , Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC
Contact: Josephine Mooney, Projects Director, ES RC&D
757-710-7266; Email: esrcdc.projectsdirector@gmail.com
ES RC&D and the Eastern Shore Watersheds Roundtable Present
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