LRNow

This time of year, gardens are like gas stations but they are serving up high-octane nectar instead of gas to fuel monarch butterflies on their migration south to Mexico.

It's important to keep gardens going through the fall to help critters of all kinds with food and shelter.

See more in Nature Notes: https://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/naturenotes/monarchs-on-the-move-depend-on-virginia-beach-gardens-to-refuel/

What happens when the National Charity League Seashell Sisters Class of 2032 combines creativity with community service? Beautiful things grow. 🐚🌳

These dedicated volunteers have handcrafted tree bracelets to support the LRNow Kenneth Greif Tree Fund. With a $20 donation, you'll receive a bracelet as a thank-you while helping fund trees that will benefit our community for years to come.

A bracelet on your wrist. A tree in our future. 💚

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Elder folks and elder trees!

A group from Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay Retirement Community recently joined LRNow for a special notable tree tour as part of our U.S. 250th anniversary celebration.

Thank you to Janet Pawlukiewicz for sending us this great photo of everyone in front of an impressive southern red oak!

Please join us in welcoming LRNow's new Pearl Home Manager, Lauren Kenison!

Lauren grew up in Virginia Beach and recently graduated from the College of William & Mary, where she double majored in Environmental Policy and Public Health. Her studies explored the connections between environmental protection and human health, including how clean waterways, healthy ecosystems, and local communities contribute to overall well-being. Lauren is passionate about environmental education and helping communities make sustainable choices.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her dogs and going birdwatching. She is excited to work with Pearl Homes and Neighborhoods residents to help protect Virginia Beach’s waterways for future generations.

The Tree of Life is alive, decorated with hand made ornaments, and ready for its grand reveal from 6 to 8 tonight at the Virginia Beach Art Center!🌳

Come join LRNow as they partner with the art Center’s Love Our Earth exhibit during October. The event is free and open to the public.🌎

🗓Friday, Oct. 2
⏰6 to 8 p.m., awards at 7 p.m.
📍Virginia Beach Art Center, 532 Virginia Beach Blvd.

P.S. See if you can spot any of the origami animals that LRNow volunteers made at our workshop last Saturday!

Tomorrow afternoon, LRNow's Dylan Mason will be on a panel discussing how environmental networks all over the world are responding to the issue of seabed mining, and you can join!

🌊This virtual event is part of The Hope Summit's conference and is called "Many Waters, One Movement: Seabed Mining, Resistance and Solidarity."

🗓Friday, Oct. 2
⏰1 - 3 p.m.
🔗https://soalliance.zoom.us/meeting/register/hXjsg4ACT2-ImFoZIoBwtw #/registration

Participants on LRNow's Central Notable Tree tour last weekend gather under a southern red oak near Oceana.

One more Notable Tree tour to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary will be held in the southern part of the city on Oct. 17. Find out more here: https://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/events/southern-virginia-beach-notable-tree-tour/

One day recently, this bright black swallowtail caterpillar turned into this chrysalis that looks like nothing more than a dried-up leaf on a dead stem.

Gardens all over the beach are full of life despite their messy drought-stricken appearance. Hold off on weeding or get a few suggestions in Nature Notes to take care of the chrysalises, flower seeds and other good things in your garden.

www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/naturenotes

Tonight!

📢 Public Comment Opportunity: Atlantic Menhaden Draft Addendum II

Public hearings are currently underway for Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. Check out the Atlantic Menhaden Action Tracker for more information, including the public hearing schedule, public comment submission instructions, and action development timeline.

The Draft Addendum considers:
• Reducing the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishery cap by up to 50%
• Creating quota periods to distribute harvest under the cap more evenly throughout the fishing season

🎥 Can’t attend a scheduled public hearing? A pre-recorded version of the public hearing presentation is available to learn more about the development of Draft Addendum II, proposed management options, and how to submit public comment.

The public comment period is open through 11:59 PM (EST) on October 9, 2026. Comments can be submitted at public hearings, through the online public comment form or survey, or by mail or email. All forms of public comment are equally valued. ASMFC strongly encourages use of the public comment survey, which allows participants to select their preferred options in the Draft Addendum and provide additional open-ended comments.

🔎 Explore the Atlantic Menhaden Action Tracker: https://asmfc.org/actions/atlantic-menhaden-draft-addendum-ii/

📄 Review the full Draft Addendum II: https://asmfc.org/resources/management-actions/draft-addendum-ii-to-amendment-3-to-the-interstate-fishery-management-plan-for-atlantic-menhaden-for-public-comment/

📝 Complete the public comment survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6M9XTRT

🎥 Watch the pre-recorded public hearing presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh4Mmcn1QDE See less

Our October bird walk is coming up this Saturday!🍂🐦🦆

We are back to starting at 7:30 a.m. now that sunrise is getting later. Come join LRNow and the Virginia Beach Audubon Society for a fun morning out in nature observing birds and other wildlife.

📍Meet at the Brock Environmental Center
🗓Saturday, Oct. 3
⏰7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
🔗https://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/events/october-bird-walk/