Poultry Litter and Stormwater

Good news for water health from the Commonwealth! Revised poultry regulations governing the litter end user were approved in November and new regulations governing stormwater quality and quantity are nearing closure. Implementation of these regulations will be a small but positive step towards greater control over the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that end up in our waterways.

Biosolids (Sewage Sludge) are Back

Shenandoah County is again being threatened with the spread of sewage sludge from large sewage treatment facilities in cities including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, PA, and from locations in Maryland and Virginia. Recyc Systems Inc. of Fredericksburg, VA has resubmitted a permit application for spreading biosolids on 716.5 acres in Shenandoah County. Friends is aware that sludge is used throughout the state but is concerned with the highly industrial and urban nature of the sources of the potential sludge.

Our second major concern is that the potential areas of spreading are located in the floodplain of the North Fork and in areas of karst terrain - environmentally sensitive areas where sludge spreading may threaten the health of our surface water as well as our ground water. In its final report, a Panel of Experts convened by the VA Departments of Health and Natural Resources (at the request of the VA Legislature) stated in their 2008 report that except for nutrients and metals, very little is known about the other chemicals in biosolids. There is very little research on the transport mechanisms for many of these chemicals and how they might affect water quality. The Panel concluded that because so much is unknown about the effects of biosolids on water quality they were unable to reach a conclusion regarding the effects of sludge on water quality and human health.
    Further, in a letter to DEQ on May 2, 2008, the Deputy Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health made the following statements regarding land application of biosolids:  
“…it is not possible to make a definitive statement about the safety of biosolids.”
“additional scientific work is needed to reduce persistent uncertainty about the potential for adverse human health effects from exposure to biosolids.”
“Long term health effects are challenging to study and quantify due to a variety of issues. Further difficulty includes not always having knowledge of the actual contents of the sludge and a complete lack of knowledge regarding health effects for some of the contaminants that may be present and the difficult issue of the toxicology of mixtures of compounds.”

WE NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN!

Friends is strongly encouraging DEQ to hold a public hearing regarding Recyc’s sludge permit application but DEQ needs to hear from you regarding your concerns about the spread of sludge on environmentally sensitive areas including floodplains and karst terrain. Please write or email Tim Higgs by November 30 at:

P.O. Box 3000
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801

or Email at

Tim.Higgs@deq.virginia.gov

Virginia Master Naturalist Classes will be starting this Spring!

The Shenandoah Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists will be holding training starting March 10 and ending May 12 in 2010.  Classes are held twice a week - Wednesday evening classes will be held at Blandy Experimental Farm (400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce, Virginia) and Saturday field trips will be held at various on-site locations. 

Class topics include: weather, climate, soils, entomology (bugs), ornithology (birds), mammals, botany (plants), dendrology (trees), forest ecology, herpertology (retiles and amphibians), wetland ecology, land use and biogeography.  If you are interested in becoming a Master Naturalist, please contact Tom Adkins at 540-869-8649 or dunloch@gmail.com.

FISH FRY THANKS!!

With YOUR Help We Raised more than $16,000 

to Help Friends Protect the North Fork!!

Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River

THANKS ALL who helped make our 2009 Fish Fry

Fundraiser a GRAND SUCCESS1

Thanks to our River Vision artists; our sponsors; auction donors; Hoyle Laughlin- our amazing auctioneer, Shaffers for wonderful food and for helping us to “green” our event; great music by Con and Cash, and all Fish Fry committee members. Special thanks also to Pat Koch at PJ Designs and Ft. Valley Nursery for displaying the beautifully decorated floor cloths.

Kathryn Batlle, Tom Chipley, Lynne Crumpacker, Kay Ely Pierce, Cindy Frenzel, Mary Gessner, Diane Gould,  Alex Hofgren, Holly Huddle, Pat Koch, Karen A. Stovall and Roxanne Evans of PJ Designs, Betsy Smith, Helen Jean Smith and Susie Wilburn

Donald Albright, Anonymous, William & Judith Buechner,  Jane & Don Butler, Susan & Dale Carlson of Carlson Plumbing, Fank Cihlar, Bob & Elaine Cline, Brian & Paula Dailey, Joan Comanor & Tony Dorrell, Tanya Harvey & Jay Eiche, David Evans, Alice Findler, Jim & Annette Fitzsimmons, Charles & Deborah French, Diane & George Gould, Bill Grillo, Bud Griswold & Mary Gessner, Warren & Barbara Halvorson, Bill Hamilton, Bruce Hatton, John Holmes, Ellen Nash & Jonathan Jay, Pat Koch of PJ Designs, Susan & Bill Lane, Margaret Lorenz, Diane McRee, Jerry & Susan Mitchell, John & Mary Modolo, Suzanne Montgomery, John & Katherine Morland, Margaret Nelson, Potomac Conservancy, Coe & Jean Sherrard at Woodstock Cafe & Shoppes, Babette Smith, Jan & Roy Sommerfeldt, Robert Zimmerman & Jeanne Teller, Sara Garland & Kim Uhl, Beverly & Chuck Veatch, Sherrie & Jack Wain, Joanne Rodman & Wesley Warren, Susie & Herb Wilburn

Keith Rocco of Traditions Studios, Wayside Theatre, The Mimslyn Inn in Luray, VA, Bob Neisslein of Woodstock Used Cars, Masterworks, Chorus, Andrew Thayer Natural Scene Photography, Sal’s Italian Bistro, Echo Ridge Farm and Nursery, Jack Chapman and Murray’s Fly Shop, Inn at Narrow Passage, Bryce Resort, Natural Art Garden Center, Maureen Crisman, Jean and Coe Sherrard and Woodstock Cafe and Shoppes, Gene Taylor- Fine Art Photography, Hotel Strasburg, Jeff Kelble, Charlotte Roe of Wit’s End Fowl and Gourd Farm, Dan Warner of Valley Ballooning, Paula and Brian Daily, North Mountain Vineyard and Winery, Turner Ham, Inc., Stephanie Sheridan, Joe’s Steakhouse, Shenandoah Vineyards, ShenSpa, The Farmhouse Wine Shop, Crabill’s Meats,     Christina Parham

Mary Gessner, Diane Gould, John Holmes, Susan And Jerry Mitchell, Mary and John Modolo, Suzanne Montgomery, April Moore, Christina Sinclair, Jan Sommerfeldt, Alan Watson, Susie Wilburn

Education and Outreach Corner - Cindy Frenzel

Cindy Frenzel, Education Coordinator

Education Committee

Our education committee met on November 11 to finalize our 2010 education work plan. We will focus on workshops, teacher training, youth education, participation in fairs and events, and creation of new education campaigns. We have also applied for grants to provide professional development for Shenandoah County teachers, where we plan to help teachers get to know the river better and provide tools and information to help them teach about protecting the North Fork. Friends has also applied for a grant to provide outreach to new homeowners along river with information on how they can protect the river from household pollution.

Friends will be co-hosting at least 3 make your own rain barrel workshops this year in the following locations - stay tuned to our website for dates and times:

• Town of New Market
• Mt. Jackson, sponsored by Rodney Shepherd of Woodbury Financial Services
• Toms Brook, at the Natural Arts Garden Center

We will be working with Peter Muhlenburg Middle School’s Big Give Service Project on April 24, 2010, where students will be making rain barrels that will then be sold at the Natural Arts Garden Center. All of the proceeds will go to Friends of the North Fork. If you would like to volunteer for this project or to help with rain barrel workshops, please call the Friends’ office at 459-8550 or email Cindy at cindy.frenzel@fnfsr.org.

I know there are lots of creative minds out there and I would love for that creative energy to think up a few good river-related slogans for Friends of the North Fork! Funny, funky and serious entries wanted! Send your ideas to: cindy.frenzel@fnfsr.org. Winners will receive a free bumper sticker and bragging rights

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Friends of the North Fork! If you want to volunteer and don’t know where to start, here are some ideas:

• Writer for the education section of the Friends website and/or newsletter;
• Leader of an education campaign for disposal of old medicines or river protection;
• Teacher or helper for a workshop, program or teacher training session;
• Designer of a costumed mascot for use in parades and events;
• Creator of displays, brochures, slide shows;
• Assist staff at fairs, events, school

Calendar of Events - 2009

Board Members and Staff

Board

Ron Falyar - President
Kim Uhl - Vice President
April Moore - Secretary
Gary Proctor - Treasurer
Mary Gessner
Barbara Halvorson
Gayle Shaffer
John Holmes
Margaret Lorenz

Staff

Leslie Mitchell-Watson - Executive Director
Cindy Frenzel - Education Coordinator

 Advocate......................................$250
 Ally...............................................$100 
 Supporter........................................$60
 Basic Annual  Membership........$35    
 Student...........................................$20