For information contact: Elenor Hodges 703-228-6427

EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN FOUR MILE RUN TO BE ANNOUNCED
-- new program will raise awareness about stream protection --

Arlington, VA – The recipients of a Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grant are gathering at Benjamin Banneker Park on Four Mile Run to announce a new education initiative during "An Evening on Four Mile Run." The announcement will take place on Wednesday, July 31, at 7:00 p.m. Benjamin Banneker Park is located at 1701 N. Van Buren Street in Arlington. Officials from the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, and the City of Falls Church have been invited to take part in the award ceremony. Members of the public are welcome.

The Four Mile Run watershed education program, which will begin this fall, will raise awareness within the watershed about ways to protect our valuable stream resources. The initiative is a partnership between Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and Global Action Plan. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is awarding the grant for $49,200.

“Through this project, we hope to empower those living in the Four Mile Run watershed to change their behavior to enhance this valuable stream resource," said Aileen Winquist, an environmental planner with Arlington County.

Activities on July 31 will include a volunteer work project to water newly planted trees, demonstrations of Arlington County's water quality monitoring program, and an overview of a stream restoration project in the park planned for this fall. Staff will be on hand to explain the components of the new education initiative and ways people can get involved in their neighborhood.