NAPS

Stewardship

NAPS has many initiatives to educate and help residents, businesses, organizations, and government be good stewards of our land and water:

Invasive marsh grass (Phragmites) eradication projects – NAPS treats over a hundred sites each fall, and can help you get rid of Phragmites to allow for a healthy, diverse marsh.

Natural shoreline stabilization projects – Marsh grasses can help stabilize shorelines. NAPS can help you determine the best way to rehabilitate your shoreline, and volunteers may help you rebuild it.

Education – NAPS works with other area organizations, schools, and businesses to teach the benefits of recycling and recycling programs, not only for the environment, but for the pocketbook.

Access – If more types of items can be recycled, less goes to the landfill...or ends up on the side of the road. NAPS promotes easier recycling solutions for more and more items. And watch for the new "Too Good to Throw Away" sheds to be built soon at each of the three transfer stations.

Adopt-A-Highway trash cleanup projects – Since the early 1990s, crews of NAPS volunteers have cleaned the litter from the stretch of VA Route 200 between Tipers Bridge over the Great Wicomico River and Wicomico Church
Shoreline cleanup projects – NAPS is once again conducting annual cleanups along the shorelines in the county, as it did in the 1990s. Using several skiffs with picking crews, 1000s of pounds of trash will be removed each year.
Septic maintenance education – NAPS educates homeowners on the importance of septic system maintenance for their own health, and the health of our environment.
Sewage sludge as fertilizer issues – NAPS has worked tirelessly to educate farmers, residents and government organizations on this practice, and its threat to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

Water access for kayaks/canoes – Eco-tourism has a very low impact on the environment while providing new income sources for county businesses and tax base. Public access to water must be maintained to allow everyone to enjoy the waterfront, whether inland residents or guests. NAPS promotes water access, and has published a Paddler's Guide, covering most of Northumberland County rivers and creeks.
Natural Areas & Wildlife Preserves – These areas are major assets for the county, and NAPS helps monitor and maintain them. Public access is provided for passive recreation, education and nature study, but these areas are intended for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered species, natural communities or geologic sites, and similar sites of scientific interest.

Renewable energy – As "green" energy sources become economically feasible, NAPS helps promote its use in home, business, and transportation applications.
Conservation tips and projects – The "low hanging fruit" in solving an energy crisis is conservation. NAPS will help you find the resources to shrink your carbon footprint with or without dramatic lifestyle changes.

Shallow well water facts and well maintenance – Properly constructed and maintained wells can provide a sustainable supply of potable domestic water for many homes. NAPS monitors wells, and helps educate homeowners and works with other organizations promoting safe water sources.
Artesian aquifer issues – Two artesian aquifers provide potable water for about 75% of our citizens, but they are being withdrawn at an unsustainable rate, causing sustainablity and water quality issues. NAPS promotes conservation efforts, monitors wells, and promotes planning for reservoirs and other solutions.
Reservoirs – Both Northumberland and Lancaster Counties face a looming water crisis, as water from our aquifers are being consumed at an unsustainable rate. NAPS urges the county to set aside land for reservoir use and plan for further degradation of our artesian water supply.

NAPS' Stewardship Guide for Homeowners covers most of these issues in an easy-to-read booklet.