Junior Workweek

By Frank Dorman, JRA Intern

Today concludes my week-long internship with the James River Association. The Association has allowed me to understand nearly every role of each employee. From office work to heading out on the water, the JRA does everything possible to preserve America’s Founding River. I have been privileged with the opportunity to participate in many of the Association’s activities. Education, advocacy, interaction with the community, and direct work with the environment are the four main fields that I have gotten to experience and understand.


Monday - Rain Barrel Workshop

On Monday, I began my internship by stuffing donation envelopes into the State of The James booklets that are to be distributed to the people of the James River watershed. While it was a very simple task, it was something that needed to be done. Reaching out to the community is an important aspect of the James River Association’s mission and by placing donation envelopes in booklets; I was able to play a small role in this crucial interaction. Later in the day, Watershed Restoration Associate, Amber Ellis, and Watershed Restoration Project Manager, Michelle Kokolis, took me to the Steward School, where they were doing an educational program about rain barrels. The students will be installing new rain barrels at the school in order to eliminate harmful runoff. Education about the river and its pollutants is critical to the future state of the James, and the JRA is currently working for the future through trips to schools in the Richmond area.


Tuesday with the Upper James Riverkeeper

Tuesday was a very different day. Instead of heading to the association’s Shockoe Slip office, I drove to Watkins Landing, where I met Pat Calvert, The Upper James Riverkeeper. We headed out on his jon boat in order to find places where cows have access to the river. The waste left by cows introduces harmful ammonia and nitrates into the water and therefore poisons the water and increases fish kills. Algal blooms are also caused by the waste left from cows. Luckily, we only found two places in the area that showed signs of cattle in the river.

On Wednesday, I was back in the office helping Outreach Intern, Anna Salzberg, with the task of finding contact information for the directors of Planning and Zoning and the directors of Parks and Recreation in each of the localities that are within the James River watershed. It was a job that required time and patience, as it was difficult to locate the contact information from small towns in the state. Having this information will help the JRA to connect with the people of Virginia to make the process of saving the James River a group effort.



Thursday - Pesquisle Island

Thursday was an exciting day. Jessica Templeton, the Ecology School Manager, took me to the new school facilities on Pesquisle Island. We canoed and explored the diverse land on the island and saw eagles, hawks, a turkey, and a raccoon. Wildlife is always exciting to see and it was especially exciting to see animals thriving in a place where children will soon be learning and experiencing the thrill of nature. The island has open fields, forests, and wetlands. Each of these allows for a diverse plant and animal population. The new facilities are equipped with solar panels that allow the school to be environmentally friendly. Students will be able to take their work from the field back to a new lab where they can further their environmental exploration. I really enjoyed seeing the island and I was very excited to see the progress that has been made in the construction of the new school.

James River Ecology School

Today, I have been able to experience the advocacy efforts of the Association. I went to the General Assembly building where I sat in on two committee meetings with Policy Specialist, Adrienne Kotula. The trip gave me a better idea of what goes on in the General Assembly meetings and what Adrienne does as the Policy Specialist. Listening to the Senators speak and go through the procedure of the meetings was very interesting, as I am a member of the Model United Nations program at my school. This trip was the last activity of my internship and concluded my week of diverse activities. I am very thankful that I was given this great opportunity and I will leave with a new view of the James River.