There are many good reasons to plant trees in our community and Arbor Day is a great time to volunteer with many planting events happening around town.

More Information: 
TVWA and partners (Georgeson Botanical Garden, the Bread Line, and Fairbanks Metropolitan Area Transportation System (now FAST)) received a grant from the Department of Natural Resources to demonstrate the importance of food forests for local food security to the community and to provide the Bread Line with locally grown food. We will also be distributing copies of the recently printed Green Infrastructure for Interior Alaska guide.

We will make a 9" x 13' alcohol ink painting on yupo paper. This technique uses vibrant color inks on a resistant background that allows the inks to flow and blend similar to water color. All supplies and templates included.

Cost: $45 includes all supplies, templates, drinks, and appetizers.

Tickets are on sale NOW and seating is limited!

The Tanana Valley Watershed Association and the US Fish and Wildlife Service invite you to the debut of the short film "Voices of the Chena."

When: Friday, August 26 from 7:30 to 9pm

Where: The Venue, 514 2nd Ave (Downtown Fairbanks)

Why: For the last 115 years, the Chena River has been at the heart of our community. This film explores that river, its importance to king salmon and ways we can take care of them both.

To RSVP - Go to our Facebook Event HERE
See both trailers for the film below:
Trailer #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40KxCBzZq68
Trailer #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efs3VMtMm9A

Downtown Fairbanks will host the 35th Midnight Sun Festival celebration on Father’s Day, June 19, from noon-midnight! As Alaska’s largest single-day event, the Festival attracts more than 30,000 people to downtown Fairbanks.

The Festival will feature more than 160 vendors offering a bevy of shopping and eating opportunities.

To learn more about this event - visit the Fairbanks Downtown Association Website.

http://www.downtownfairbanks.com/?page_id=741

12th annual Stream Cleanup in Fairbanks.
The Fairbanks Storm Advisory Committee is asking for help to clean trash and debris from Noyes Slough and the portion of the Chena River running through downtown. Activities begin at 9a.m. at the Lions Club Park off Danby Road. Volunteers will work on foot and from canoes. Several canoes will be available.

TVWA is hosting an Arbor Day event May 16 from 3pm - 7pm at the Big I, downtown along the Chena River.

This fun event will include a FREE educational workshop and installation project.  If you want to learn how to properly plant a tree to ensure a long lifespan or just want to learn more about riparian (river) habitat, then you won’t want to miss this!  We’ll provide basic instruction and we will be installing native trees, shrubs and flowers to re-vegetate this downtown streambank. Stay for the food, fun and other activities! More information to come in the next few weeks. Contact Laura at laura.tvwa@gmail.com if you want to sign up to help or learn more.

Have you heard of permeable pavers and interested in how you might use them on your property to address stormwater run off? Come and learn about two stormwater projects that the Tanana Valley Watershed Association (TVWA), the Department of Conservation (DEC), and the City of Fairbanks (COF) will be installing along Cushman Street this spring. 

Important Information

When: May 9th

9am-10am: Discussion: Learn about the process that TVWA went through for S Salon and Transit Park to develop stormwater fixes for these two sites. The focus will be on the use of permeable pavers, as Fairbanks Materials Inc. (FMI) will be there to introduce this type of paver and where you can use it.

10am - 4pm: Hands-on Workshop: Paver installation at S Salon and Transit Park on Cushman Street. Be prepared for digging and some lifting of pavers. Wear work clothes. All equipment will be provided. Space is limited for this part of the workshop, sign up fast!

Where: TVWA & S Salon
We'll begin at the TVWA's office for the lecture 516 2nd Ave Suite 412 on the 4th floor of the Lathrop Building. Then we will walk over to S Salon and Transit Park for the installations.

How can I sign up:
Please RSVP to the email address below and let us know whether you plan to only attend the lecture (9am to 10am) or want to stay for the whole workshop and installation (9 am to 4pm).

RSVP:  Space is limited so RSVP now!
Email laura.tvwa@gmail.com or call 907-374-8890

Snacks & beverages provided for those that stay for the installation. 

Wednesday Feb. 10, 2016 -- Noon to 1 PM

Networked Monitoring of Salmon Habitat Temperature: Two Case Studies From Southwestern Alaska
Bill Pyle (Kodiak NWR) & Sue Mauger (Cook InletKeeper)

In recognition of the importance of salmon to the economy and ecosystems of southwestern Alaska and the pervasive influence of water temperature on salmon, voluntary network-based water temperature monitoring programs were established in the Bristol Bay region and the Kodiak Archipelago in 2015.  These collaborative networks among federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations and Native Tribes aim to provide reliable time-series stream and lake temperature data to support development of proactive approaches to management of salmon in response to climate warming.  Collaborators are tackling the challenges of year-round field deployment, data management, data storage and sharing, and long-term funding.  Examples from Bristol Bay and Kodiak will be highlighted to identify successes and lessons learned to assist in the development of other regional networks across Alaska.

Join us:

• Anchorage: US Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Office, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Mary Smith Conference Room (2rd Floor)
• Fairbanks: US Fish & Wildlife Service Field Office, 101 12th Ave., Refuges Conference Room

Online

• Join WebEx meeting
• Meeting number: 746 506 741
• Meeting password: !WALcc2016
• Call-in (toll free): 1-866-730-5871
  • Pass code: 111 111 (US)

What: Call for Volunteers - Storm Drain Stenciling

When: Thursday - Sept 24th @ Noon, 2pm and 4pm

Why: Adopt A Stream#NoFilter Day

It's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3

1. RSVP with your time available to Bryn.TVWA@gmail.com
                  Time's available are noon, 2 pm or 4 pm

2. Show up at The Venue downtown on 2nd Avenue.

3. Stencil storm drains downtown during your scheduled time.

Space is limited - so please RSVP to Bryn. Thanks!
 

There is parking downtown at the Fairbanks parking garage - cost is $1 per hour.

What lives in the Chena River?  Come help us pull out a baited minnow trap and find out!  Learn about chinook salmon and other fish that live in the Chena River and help take water quality samples.  This event is free and open to the public.  All ages welcome!  Contact Bryn.tvwa@gmail.com to reserve your space.

Come learn about wildlife that makes its home along the Chena River.  We'll talk tracks, food, habits and habitat.  We'll spend time learning about water quality and sampling the Chena River as well.  This event is free and open to all ages.

RSVP to reserve your spot and learn about the meet up location: TVWatershed@gmail.com

What lives in the Chena River?  Come help us pull out a baited minnow trap and find out!  Learn about chinook salmon and other fish that live in the Chena River and help take water quality samples.  This event is free and open to the public.  All ages welcome!  Contact Bryn.tvwa@gmail.com to reserve your space.

Learn all about bugs that make their home in the riparian zones of the Chena River right outside our office.  We will be catching and identifying bugs and talking about how they live and what they mean to the ecosystem.  We'll also spend time learning about water quality.  This event is free and open to all ages.

Monthly Board Meetings are open to the public and you are encouraged to RSVP to account for any handouts and to make sure we inform you if for some reason there is a schedule/location change.

What lives in the Chena River?  Come help us pull out a baited minnow trap and find out!  Learn about chinook salmon and other fish that live in the Chena River and help take water quality samples.  This event is free and open to the public.  All ages welcome!  Contact Bryn.tvwa@gmail.com to reserve your space.

Learn about chinook of king salmon and how they use the Chena river right outside our window.   We'll spend the first hour learning about water quality and sampling the Chena and the next hour learning about the king of fish!  This event is free and open to all ages.

Citizen Science Showcase - Upward Bound Projects

Wednesday, July 1st - from 2pm - 4pm @ UAF in the Murie Building

Upward Bound - in partnership with University of Alaska Fairbanks, EPSCoR, and One Tree Alaska - TVWA would like to invite you to experience the Citizen Science Showcase created by Upward Bound students - stop in and check out their displays at our mini science fair.

About Upward Bound:

The goal of Upward Bound is to improve the graduation rates of high school students and increasing the number of graduates who enter colleges and universities. Upward Bound offers a six-week summer residential program held on the UAF campus. This summer students from all over Alaska have created presentations on the topics they learned during their stay in Fairbanks.

Presentations to include:

• A short film about the ecological and cultural importance of rivers
• Poster and model about storm water pollution
• Poster and model about fracking and water pollution
• Poster about litter in streams to oceans
• PowerPoint about water consumption and pollution
• Poster on invertebrates (6 groups chosen) found in Deadmans Slough
• Poster on invertebrates (6 different groups chosen) found in Deadman's Slough

We look forward to seeing you there!

UAF’s EPSCoR Sandbox Terrain On Display!

Augmented-reality sandbox brings topographical maps to life! A topographical map lays atop the sand, projected from above. As someone pushes the sand in the box up to form a large mound, it appears on the overlay like a large mountain. Creating an environment people can see for themselves to help connect the often confusing world of topographic maps. A hand held above eight inches above the sand is read as a cloud and begins dropping rain onto the landscape below. The valleys fill with virtual water and flow down from the top of the mountains in channels.in channels.

A fun, educational, nature-themed ¾ mile or 2-mile walk along the Chena River for kids ages toddler-middle school.  Featuring crafts, games, and activities hosted by 20 local organizations and businesses.  

Your Journey begins at the Carlson Center where you’ll pick up you map, waterbottle, tote bag and other goodies for the trip.  You then choose between two routes:  the Explorer loop goes ¾ mile from the Carlson Center through Pioneer Park and ends with a free ride on the train. It is intended for kids ages 2-6.  The Adventurer loop is 2 miles long and involves getting on a bus from Carlson Center to Morris Thompson Center and walking back to Carlson Center along the river.  This loop is intended for kids ages 7-12. Celebrate your successful adventure with snacks at the Carlson Center.

To learn more: http://www.tvwatershed.org/chena-riverwalk-event/

Come join us at  the Carlson Center for a summit focusing on the value of the Chena River, with experts providing facts related to the economics and river environment while stimulating conversations among the many community stakeholders; featuring a variety of sessions covering Critters, Habitat, Recreation, and Economics of the Chena River.

The Chinook Salmon Citizen Scientist (CSCS) program is a great way to actively participate as stewards in our watershed!  As a citizen scientist, learn more about Chinook salmon and the other fish that live in the Chena River!  Volunteer citizen scientists, both youth and adults, are able to get hands-dirty and collect several years of monitoring data to better understand  fish in the river!