The Virginia Museum of Natural History has received a $3,000 Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences mini-grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to create a demonstration site for best watershed management practices and education in J. Frank Wilson Park in Martinsville.

"We are excited and grateful for the support of DEQ to help us create this site in Wilson Park," said Dr. Dennis Casey, director of education and public programs at VMNH.  "The site and all related educational programming will be a fantastic addition to the park and for area residents."

The grant will help support museum staff involved in providing programs, administration, and ongoing support for the project.  The grant also provides funding for the supplies necessary to create the site and conduct programs, such as plants, water quality testing equipment, and building and digging supplies.

"The site will go a long way in helping the park not only act as a place for recreation, but also highlight the park as an educational asset for the community," Casey said.  "Because of the proximity of the park to the museum, VMNH continually utilizes the park for its daily educational programming and workshops.  The addition of this site will only help bolster the park's educational component."

With the addition of the watershed demonstration site, the museum will be able to conduct professional development workshops that will allow community educators and partners to explore the local watershed, factors affecting water quality, and the effects of erosion on land and water quality.  Similarly, the site will be used to provide extended learning experiences for area school students and serve as a place for student research of watersheds.

To help guide the project's development, a steering committee will be created with representatives from the museum and partnering organizations.  Represented organizations include Friends of Wilson Park, Martinsville Leisure Services, Martinsville Middle School, Patrick Henry Elementary School, and the Southwestern Piedmont chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists.'

"The community as a whole will benefit from this project," Casey said.  "Whether its through programs conducted by the museum or through the assistance of other natural resource agencies, the site will go a long way in promoting watershed management and education."