Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Forests and Fish


TreesForests and Fish

A forested watershed or even a stream with a forested buffer produces cleaner water and more consistent flows than cleared land. This means not only less flood and drought, but also quantifiable safer water for human and wildlife needs.

When rain falls on a forested watershed, the canopy breaks the force of the falling drops, and a resilient mat of twigs, leaves, moss, and dead and decaying plants keeps the soil from splashing. Over half the rain that falls on a forest goes directly back into the air through evaporation and transpiration, creating a moist and clouded microclimate. Some of the rain slowly percolates down through the forest soil to become the groundwater that reemerges in springs, and some of the rain runs over the surface of the soil and enters the waterways.         (Water: A Natural History by Alice Outwater)
European colonizers denuded much of Virginia’s land. By 1835, half of the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s forests were cleared. The products of agriculture and forestry have been essential to life and the creation of wealth for the greater part of our Commonwealth’s existence. Virtually all forests were at some point cleared. This change in the landscape had drastic consequences for our waters and soil.
erosion
Without trees, there are fewer leaves and less total surface area for evapotranspiration, so there’s less moisture in the air. Without a protective canopy of leaves, the soil is struck with the full force of the storm. Individual raindrops are like little bombs, gouging, beating , and battering the soil, lifting and splashing it back and forth, churning it into pasty mud that clogs pores and passages in the soil. There is less biological activity in the soil in a field than there is in forest soil, so the earth is less tunneled and less water percolates down into the groundwater. As the groundwater recedes, the springs falter, the streamflow slows, and some streambeds will eventually run dry.
When rain falls on a deforested watershed, the runoff races downhill in millions of little currents, combining into torrents of water that gouge and gully the hillside…The stream becomes wider and shallower, shifting to steeper slopes and eroding the bank as it goes. The runoff sweeps along tons of topsoil, gravel, and stones, and dumps the spoils into the waterways. 
(Water: A Natural History by Alice Outwater)
The decline of agriculture as the dominant source of livelihood in the 1900s led to an age of reforestation in the James River watershed until burgeoning suburban growth began to counteract this trend. Today the health of the James River continues to hang in the balance, as pressure to develop sprawled, inefficient communities remains steady. Even with the market for existing homes glutted with supply, and countless opportunities for development within the existing boundaries of cities and towns, we continue to see forest and farmland cleared for subdivisions. 
Beyond understanding their value in maintaining the integrity of our water supply, it is inspiring to visit the few relatively intact forests we still find in Virginia. Walking under the majestic canopy of a mature forest is a gratifying yet humbling experience. We must go and seek out these places, for they are few. One place to experience a great forests remaining in the James River watershed is near Buchanan, VA along the trails that lead to Apple Orchard Falls.* A more accessible and less strenuous option lying just outside the James River watershed is James Madison’s Montpelier home which features a remarkably intact forest.**
Find your way to a great old forest this summer and remember to thank it for keeping our water supply clean.
*The Apple Orchard Falls-Cornelius Creek loop is east of Buchanan in the Jefferson National Forest along the western side of the Blue Ridge below the Parkway. The best trailhead access is from the end of Forest Road 59 or from Sunset Field Overlook at milepost 78.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. To get to the FR 59 trailhead, take exit 168 off I-81 just north of Buchanan, follow Route 614 just over 3 miles through Arcadia, then turn left at the North Creek Campground sign onto FR 59. In about 4 miles, past the campground, the road will end at a trailhead. The Apple Orchard Falls Trail leads left out of here; the Cornelius Creek Trail is to the right.
**Montpelier is located in 4 miles south of Orange, VA on Rt. 20. See the Montpelier website.

Friday, July 26, 2013

RiverRats Training Session


JRA and its James Riverkeepers are recruiting the James River’s first line of citizen defense, the RiverRats. This program engages volunteers to patrol the James and its tributaries and to take action to protect and restore the entire watershed.

Saturday, August 3, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Riveredge Park, 150 Rocky Hill Road , Madison Heights, VA, 24572. 

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please contact Amber Ellis at (804)788-8811 ext 205 or volunteer@jrava.org to register.

For more information visit www.jamesriverassociation.org/get-involved/volunteer/riverrats





Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Transportation Choices

Stay at Home

Be a Friend of the River…take a family ‘staycation’ this year.

We all know that the carbon  the carbon footprint (not to mention the “nitrogen footprint”) of travel can be great, especially when jet fuel is involved. Air pollution becomes water pollution when precipitation carries dissolved pollutants into our waterways like the James. ‘Staycations’ are an interesting alternative to the stresses and impacts of travel to an exotic destination. Take time this summer to explore close to home. You may find that your family and the environment benefit.

  • Be a Guardian of the River.commit to walking, biking, carpooling, or transit.

    Bike to WorkUpwards of one-third of the nitrogen pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay comes from air pollution, much of which is emitted by the tailpipes of our cars. Every time you choose to walk, bike, carpool, or use transit, you directly reduce this pollution. You can also reduce your mileage by combining errands or taking a day for simplicity and refusing to drive. Buying fuel-efficient cars and keeping them well maintained also directly reduces pollution entering our waterways. 
    Learn more: Bike Commuting 101

    Thursday, July 18, 2013

    Anthem James River Splash & Dash in Lynchburg


    Looking for a great event in Lynchburg?

    The 2nd Annual Anthem James River Splash & Dash in Lynchburg is a family – friendly competitive tube race that takes place on Percival's Island on Saturday, August 3, 2013. Participants run a 2- mile trail course, grab a tube, paddle (with their hands) down the James, and run their tube to the finish line. The registration fee is $25 per participant, which includes the use of a tube and an event t-shirt. Registration closes Thursday, August 1 at noon.

    Registration packet pick up will take place on the day of the event from 4:00-4:45 near the parking lot on Percival’s Island.  The first wave will kick off at 5:00 p.m.

    After the event, join us for an after party at The Depot Grille to pick up your event t-shirt and to enjoy music and the awards presentation.  If you’re hungry, The Depot Grille will offer food and beer sales.


    Visit the website for complete event details and to register. The Anthem James River Splash & Dash - Lynchburg


    Photos courtesy of LuAnn Hunt Photography

    Tuesday, July 16, 2013

    The Skinny on Snakes - Wildlife of the James

    Black Rat Snake

    Go walking near a stream or river during the dry months of summer and you are likely to run into a snake. When the small rivulets and seasonal pools in the woods dry up, animals search for a consistent source of water. Snake are no exception, and it is best to be prepared to see one when you are out and about near water yourself. You may see a snake swimming but this doesn’t mean it is a water snake, as most snakes can and do swim.  Some interesting facts about snakes:
    • Snakes, like other reptiles, control their body temperature only by exposing themselves to different external conditions. In the heat of the summer, their likely to spend midday hiding in the cool shade.
    • Snakes have no ears and cannot hear sounds.
    • Just before snakes shed their skin, they are partially blinded when the old clear scale over their eye (called the spectacle) becomes translucent.
    • Snake gather scent with their tongues and bring it back to a spot on the roof of their mouth called the Jacobson’s organ.
    • Some snakes give birth to live young while others lay eggs.
    • Snakes have an un-hinged jaw and un-fused ribs that allow them to swallow very large prey relative to their body size. Because of this and their slow metabolism, snakes need to eat infrequently.
    Brown Water SnakeWhen you are near the James River, there are only three poisonous snakes that you might have to worry about: the Timber Rattler (generally in mountains and Piedmont), the Copperhead (everywhere)  and the Cottonmouth (only in the Tidewater region).  To tell whether a snake is poisonous, look at the head and eye. If its head has a triangular or wedge shape and the pupil is like a cat’s eye, then the snake is poisonous. If the head is more oblong and the pupil is round like a human eye, then it is non-poisonous. Always err on the safe side and don’t get close enough for the snake to strike you.
    Snakes are amazing creatures that should be observed from a safe distance and left unharmed. Snakes help control pest population such as mice and rats, and non-venomous black rat snakes (often called black snakes) are reputed to keep away copperheads. So if you find a non-poisonous snake near your home, its best to leave it be. And of course in a natural area any snake, venomous or non-venomous, should be left unharmed.

    Friday, July 12, 2013

    Envision The James

    by Justin Doyle, JRA's Outreach Manager



    In partnership with Chesapeake Conservancy and  National Geographic Maps, the James River Association is currently promoting Envision The James (ETJ), an initiative that seeks to protect and enhance the numerous natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the James River Watershed. The ETJ Team began reaching out to individuals and organizations in the watershed in 2012 and recently established a collaborative vision for the James River based on the feedback it received. The Vision: Clean and accessible waterways, restored streamside vegetation and wildlife habitat, local economies benefitting from tourism and recreation, the celebration of culture and heritage, as well as protected landscapes.

    To realize the Vision, the ETJ Team is promoting two core initiatives which will bring renewed focus and support to long-standing efforts along the river corridor and throughout the watershed. The two core initiatives are:

    James River Heritage and Recreation Corridor Initiative
    James River Wildlife Habitat and Landscape Conservation Initiative

    In order to achieve the goal of each initiative, Envision The James will provide communities and partners with a mechanism for garnering leadership and coordinating assistance to plan and implement regional and river-wide activities. Envision The James will support new and ongoing projects by providing the necessary resources to complete them.

    The Envision The James Team is hosting two events in July to promote the initiative. The public is strongly encouraged to attend the events and learn more about Envision The James. Both events will feature an interactive forum in which students on the James River Expedition will share their experiences on the river.

    July 17, 2013 – 5:00 pm
    Horseshoe Flats Campground
    125 Snowden Road
    Scottsville, Virginia 24590

    July 31, 2013 – 5:00 pm
    Chickahominy Riverfront Park
    1350 John Tyler Highway
    Williamsburg, VA 23185


    For more information about Envision The James and the public events, please contact the James River Association’s Outreach Manager, Justin Doyle, at (804) 572-4667.