York River Roundtable

Finding Peace with the Trees Along the Water
2024-10-08 18:00 - 19:00 UTC
Join Amber of Find Your Nature for a virtual webinar to learn about the benefits of streamside forests for our well-being, the practice of ecotherapy, and engage in experiential practices such as meditation and nature journaling in a virtual streamside forest. Bring paper and your favorite art supplies (crayons, pens, watercolors, colored pencils, etc.) and your favorite beverage to enjoy an hour centering, creating, and connecting with other Earth Lovers!
Registration is required and the Zoom link will be sent to those who register. This workshop is free, but donations are encouraged!
Amber Ellis is the founder of Find Your Nature and is a professional landscape architect in Virginia and has a certificate in Ecotherapy.

Chesapeake Oyster Science Symposium 2024
2024-10-03 10:30 - 16:00
The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance with support from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is assembling an all-star lineup of oyster experts, post-docs, faculty, and industry practitioners for the 2024 Chesapeake Oyster Science Symposium. Multiple panel discussions featuring over 20 speakers are intended to offer succinct presentations and ample Q&A around each topic. The Symposium will also feature a round of lightning-talks by young scientists and early career professionals (attendees may self-select to present when they register) and frequent breaks to combat the dreaded “Zoom fatigue.” Learn more and register here!

Stargazing at York River State Park
2024-09-28 19:00 - 22:00, 2024-09-07 19:30 - 22:30
Join the Virginia Peninsula Stargazers as they point out the different items of our solar system in the night sky. They will have the equipment. Just bring your curiosity. This program is dependent on the clarity of the viewing sky on the night it occurs. Learn more information here!

York County's 5th Annual BugFest
2024-09-28 10:00 - 14:00
BugFest is back! York County Mosquito Control, Public Library, and Parks & Recreation invite you to celebrate bugs at their 5th Annual BugFest. The festival will include insect displays, local experts with bug facts, Bug Talks, crafts, activities, and more! Bug-themed Story Time will take place in the auditorium. Learn more here.

VIMS After Hours: Getting down in “The Weeds” with Virginia’s Underwater Gardens
2024-09-26 19:00 - 20:00
Join VIMS for the September After Hours lecture where Dr. Christopher Patrick, Associate Professor at VIMS and the Director of the Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Restoration & Monitoring Program, will discuss historic seagrass restoration projects and successes led by scientists at VIMS, the continuing mapping and and monitoring of Chesapeake Bay seagrasses through the Chesapeake Bay SAV Mapping Program, and recent advancements in seagrass restoration science and advisory services. REGISTER & LEARN MORE HERE!

Virginia Water Monitoring Council Conference
2024-09-24 09:30 - 16:00
The conference runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (doors open at 9:00 a.m.) at the Virginia Public Safety Training Facility in Hanover, VA. Learn more and register here!

Building Risk Communications Skills Workshop
2024-09-24 09:00 - 17:00
Learn more and register here by September 10!

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Economic Incentives
2024-09-23 12:00 - 13:00
Join the Hughes Center staff for a virtual lunch on September 23 at 12:00 pm, featuring environmental and resource economist, Dr. David Newburn.
Dr. Newburn will share his research findings from his study: “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Economic Incentives to Enhance Riparian Buffer Adoption and Environmental Benefits for Water Quality and Carbon Sequestration.” Learn more and register here!

Dabble in Discovery at York River State Park
2024-09-21 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-09-07 13:00 - 15:00
Join a York River State Park naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems. Learn more here!

Fossil Frenzy Hike at York River State Park
2024-09-21 10:00 - 12:00
Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea. Early whales, porpoises, sharks, clams, scallops, and snails all left traces of their existence which we now find as fossils. Join York River State Park in discovering relics of these very old creatures as we hike to a fossil beach. Learn more information here!

Be a Better Coastal Adaptation Practitioner with Behavior Change
2024-09-19 13:00 - 14:00
Presented by: Caroly Shumway of the Center for Behavior and Climate (CBC)
How do you motivate people to respond to adaptation messages and reduce their risk? The key is to feel that they can actually do something and that their action matters — what behavioral scientists call perceived behavioral control and response efficacy, respectively. Three years ago, the Center for Behavior and Climate’s webinar described nine principles behind behavior change for climate action for the oceans and beyond. In this webinar, the Center for Behavior and Climate will show you how to incorporate behavioral tools into your coastal adaptation efforts to improve the likelihood of success for community projects and policy initiatives alike. After learning about the behavior change process, we will teach you five evidence-based techniques (social norms, efficacy, legacy motivation, nudge, and framing to reach different audiences). Synthesizing the latest behavioral science from academics to practitioners, this transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary webinar offers a preview of CBC’s first-of-its-kind online course on Behavior Change for Climate Adaptation. Expected outcomes are increased understanding of how to apply behavior change in your own work.
Learn more and register here!

Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference: Pathways to Partnership: Enhancing Trust through Tribal Consultation
2024-09-19
Registration and more information here! They have reached the in-person capacity but still have a remote connection option.

CBNERR-VA Discovery Lab - Predators of the Skies
2024-09-18 18:00 - 20:00
For fish in the Chesapeake Bay, it’s a fish eat fish world – but they can’t forget about the predators from above! From eagles and osprey – to cormorants, pelicans, and heron – birds flock to the water to hunt and feast. This Discovery Lab will be all about birds! Anna Caputo, Marine Education Specialist at the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA), will talk about the importance of birds in the Chesapeake Bay region. See you there!
Discovery Labs are free, family-friendly programs provided each month by CBNERR-VA at VIMS. Designed with elementary-aged youth and their parents in mind, each lab focuses on a different topic related to the Chesapeake Bay and our local environment and includes exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on activities as well as a short presentation (from 6:30-7:00 PM) by an expert on the topic. REGISTER & LEARN MORE HERE!

Assessing Community Vulnerabilities to Potential Contaminant Releases from Extreme Events
2024-09-18 15:00 - 16:00
Extreme events (e.g., excessive heat, droughts, floods, wildfires) are projected to be more frequent and intense under future climate scenarios. During extreme events, contaminated sites and waste management facilities have the potential to release contaminants and impact nearby communities. Understanding the risks to communities from potential exposures to water- and airborne contaminants underlies preparedness, emergency response, and mitigation planning.
To better understand and communicate what is known and unknown about such risks, EPA ORD developed indicators of environmental, public health, socioeconomic, or other conditions to assess community vulnerabilities to potential contaminant releases from extreme events. The Handbook on Indicators of Community Vulnerability to Extreme Events: Considering Sites and Waste Management Facilities provides the conceptual framework and indicators approach. Example applications of this research include:

Identifying areas that are potentially vulnerable and the sources of their vulnerabilities.
Communicating how extreme events may impact such sites/waste facilities and the surrounding community.
Developing targeted strategies to prepare for and prevent potential health and environmental impacts.

This webinar will present methods that teams of planners, decision-makers, and technical advisors, scientific researchers, environmental advocates, and community organizations may apply to screen for vulnerabilities and to communicate and focus resources effectively. The indicators were developed using publicly available datasets and in close collaboration with EPA and regional, state, and local partners. Collections of these indicators will be presented, as developed with partners including North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County, Arizona, and the Office of Land and Emergency Management.
Learn more and register here!

Flotsam and Jetsam: Fighting Debris in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
2024-09-18 12:00 - 13:00
Learn more and register here!

International Coastal Clean Up: Gloucester!
2024-09-14 08:00 - 11:00 | 1255 Greate Road, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062
The rising tide of marine debris threatens human health, wildlife, communities, and economies around the world. The International Coastal Cleanup is the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of ocean and waterway health. Join us to help clean our waterway AND collect data about what we clean up.
We will need people for cleanup duty AND people for clipboard-trash-tally duty.
Bring your own gloves, drinks and snacks. Be sure to dress appropriately for the beach and weather conditions.
Clean Community will provide grabbers, buckets, bags, clipboards, data sheets.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE!

Best Practices For Continuous Monitoring
2024-09-12 01:30 - 14:30
The Maryland Water Monitoring Council’s Information Management and Communication Committee is delighted to announce a webinar on Best Practices for Continuous Monitoring. Learn more and register here!

Brownfields, Gentrification, and Environmental Justice Research: Learning from Past Experiences​
2024-09-10 15:00 - 16:00

Stream to Sea Stroll at York River State Park
2024-09-07 10:00 - 12:00
Join York River State Park and take a walk to discover life in four different aquatic ecosystems. Learn more information here!

Catch the King: Tide Captain Training
2024-09-07 09:30 - 14:30
Learn more here!

Gloucester Point Oyster Gardening Seminar
2024-07-25 18:00 - 20:00
Learn about oyster gardening and how to grow spat-on-shell (baby oysters set on recycled shells that grow into natural reef-like clumps) at this seminar and become an Oyster gardener with Chesapeake Bay Foundation! Learn more and register here. NEW GARDENERS: Please read the New Gardeners web page before you register for a seminar.

Colonial World Nature Conservation Day BioBlitz
2024-07-20 08:00 - 12:00
BioBlitz at New Quarter Park, July 20, 8 am-noon. Open to all ages and skill levels. Free event. Learn more and register here!

Leveraging Participatory Science to Advance Water Quality Reporting and Partnership-Building
2024-07-11 13:00 - 15:00
Second part of a two-part series! Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7531458276464923225
Join a two-part series on participatory science hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Watershed Academy in partnership with the National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s Volunteer Monitoring Workgroup. The Volunteer Monitoring Workgroup was developed in 2016 to encourage integration of volunteer monitoring activities with ongoing water-quality monitoring conducted by local, state, and federal agencies.
This two-part webcast series will explore projects that engage members of the public in aquatic-based data collection projects. Speakers during both webcasts will showcase their participatory science projects highlighting how volunteers are engaged, tools and resources that facilitate program success, and how data are used in diverse ways. The first webcast will showcase water quality programs, while the second will highlight coastal programs emphasizing the role of partnerships and program impact. Additional EPA resources to support participatory science can be found here.
Speakers

Julie Vastine, Director, Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) & Chair of National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s Volunteer Monitoring Workgroup
Dr. Julia Parrish, Associate Dean, College of the Environment, University of Washington
Mara Dias, Water Quality Initiative Senior Manager, Surfrider Foundation
Dr. Steve Morton, Research Oceanographer, NOAA NCCOS, Phytoplankton Monitoring Network

Public Hearing - Proposed amendments to the Virginia Water Protection Permit Program Regulation (9VAC25-210) and the Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations (9VAC25-610)
2024-07-10 11:00 - 12:00
Purpose of the meeting
A public hearing to receive comments on proposed amendments to the Virginia Water Protection Permit Program Regulation (9VAC25-210) and the Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations (9VAC25-610). The public comment period begins on May 20, 2024 and ends July 19, 2024. Anyone wishing to submit written comments for the public comment file may do so through the Public Comment Forums feature of the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall web site at: https://townhall.virginia.gov. Comments may also be submitted by mail or email to Eric Seavey, Central Office, PO Box 1105, Richmond VA 23218, Phone (804) 754-6250; E-mail: eric.seavey@deq.virginia.gov. In order to be considered, comments must be received by 11:59 pm on the last day of the public comment period.
Location: Bank of America Building, 3rd Floor Conference Room, 1111 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
Learn more here.

VIMS After Hours: Illegal Fishing, Seafood Slavery, and International Treaties: US Coast Guard
2024-06-27 19:00 - 20:00
Join VIMS for the June After Hours lecture, where USCG Lieutenant Commander James Bruce will present on “Illegal Fishing, Seafood Slavery, and International Treaties: IUU, transshipment vessels, and the US Coast Guard.” Register here!

Chesapeake Community Research Symposium 2024
2024-06-10 - 2024-06-12
The Chesapeake Community Modeling Program will convene the 2024 edition of the biennial symposium June 10-12, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland and online. The theme of the 2024 symposium is Chesapeake Bay Restoration: Managing Water Quality for Living Resources in a Changing Climate. Learn more here.

Sarah Creek Clean Up
2024-06-08 10:00 - 12:00
Gloucester County Clean Community is sponsoring a clean up on Sarah Creek. This is a floating clean up and participants should have their own kayaks, canoes, and/or paddleboards. See more below!

CWEA Stormwater Committee Spring Seminar
2024-06-06
The CWEA Spring Seminar is presented to facilitate peer-to-peer information exchange for representatives of regulated stormwater programs. The goal of this seminar is to encourage lessons learned and case studies surrounding pollutants of emerging concern that we don’t often get to hear about, yet still have to address within the Chesapeake Bay, such as organics including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals (e.g., mercury, lead, copper, nickel, zinc); microplastics; pesticides; salts; trash; bacteria (including the state of microbial source tracking); and thermal impacts.
Stay up to date and learn more here!
