Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) is a non-profit organization of local citizens who preserve and maintain the natural integrity of the Occoquan River, other watersheds, and promote pollinator habitats and species.
Vision of Friends
To energize individuals, community, and business groups to take on the challenges of keeping Virginia’s and the nation’s reservoirs and rivers clean, by controlling excessive sedimentation and pollution through the use of rain barrels and community gardens. This message will be brought to schools, civic groups and community organizations, as well as local and federal government agencies.
Goals
Coordination of our management efforts and programs.
Open communications and develop cooperation among intergovernmental jurisdictions.
Develop public and private partnerships focused on maintaining the natural integrity of drinking water sources.
Engage the community, including the Spanish-speaking population, to become stakeholders of our environment.
Encourage and educate the community on the benefits of native plants and food gardens to help increase the food supply for pollinators.
Education and Coordination
FOTO is working with community groups, schools, federal, state and local governments to promote watershed preservation and pollinator habitats and species.
FOTO continues to expand contacts with other groups to enlarge watershed stakeholders. Installation of international signs along the watersheds is one of our projects.
FOTO is proceeding to engage the Spanish speaking community to become stakeholders of our environment and become active in maintaining clean and safe our rivers. In addition to the bilingual signs described below, we will be installing other bilingual signs in DC, Fairfax and PrinceWilliamCounties. Also we are preparing videos, literature and some TV programs.
FOTO has rain barrels for sale. Visit the Rain Barrel section to find out more.
Occoquan River/Reservoir, VA — On Saturday, October 4, 2025, Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) held its 26th annual fall cleanup, where 194 dedicated volunteers came together to remove 135 bags of trash and numerous larger debris items from the Occoquan River and Reservoir. Cleanup sites included Bull Run, Fountainhead, and Occoquan Regional Park/Marinas in Fairfax County, as well as Lake Ridge Park/Marina and the Town of Occoquan in Prince William County.
The items collected ranged from glass, Styrofoam, plastic bottles, and plates to fishing equipment and unusual finds, such as dead animal bones, a grocery cart, a deflated boat, truck tires, sofa cushions, rusted buckets, screen fencing, a memorial trash transformer, tripods, and several signs—underscoring the ongoing need to protect this vital waterway.
FOTO extends its deepest gratitude to every volunteer, partner, and supporter who made this event possible. The cleanup showcased remarkable community spirit, with participation from organizations such as American Water, Fairfax Water, NOVAGO Kayakers, Ullman Schutte Construction Company, and Prince William Water. We are especially grateful to the returning groups—students from Lake Ridge Middle School, Woodbridge Senior High School, Osbourne High School Interact Club, the Bull Run Rotary Club, and the National Junior Honor Society, Boy Scout Troops 1396, 1369, and Pack 1365—as well as the many families and individuals who generously gave their time.
We also extend heartfelt thanks to the individual park managers, the Town of Occoquan service crew, FOTO station managers, sponsors, and all those working behind the scenes to ensure the collected trash was removed correctly.
Together, we reaffirm that community action is essential to preserving the beauty and health of the Occoquan River.
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🌟🐝 Buzzing with Team Spirit! 🐝🌟
On Tuesday, July 15th, FOTO had a great visit from Chase Ebel of Eco Honeybees and our occasional young visitor, Christian — a budding bee enthusiast. Alongside FOTO’s own Sonia Monson, the team worked together to perform a hive split.
FOTO has gotten most of our bees from Pops Bees or Eco Honeybees because they’re simply some of the gentlest bees around. During the process, Christian was full of curiosity, asking thoughtful questions and sharing what he already knew about our buzzing friends. His enthusiasm was contagious!
A few of the pictures also include one of our bee mentors, Terry Seagall, who earlier in the season taught us about Demaree splits and spring maintenance. We are grateful for the wisdom and guidance she shares with us.
A big thank you to Chase, Christian, and Terry for lending their time, knowledge, and helping hands.
Eco Honeybees provides residential and commercial beehive sales, delivering and setting up hives throughout the Metropolitan DC area — and they’ve been doing it full time since 2011.
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Rain Barrel Workshops at the Workhouse Arts Center- Lorton, VA
Student Spotlight: Tara Blue & FOTO Collaboration
We’re excited to share a meaningful connection that started back in the summer of 2022! That year, FOTO’s own Sonia Monson taught recyclable art and nature-based art at the Workhouse Arts Center summer camp. Assisting her was camp counselor Tara Blue — now a student in the Honors Program at Virginia Tech studying sustainability and water management.
Fast forward to February 2025, Tara reached out to Friends of the Occoquan with a fantastic idea. She proposed a summer 2025 project to pair rain barrel education with painting workshops at the Workhouse Arts Center — a creative and hands-on way to teach campers about sustainable water practices.
Tara's project is part of a competitive grant opportunity through her university. We're proud to say FOTO partnered with her by donating two rain barrels, and her first workshop was a success! Swipe through to see the campers in action, We look forward to see what the next rain barrel brings!
This is a great example of how early connections can lead to impactful community projects. Way to go, Tara!
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Pumpkins & Petals: FOTO at Occoquan Riverfest
Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) was proud to participate in the Town of Occoquan’s annual Riverfest in early June. Located in the lively “Conservation Alley,” we welcomed many visitors who stopped by to learn more about FOTO’s mission and take part in planting pumpkin and impatiens seeds. This hands-on activity was a wonderful way to connect with the community and inspire interest in environmental stewardship. We are always delighted to be part of this cherished annual event—kudos to the organizers for another successful Riverfest!
Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) was proud to donate two raised garden beds—along with soil and compost—to support the school’s growing Green Club Garden, led by the amazing Ms. Kathy Lamont. The beds were delivered in May 2025 and are now filled with peas, cucumbers, and herbs thanks to the hard work of these young environmental stewards!
We’re also loved seeing the progress from the beds we donated last spring—check out the huge cucumber plant!
Huge thanks to Steve Hunter for building and delivering the new beds. And a big shoutout to the students and Ms. Lamont for their continued dedication to hands-on learning and sustainability!
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FOTO Garden and Rain Barrel Workshop with Green Guardians at Hunt Valley Elementary
On Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025, FOTO had the pleasure of leading a Rain Barrel Workshop with the amazing Green Guardians after-school club at Hunt Valley Elementary in Springfield, VA, led by 4th-grade teacher Virginia Garretson.
These young environmental stewards—nearly 30 strong—impressed us with their knowledge and enthusiasm about water conservation and rain barrels!
FOTO proudly donated the raised beds, soil, compost, and two rain barrels to support the school’s sustainability efforts.
We split into two groups for a hands-on experience: one team, guided by Steve Hunter, Anthony Vanegas, and dedicated parent/teacher volunteers, transported and installed the raised beds built by Steve. The other group worked with Sonia Monson and Betty Vanegas to build two fully functioning rain barrels.
A big thanks to the school community for supporting this initiative! Thank you to our sponsors! More photos will be shared once we receive photo permissions from parents—stay tuned!
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In celebration of Earth Day, Prince William County Schools' SEAS program proudly sponsored a showcase of innovative projects by students at Independence Nontraditional School in Manassas. Friends of the Ocoquan (FOTO), a strong supporter of STEM programs, was honored to participate as a tabling contributor. It was gratifying to witness the creativity and passion of these young individuals as they worked to raise awareness of environmental issues within their schools and communities by demonstration their work. Their dedication offers hope for a more sustainable future.
Spring 2025 Clean Up-With Many Hands, the Occoquan River Shines Again
April 7, 2025
With Many Hands, the Occoquan River Shines Again
Occoquan River, VA – On Saturday, April 5, 2025, the beauty of the Occoquan River was restored thanks to the collective efforts of more than 168 dedicated volunteers who joined the Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) for a successful 25th spring cleanup. Together, they removed an impressive 189 bags of trash and countless large debris items from multiple sites spanning Fairfax and Prince William Counties.
Cleanup sites included:
Fairfax County: Bull Run, Fountainhead, and Occoquan Regional Park/Marina
Prince William County: Lake Ridge Park/Marina, Town of Occoquan, Brethren of the Harbour site, and the Lake Occoquan Club Park.
FOTO extends heartfelt thanks to all who made the event a success. Special recognition goes to Mike Garcia and the Mike Garcia Construction Company, as well as to Amanda Brown of Keep Prince William Beautiful, who coordinated the support of the Litter Crew (Division of Solid Waste Management) and the provision of a dumpster by Republic Services for proper disposal, including 26 cartires and bulk debris.
Notable Items Removed Included:
31 car tires (including one with a wheel)
Several drainage and metal pipes (up to 8 ft.)
A child-sized Barbie car
Fire extinguisher, life preservers, large rusted metal sheets
Styrofoam pieces, planters, buckets, large cardboard boxes
Two 50-gallon bins
Countless balls (soccer and others), fishing poles, lines, and nets
A full dumpster of discarded wood and pallets
The cleanup drew broad community participation from local organizations, including VA American Water, Fairfax Water, Prince William Water, Sandy Run Scullers, NOVAGO Kayakers, Amtrak, Ulliman Schutte Construction, Lake Occoquan Club Homeowners Association,Brethren of the Harbour Fleet, and students from Lake Ridge Middle School and Colgan High School. Boy Scout Troop 1369, along with numerous families and individual volunteers of all ages, helped demonstrate the power of community stewardship and environmental education. Together, we continue to protect the natural beauty and health of the Occoquan River for future generations.
FOTO also thanks the individual park managers, the Town of Occoquan service crew, and all behind-the-scenes workers who helped dispose of the collected debris, including the FOTO team station managers and, of course, our sponsors.
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Green Living Program at Benton Middle School - Rain Barrel Workshop
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) had the pleasure of hosting a Rain Barrel Workshop as part of the Green Living Program at Benton Middle School! This inspiring event was organized in partnership with the Pink Space Theory Program, led by Monica Nichols.
We gathered in Mrs. Schubert's science room, where Monica Nichols, President of Pink Space Theory, kicked things off by introducing FOTO’s Project Manager, Sonia Monson, and volunteer Diane Meetre to an enthusiastic group of middle school girls.
The workshop began with an engaging discussion on erosion, its causes, and the impact of runoff. We also explored how rain barrels can help combat erosion and support sustainable living.
The students then split into small groups to tackle hands-on activities. Some assembled a rain barrel, while others created a drip irrigation system for indoor plants using repurposed water bottles.
This special day was even more meaningful as it marked the students' graduation from the program! FOTO provided boxed pens and a few other items to accompany the thoughtful gifts from the program leaders.
Congratulations to these bright minds for their dedication to sustainability and innovation! Together, we’re building a greener future.
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July 2024
The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV), a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is dedicated to engaging Northern Virginia communities in enjoying, conserving, and restoring nature for the benefit of birds, wildlife, and people. They advance their mission through educational programs, citizen science, conservation, and advocacy.
ASNV offers workshops, classes, and field trips on birding and natural history topics, while their Audubon at Home program helps create wildlife-friendly habitats. You can find out more by visiting their website at https://www.audubonva.org/
We had the pleasure of having Leslie Paulson evaluate our property and give us the official stamp of approval!
Growing Mushrooms
Cultivating mushrooms is a fascinating and rewarding process. To begin, select a suitable tree for mushroom growth, ensuring it's freshly cut. Allow the tree to rest for approximately two weeks, permitting natural decomposition processes to begin. Next, carefully drill holes into the tree and insert mushroom plugs, which are inoculated with the desired mushroom species, such as Shiitake or Lion's Mane. Secure the plugs in place by gently hammering them in and sealing each hole with melted wax to prevent contamination. Regularly monitor the moisture levels of the tree, providing water when necessary to maintain optimal growing conditions. Lastly, exercise patience as you wait for the mycelium to colonize the tree over the course of approximately one year, ultimately yielding a bountiful harvest of your chosen mushroom varieties. This method not only provides a hands-on experience in mushroom cultivation but also fosters a deeper understanding of the intricate symbiosis between fungi and their host trees.
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Actions Speak Louder- Interview with Dominion Energy
