Summer Newsletter

In this Edition

• Upcoming Events
• On-going - Volunteers Needed for Gardening
• News
• Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program
• Why Healthy Landscapes in Your Yard Matter
• June Recap
• Fall Preview

Upcoming Events

On-going Volunteer Activities

We have a continuing need for volunteers through the summer to help maintain our gardens and plantings at the Oaklette Bridge and the native plant garden at Indian River Park.   If you are interested in helping, please e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.  

Tasks include regular weeding and other garden work. Some of the work involves small group events during the week. Once orientation is completed, some work might be on an individual schedule.

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News

Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program

We are encouraging folks to sign up for the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council and the City of Chesapeake's new Chesapeake Healthy Landscape Program.  This program recognizes and encourages residents to take steps to create healthy landscapes on their properties.  Participants who sign up can receive an information kit and a landscape flag as recognition for their efforts.  We're hoping that the Indian River will be the top area for sign-ups in the Chesapeake.  

To be recognized, they are looking for commitments to Protect Your Trees, put the Right Plant in the Right Place, Consider Wildlife, Reduce Lawn Maintenance, Reduce Runoff, Avoid or Remove Invasive Plants, and Limit Chemical Usage.  Learn more and sign up at Chesapeake Healthy Landscape Program | Chesapeake, VA 

Why Healthy Landscapes in Your Yard Matter

Bird populations are down 30% since 1970.  Butterfly abundance is down 22% since 2000.  Half of all native bee species are in decline and a quarter are in danger of extinction.  Human-caused habitat loss and climate change are the primary causes of these declines.   People have transformed nearly all the land of the eastern US by cutting down trees and converting land to farms, cities, and suburbs.  We've replaced entire native ecosystems with cropland, lawns, ornamental plants, and asphalt that provide little value to wildlife, especially the insects that form the central layer of the food chain.

This is where you can make a difference.  There are nearly 44 million acres of lawns across the US.  The "well-kept" lawn sold by the lawn care industry is a burden on nature and homeowners' time and money.   Lawns provide practically no benefits to nature while needing constant mowing, watering, and application of herbicides and pesticides to keep out "weeds" and "pests".  

In contrast, a healthy home landscape incorporates native flowers, shrubs, and trees while minimizing lawns to those areas needed for play or access.  Native plants support the food chain and provide homes and nutrition for bees, butterflies and beneficial insects.  In turn, these insects provide food for baby birds, turtles, and a variety of small animals.   An established native plant garden also rarely needs the use of herbicides and pesticides.   Rather than a sterile yard, your garden now becomes a habitat that helps restore balance and resilience to nature.  More plants also mean less rain runoff, less flooding, cleaner air, cooler local temperatures, more CO2 removal, and a lot more peace of mind.   

This doesn't mean you need to run out and start tearing out your lawn tomorrow.  But every native plant added helps.   Start small, perhaps planting a few pollinator-friendly native plants.  Make a plan and add to your garden over time.   Think about steps you can take to make your yard more wildlife-friendly, like adding a water source for birds, setting aside a brush pile, or just leaving more leaves on the ground in the fall. (Leaves provide an important habitat for many overwintering insects including fireflies).  Set aside space where you can enjoy your garden and watch as it comes to life.  Plant SEVA Natives — Plant Virginia Natives is a great starting point for learning about native plants.  

Want more information and advice? After signing up for the Chesapeake Healthy Landscape program above, you can arrange for a site visit from experienced gardeners in the program who can share a ton of great tips.

June Recap

Our big cleanup this month was Clean the Bay Day at Indian River Park. 28 volunteers including from the Friends of Indian River, Tidewater Master Naturalist, The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Hampton Roads, and Boys Scouts of American, VA Beach Troop 16B came out to the park and removed 300 lbs. of litter and about 400 lbs. of construction debris. 

Later in the month, Five volunteers braved the late June heat to help with our Adopt-A-Road cleanup.  We collected about 120 lbs. of litter, including a large bag of aluminum cans that we'll take to the Chesapeake Animal Services aluminum collection bin. 

 A big thank you to everyone who came out to help!

Fall Preview

In September, we'll resume our regular event schedule with

• Saturday, Sept. 13, Second Saturday Hike at Indian River Park
• Thursday, Sept. 18, Bi-Monthly Meeting with Christina Trapani from Clean Virginia Waterways
• Saturday, Sept. 20, International Coastal Cleanup volunteer event.  

We're still finalizing the fall schedule, but it will include more hikes, cleanups, and gardening at the park.  For our November meeting, we invited Council Member Pat King to speak to our group.  And we'll plan a holiday get-together for December.  Stay tuned for more details in our September newsletter.  

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.