[Durham INC] A reminder about ECWA's year end campaign. Oh, and Happy Holidays, Y'all

Tue Dec 28 13:40:35 EST 2021

Happy holidays everyone,
I hope that you will consider making a donation to ECWA.

Bonita

Just a quick note saying I hope you will consider contributing before Jan.
31st  (and ideally before Dec. 31st) so we can meet (and hopefully exceed)
our end of year campaign drive here at ECWA. It’s been a really productive
year and we’re setting ourselves up for an even better 2022 in terms of
acres conserved, amount of green infrastructure installed, and community
engagement, among other things.  You can contribute at
www.ellerbecreek.org/donate and we have options to contribute by mail,
online, via stock donations, and over the phone). I am away from Dec. 25th
to January 8, so please contact our Associate Director Rachel at
rachel at ellerbecreek.org if you have any questions while I’m away. Thanks!

And of course hoping you have a great New Year!   See below for our update
from last week on the campaign.

Rickie

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Join ECWA's Annual Campaign To Raise $105,000 to Protect Urban Nature

*Help Us Reach Our Goal by Jan 31!*

<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/219733b5ca>[image:
EOY Treemometer showing we're getting close to our campaign goal]
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/219733b5ca>
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/219733b5ca>

Thank you to all who have made contributions to our annual campaign! As of
today, 272 people have contributed a total of $77,763.

Your contributions help us protect areas of nature in urban Durham. We
believe that everyone deserves convenient access to nature. That's why we
work together to make sure that ECWA's five public nature preserves are
places to renew and reflect outdoors, right in the heart of Durham's urban
neighborhoods!

You can make a contribution today by clicking the "Donate" button below.

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<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/fef9e51626>

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ECWA Protects Key Conservation PropertyAbout the Harrington Property

[image: Two trees and a dirt path]To protect the tributary streams and
floodplains flowing into lower Ellerbe Creek, ECWA purchased this
strategically-located 2-acre property from Douglas Harrington, a long-time
City of Durham employee who has cared for the property since 1999. Mr.
Harrington was happy that the property would be permanently conserved by
ECWA.

Though small, the Harrington property has lots of conservation value.  More
than half of the property lies within a 100-year floodplain along a
tributary stream that flows north into the Falls Lake Tributaries and
Shorelines Natural Heritage Area. According to neighbors, the creek used to
be dammed by beavers, providing a pond large enough to be a good fishing
spot for the local community.

[image: harrington property map]The regional Eno-New Hope Landscape
Conservation Plan identifies this as an important habitat corridor with the
potential to connect Veasey Farm Nature Preserve with thousands of acres of
high quality habitat around Falls Lake Reservoir.  The project also
provides road access to a previously difficult-to-access portion of the
Veasey Farm Nature Preserve, which will help ECWA manage the preserve.

The City of Raleigh’s Watershed Protection fund provided a critical grant
to protect the property based on its importance for Falls Lake’s water
quality. The Triangle Community Foundation provided a transaction grant to
support the project.

This effort was led by Chris Dreps, ECWA's Land Protection Director. To
learn more, contact Chris at chris at ellerbecreek.org.
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ECWA's First Water BlitzA Watershed-Wide Creek Site Survey

[image: Two people doing water sampling in a creek]As a part of a
collaborative project from Duke Bass Connections called "A City and Its
River: Durham’s Ellerbe Creek Watershed
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/c0507482f2>",
we conducted a Water Blitz, a watershed-wide survey of many creek sites
throughout the watershed (including Ellerbe, Goose, and South Ellerbe
Creeks), within a single day while the creek was a normal flow. This
endeavor was led by Steve Anderson, ECWA's Watershed Data and Monitoring
Coordinator.

An important component of this project involved EWCA, and NCCU and Duke
River Center researchers to identify sampling locations throughout Ellerbe
Creek Watershed where ECWA and local researchers can take frequent water
samples to analyze water chemistry (like nutrients, salts, and E. Coli) to
identify areas in our watershed that may have sewer leaks, crumbling
infrastructure, or be good candidates for concentrating efforts with local
partners to invest in stormwater control measures installations (like rain
gardens, cisterns, and bioretention ponds for example).

In addition to painting a better picture of where water quality is most
concerning, or is doing well, ECWA’s primary goal for identifying these
creek sites is to connect and engage with residents who see declining
conditions in and around the creek, and want to be Creek Watchers
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/5d7b00be38>
- a community-led participatory research program - and log observations of
pollution or nearby urban flooding events that impact their neighbors'
everyday lives.

We will be offering trainings and stipends for individuals to participate
in our Creek Watchers Program in 2022. To learn more about how to join the
Creek Watchers program, email Steve at steveanderson at ellerbecreek.org.
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One Workday Wednesday Left!

*Last Workday Wednesday | Wednesday, Dec 22 from 9:30-Noon*

[image: People going to cut vines in a vineyard]

Join the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA) for our final Workday
Wednesday
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/737b33817b>!
We
will practice social distancing, but masks are required if unvaccinated.
Don't forget to bring a water bottle and snacks! If you are interested,
please make sure to RSVP for a workday
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/1f7f3acec0>
.
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ECWA Members Get Rewarded with Discounted Classes!

The Piedmont Naturalist Series, co-sponsored by Duke Gardens, Ellerbe Creek
Watershed Association, and Triangle Land Conservancy, seeks to connect
natural sciences and social sciences with programs in ecology, cultural
uses and the relationship between our choices and environmental health.

The classes this winter include the list below. Registration is available
at Duke Gardens Winter 2022 Adult Programs
<https://cts.vresp.com/c/?EllerbeCreekWatershe/a599ace59f/064682a803/629c106e73>.
You can see just these programs if you sort by category "Piedmont
Naturalist Series."

For each class in the series (listed below), ECWA members receive a *20%
discount* at registration with the code "*Ellerbe2022*".

A New Look At Plants | A two-class series on Tuesdays, Jan 25 and Feb 1
from 7-8 PM

In this class, you will look at plants with fresh eyes, stepping away from
describing them in human terms and seeing the wonders of plants more fully.

*Class format:* Small group program size to encourage interaction

*Fee**:* $30

*GREEN LIFE: Plant Adaptations | A three-class series on Thursdays, Jan
27-Feb 10 from 7-8:30 PM*

Join us for a lively look at how plants both respond to and shape their
physical and biological environments.

*Class format:* Small group program size to encourage interaction

*Fee**:* $49

*BE A SCIENCE PARTNER: Community Science Project Review | Tuesday, Feb 8
from 7-8 PM*

They will discuss the goals and methods of community science and then
review a number of projects that may interest you.

*Fee**:* $6

*THE LIVING SOIL | A two-class series on Thursdays, Feb 10 and Feb 17 from
3-4:30 PM*

We will discuss how to assess your soil, how to feed soil and encourage
soil microorganisms, and how to continue improving soil using the natural
systems that make life possible for all.

*Fee**:* $30

*FIRE ECOLOGY | A four-class series on Thursdays, Feb 17-Mar 10 from 7-8:30
PM*

You will be taken through the history of landscape fires in America,
describing its role in shaping the landscape and what happened once fire
was controlled and no longer a force in the landscape.

*Fee**:* $59

*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | Tuesday, Feb 22 from 7-8 PM*

This session will provide an overview of the history of environmental
racism and injustice, a summary of the activist response, and spin offs
within the environmental justice movement.

*Fee**:* $9

*SPECIAL EVENT - CLIMATE CHANGE and COMMUNITY ACTION: Panel Discussion |
Thursday, Jan 27 from 7-8 PM*

Join us to hear from Duke University students, Renata Kamakura and Jon
Choi, about their work with the Sunrise Movement, a youth movement seeking
to stop climate change. They will be joined by faculty members Ryke
Longest, Nancy McLean and Megan Mullin.

*Fee:* Free, registration required
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Support ECWA

The Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association has big plans for protecting more
land, continuing to restore native habitat and water quality, and making
urban nature accessible to all in downtown Durham.

Be part of our vision by making a tax-deductible donation today.

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Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association
P.O. Box 2679
Durham, North Carolina 27715
US

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-- 
be a kind human
Bonita Green
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