The Blue Ridge PRISM Quarterly Meeting – July 2017 The mission of the Blue Ridge PRISM is to reduce the impact of invasive species in our targeted geography. Rod Walker, Landowner Ashton Fisher, Program Director Mike DiLello, Conservation Manager, The Farm At Sunnyside July 22, 2017 www.blueridgeprism.org PRISM = Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management

Plan for Today Plant ID for plants brought in Introductions Introduction to the Blue Ridge PRISM - Ashton RCPP and PRISM updates – Rod et al Guest speakers from The Piedmont Environmental Council – Rex and Claire Creating a Rappahannock PRISM Organization - Mike

Introductions and Background Go around the room for introductions Where is your land – county or town? Why are you here? What are your interests?

RCPP Status History $894,000 award announced a year ago $640,000 net to landowners Signed our contract with NRCS late September Public announcement in October Conducted training sessions 2 for NRCS and VDOF staff 1 for contractors Started accepting applications mid-November Held public information sessions at JMU, Blandy, Ivy Creek

RCPP Status Status as of June 28th: 68 signed contracts 7 approvals 25 pre-approvals 8 cancellations $618, 000 allocated to 100 landowners with 3,000 acres Remaining applications: 2 eligible, 8 pending Remaining funds: $26,200 No longer advertising availability

RCPP Status by County

PRISM Updates The Garden Club of Virginia has chosen the PRISM as the recipient of their annual Elizabeth Cabell Dugdale Award for Meritorious Achievement in Conservation Actual award will be made at the Paramount theater in Charlottesville on October 27th See https://www.gcvirginia.org/main/awardwinner/120 Great recognition for what a great team can do in three years!!

PRISM Updates VA Dept of Forestry invasive plant treatment chart Wavyleaf program – Jim Training programs for landowners – Ashton Other CWMAs in Virginia Progress on new regulations for the VA Noxious Weed Law – Jim, Rod School programs – Maggie Drone project with UVA Volunteers needed – Ashton and Jim Upcoming events Results of the PRISM landowner survey - Jim

Area Stewardship Survey Sent to PRISM’s 500+ mailing list in May and June ~45 respondents 42 actively managing invasive plants on their properties 22 interested in area stewardships 13 may be interested Next steps

Responses by County

Invasive Species of Concern

Potential Area Stewardships

Potential Albemarle County Stewardship Areas

Plans for Remainder of 2017 Continue work in all areas discussed above. Fall/Winter landowner training course development and delivery Includes seasonal advice, special sessions, Plant ID clinics, invasive plant walks and equipment demonstrations – what would you like to see/hear? Will discuss more elaborate course with SCBI VWL Next quarterly meeting in Oct/Nov Inviting partner organizations to speak Requests Conduct a strategic planning session to refresh our strategies and plans going forward

Funding Sources Donations for our current matching opportunity Grant proposals Continue trying NFWF – full proposals turned down twice Two new pre-proposals just turned in Request for another round of RCPP funding was just rejected Foundations are being contacted List of individuals and other organizations to contact Now have a DONATE button on our website Asking for money at all our events and venues Have charged fees for some training sessions

Next Steps Questions and comments? Thank you for your time and contributions! Take a ten-minute break

Guest Speakers Rex Linville and Claire Catlett from The Piedmont Environmental Council Hope to have at least one such presentation at each PRISM quarterly meeting Make people aware of the landowner services available from our partners

Creating a Rappahannock Chapter/Stewardship – Mike DiLello What should the mission be? How do we want to go about it? Who wants to be involved? In what roles? PRISM support available: Event support and speakers Limited funding Publicity, outreach, training, materials Put a flyer in every mailbox in the county? Etc

Creating a Rappahannock Chapter/Stewardship Partner involvement: PEC RLEP RappFlow VA Cooperative Extension NRCS – District Conservationist Dept of Forestry – Area Forester Examples of other possibilities: Rappahannock County Shenandoah National Park VA Dept of Conservation and Recreation Master Naturalist chapter VA Native Plant Society chapter Garden clubs Soil and Water Conservation District

Rappahannock County Population: 7,400 Households: 3,300 Housing Units: 4,000 Land Area: 266 square miles; ~ 170,000 acres Mean Family Income: $57,000 Living in Poverty: 10%

Next Steps Refine goals and plans Meetings? Events? …. Who will do what next?