The Upper James Resource Conservation and Development Council, with support from Virginia DEQ’s river roundtable program and in cooperation with Valley Conservation Council and the Mountain Castles Soil & Water Conservation District, will hold a free workshop entitled “Improving Your Property and Watershed with VCAP.”
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 1-2:30 p.m. at Buchanan’s Wilson Warehouse/Community House, 421 Lowe Street. Speakers will include Kevin McClean and Maura Christian, Virginia Conservation Assistance Program from the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, as well as Tim Miller, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Mountain Castles SWCD, and Bill Keith, District Conservationist for USDA’s NRCS program.
Presentation emphasis at the October 2 event will be on VCAP (Virginia Conservation Assistance Program) which provides financial incentives and technical assistance in reducing stormwater runoff. These practices can be installed in areas of the yard where problems like erosion, poor drainage, or poor vegetation occur. VCAP cost- sharing is now available to homeowners, local government, HOAs, and businesses.
Representatives from local governments, schools, libraries, churches, funeral homes, neighborhood associations, as well as individual homeowners, are invited to the workshop to discover the types of projects which are eligible for funding and the results in water quality improvement that the projects can yield.
Virginia’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) for the Chesapeake Bay identifies urban/suburban runoff as contributing to impairment of Virginia’s waters. Therefore, retroactively addressing stormwater runoff from existing impervious surfaces has been made a priority. The workshop is free and without obligation and refreshments will be provided. To register for the workshop, contact Valley Conservation Council’s Upper James Program Manager Genevieve Goss at genevieve@valleyconservation.org
