The Nature Conservancy in Virginia

“Freshwater mussels are one of the things that make the Clinch such a special river system in the U.S. It’s got one of the highest concentrations of rare species, of any river in the U.S.,” says Brad Kreps, TNC's Clinch Valley Program Director. The Clinch River—one of the most ecologically unique rivers in the country—has been historically impacted by agriculture and coal mining, but efforts to clean up the area have helped the natural ecosystem rebound. In this story from Radio IQ/WVTF, listen to TNC's Braven Beaty, Brad Kreps and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Southwest VA Mussel Recovery Coordinator, Tim Lane talk about how mussels act as "nature's Brita filter" and how their ecosystem benefits. https://nature.ly/3L99lCN

Happy Fourth of July! 🎆 As we celebrate Independence Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate one of America’s most iconic symbols: the majestic bald eagle. 🦅 Once on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle has made a remarkable comeback thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. Bald eagles are year-round residents of Virginia and can be seen soaring over rivers, lakes, bays and estuaries. In fact, It's believed that the Chesapeake Bay once supported the densest population of bald eagles in the country. This particular bald eagle was spotted just a couple weeks ago by our STEP Land Stewardship intern and skilled photographer, Christopher Timothy, during a field trip to the VCU Rice Rivers Center! 📸 Christopher Timothy #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly

A new article from the Chesapeake Bay Journal features not one, but TWO of our Virginia staff members! As Virginia's offshore wind project makes progress 27 miles off the coast, TNC Marine Scientist Brendan Runde and Coastal Scientist Alex Wilke are leading long-term studies around fish and sea bird behavior. By bridging this knowledge gap, TNC aims to help inform future monitoring and environmental assessments for offshore wind. Read more about this first-of-its-kind research here: https://nature.ly/4bwwoSu

Are you passionate about conservation and knowledgeable about prescribed fire? Join TNC as the Appalachians Fire Director! 🔥 TNC’s North America Fire program and Appalachians program are working together to support prescribed fire teams across 18 states. As the Appalachians Fire Director, the position will lead our fire strategy team, aligning and elevating prescribed fire work across the Appalachians. As part of the role's ongoing professional development, the candidate is expected to maintain their own fire line qualifications and must be located in the Appalachians geography. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  To apply, visit nature.org/careers and enter the job ID: 55284.

Please join us in welcoming our new Director of Development, Bramble Klipple! 🎉 Bramble is a Virginia native and comes to TNC from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY, where she worked for the past nine years, most recently as Senior Director of Advancement guiding both fundraising and communications strategies. This is actually a welcome back to TNC for Bramble, as she worked in development and campaign positions out of TNC’s world office in Arlington between 2007-2015. Prior to that, she held various development communications, corporate and foundation relations roles at her alma mater, The College of William and Mary. Bramble enjoys camping and kayaking with her husband and has two grown children who reside in upstate New York. We are thrilled to have Bramble on board to help us meet our ambitious conservation goals in Virginia! 📸 Danny White/TNC

Happy #NationalCanoeDay! 🛶 We would like to give a huge shout-out to the folks who paddled with us at the Powell River float and cleanup event earlier this month! During the event, cohosted by Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Natural Heritage, 29 volunteers canoed down the Powell River for a 10-mile stretch between the Flanary Bridge and the Beach Grove Bridge in Southwest Virginia. Both of these public launches are brand new and built by Tennessee Valley Authority. The day ended with a haul of 26 tires, a small engine, a playhouse and even the remnants of a large Hot Wheels toy! Interested in volunteering to help Virginia's #GreatOutdoors? Head over to nature.org/vavolunteer to sign up for our summer cleanup days! Photos: Nick Proctor/TNC   #GreatOutdoorsVA #ExploreVirginia #GreatOutdoorsMonth #GetOutsideVA

Last month, Monarch Watch awarded TNC with 350 milkweed plugs, a wonderful species for all pollinators, but especially for the Monarch butterfly that migrates through Virginia every fall. 🦋 A team of six dedicated volunteers and two TNC staff members planted the milkweed across three locations in the Clinch watershed: the community of Dante, Bluebell Island, and the University of Virginia Oxbow Center in St. Paul. The work involved clearing surface vegetation, digging shallow holes, and planting the live milkweed plugs, setting the stage for a thriving new habitat. Our own Clinch Valley Community Outreach Manager, Nick Proctor, took an extra step to educate the public with informative signage (check out photo 5) that will hopefully lead to a higher survival rate for the milkweed. If you haven’t been to the beautiful Bluebell Island to hike and explore, here is another reason to visit! 🥾 Photos: Nick Proctor/TNC

Summer has officially arrived and we're celebrating with the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, the state insect of Virginia! Dive into this sunny season by getting outside and exploring all that Virginia's great outdoors has to offer. Spot something special? 🌾🐞 Snap a photo of any natural wonder that catches your eye and tag us in your adventure. Let’s fill this summer season with shared moments of awe! 📸🍃 Photo: Lauren Peeler Brice/TNC Photo Contest 2010 #GreatOutdoorsVA #FirstDayOfSummer #ExploreVirginia #GreatOutdoorsMonth #GetOutsideVA

No one is free until everyone is free. Today we observe #Juneteenth and commemorate the day in 1865 that the last remaining enslaved people in the United States found out they had been freed. Our mission to solve the planet’s greatest challenges depends on a future where people and nature thrive together. That means doing our part to ensure healthy lands and waters, providing safe access to the outdoors, and building communities where nature is an integral part of life. To learn more about the history of Juneteenth, visit: https://nature.ly/3z2n0Zm Photo: Wildflowers grow in a meadow in Southwest Virginia; Steven David Johnson

Did you know nearly 90% of the world’s flowering plants and 75% of our agricultural crops rely entirely or in part on animal pollination? Unfortunately, pollinators face many threats, including habitat loss, invasive species and the overuse and misuse of pesticides. June 17-23 is #PollinatorWeek, an annual celebration of the importance of bees, butterflies and the many other insects that keep our gardens abuzz with activity! 🐝 🦋 🌼 Explore eight great ways to help pollinators and other insects from your own backyard: https://nature.ly/4eqplxo Photo: Danae Wolfe/TNC