Adopt A Stream
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Do you have a favorite spot on a river or stream? If so, you might want to "adopt" that section. There is no cost involved. You simply sign up and agree to monitor the stream and pick up litter there twice a year. The Roundtable will provide a sign like the one shown here, as long as funding lasts. Upper Tennessee River Roundtable also will provide a trainer to help you know how to measure stream health.
How healthy are the streams in Southwest Virginia? You can help find out at one of our stream monitoring sessions. Even if you do not "adopt" a stream, you can participate in these monitoring events. You will learn how to catch the tiny bugs, known as macroinvertebrates that are an indicator of stream health. To find out about the next training session, check our calendar of events. (Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.) |
Clinch River Youth Summit
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable receives a Virginia Department of Forestry grant each year to host a Youth Summit with the Clinch River Valley Initiative Environmental Education Action Team. Middle and high school students attend with their teachers and learn about various topics related to Standards of Learning from subject matter experts. The students then apply for mini grants offered by the Roundtable through the same grant.
The students implement their projects with assistance from a community partner, such as a 4-H agent or a soil and water conservation district. The students also teach younger students about what they learned.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
The students implement their projects with assistance from a community partner, such as a 4-H agent or a soil and water conservation district. The students also teach younger students about what they learned.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
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Clinch River Environmental Education Symposium
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Teachers and non-formal educators learn teaching techniques to assist them with environmental education. Each participant receives a certificate for continuing education. This free event takes place at the UVA Wise Oxbow Center in St. Paul.
Virginia Department of Forestry provides funding to the Roundtable for this event through the same grant that assists the Youth Summit. Tennessee Valley Authority also supports this event. (Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.) |
Teach the Clinch and other Educator Workshops
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Upper Tennessee River Roundtable works with the Southwest Virginia Environmental Education Team to host workshops that provide lessons. One series of workshops focused on an online curriculum, Teach the Clinch. Go to Teach The Clinch to find free lessons on many topics. Each participant receives a certificate for continuing education.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.) |
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Rain Barrels
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Rain barrels are placed under guttering downspouts to conserve and reuse water. Interested in attending one of our workshops? Be sure to check the calendar of events for upcoming dates. Click here to download a brochure with exact directions for making your own rain barrel. (Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
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Trash Treasures
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Feeling crafty? Upper Tennessee River Roundtable partners with the City of Norton, Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District, Saltville Public Library, and Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful to offer Trash Treasures Workshops. Each workshop features at least two reuse crafts to encourage you to reuse rather than discard packaging such as glass jars, wine bottles, steel cans, corks, and other items. Contact the Roundtable for more information.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.) |
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Pearly and Friends
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Pearly the mussel leads a skit with songs about how you can take care of rivers with her pals, Dani the Darter fish, Henry the hellbender salamander, and Derek the damselfly. The skit is performed at the annual Earth Day Celebration in Abingdon and other places by request. Many thanks to local costume designers, Amanda McMullen and Linda Hinchey, for their outstanding creations.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.) |
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Nature Explorer Camp
Looking for a summer adventure for children in grades 3 through 5? The nature camp coordinated by Upper Tennessee River Roundtable and the City of Norton offers lots of adventure for children who like to be outside. The three-day camp is free and takes place for two hours each day. Children become nature detectives as they search for bugs, examine animal tracks to figure out which animal goes with which footprint, identify trees by their leaves, and other activities. Contact the Roundtable for dates and more information.
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
(Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
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Regional Stream Cleanup
Help clean our streams through the annual Regional Stream cleanup offered by the Roundtable Sept. 15 through Oct. 30. Cleanups are conducted by various partnering groups and are sponsored by Clean Virginia Waterways. The Roundtable partners with Sustain Abingdon on an annual Muster Ground cleanup the last Sunday in October.
The photo at right shows Raymon Grace, who has been cleaning along the North Fork Holston on the North Fork River Road for many years. Emory & Henry College and the Roundtable sometimes partner with Raymon on cleanups.
The photo at left shows a cleanup behind Richlands Tabernacle that was done prior to the Roundtable's river restoration, stream bank stabilization, and buffer planting project. This regional cleanup involved most of the KSVB members who removed 375 tires and lots of other bulky items and litter. (Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
The photo at right shows Raymon Grace, who has been cleaning along the North Fork Holston on the North Fork River Road for many years. Emory & Henry College and the Roundtable sometimes partner with Raymon on cleanups.
The photo at left shows a cleanup behind Richlands Tabernacle that was done prior to the Roundtable's river restoration, stream bank stabilization, and buffer planting project. This regional cleanup involved most of the KSVB members who removed 375 tires and lots of other bulky items and litter. (Image credit: Carol Doss, UTRR.)
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Fix It Fairs
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With grant funding from Keep Virginia Beautiful, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable partnered with local crafts folks to host two Fix-It Fairs at the Lebanon Farmers' Market. These talented fixers repaired everything from broken tables to robot vacuums to jewelry. Several menders spent their time hemming and mending garments. The second event resulted in more participants and more items fixed. This event was successful in large part to the fixers from the Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District who volunteered their time. We appreciate their work so much and we are grateful for the funding from Keep Virginia Beautiful.
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