Riverbend Park at Great Falls.
Photo by Karen Jimenez

Karen began volunteering with our Stream Monitoring Program’s Salt Watch in December 2023 as part of her Youth Conservation Leadership Institute project, a Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District recognition program for high school students that focuses on volunteer service and environmental stewardship. For her project, Karen researched chloride testing sites, collected data for chloride concentrations both monthly and around winter weather events, and continues to test sites in her neighborhood. She also participates in our Stream Team’s benthic macroinvertebrate surveys and helps to conduct monthly chemical monitoring at six stream sites with our Chem Crew. Karen also volunteered at the Spring 2024 Native Plant Sale.

Karen’s favorite thing in nature is the woods because of the “biodiversity and fullness of life” you find there. Karen feels it is “relaxing to be around all the greenery” and is grateful to have a daily view of the woods. She recommends taking “a walk in the woods, it’s nurturing for the mind, body, and soul.” Harvard and Stanford University research studies agree with Karen and have found that spending time outdoors in natural areas reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Read more about this in our Fall 2020 Habitat Herald article titled “Natural Remedy: Exploring the Nature-Mental Health Connection”.

Many thanks to Karen, and to all our volunteers, for spending time in nature and caring enough to help us monitor the health of our local ecosystems and take action to protect, preserve, and restore wildlife and wild places in Loudoun.

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