Potomac Headwaters Leaders of Watersheds– PHLOW
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Potomac Headwaters Leaders Of Watersheds– PHLOW Cacapon Institute From the Cacapon River to the PHLOW Potomac to the Chesapeake Bay we Since 2011 PHLOW has been funded in Through PHLOW, CI teaches students protect rivers and watersheds using large part by a grant from the National about watersheds and the problems science and education. Founded in Fish and Wildlife Foundation. CI began and causes of non-point source water 1985, Cacapon Institute (CI) has grown PHLOW in 2008 in partnership with the pollution, especially stormwater runoff from a local watershed research and WV Corporation for National and pollution. Students are then protection group to an organization Community Service under the Future empowered to identify problems on reaching a broad audience across the Leaders of Watersheds program. their campus and in their community Mid-Atlantic. Our online Potomac PHLOW has spread from its WV base and and implement best management Highlands Watershed School is used by now includes schools in Western practices to address the problems. tens of thousands of students. Our Maryland and the Shenandoah Valley. science projects include watershed research and urban tree canopy studies. Urban trees are the trees we Supporting Programs for PHLOW live with, the trees that grace our neighborhoods, towns, parks, schools PHLOW draws on CI oversees WV Project CommuniTree, and roadsides. technical and a partnership funded by the USDA material resources Forest Service. CTree supports As problem solvers CI develops real- from many funders PHLOW by providing trees and world conservation projects. We and organizations. educating students on trees’ facilitate community and school based CI is building importance in reducing stormwater hands-on watershed conservation synergy between runoff pollution. CTree promotes tree across the Potomac Highlands, federal, state and plantings and education on public Shenandoah Valley, and downstream local programs to lands through volunteerism in the to the Bay. Since 2009 Cacapon enhance K-12 environmental education Potomac Headwaters of West Virginia Institute has coordinated the Potomac that will foster an environ-mentally literate (Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Watershed Partnership. PWP is generation of youth. PHLOW supporters Mineral , Hampshire, Grant, Hardy, dedicated to protecting the lands and include WV Bay Tributary Team, USDA Pendleton Counties). Technical water of the Basin. CI is an active Forest Service, US EPA, Potomac assistance is provided by CI and the participant in the WV Chesapeake Bay Watershed Partnership, the MARPAT WV Conservation Agency, Division of Tributary Team and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Evenor Armington Fund, and Forestry, and Division of Highways. Program. Virginia Environmental Endowment. PHLOW Beginnings 2008-2011 PHLOW began when CI identified a In 2009, in partnership with the In 2011 PHLOW helped Jefferson need to engage students in Girl Scouts of America, Potomac County’s Urban Tree Planting Initiative watershed conservation, not just as Valley Audubon, the WV Division extend watershed education and willing volunteers and strong backs of Forestry and Conservation plant trees at six schools. but as full participants in improving Agency, PHLOW spread to their communities. Musselman, E. Hardy, and Paw Paw high schools. In 2008, with a grant from the National Corporation for In 2010, thanks to the Virginia Community Service and WV DEP, Environmental Endowment and Wildwood M.S. and Capon Bridge Shenandoah Pure Water Forum, M.S. formed PHLOW clubs. They Page County, Luray, and Buffalo surveyed their campuses and Gap high schools joined PHLOW. planted trees to reduce erosion. PHLOW 2012 Highlights Spring Mills Middle School (WV) steep hill behind the school. They learned The environmental club’s 22 students that erosion leads to sedimentation in the and teacher Michele Adams worked stream, degrading aquatic habitat. They with CI to plan and install a 500 ft2 rain planted 6 trees in erosion prone areas so garden. They also planted 12 large trees the roots would mitigate the problem. The and prepared a 1000 ft2 wildflower bed. trees will also proved shade for spectators at sporting events. Tomahawk Intermediate (WV) Quick Facts- Spring 2012 The entire rd3 grade was involved in a Willamsport Middle School (MD) watershed restoration project and 1515 Native Plants Installed Teacher Heidi Strite’s Green Club planted a 2 community outreach. This student-led 2530 ft of Rain Gardens Butterfly Garden to beautify the school’s project resulted in the instillation of a 450 Student Leaders sign and provide wildlife habitat. PHLOW 37 x 8 ft. raised bed rain garden, a 138 Trees Planted provided over 200 plants for the 16x24 ft wildflower planting, a watershed 20 Community Members Engaged area and supported planning and grant education billboard, educational posters 5 lbs. Wildflower Seeds Dispersed writing for future projects. and flyers, interpretive signs, and three 3 Rain Barrels (55 gallon) Installed decorated rain barrels. garden making this the second on the Quick Facts- Fall 2012 Paw Paw School (WV) grounds. It captures stormwater runoff Student Leaders worked with CI to 110 Trees Planted pollution from a parking lot. design and construct a 350 ft2 rain 150 Native Plants Installed Musselman High (WV)- Spring 2012 24 Hours of Education/Outreach Students from the W.E.T. Club 3 Rain Gauges Installed (Watershed Environmental Team), lead 1 Bioretention & Bio Swale Installed by teacher Deb Stevens, designed and installed a 3-tiered rain garden as part of a comprehensive BMP retrofit for the Musselman High (WV)- Fall 2012 marching band’s practice field area. Students installed a new bio swale and Hancock Junior Senior School (MD) bioretention area, planted 12 trees, and Erin Mckee’s MAEOE Green School Club preformed maintenance on previously Rain Garden Instillation at Musselman High worked to address erosion issues on a installed projects. PHLOW 2012 Highlights Continued Tomahawk Intermediate (WV) Spring Mills Middle School (WV) rd Installed 3 rain gauges to assist the 3 The gardening club performed grade with a long term monitoring necessary weeding of the rain garden. program comparing stormwater volume at 3 locations; under a deciduous tree, an Paw Paw School (WV) evergreen tree, and an open lawn. Planted 24 new trees and performed maintenance on their rain gardens. Capon Bridge (WV) Environmental Club members pulled Other Education Outreach weeds and mulched CommuniTrees from Lessons were provided at Jefferson spring 2012. County Science Olympics and St. Leo Cooperative Home School. Goals and Accomplishments 2012-2013 Goals: Accomplishments to Date: Plant 449 Trees 599 Trees Planted Install 6 Rain Gardens 3 Rain Gardens Installed 3 Bioretention Facilities 2 Bioretention Facilities (expand/install) (expanded/installed) 15 Schools Improve 12 Schools Improve Stormwater Management Stormwater Management Engage 1,500 Students in > 1,000 Students Engaged in Hands-on Conservation Hands-on Conservation Involve 150 Parents and > 50 Parents and Community Community Members Members Involved 8 WV Counties 5 WV Counties 5 MD or VA Counties 1 MD County; 2 VA Counties PHLOW Looking to the Future PHLOW is devoted to education programs tied to hands-on outdoor conservation. This gives students a strong sense of ownership in the MD projects and is building future generations of watershed stewards. CI looks forward to reaching new schools and working with Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), West Virginia Shenandoah Valley Environmental Education Association (SVEEA) and VA West Virginia Environmental Education Association (WVEEA). Cacapon Institute’s Additional Educational Resources PHLOW is underpinned by Cacapon Lessons include “What Is A Watershed”, Institute’s many watershed education “Sedimentation Blues”, and many online programs. These include our online Potomac “games” to familiarize students with benthic Highlands Watershed School and Stream macroinvertebrates and non-point source Cleaner Pinball. pollution issues. High school classes are invited Online “Stream Cleaner” and Stream Cleaner to join our twice annual Environmental Forums, Pinball are interactive educational tools that a month-long moderated dialogues between teach students about urban and agricultural classes across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. runoff pollution and best management practices (BMP) to mitigate pollution. Pinball has traveled throughout the Potomac Highlands and into Maryland and Virginia. The Potomac Highlands Watershed School plays a key role in PHLOW education and restoration projects. CI staff and teachers devote many hours to education and Click the eSchool tab at www.cacaponinstitute.org instruction prior to hands-on projects. For more information visit our website or contact: Molly Barkman WV Conservation Agency Outreach Coordinator [email protected] Cell: 304-279-9189 Office: 304-856-1385 www.cacaponinstitute.org .