VNPS 2024 Annual Workshop [via Zoom]
Date/Time
Thursday, March 21, 2024 to Thursday, March 28, 2024
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Categories
Enjoy two evening workshops, Thursday, March 21 and Thursday, March 28, 2024 via Zoom starting at 6:30pm for meet and greet. Sessions start at 7pm and 8pm both evenings. Please register only once for both sessions.
Thursday, March 21, 2024
6:30pm
Zoom Meet & Greet
6:50pm
Welcome and Introduction
Nancy Vehrs, VNPS President
Joey Thompson, VNPS Education Chair
7:00pm
Protecting Native Species in a Rural Biodiversity Hotspot
Laura Young, Southwest Region Steward, Virginia DCR Natural Heritage Program
This presentation will cover challenges and strategies for protecting species and communities in rural Southwest Virginia where resources for conservation can be limited. The number of species that exist here may very well out number the people that reside in the same landscape. Despite the lower population, there are still many passionate folks doing great work in our area and they’re making a huge difference.
Laura Young is the Southwest Region Steward for the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Natural Heritage Program. She holds dual B.S. degrees in fire ecology and forest sciences and an M.S. degree in biology. Laura is very passionate about habitat restoration for rare plants with a focus on bringing back native prairie glades that have been lost due to fire exclusion practices by humans.
8:00pm
Protecting Native Plants and Natural Communities in Northern Virginia
Nelson DeBarros, Plant Ecologist, Fairfax County
This presentation will review how various organizations are working to protect native plants and natural communities in this rapidly developing part of the Commonwealth. Nelson will discuss work being conducted by the Fairfax County Park Authority, National Park Service, Virginia Outdoor Foundation, Earth Sangha Wild Plant Nursery, and others.
Nelson DeBarros is a Vegetation Ecologist with the Fairfax County Park Authority. Nelson earned his B.S. in Biology from Providence College in Rhode Island, and a M.S. in Ecology from the Pennsylvania State University. He is the Botany Chair for the VNPS Potowmack Chapter.
Register Now
Thursday, March 28, 2024
6:30pm
Zoom Meet & Greet
6:50pm
Welcome and Introduction
Nancy Vehrs, VNPS President
Joey Thompson, VNPS Education Chair
7:00pm
Coastal Virginia: Diverse and Dynamic
Shannon Alexander, Coastal Region Steward, Virginia DCR Natural Heritage Program
This presentation will give an overview of the ways in which natural communities are protected on the Eastern Shore and in the Hampton Roads areas. Although the focus will be on terrestrial systems, the presenter will also touch on aquatic systems, as these systems are so intertwined, particularly in the tidewater region of the Commonwealth.
Shannon Alexander serves as the Coastal Region Steward and Regional Supervisor for the Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Natural Heritage. Shannon holds a BS in Environmental Science and MS in Coastal Zone Management, and enjoys combining science, planning, and education for proper management of sensitive natural communities. Prior to her role with the state she was the Coastal Resources Program Manager and then the Director of Planning with the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission. She currently serves as a Director on the Board for the Virginia Oyster Trail and as the advisor for the Eastern Shore Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists.
8:00pm
Protecting & Connecting Piedmont Plant Communities
Kim Biasiolli, Senior Conservation Specialist, Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC)
This presentation will cover efforts to protect plant communities on both public and private land in the Piedmont region, with a focus on strategically connecting protected lands across the landscape. Kim will discuss some of the different conservation tools being employed and highlight some recent successes and ongoing efforts in the Piedmont.
Kim Biasiolli has over 20 years of experience working on biodiversity protection, natural resources management, and land conservation projects and initiatives. Prior to joining PEC, she worked as the natural resources manager for Albemarle County, where she led projects focused on protecting biodiversity and stream health, conducted environmental review, and supported land management, climate action, and long-range planning efforts. Kim also served as a forest conservation specialist for the Virginia Department of Forestry, where she managed the agency’s land conservation and stewardship efforts throughout the Piedmont, and as a board member of the 500-year Forest Foundation.
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