As the all-volunteer Black River Action Team gears up to collect water quality data for nearly 40 sites around Windsor County this summer, fundraising has begun in earnest to purchase much-needed supplies and equipment. One of the resources is the Vermont Watershed Grant Program, which is funded exclusively from sales of the Conservation License Plate. Half of the revenue from the license plate goes to the Watershed Grant Fund with the other half going to the Non-Game Wildlife Fund.

Chester Townscape [CT] has released its selections for this year's Tree and Shrub Sale to support Townscape's public landscaping projects, such as the flowering planters and bridge boxes, as well as other seasonal decorations, that beautify public places around town. CT's annual Tree and Shrub Sale provides landowners with the opportunity to beautify their own properties with good-size, proven specimens at below regular retail prices while supporting a local civic project. The five specimens offered this year are a Korean Dogwood tree and four shrubs (Red Osier Dogwood, Dwarf Sweet Pepperbush, Ribbon Candy Azalea, and Doublefile Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake').

Tune in on February 25th from 7-8:30pm to an online webinar for a peek beneath the surface as Director of the Black River Action Team Kelly Stettner shares her experiences with "benthic macroinvertebrates," the very small critters living on the bottom of our streams and rivers. Discover how they give clues about stream health and water quality, meet a few up close and ask lots of questions!