Tires, Tires Everywhere

Here are a few photos that JRA RiverRat Steve Willard, captured while out on his patrol near the mouth of the Appomattox River. He found a ton of tires intertwined with the roots of old uprooted trees and a lot of trash and tires in the water. This site is near where the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) collected around 5000 tires this past July. If you see trashy spots like this near your favorite stretch of the James River, or any of its tributaries, please let JRA know. We can also help you organize your own trash cleanup event. Contact us for details. volunteer@jrava.org

Whose Been Here? Identifying Wildlife from Paw Prints

Who left these prints?

A muddy shoreline or a fresh snowfall along the river is all you need to become a wildlife tracker. The next time you’re near a stream or river, see how many different animal tracks you can spot. To help you identify some of the more common animals found in the James River watershed, here’s a simple toe counting guide:

The 4 and 5 rule: Four toes on the front feet and five toes on the back feet means you’re tracking a rodent. It could be a mouse, a squirrel, woodchuck, or muskrat.

The 5 and 5 rule: Five toes on the front and five toes on the back feet could be a raccoon (the paw print above), a skunk, a beaver, an opossum or a member of the weasel family, such as a mink. Or, if it’s really big, a black bear. But don’t confuse a big dog paw print with a bear!

The 4 and 4 rule: Four toes on the front and four toes on the back feet could be a dog, a fox, or a coyote. The tracks could also be made by a member of the cat family, like a bobcat or a neighborhood cat. The four-toed tracks may appear similar, but look for the presence or absence of claw marks with the paw print. Feline paw prints do not have claw prints because members of the cat family have retractable claws that are not used for walking. Canine paw prints have claw prints, as will most other animal prints you’ll find.

Take a walk by the water and see who -- or what -- has been there before you!

Conservation Tips – Be a Responsible Boater

by Amber Ellis, JRA's Watershed Restoration Associate/Volunteer Coordinator

Do you love to go out on the James River every chance you get? Whether you have a kayak or a speedboat, you are coming in direct contact with the water and should make sure you have as little impact as possible. Here are a few ideas that are really easy and that you can start today:


• Take your trash off the boat with you and put it in a trash can.

• Do not throw trash overboard or leave it on the ground at a boat landing.

• Recycle your used fishing line by tossing it in monofilament recycling bins that are located at many boat ramps or drop it off at your local marina or tackle shop.

• When you bring out the cleaning supplies make sure you use phosphate-free, bio-degradable, and non-toxic cleaners.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to make sure you are protecting the James River for others to enjoy for generations to come. Take a look at the links below for more information on how you can be a more responsible boater.

Clean boating tips Click Here

Map of monofilament recycling sites in Virginia Click Here

Monofilament Recycling Program Click Here

Volunteer Tree Planting

by Amber Ellis, JRA's Watershed Restoration Associate/Volunteer Coordinator

The James River Association worked with Friends of Bryan Park and the City of Richmond Department of Parks and Recreation to lead 18 dedicated Altria volunteers in a day of tree planting and cleanup on Tuesday, November 8^th at Bryan Park. This warm and colorful fall day started with a lesson from Norm Brown, arborist with Richmond Urban Forestry, on the correct way to plant a tree. Volunteers then headed out to plant 35 trees throughout the park to replace trees that were lost during Hurricane Irene, to provide more native trees along Princeton Creek and help buffer noise from the interstate.  After lunch some of the volunteers headed down to Jordan’s Branch for a trash cleanup. Some cleared debris from the park’s famous azalea gardens, while others finished up mulching and watering the new trees that were planted. A total of 11 bags of trash and 2 tires were collected. Thanks to Altria for all of their hard work and dedication in supporting projects that help restore the health of the James River.

On the River

By Sarah Barnett, JRA RiverRat

As August 2011 was coming to a close a group of 18 far flung friends from Richmond, Lynchburg, Washington D.C. and several other cities descended on Appomattox VA to paddle a section of the James River. We put in at Glasgow where the Maury River dumps into the James River and took out just before the dam. The main attraction for our group would be mid day in the trip going over the rapids at Balcony Falls. Our group of enthusiasts ranged in age from 23 to 61 with all levels of paddling experience. We had someone who had guided on the Gauley, a few folks who had never been on a boat other than a cruise ship, and all experience levels in between. Our group members were using all varieties of boats including sea kayaks, whitewater kayaks, and canoes. Since we wanted everyone to enjoy themselves it seemed the August lower water levels would be just right.

Unfortunately a footbridge was washed out so to get the boats to the river access we had to hand them across a streambed. Way to go guys!

From the beginning we knew the float would be fantastic. We had great weather and the water was perfect.

We stopped for lunch just above Balcony Falls. Wadding down to the rocks beside Balcony Falls we wanted to scout the rapids ahead of time and make sure everyone knew the best line to run.

Despite the varying ages and abilities everyone in our group made it down the rapids successfully without tipping over or falling out of their boat. We did have experienced safety boaters on hand just in case.

Later in the day we stopped to enjoy jump rock for those who wanted to take a plunge into the river from a few feet higher. Here we saw a water snake with bright orange markings sunning itself. We didn’t bother the snake and the snake didn’t bother us.


Interested in becoming a James River RiverRat?  Visit our website for more information!

Top 5 Gifts for a River Lover

by Amber Ellis, JRA's Watershed Restoration Associate/Volunteer Coordinator

Thinking of the perfect gift can be a tough task. Here are a few foolproof items that anyone who enjoys the outdoors and the James River would love to have. These gifts will help your River Lover enjoy the outdoors even during the cooler months. What’s great is that you can find any of these for under $30!

1. Wool socks: These are a necessary item in keeping your feet warm, comfortable, and dry. Favorite brand? SmartWool

2. Vacuum drink bottle: Everyone needs something to carry their hot drink with them when they head outdoors during the cooler months. Make sure you find one that is stainless steel, leak proof, not too big, and will keep their drink warm for hours. Favorite brand? Thermos or Stanley

3. Dry bag: Perfect for boaters, hikers, and campers. These handy bags help keep your stuff dry in case of a rain storm or just in case you turn over your boat. There are lots of brands and sizes out there, so find the one that fits your needs. Favorite brand? SealLine

4. Hand warmers: Great for those who don’t let the cold weather keep them indoors. Whether they are out at the break of dawn hunting, going on a backpacking trip, or out fly fishing in the snow, these will keep their hands and feet toasty! Favorite brand? Lots of stores sell packs of single use warmers like HotHands or Grabber Warmers. You can also get reusable ones such as the Zippo Hand Warmer.

5. Book: The right book can get them out to places they have never been before, teach them something new, or give them photos to look through while they are stuck indoors. Some great books on the James River are: James River Reflections by Will Daniel and The River Where America Began: A Journey along the James by Bob Deans. The James River Guide: Fishing and Floating on Virginia’s Finest by Bruce Ingram is a good choice for those who like to get out on the water. For the hikers out there we’d recommend Hiking Virginia: A Guide to Virginia’s Greatest Hiking Adventures by Bill and Mary Burnham.

Volunteers Devote a Day to Construction on Presquile NWR

by Anna Salzberg, JRA's Outreach Intern

October 26, 2011 was a beautiful sunny day for the 8 volunteers working on the wetlands walkway that will be part of the new James River Ecology School at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Presquile NWR is a 1329-acre island in the James River, located approximately 20 miles south of Richmond, Virginia and is one of four refuges that comprise the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The volunteers gained a unique experience by visiting the NWR, since it is not open to the public without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The USFWS is currently working with JRA to establish the Ecology School on Presquile NWR in adherence with the USFWS Compatibility Determination and Comprehensive Conservation Plan.

Volunteers included some folks from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the National Park Service, retired carpenters with good hearts, and a couple journalists that did not mind working hard for a good cause. This group of volunteers with diverse backgrounds and skills met at the dock across the river from Presquile NWR around 9 am. Following brief introductions, a pontoon boat traversed the James to deliver the volunteer workers and supplies to the unloading dock at Presquile. Supplies were then carried up the hill to the main construction area.

After a quick tour of the Ecology school building currently under construction and an approximate one-mile walk across the island to the wetland walkway, construction efforts were quickly underway. The main efforts on this particular day included installing tiles in the curving sections of the 557-foot boardwalk. Tiles were also transported to the gazebo area where they will be installed in the near future. All-in-all, the day resulted in productive construction and networking for all involved (not to mention the yummy lunch served by JRA). JRA continues to need volunteers to further the construction progress, so please check out the upcoming Volunteer Work Days included on the JRA website calendar. Please contact Gabe Silver at gsilver@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811 ext. 214 to sign up. JRA would love to see you there!