Recent Articles from BRMC Newsletters

Meet Michele…

Hello and greetings! In December, I started working one day a week as the Research Director at BRMC. In this new role, I will help with program development and fundraising for research and education in the Bull Run Mountains.

I grew up in Northern Virginia and spent much of my childhood and young adult years exploring the woods and valleys of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge. It was my love of the outdoors and keen interest in the natural world that led me to become a conservation biologist. Over the last fifteen years I have worked on conservation issues for a variety of organizations, largely focused on protecting freshwater systems and the species that inhabit them. I look forward to using the skills I have developed in the service of the many excellent programs at BRMC.

At the beginning of April, Jennifer and I will be leading a workshop on setting up a worm composting bin. Compost is commonly called "black gold" by gardeners because it improves soil structure and contains nutrients essential for plant growth. Composting also reduces the amount of waste that goes to our landfills each year – about 15% of household waste in the US is food waste.

Composting with worms (vermicomposting) speeds up the process of composting, is easy to do, and can be done year-round. We will also discuss the proper use of vermicompost and the natural history of worms. Of note, Charles Darwin was fascinated with worms. The last book that he published was about these creatures and included a chapter titled, "The part which worms have played in the burial of ancient buildings"!

Cheers,
Michele Thieme