June 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 69

NRPA Staff Celebrate Earth Week
By Danielle Taylor

s outlined in the April issue of Parks & Recreation Magazine, NRPA
staff organized a full week packed with events to celebrate Earth Day
and give back to our natural environment (www.parksandrecreation.
org/2014/April/NRPA-Staff-Plan-Earth-Week). Planned and executed by the
NRPA's newly formed Green Team, the goal of the week was to encourage
staff to take the extra step in terms of conservation and Earth-friendly practices.

NRPA staff members pitched in at Banshee
Reeks Nature Preserve on Earth Day.

The week kicked off Monday,
April 21, with a Zero-Waste Lunch
on the patio behind the association's
headquarters. Prior to this event, the
Green Team provided tips for how
to prepare a trash-free lunch (pack
a cloth napkin, buy snacks in bulk
and pack them in reusable containers, eat snacks [like fruit] that come
in their own biodegradable containers, etc.). During the lunch, Green
Team members spoke with others at
their tables about plans for the rest
of the week. Zero waste was created by participating members, and a
staff survey reported an overall 37
percent decline in waste from the
previous week.

On Tuesday, April 22, 22 staff members trekked out to Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, operated by Loudoun
County Parks, Recreation and Community Services and supported by the
Friends of Banshee Reeks, to provide
volunteer landscaping and trail maintenance. Accomplishments included
loading and moving approximately 100
junipers to prepare for mulching, removing invasive plants and weeds from
several gardens, conducting almost two
miles of trail maintenance and more.
Park Manager Ron Circe' followed up
to express his thanks for the volunteer
efforts and his appreciation to meet so
many NRPA staffers who " walk the
walk " as well as " talk the talk. "

Wednesday, April 23, was Staff
Carpool Day, and three carpools
were organized that reduced the
number of individual trips staffers
took to the office. This opened up
several successful discussions for future carpools and provided the association with extra points toward the
2014 Loudoun County Green Business Challenge.
On Thursday, April 24, staffers
spent time out on the trails surrounding NRPA's headquarters, cleaning
up trash, planting 26 new trees and
shrubs, and installing new bluebird
boxes. The cleaned-up trails will offer
an improved user experience for the
many staff and community members
who walk the paths each day, and the
new plants will provide local wildlife
with new sources of food and shelter.
The week wrapped up Friday,
April 25, with a presentation on
creating healthy landscapes using
native species by Gem Bingol, field
officer with the Piedmont Environmental Council. The Green Team
provided a Low-Waste Lunch for
the staff and shared plans for future
conservation measures at NRPA,
including the installation of a community garden and a wildflower/
butterfly garden.
All in all, it was a successful week,
and the Green Team looks forward
to making continued progress at
NRPA in the future. If you'd like to
share your Earth Week events, contact Danielle Taylor at the email address below.
Danielle Taylor is the Senior Editor of Parks
& Recreation Magazine (dtaylor@nrpa.org).

W W W. N R PA . O R G | J U N E 2 0 1 4 |

Parks & Recreation

June 2014 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2014 - Parks & Recreation