Saturday, May 23 Work Day - Back Porch Demolition from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Meet at the Stone House, 14712 Deepwood Lane... pass by the first entrance to Merrimac Farm and travel to the VERY END of Deepwood, past the back entrance to Quantico and past the cornfield with a no trespassing sign.

The Stone House is intended for use as partner offices, meeting space and community programs but some improvements are needed before this can happen. We are trying to complete needed repairs so we can begin community programs at Merrimac Farm as soon as possible.

The Stone House is structurally sound but the back porch is a different story. This porch is in rough shape, so much so that it simply needs to come down. The steps are crumbling, the roof is sagging and its connections to the Stone House are tenuous at best.

We will be removing the back porch on Saturday, May 3 2008, and would greatly appreciate your help! We have some tools but will need more, including hammers, crowbars, and digging bars.

For questions and to let us know that you can help, please give us a call at 703.499.4954 or email alliance@pwconserve.org.

Bluebird Box Monitors Needed!

It's fun to help Bluebirds! 

Bluebirds are a dramatic environmental success story. In the past, habitat losses, pesticides and competition from introduced species resulted in loss of suitable nesting sites and decreased populations of Bluebirds.

A few folks who remembered the Bluebirds took direct action and provided nest boxes. The word spread and lots of people began to put out nest boxes and brought Bluebirds back to our region and beyond.

You can help keep Bluebird common and make a real difference in maintaining biodiversity.  The newly established Bluebird trail on Merrimac farm needs volunteer monitors.

Responsibilities include working with other volunteers to check the nesting boxes each week and gather data about what's happening at each box. If this trial is successful, Merrimac Farm will become an official trail of the Virginia Bluebird Society.

We hope you can help with this important project!

A training session is scheduled for Sunday, May 4, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Please let us know if you are interested in participating! For more information and to register, email Kim Hosen at alliance@pwconserve.org or call 703.499.4954.

This is a great opportunity to enjoy and enrich Merrimac farm.