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Clean Virginia Waterways
2006 Annual ReportChange in relationship with Longwood University
In April 2006, CVW’s Executive Director, Katie Register, signed a new letter of affiliation with Longwood University’s President, Dr. Patricia Cormier. CVW now reports directly to Longwood’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement. This change better reflects CVW’s roll in providing education and environmental stewardship opportunities to the larger community.
New Office Space
In August 2006, CVW moved into McCorkle 117 on the Longwood University campus. The new space is much larger, and will allow CVW to hold workshops. Also, for the first time, all of CVW’s materials are housed in one place!
Program Highlights--2006
VA Waterways Cleanup / International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)
With the help of summer intern, Tim Hanmer, CVW had another successful ICC! This is CVW’s largest program, involving thousands of volunteers. More details are later in this report.
Electronics Recycling Event (April)
More than 11,500 pounds of TVs, computers and other household electronics were recycled in Farmville during this one-day event organized by CVW. Partners included Prince Edward County, the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District, and Friends of the Appomattox River.
Well water testing
Working with Dr. David Buckalew, professor of microbiology at Longwood University (and a CVW Board Member), CVW organized this free well water testing funded by a gift from the Farmville Rotary Club. We worked with the regional Virginia Department of Health to promote this program among the county’s rural population.
Water Quality Monitoring Workshops
The Ocean Conservancy once again hired CVW’s Executive Director to help plan and run two workshops funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The workshops were held in Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana, and focused on post-Katrina water quality issues.
International Degradable Plastics Symposium Presentation
Representing the Ocean Conservancy, Katie made a presentation to this international group of plastic engineers about the impact plastic litter and debris has on marine wildlife and habitats (June 14, 2006 in Chicago). The presentation can be seen on this web site: www.plasticsindustry.org/membersonly/ industry/symposium2006/register.pdf
Rain Barrel Workshops
These workshops, developed by CVW and the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District, were very popular in 2005. CVW could not keep up with the requests to offer these workshops throughout the state, so we wrote and won a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund to offer “Train the Trainer” workshops. The workshops will be held in spring of 2007. Water quality monitoring
- In 2006, Clean Virginia Waterways continued to serve on the Virginia Water Monitoring Council’s Steering Committee.
- The Appomattox River Water Quality Monitoring Program, in its eighth year, continues to monitor the rivers and streams in the upper Appomattox River basin, thanks to our volunteers, Longwood University faculty and students, and especially Dr. David Buckalew.
- Katie Register spoke at a World Water Monitoring Day event held in Richmond for hundreds of school children and their teachers (October 2006).
Virginia Resource Use Education Council
CVW was elected to membership on this council, a group dedicated to increasing environmental educational programming in the state.
Shoreline erosion research and public education
- CVW continued to work closely with Longwood University on developing stewardship and management plans for its Hull Springs Farm (in Westmoreland County), including a project that introduced “Living Shoreline” techniques to shoreline property owners in Virginia’s Northern Neck region. These techniques reduce erosion while providing habitat for shoreline birds, crabs and other wildlife.
- Katie Register presented a case study of this work during the Chesapeake Bay Living Shorelines Summit held in Williamsburg (December 2006).
Litter prevention
- CVW continued to assist Philip Morris USA and Keep America Beautiful with their cigarette litter prevention work.
- CVW’s web site continues to be one of the most thorough on cigarette butts as litter and the mass release of balloons.
Supporters and Partners
2006 was a great year for CVW thanks to the thousands of volunteers, and to support from:Longwood University
Philip Morris USA
The Ocean Conservancy
Oracle
Virginia Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund
Rotary Club of Farmville
Bank of America
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grant
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Coastal Zone Management
Hundreds of schools, businesses, scout troops, and civic organization
that participated in the International Coastal Cleanup.Media, community education and outreach
- CVW’s executive director was interviewed by newspapers and radio reporters around the world on the topic of cigarette litter, balloons as litter, rain barrels, and water pollution.
- CVW assisted several students throughout the U.S. with their Science Fair projects, which were focused on cigarette litter, water monitoring, or water pollution.
- Presentations were made to several Longwood classes, school groups, garden clubs and other organizations on:
- Impact of solid waste and litter on our water resources.
- Human health and water (Environmental Health course)
- Water pollution prevention
- Recycling and reducing litter
- Building rain barrels to conserve water
- CVW assisted Longwood University students with a variety of projects including research for English and biology projects.
- CVW served on Longwood University’s Sustainability Committee -- a group of concerned faculty, students and administrators striving to make Longwood University’s campus “greener.”
Virginia Waterways Cleanup / International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia
Making a Difference for Cleaner Rivers and Beaches This exciting statewide event involves thousands of Virginians in cleaning our rivers and beaches, while also collecting useful data about what kind of litter they find. 4,339 people volunteered their time to pick up more than 151,432 pounds of litter and debris along 327 miles of Virginia’s rivers, streams and beaches.
Volunteer Numbers In 2006 we had a 5 percent decrease in the number of volunteers compared with the 2005 volunteer count. The numbers were 4,339 in 2006, and 4,580 in 2005-- a change of 241 people. The main reason for this decrease was due to the rainy weather in Northern Virginia. Most of the larger cleanup events held along the Potomac River were scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2006. That day, it was raining off and on all day in the suburbs of Washington D.C.
Virginia in the “Top Ten” In both 2005 and 2006, CVW surpassed the milestone of 4,000 or more volunteers. In 2003 CVW had 2,805 volunteers. So from 2003 to 2006, the numbers of volunteers increased by 55 percent. In 2006, Virginia was ninth among U.S. states in terms of volunteers behind California, Florida, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
Sponsors of the International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia include: Longwood University, Philip Morris USA, The Ocean Conservancy, Oracle, Bank of America, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper, and dozens of local business, schools, youth groups, conservation organizations, marinas and state parks.
About Litter and Debris:
Litter and Debris in our Waterways - Impacts, Sources and Solutions Page What Volunteers Found in Virginia's Waterways--Data from past International Coastal Cleanups Litter Prevention Page How Data from the ICC are used Impacts of aquatic debris The International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia Article about Aquatic Litter and Debris (written by CVW for school teachers and others) Solutions Cigarette Butt Litter—A Special Problem Balloons as litter—A Special Problem Compiled by Clean Virginia Waterways, Longwood University, Farmville, VA 23909
434-395-2602 Fax: 434-395-2825 Email: cleanva@longwood.edu
