ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES:

COMMUNITY FIRST

1Chesapeake Watershed Forum

Monica Billger, Northern Virginia Advocacy Manager

11/3/2018

FACES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM

2Know thyself. Be aware of your public face.

3

Community Lens:

Addressess Barriers

- Other priorities

- Lack of knowledge

- Lack of resources

- Lack of access

- Lack of interest

- “not my problem”

- Competing Interests

- Gatekeepers

- TRUST

ENJOY • LEARN • PROTECT

4

PROTECTING NATURE

5

ANS IMPACT

Saving Dyke Marsh

Holding Back Disney

Protecting Tysons Streams

Restoring Fairfax Watersheds

PROTECTING COMMUNITIES

6

OUR IMPACT

Protecting Streams

Restoring Watersheds

* Realizing the Environmentalist Role

as an Essential Community Partner

#1 IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET COMMUNITY

- WHERE - WHO - WHY -

#2 IDENTIFY YOUR GATEWAY PARTNER(S)

- TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNER (S)

#3 DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS/AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT!

- WHO: COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INDIVIDUALS/LEADERS, ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC /PRIVATE PARTNERS

- HOW: PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL MEETINGS & EVENTS, DEVELOP ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, *LISTENING SESSION(S),

*FUN HANDS-ON ACTIVITY, DO SOMETHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

#4 ACHIEVE SHORT TERM GOALS/DEVELOP LONG TERM VISION

- $$$ FULFILL GRANT OBLIGATIONS - SET UP FOR FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES $$$

#5 MAINTAIN PARTNERSHIP(S) OR CHECK-IN7

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

LITTLE HUNTING CREEK (3.1 MILE TIDAL TRIBUTARY OF THE

POTOMAC) IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERELY DEGRADED

STREAMS IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. IN 2007, IT WAS NAMED

“FAIRFAX COUNTY’S TRASHIEST STREAM”

OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS VOLUNTEERS HAVE REMOVED:

• 186+ SHOPPING CARTS

• 450+ BAGS OF TRASH

• 50+ TIRES

• OVER A DOZEN BIKES

• MULTIPLES CAR SEATS, A .22 CALIBER-HUNTING RIFLE., A

BATHTUB, AND A BOUNCE HOUSE (AMONG OTHER ITEMS)

8

#1 Community

9

10

C e n s u s Tr a c t N u m b e r 4215 4156

L i f e E x p e c t a n c y ( y e a r s ) 78 84

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F P E R S O N S

Race   / ethnicity

Immigration status

Education

White (%) 18.2 95.7

Black (%) 24.3 0

Hispanic (%) 46.1 1.1

Foreign born (%) 44.2 10.7

Citizenship since 2000 (%) 39.2 27.1

No more than high school (%) 26.6 5.8

High school or higher (%) 70.7 97

Bachelors' degree or higher (%) 22.1 79.4

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F H O U S E H O L D S

h eads of household

Economic status

Married couple (%) 70.6 95.1

Female-headed household (%) 24.2 3.7

Median household income ($) 45,572 163,750

Below poverty level (%) 18.6 0

Below poverty level, under age 18 (%) 26 0

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F N E I G H B O R H O O D S

Local housing

Crime

Median home value ($) 238,200 796,200

Vacant homes (%) 5.8 0.9

Total arrests (Apr 1, 2015 – Apr 1, 2016) 520 35

Assaults 97 1

Sex offenses 9 1

Robbery, burglary, larceny 315 9

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2009 American Community Survey 5-Year

Estimates, generated using American FactFinder; <http://factfinder2.census.gov>. Fairfax County Police

(http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/policeevents/)

Figure 5. Hybla Valley (census tract 4215) and Fort Hunt (census tract 4156) in Fairfax County

11

#2 GATEWAY PARTNER(S)

12

Good Shepherd Catholic Church

IT’S NOT EASY FITTING IN RIGHT AWAY…

13

OPPORTUNITY

•ALEXANDRIA SOUTH ROTARY CLUB

•AUDUBON NATURALISTS SOCIETY

•BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH

•CAPITAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

•COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD

•CPDC/STONY BROOK

•DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES - NEIGHBORHOOD

NETWORKS

•DESTINY TEMPLE OF FAITH

•CREEKSIDE, SACRAMENTO, STONY BROOK COMMUNITY

CENTERS

•FACETS

•FAIRFAX COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

•FAIRFAX COUNTY LIBRARY

•FAIRFAX COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY

SERVICES

•FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE

•FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER OF SOUTH COUNTY

•FIRST AME CHURCH

•GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC CHURCH

•GOOD SHEPHERD HOUSING

•OFFICE FOR CHILDREN - NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL

READINESS TEAM

•RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES: AUDOBON ESTATES AND

14

15

#3 Authentic ENGAGEMENT

16

“…In July 2016, the Fairfax Board of Supervisors and School

Board join in this resolution and direct the development of a

racial and social equity policy for adoption and strategic

actions to advance opportunities and achieve equity that include

intentional collective leadership, community engagement, equity

tools and infrastructure to support and sustain systemic

changes, and shared accountability so collectively, we will

realize “One Fairfax,” a community where everyone can

participate and prosper.”

ONE FAIRFAX

PROTECTING COMMUNITIES

17

#4 ACHIEVING GOALS: COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT

SHORT TERM – LONG TERM

• SMALL SCALE STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS

• CLEAN-UP, NATIVE PLANTING

• ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE COMMUNITY TABLE

• LAND USE DECISIONS

• PREVENT FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT

PRECEDENT

• ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION

• WATER FORUM

• LARGE SCALE STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS

• 250+ TREE & BUSH PLANTING

• REPLICABLE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM

• ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE POLICY TABLE

• BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN

• ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

• ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY

• LAND USE DECISIONS

• REVITALIZATION ZONE

18

#5 MAINTAINING A PRESENCE

• MORE LISTENING!!!!!

• NETWORKING

• STEWARDSHIP

• NATURE ENGAGEMENT

• CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

• ENGAGEMENT!

• SOCIAL MEDIA/COMMUNICATION

• RESOURCE19

20

Securing a bright future for

people and the environment –

TOGETHER!

Monica Billger

Northern Virginia Advocacy Manager

Monica.billger@anshome.org

571-278-5535

http://anshome.org/