IWLA Welcomes New Monitors in VA and MD
The Izaak Walton League established two goals for 2022; to provide trainings for the interested new monitors who had not been able to attend a training during the pandemic and to expand monitoring into new areas in VA and MD. August was a productive month of working towards both goals!
On August 5th, our SOS Coordinator trained 8 new monitors at the Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania, VA. These monitors represented the Lake Anna State Park, Lake Anna Civic Association, and the Louisa County High School Envirothon team. These groups plan on expanding their current benthic monitoring efforts throughout the region!
Next, trainings took place on August 20th at the Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Cockeysville, MD and had 21 new monitors in attendance. The Save Our Streams benthic monitoring is a new program for the nature center. They plan on establishing two sites on the Oregon Ridge property and more in the area.
On August 27th, three members of the Concerned Citizens of Charles City County and one member of the Chickahominy Tribe were trained in Henrico, VA. They are motivated to establish baseline water quality readings to support their efforts in protecting environmental and human health in their communities.
Finally, 17 members of the Virginia Master Naturalists Central Rappahannock Chapter were trained in Fredericksburg, VA on August 28th. This group will work to adopt a number of new sites and expand our data collection in the area!
The Izaak Walton League is excited to welcome these new monitors as they complete their certification!
