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Preparing for an Emergency: The Smart Thing to Do
Preparing for emergencies is not new. Your grandparents probably have extra supplies, such as: soap and shampoo in the bathroom closets, onions and potatoes stored in the basement, and canned goods on pantry shelves in their home. They understood the value of having a little extra on hand in case of emergencies.
May 11, 2020 3104-1590 (VCE-1020)
Facilitator’s Guidebook - 2018, Community-Based Food System Assessment and Planning Oct 25, 2018 3108-9029 (CV-88NP)
Assessing Community Needs for Child Care Mar 6, 2019 350-056
Urban Minority Youth Matters Jun 9, 2020 4H-910NP
Urban Stormwater: Terms and Definitions Jul 14, 2020 426-119 (BSE-268P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 2: Sheet Flow to Open Space
Sheet flow to open space (SOS) is a group of best management practices (BMPs) designed to disperse concentrated runoff to sheet flow into filter strips or a riparian buffer. An SOS reduces runoff volume and associated sediment and nutrients that are carried with it (see figure 1). It is used as a stormwater treatment practice in both urban and rural areas. This practice is often used after another treatment practice to disperse or eliminate runoff. In a few cases, an SOS can be used as a pretreatment to remove small amounts of sediment via a vegetated filter strip — prior to a bioretention device, for example.
Dec 4, 2019 426-121 (BSE-270P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 3: Grass Channels Dec 11, 2019 426-122 (BSE-271P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 4: Soil Restoration
Soil restoration (SR) is the technique of enhancing compacted soils to improve their porosity and nutrient retention. It includes biological (worms) and mechanical aeration, mechanical loosening (tilling), planting dense vegetation, and applying soil amendments. Soil amendments involve the spreading and mixing of mature compost into disturbed and compacted urban soils (see Figure 1).
Dec 11, 2019 426-123 (BSE-272P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 5: Vegetated Roofs
A vegetated roof (VR) is a best management practice (BMP) that reduces stormwater runoff and pollution. Vegetation and media create a permeable system on a previously impervious surface. The VR intercepts rainfall and filters runoff while reducing the volume and velocity. Vegetated roofs consist of a waterproofing barrier, drainage system, and engineered growing media. There are two types of VRs: intensive and extensive. Intensive vegetated roofs are deeper and heavier, while extensive vegetated roofs are shallower, lighter, and more common (see Figure 1). The type of VR determines the amount of maintenance necessary to maintain the vegetation.
Dec 11, 2019 426-124 (BSE-273P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 7: Permeable Pavement
Permeable pavement (PP) is a modified form of asphalt or concrete with a top layer that is pervious to water due to voids intentionally created during mixing. PPs include pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and interlocking concrete pavers. These materials are used as stormwater treatment practices in urban areas. They are used in place of traditionally impervious surfaces to allow infiltration and storage, thus reducing runoff (see figure 1).
Jan 22, 2020 426-126 (BSE-275P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 8: Infiltration Practices
Infiltration practices provide temporary surface and/or subsurface storage, allowing infiltration of runoff into soils. In practice, an excavated trench is usually filled with gravel or stone media, where runoff is stored in pore spaces or voids between the stones (see figure 1). These systems can reduce significant quantities of stormwater by enhancing infiltration, as well as provide filtering and adsorption of pollutants within the stone media and soils. Infiltration practices are part of a group of stormwater treatment practices, also known as best management practices (BMPs)
Dec 4, 2019 426-127 (BSE-276P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 10: Dry Swale
A dry swale (DS) is a shallow, gently sloping channel with broad, vegetated, side slopes. Water flow is slowed by a series of check dams (see figure 1). A DS provides temporary storage, filtration, and infiltration of stormwater runoff. Dry swales function similarly to bioretention, and are comparable to wet swales; however, unlike a wet swale, a DS should remain dry during periods of no rainfall. A DS is an engineered best management practice (BMP) that is designed to reduce pollution through runoff reduction and pollutant removal and is part of a site’s stormwater treatment practice (see figure 2).
Mar 5, 2020 426-129 (BSE-278P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 11: Wet Swale
A wet swale (WS) is an engineered, best management practice (BMP) arranged in a straight line that is designed to reduce stormwater pollution. A WS consists of a shallow, gently sloping channel with broad, vegetated, side slopes and slow flows (see figure 1). Wet swales typically stay wet because the bottom of the swale is below the water table. This is done to encourage the growth of wetland vegetation, providing water quality treatment similar to a natural wetland. This stormwater treatment practice also functions as part of the stormwater conveyance system. Wet swales have a relatively low capital cost; however, maintenance can be is intensive and expensive when compared to other BMPs.
Mar 5, 2020 426-130 (BSE-279P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 12: Filtering Practices
A stormwater filtering practice (FP) treats stormwater runoff by passing it through an engineered filter media consisting of either sand, gravel, organic matter, and/ or a proprietary manufactured product, collecting it in an underdrain, and then discharging the effluent to a stormwater conveyance system. FPs are stormwater treatment practices that are often obtained from the marketplace due to unique proprietary technologies (see figure 1).
Mar 5, 2020 426-131 (BSE-280P)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 14: Wet Ponds
Wet ponds are ponds designed to retain water through storage. They provide treatment through settling and biological uptake. They can also attenuate peak flows and provide flood and streambank protection. This fact sheet describes wet ponds and their benefits and limitations.
Jan 22, 2020 426-133 (BSE-282)
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 15: Extended Detention Ponds
Extended detention ponds (EDs) are dry detention ponds that provide 12 to 24 hours of runoff storage during peak runoff events (see figure 1). Releases from the ED ponds are controlled by an outlet structure. During a storm event, as the discharge restriction is reached, water backs up into the ED pond. The pool slows flow velocities and enables particulate pollutants to settle. Peak flows are also reduced. ED ponds have the lowest overall pollutant- removal rate of any stormwater treatment option, so they are often combined with other upstream, lowimpact development (LID) practices to better maximize pollutant-removal rates. Due to their placement at the exit point of the watershed, ED is often the last opportunity to treat stormwater before it is discharged to a stream. Because of its low treatment performance, an ED should be viewed as the treatment option of last resort.
Mar 6, 2020 426-134 (BSE-283P)
Powell River Project - Stabilizing Reclaimed Mines to Support Buildings and Development
This publication describes procedures for preparing mined lands to serve industrial sites by ensuring adequate geotechnical stability for that purpose, and for converting mined lands that were reclaimed for other purposes to industrial uses.
Jul 28, 2023 460-130 (CSES-214P)
Powell River Project - Reclaiming Mined Lands as Industrial Sites Jul 25, 2023 460-132 (CSES-217P)
Virginia Master Naturalist Brochure
The Virginia Master Naturalist program is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.
Jun 7, 2023 465-300 (CNRE-171NP)
Extension Leadership Councils: Planning for Success Feb 27, 2019 490-394 (VCE-973P)
Facilitation Series: Parliamentary Procedure Aug 3, 2023 AAEC-145NP (AAEC-321NP)
Understanding and Utilizing Data Sep 20, 2018 AAEC-158NP
Growing Local Economies through Entrepreneurship: A Guide for Community Leaders Dec 19, 2018 AAEC-165NP
Connecting to Economic Development Resources: A Guide for Virginia Entrepreneurs Jan 22, 2020 AAEC-210NP
Creating Websites to Support Entrepreneurship: Insights from SourceLink Virginia Feb 24, 2020 AAEC-212NP
State Agency COVID-19 Resources for Community and Economic Development Apr 23, 2020 AAEC-220NP
A Model of Leader Development Across the Lifespan
A survey by the Center for Public Leadership suggests that despite some Americans’ belief that “our leaders are effective and do a good job,” 69 percent of Americans believe there is a leadership crisis (Rosenthal 2012, p. 1). Extension is well-positioned to address this need for leader development due to our role in developing and delivering leadership programs that serve youth, college-aged students, and adults. Even still, practitioners are desperately trying to respond to this crisis with deliberate and appropriately planned leadership development programming (Murphy and Johnson 2011).
Apr 13, 2021 ALCE-104P (ALCE-241P)
Virginia Cooperative Extension Onboarding 2021 Survey Findings Dec 21, 2021 ALCE-278NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mid-Career Focus Group Findings- Competencies Dec 22, 2021 ALCE-287NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mid-Career Focus Group Findings – Professional Development Organizations Apr 5, 2022 ALCE-292NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mid-Career Focus Group Findings – Onboarding and Mentoring Mar 24, 2022 ALCE-293NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mid-Career Focus Group Findings – Needs Assessment Mar 24, 2022 ALCE-294NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mid-Career Focus Group Findings – Organizational Support and Effectiveness May 2, 2022 ALCE-295NP (ALCE-298NP)
The Virginia Tech – U.S. Forest Service May 2016 Housing Commentary: Section I
In May, aggregate housing data was mixed; with new single-family housing exhibiting declines in permits, starts, spending, and sales. Month-over-month data were lackluster as well, with the exception being total housing completions. Year-over-year total housing permits and completions are now negative. Regionally, data were mixed across all sectors. From the depths of 2009, housing has improved; yet, most sectors of the housing market remain well less than their respective historical averages.
Jul 14, 2016 ANR-213NP
How Do Stream Buffers Reduce the Offsite Impact of Pollution? Oct 31, 2022 BSE-38NP (BSE-216NP)
Denitrification Management Feb 28, 2023 BSE-54P (BSE-347P)
Denitrifying Bioreactors: An Emerging Best Management Practice to Improve Water Quality
Denitrifying bioreactors (DNBRs) are an alternative best management practice (BMP) that can reduce the amount of nitrogen reaching surface waters. DNBRs function by supporting soil microorganisms that are capable of denitrification in a favorable environment.
Dec 8, 2023 BSE-55P (BSE-354P)
The Virginia Tech – U.S. Forest Service September 2017 Housing Commentary: Section I Dec 13, 2017 CNRE-1NP
The Virginia Tech – U.S. Forest Service October 2017 Housing Commentary: Section I Jan 4, 2018 CNRE-3NP
The Virginia Tech – U.S. Forest Service October 2017 Housing Commentary: Section II Jan 4, 2018 CNRE-4NP
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: Insurance Factsheet Jun 15, 2018 CV-16NP (CV-87NP)
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: How Much Liability Insurance Coverage Should I Have? Jun 15, 2018 CV-17NP (CV-84NP)
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: Conducting the Liability Assessment Jun 15, 2018 CV-18NP (CV-83NP)
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: Questions to Ask when compairing insurance coverage Jun 15, 2018 CV-19NP (CV-85NP)
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: Virginia Attorneys: Members of the American Agricultural Law Association Feb 23, 2021 CV-20NP (AAEC-280NP)
Managing Liability May 31, 2018 CV-25P
MANAGING LEGAL LIABILITY SERIES: Sources of Insurance Jun 15, 2018 CV-26NP (CV-86NP)
Virginia Farm to Table: Healthy Farms and Healthy Food for the Common Wealth and Common Good Aug 29, 2018 CV-3 (SPES-27P)
Community Engagement
A local leader, public official, or planner generates an idea and prepares to launch it into action. It soon becomes clear that a key ingredient is missing: the support and ideas of the impacted community. This scenario is not uncommon and is often associated with a plan that will fail.
May 26, 2020 CV-38P
Facilitating Community, Local, and Regional Food Systems Jun 10, 2019 SPES-144NP
VCE Situational Analysis Checklist Feb 17, 2023 VCE-1049NP
Food Deserts in Virginia
In 2012, Delegate Delores McQuinn introduced House Joint Resolution 88 and then in 2013 reintroduced House Joint Resolution 646 to request that the Virginia General Assembly review the issue of food deserts in Virginia. The Honorable William Howell, Speaker of the House of Delegates of the Virginia General Assembly, commissioned Alan Grant, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, and Jewel Hairston, dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University, to conduct a study of food deserts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Jul 10, 2019 VCE-294
Basic First-Aid Supplies
Being Prepared helps families alleviate fears and reduce potential losses related to disasters. In the event of emergencies or disasters, injured people need to receive help within the first hour of the incident. Often family members and co-workers are the initial first responders. First-aid kits are a necessity for attending to victims and should be kept in homes, vehicles, schools and workplaces.
May 8, 2020 VCE-409NP
Biological & Chemical Terrorism
Terrorism is the use of force or violence against people or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion or ransom.
May 7, 2020 VCE-410NP
Child Emergency Preparedness
Children and Disasters: Disasters can leave children feeling frightened, confused and insecure. Children may respond to disaster by demonstrating fears, sadness or behavioral problems. Younger children may return to earlier behavior patterns, such as bedwetting, sleep problems and separation anxiety. Older children also may display anger, aggression, school problems or withdrawal. Some children who have only indirect contact with the disaster but witness it on television also may develop distress. Whether a child has personally experienced trauma, has merely seen the event on TV or has heard it discussed by adults, parents and teachers should be informed and ready to help if reactions to stress begin to occur.
May 8, 2020 VCE-411NP
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are sudden slips along a geological fault and the resulting ground shaking and radiated seismic energy caused by the slip or by volcanic activity or other sudden stress changes in the earth.
May 8, 2020 VCE-412NP
Floods
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. A flood is defined as any high flow, overflow or inundation by water that causes or threatens damage. Flood effects can be local, impacting a neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states. Each year coastal, estuarine, riverine, overland and flash flooding places thousands of people, pets and livestock at risk of serious injury and death, and destroys property and infrastructure costing valued at billions of dollars.
May 7, 2020 VCE-413NP
Pet Preparedness
Pets often are an important part of people’s lives. If you are like many animal owners, your pet is an important member of your family. The likelihood that you and your animals will survive emergencies or disasters such as a fire, earthquake, flood, tornado or terrorist attack depends largely on emergency planning. Because animals can influence a person’s decision to take protective actions, understand how to manage animals in emergencies.Create fear among the public.
May 8, 2020 VCE-414NP
Tornadoes
Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air with circulation that reaches the ground. Tornadoes usually start as a funnel cloud and are accompanied by a loud, roaring noise.
May 7, 2020 VCE-415NP
Preparing for an Emergency: Make a Family Emergency Kit
Preparing for emergencies is not new. Your grandparents probably have extra supplies, such as: soap and shampoo in the bathroom closets, onions and potatoes stored in the basement, and canned goods on pantry shelves in their home. They understood the value of having a little extra on hand in case of emergencies. All states and counties have experienced disasters. Virginian’s have experienced ice storms, thunder storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and power outages. It is wise to be prepared for the unexpected.
May 22, 2020 VCE-486NP (VCE-1021NP)