Earth Sangha, a Fairfax County-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ecological restoration as a form of socially-engaged Buddhism, has received a $10,000 environmental grant from the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources. The funds will be used to install 5,300 native plants at Howard E. Herman Stream Valley Park in Falls Church

According to Chris Bright, president of Earth Sangha, the planting will help to make the stream bank more stable and improve the wildlife value of the floodplain. “Our team selected a variety of native plants that typically grow in the forest along woodland streams in our area, in forest understory or on the ground layer.” he said.

“Once the plants are established, the area should regain most of its natural functions. Both the aquatic and terrestrial wildlife should benefit. We are very grateful for Dominion’s support. With environmental projects like these, Dominion is helping us establish and maintain suburban forest and wetland, which are habitats that are crucial to the health of regions like ours.”

This spring, the Dominion Foundation awarded $1 million in grants to support environmental initiatives at 67 organizations in ten states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit earthsangha.org.