Lynnhaven River NOW E-News  
May 5, 2015  
Upcoming Events

April-June -- Growing Wetlands in the Classroom plantings

May-June -- Oyster Reef Construction Projects

May 9 -- Cleanup at Beach Garden Park, 9-Noon

May 19 -- Floating Wetlands Launch

May 20 -- Spat Catcher Workshop
5:30-6:15 for returning participants
6:30-7:30 for new participants

May 21-- Sensible Seafood Fest
Virginia Aquarium, 7-10 PM

June 27 -- Oyster Roundup and New Gardener Workshop
Diamondback Terrapin








If you are walking at Pleasure House Point, watch out for our Diamondback Terrapin hatchlings. 
Maybe you will be lucky enough to see one of these babies.
Life Jackets Needed

 Do you have a life jacket that you are no longer using?  Maybe you have a child's size jacket that your children have outgrown.  LRNow can use your gently used life jackets.  You can drop them off at our office at the Brock Environmental Center or call us at 757-962-5398.
Thanks!
 
Sensible Seafood
Fest 2015
May 21, 7-10 PM
$55 for members
$65 for nonmembers
To purchase tickets:
May Native Plant

Rabbiteye Blueberry
Order from Dana@LRNow.org

Interesting Fact: Native Americans used the term 
"star berry" instead of blueberry because the five points of the blueberry blossom make the shape of a star.
Oyster Roundup
For All Current Oyster Gardeners

Bring your one year old oysters to the Brock Environmental Center on Saturday, June 17 between 9:00 and 11:00.  
To receive new oysters, register at OysterGardener@cbf.org or call 757-622-1968, ext. 3303
For more information:
 
Become an Oyster Gardener
Sat, June 27, 9:00-11:00 AM

Learn what you can do to help increase our native oyster population.  
Join CBF staff at the Brock Center from 9-11 on Sat, June 27.
You will be provided with two small growing cages.  Both cages will be full of spat on shell oysters that will hang suspended in the water from your dock.  
The cost of becoming an Oyster Gardener is $30 per year.  
For more information:
To register:
Email: OysterGardener@cbf.org or call 757-622-1964 ext 3303 
Kroger Community Rewards 
Do you shop at Kroger?  Please take a minute to add Lynnhaven River NOW as your Community Rewards recipient and help support our Pearl Homes Program.

You need to register your Kroger card online.  Once your card is registered, go to www.kroger.com and enter NPO number 84664 or our name on the right side of your information page.  Or call 800-576-4377 and select option 4 to register your card to support LRNow's Pearl Homes program  
Shop at AmazonSmile 
and Amazon will make a donation to:
    
Donate or
Become a Member Today
 Support LRNow 




You Can Be a Spat Catcher
Worshop: Wednesday, May 20th at Brock Environmental Center
spat catchers
 5:30-6:15 -- Materials pickup for returning participants
6:30-7:30 -- Training for new participants

Help LRNow catch baby oysters as we continue to restore oysters in the river. This exciting program if fun, easy, and it gives us the opportunity to capture valuable data about spat (or baby oyster) distribution throughout the Lynnhaven.  You will need access to a pier anywhere in the Lynnhaven River system to participate.

NEW PARTICIPANTS are invited to attend a training workshop from 6:30-7:30 PM on May 20th at the Brock Environmental Center, where you will receive two cages, all the materials you need, and instructions on maintaining the cages throughout the summer and fall.  We ask new participants to pay $30 to defray the cost of the materials.

RETURNING PARTICIPANTS who already have cages and would like to participate for another year can bring their spat catcher cages to the Brock Environmental Center between 5:30-6:15 PM on May 20th to pick up new materials.  The cost for returning participants is only $10.

We do need for all new and returning participants to please register in advance with Dana@LRNow.org or call 757-962-5398.  For more information, call 757-962-5398 or email Laurie@LRNow.org or Trista@LRNow.org.

We welcome our new participants and thank those who are returning for your support of this important program.
Next River Cleanup
Saturday, May 9th, 9-Noon
Beach Garden Park, Laskin Road
To Register or for more information: 757-962-5398 or Dana@LRNow.org 
Thank You for Your Volunteer Support  
We have a few more spots to fill.
 Wetlands Restoration Work at Pleasure House Point 
 
We need additional people to help with the Growing Wetlands In the Classroom plantings at Pleasure House Point. Jody will give you very clear instructions and all the training you need to have a fun time with the students.

GWIC
Help is needed on the following dates:
Thurs, May 14 -- 10:00-11:30 AM and 4:30-6:00 PM
Wed, May 27 -- 4:00-6:00 PM

Please contact Jody@LRNow.org to sign up for the opportunity to help out with these important projects.
The Growing Wetlands in the Classroom program is funded by Dollar Tree.

More Volunteer Opportunities
Thank you for your help with our Oyster Restoration Projects

We have eight reef construction projects coming up in the next two months and will also be deploying our spat catchers for the 2015 spat season. 
To help with the Oyster Castle projects, you need to be able to lift 35 lb. oyster castle blocks for up to two hours.  
  
Help is needed on the following dates:
Thurs, May 21 -- 9:00-12:00 -- Moving oyster castle blocks -- 10 people
Tues, May 26 -- Constructng Oyster Castles -- 6 - 8 people
New dates will be added as they are scheduled.

Please contact Laurie@LRNow.org to sign up for these opportunities to help with oyster restoration.

Thank you
Floating Wetlands
Growing Wetlands in the Classroom

Students from Landstown High School Bio-Engineering Class partnered with LRNow to design a floating wetland island that would cost less than $50, last 3-5 years and be protected from animal predation.  They came up with three different designs.  Last week, they added plants and launched them into a stormwater management pond behind their school.

Many students from five Virginia Beach high schools are again participating in LRNow's Growing Wetlands in the Classroom program funded by Dollar Tree.  
Students transplanted wetland starter plants into larger pots to allow them to grow before being permanently planted.  This year, their plants are destined for a floating wetland which will be located at the HRSD plant on Shore Drive.  The mats were purchased from Floating Island Solutions by HRSD and are made from recycled plastic.  The students will be planting May 18-19.  At 5 PM on May 19, we will be launching their floating wetlands into a pond where they will begin to provide habitat and clean the water.
 
These floating wetlands have plants, soil and root interactions similar to a natural wetland and provide homes to beneficial water-cleaning microorganisms as well as insects, reptiles, and birds.  

For more information, contact Jody@LRNow.org
Before you put your crab pot out this spring, 
pick up four turtle excluders from LRNow 
and help protect our turtles.
Stop by our office at the Brock Environmental Center.  
By-Catch Reduction Device
May
Native Plant of the Month:
  Vaccinium ashei or Rabbiteye Blueberry
   
 
Height: 6-10 feet
Spread: 4-5 feet 
Full Sun to Part Shade 
Flowers are pink and white
Fruit: Light blue to black 
Good alternative to invasive Winged Euonymus, Eunoymus alatus
 
To Order: Contact Dana@LRNow.org
 or 757-962-5398
$7 each