Category: Projects

Despite forecasts to the contrary, it was a gorgeous May evening as we headed from our various locations to the “Top of the World” on Reddish Knob.  A call for help had come just a bit over week before from the United States Forest Service North River Ranger Station.  The trimming of overgrowth at the parking area on Reddish Knob had exposed the trash beneath and there was concern that it would become unavailable for clean up if something wasn’t done before regrowth occurred.  This call from USFS in and of itself is a major milestone for Headwaters.  State and Federal agencies are so constrained by budget cuts that they tend to hesitate to engage with volunteer groups because of the perceived need to “manage” them and the lack of manpower available to engage in such “management”.

But Headwaters is making a name for itself in the Augusta/Rockingham area and the call indeed did come for help – and so, we responded – gladly!  We came from Harrisonburg, Weyers Cave, New Hope, Bridgewater, Mt. Sidney and Mt. Crawford.  Headwaters had spread the word to other stakeholder groups – like the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition and the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain who also responded.  We came with two trucks and willing hands and sure feet.

It had been many years since some of us had been to this amazing spot: Reddish Knob of Shenandoah Mountain is one of the highest points in Virginia, rising to 4,397 feet (1,340 m).  No other peak rises higher to the northeast until you come to New York’s Adirondacks.  A narrow, paved road reaches the summit from Harrisonburg.  Once you arrive and look over the 360 degree edge – the first thought is: I’m not going down there!  The slope must be 55 degrees or more in many places.  So you start slow and do the easy stuff first and the next thing you know you are where you said you would not go!

We left after about two hours, just before sunset with our two truck beds full of bagged trash, a plastic car fender, a metal chair and a tire.  We had met some new friends and strengthened our bonds with old friends.  We left Reddish Knob spruced up and shining in the sun.  It was a great evening – full of fun, reward and camaraderie.  I’d do it again!  Will you join us?

– RoxAnna Theiss, May 22, 2014

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Headwaters Chapter Wildflower Walks & Tournament 2014!

What do you get when you combine over 40 wildflower enthusiasts, 20 Master Naturalist volunteers and wildflower experts, 4 trails in the George Washington National forest and over 100 plant species?  A great time in the woods!

Thanks to all who participated in the 2014 Wild Flower Walk and Tournament. Despite a little rain the event was well attended and accomplished its main goal of getting people out onto the trails and thinking about wildflowers.

Every trail turned up some unique flowers and included the orchid, whorled pogonia and the parasitic plant, one-flowered cancer root. Some favorites that were out in numbers were fringed polygala, wild geranium, and many species of violets.

The total number of species identified reached 100, and for those interested in who “won” the tournament here are the tallies for each trail.  Some trails included flower trees in their count.

Wolf Ridge Trail: 43 species
Braley Pond Trail: 42 species
North River Gorge Trail: 56 species
Hone Quarry Trail: 37 species

Thanks, again, to all the volunteers who helped to make this event successful.

Be sure to check our Flickr page and facebook album for snapshots and beautifully composed photos of what was found along the paths.

Mark your calendars for next year’s
3rd Annual Wildflower Tournament on Saturday, April 25, 2015!  (new date!, changed from May 9)

Star Chickweed @ Braley Pond. © Ashley Cole-Virani

Golden Alexanders @ Wolf Ridge. © Carl Droms

Wild Geranium @ North River Gorge. © Steven David Johnson

Phlox @ Hone Quarry. © Art Fovargue

Longspur violet @ Wolf Ridge. © Carl Droms

Pink Lady’s Slipper @ North River Gorge. © Steven David Johnson

Fringed Polygala @ Wolf Ridge. © Carl Droms

Sessileleaf bellwort @ Wolf Ridge. © Carl Droms

Cinquefoil @ Hone Quarry. © Art Fovargue

Wild Geranium @ Braley Pond. © Ashley Cole-Virani

Halbert Leaved Violet @ Wold Ridge. © Carl Droms

large whorled pogonia @ North River Gorge. Ⓒ Steven David Johnson

Thyme-leaved Speedwell @ Braley Pond. © Eric Jones

Sweet white violet @ North River Gorge. © Eric Jones

Fringed Polygala @ North River Gorge. © Steven David Johnson

One-flowered Cancer Root @ Hone Quarry. Ⓒ Art Fovargue

Bluets @ North River Gorge. © Adriana Banu

Mountain Anemone @ North River Gorge. © Adriana Banu

Wood Violet @ Wolf Ridge. © Carl Droms

Golden ragwort @ Braley Pond. © Eric Jones

Spotted Ginger @ North River Gorge. © Adriana Banu

Garden Yellowrocket @ Braley Pond. © Ashley Cole-Virani

Once a bright and sure sign of autumn, monarch butterflies are now in worrisome decline. Scientists have tracked their decreasing numbers for several years. A recent study showed the lowest ever population of migrating eastern monarchs.

A number of factors have contributed to the decline of the monarch butterfly. Here in the United States, industrialized farming involving wide scale spraying of pesticide that kills all vegetation but the food crops modified to be immune to it is a major factor. We are losing high percentages of the native flora, especially milkweeds, which monarchs need to survive, in favor of homogenized landscapes. Farms growing only one crop and non-native green spaces such as lawns and pesticide-treated roadways, contribute to the problem.

In Mexico, deforestation, especially illegal logging, contributes to the habitat loss of monarch butterflies and reduces their numbers.

Additionally, severe weather such as extreme cold and drought has been identified as a factor leading to the loss of monarchs.

We can help as individuals by using less pesticides and growing our own milkweed to welcome back the monarchs.

To that end, the Headwaters Chapter has been spreading the word on the plight of the Monarch and passing out potted milkweeds seeds at area events this spring as a special outreach project. We hope to extend our efforts into a 2014/2015 Chapter Focus Project.

The HMN Projects Committee under the guidance of committee chair Sandy Greene began planning this year’s special Monarch outreach last fall.

• Betty Forrest hosted a fridge full of locally harvested common milkweed seeds all winter as a means of “vernalizing” them in preparation for spring planting.
• RoxAnna Theiss developed an attractive and informative instructional mini-trifold to accompany each peat pot of planted milkweed seeds for distribution.
• Chris Bowlen provided potting soil and expertise and hosted potting parties.
• Gail Napora was solicited to design and produce the artful display boards with matching table designs and t-shirts (!) for use at the event tables. Find out more about Gail and her many talents in this feature article about her on page 3 of the October 2012 issue of JMU LLI’s newsletter The Explorer.
• Sandy, RoxAnna, Gail, Teresa Townsend, Pat Martin and others spent their time, and social and naturalist skills at four area environmental events to share their work:
  • Harrisonburg’s Blacks Run CleanUp Day on Saturday, April 12, Ralph Sampson Park
  • Staunton Earth Day, also on Saturday, April 12, downtown Staunton
  • Kites & Critters Farm Day, on Sunday, April 13, along Poague Run in Staunton
  • Waynesboro’s Riverfest on Saturday, May 3, Constitution Park

Thanks to Stephanie Gardner for her contributions to this post!

More about monarchs and milkweeds at www.monarchwatch.org

Blacks Run CleanUp display table.

Monarch hand painting by RoxAnna.

Donations and outreach for chapter strength!

Ann Murray at Staunton’s Earth Day with helpful little person wearing Monarch wings.

Gail’s lovely informational board.

Tom Long and Janet James manning the Monarch display at Kites & Critters Day

by Kate Guenther

The third major workday for the Wildlife Center (Focus Project) was a lot of snowy fun and new faces turned out to help! On Saturday, March 8, volunteers really moved the project forward slushing through snow to hang six nest boxes, paint and reconstruct the sign infrastructure, test out the new rain barrels, and move more stone for the pond. HMN’s are intrepid, but it was too snowy to work on installing the pond further.

A record 18 people showed up to help! By lunch it was warmer, and we stood around our work eating hot soups and stews. Welcome to Janet, Jerry, Pat, Dwayne, Malcolm, Ginny and Carl.

From here forward, workdays will be announced as they get developed by each team leader. Planting the garden will occur in different stages starting in April. Pond work will resume on April 17 or 18th. Check with Kate or the team lead to see when they next expect to work, if you’d like to join us further!

Please hold the morning of August 16th in your calendar to join the ribbon-cutting ceremony where food and ADV EDU and tours of the Wildlife Center of Virginia are planned to be offered. Families/neighbors/friends will be welcome- a great way to introduce people to the Master Naturalist program.

Project Coordinator:  Kate  540-350-2824   goatherderkate[at]yahoo.com
Pond Team Leader:  Frank  540-885-9663   exsoop[at]gmail.com
Sign Team Leader:  Sandy  540-234-9336   greenes104[at]aol.com
Planting Team Leader:  Chris   540-289-6801   bowlenchris[at]comcast.net

Find all of Kate’s photos documenting the Wildlife Center garden project on SmugMug here.

Sue paints the sign.

Ginny paints the sign.

Frank talks with Urbie Nash.

Janet

Sandy leading a search for trailing arbutus

Malcolm and Carl rebuilding a sign

Demonstration nest boxes line the entry trail

Debriefing with Kate