Kingston Chase Home Owners Association
|
|
 |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Conservation Corps
♦ Do you enjoy gardening? ♦ Do you want to be a more eco-conscious homeowner? ♦ Do you enjoy seeing your children learn about nature? Then this Kingston Chase initiative might be for you!
An enthusiastic group of homeowners came together on January 16 for the kickoff meeting of the Kingston Chase Conservation Corps. It was inspiring to hear homeowners express their dedication to making Kingston Chase an even more attractive place to live. Each person had a unique vision for our neighborhood, reflecting a range of interests and impact -- from beautifying their own yard to cleaning up Folly Lick Stream, from installing rain barrels at home to establishing recycling at the pool, from putting up a bat house in the back yard for mosquito control to educating families about wildlife in the neighborhood, from assisting infirm homeowners with yard care to establishing a presence at Clearview Elementary School.
For more information about the Conservation Corps, contact Jane Hampson at 703-481-7903 or at conservation@kchoa.org.
Adopt-A-Storm-Drain
The Conservation Corps is implementing an Adopt-A-Storm-Drain program in Kingston Chase. The club has labelled all the storm drains in the neighborhood, alerting residents that these points of entry ultimately make it their way into a local stream, in our case the Folly Lick Branch of Sugarland Run, which feeds into the Potomac River, and eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay. This means that pet wastes, yard debris, fertilizer, motor oil, pesticides and trash all have the potential to flow into the Bay. Most of the trash removed from Folly Lick Branch during the recent stream cleanup was trash that washed down the storm drains. Contact the Conservation Corps for more information or to adopt a drain.
Living With Our Wild Neighbors During the August meeting of the Conservation Corps, recent wildlife sightings were reported of a raccoon, foxes, deer, a hawk, and a family of Bard Owls. These join our many resident rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels! We welcome these harbingers of a healthy natural environment. We also recognize that some of us are more comfortable than others with the proximity of wild animals. To prevent unwanted encounters, follow these tips:
* Keep trash cans securely covered until trash day, or pour ammonia or pepper in them to discourage foraging. * Keep animals out of attics by trimming tree limbs and plants away from roofs and foundation walls. * Fence off or seal spaces under decks and porches. * Keep compost piles well away from the house. Use compost containers that are closed, but vent. * Make sure chimney caps are tight. * Repair rotted-out wood under eaves promptly. * Repair or replace attic vents if needed.
If you have a problem with wild animals, call the State Game Warden at 540-899-4169. Emergency situations that involve sick or injured wildlife or immediate public safety risks by prime vectors of rabies (raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats) may be reported to the Fairfax County Police Department's Animal Services Division at 703-691-2131.
All wildlife belongs to the state. Citizens may not trap and relocate wild animals without the knowledge and permission of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Visit the Fairfax County website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov and navigate to Animals, then Wildlife, for more information.
Join the Conservation Corps on September 10 at 8:00 p.m. at the Kingston Chase clubhouse for its monthly meeting. A representative from Fairfax Water has been invited to speak to on how to maintain our water quality and provide suggestions for reasonable water conservation in the yard and in the home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
