Earthworms: Friend and Foe
The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Boulevard, Charlottesville, VA
Most gardeners view the presence of earthworms in their soil as a huge positive, but Dr. Linda K. Blum, a soil scientist in the University of Virginia’s Environmental Sciences Department and a Piedmont Master Gardener, will explain that earthworm activity isn’t all beneficial. For example, earthworms can increase greenhouse gas emissions from soils, disrupt nutrient cycling within the soil, and promote the movement of nutrient pollution from agricultural fields to adjacent waterbodies.
Dr. Blum’s talk will include many other surprising facts about the biology, geographic distribution, and ecosystem impacts of native and invasive earthworms. It will also provide information on how to identify and control the spread of the most recent invader, Amynthas agrestis, the Asian jumping worm.
⇒Register here for this free program.
Invasive Species: Understand the Problem and Finding Ways to Address the Issue Together (webinar)
Tuesday, December 5 @ 11:00 am – 3:30 pm on Zoom
Join the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Blue Ridge PRISM for a robust conversation about invasive species — learn what common invaders we see across the watershed and the problems they pose, how invasive species are regulated, what maintenance practices have worked, what hasn’t worked, and how we can manage invasives properly through action and education. Our goal is to have a more holistic understanding of the problem and come away from the discussion with new management perspectives and techniques. For more information and to see the list of speakers, go to Blue Ridge Prism/Events.
Early Winter Tree and Understory ID Walk in Simpson Park
Sunday, December 10 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Yancey Community Center, Simpson Park Dr. Esmont, VA 22937
Join Tree Stewards Sherri and Becky to experience the forest and the diverse collection of hardwood and evergreen trees at Simpson Park in the community of Esmont in Southern Albemarle County. On this easy walk on a shaded gravel one-mile path, you will learn to identify trees without their leaves. You will discover how to recognize the unique bark between multiple species of white and red oaks. The size, shape and orientation of twigs and branches can assist you in easily differentiating between Hickory, Dogwood, and Redbud trees and more.
–limited to 15 participants (under 15 years, accompanied by adult)
⇒Find out more and register on Eventbrite here.
