Conservation  

Updated August 4, 2023

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Member Edgar "Butch" Morris Awarded for Save Our Streams Work (posted August 4, 2023)

At the 2023 IWLA Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska, our chairperson for the Save Our Streams program was honored with the national award for 2022 Save Our Streams programming.  At the August membership meeting at the chapter, president Herbert Pritchett, Sr. presented the award to Rod Hughes and Susan Midland, who work various conservation projects and were representing Butch who was unable to attend the meeting.  The award, the "Save Our Streams Award for 2022" is given to an IWLA member "in recognition of outstanding work in clean water programs exemplifying the principles of environmental education and citizen action."  The award was announced at the 2023 convention at dated July 27, 2023.  Congratulations Butch; you have represented the chapter well and have improved the environment in and around the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania regions.  Shown in the following photo from left to right are Herbert Pritchett, Sr., president Fred-Rapp Chapter, IWLA, Inc., Rod Hughes, conservation committee chair, and Susan Midland, SOS committee member.

The Short Video History of the IWLA on its Centennial Celebration (posted January 27, 2022)

The IWLA 100th Anniversary video history from the IWLA National webpage

You may also view it  on YouTube

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Adopt-A-Highway Roadside Trash Pickup Program   (updated April 16, 2023 )

All Fredericksburg-Rappahannock Chapter Izaak Walton League members have a great program to assist us in promoting conservation of our land. [The location of our event is subject to change.] Our Chapter has a nearly two-mile stretch of roadway on Herndon Road, from one end to the other, to support the Virginia effort to keep our highways free from trash. This piece of highway is our part of the State Adopt-A-Highway Program.   It's a great way to get your walking exercise as well.

Our stretch of road is identified by a sign and begins at the intersection of Orange Plank Road (Rt 621) and Herndon Road. There is a standard Adopt-A-Highway sign near this intersection that identifies the road as one served by our chapter. The road for which we are responsible ends at the other intersection with Brock Road.  We do both sides. This is very convenient as we can park our vehicles at the chapter lot and walk the route directly. Our responsibility as part of the program is to organize a cleanup, as a minimum, two times a year. The VDOT will supply the bags, safety vests and the large, diamond-shaped orange notification signs for each cleanup effort. This effort can be joined by other organizations as well.  If the Boy Scouts or other groups would like to schedule a service project at a date and time of their choosing, we can accommodate that.  Conservation is important and this is just one way to provide a needed service to our community as well as taking care of our beautiful roadways.

Status of Grounds Plantings  (posted April 10, 2021 )

Terry Fellinger (a chapter Board Director) recently surveyed the tree plantings made several years ago by a group of volunteers from the chapter.  Of greatest interest were a number of Bald Cypress trees that are native to Virginia and several other states in the region that constitute the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Bald Cypress trees thrive when planted in or near water and some of our specimens are doing well.  At least one is struggling against human caused stress. One observation that Terry wanted to pass along is that at least one tree had been hacked by a human (not beaver damage but more likely Beaver Cleaver).  A tree that is near where there might be a good pond access appeared to have had its limbs trimmed back injudiciously to clear a better spot for casting perhaps.  When planted these cypresses were provided a white expandable plastic mesh wrap around the base of the trunk so should be visually obvious to the casual observer.  Please do not mutilate these trees as these were purposely planted for future enjoyment by members.

 

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The Children of Fred-Rapp Chapter have Decorated the Next Replacement Bee Hive Boxes (posted March 25, 2021 )

On Saturday, March 20, 2021, the Bee keepers held an activity where the Chapter's younger generation were invited to decorate the new bee boxes with colorful decorations.  The boxes were base coated with several coats of a light blue color.  The children then used their imagination and artistic skills to beautify the boxes.  These boxes will be assembled in the apiary in the coming weeks to replace the older boxes that have served their purpose.  Here are a few photos of the artists at work on Saturday.

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The Pond was Stocked with Rainbow Trout Today (posted November 24, 2020 )

The trout truck arrived today near noon to deliver this year's stocking of rainbow trout.  We received probably 400 nice trout weighing from 1 pound to 2 pounds and more.  A handful of eager anglers cast their rods soon after the truck left.  Within 30 minutes Herbert Pritchett had caught three nice ones.  A majority of the others had caught several in the first hour.  The fish seemed to like the environs and soon were dispersing around the pond.  I have included several videos (these are high resolution so they are large files; caution if you have less than a cable modem high speed internet as it could take minutes to download the files to play.

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Interested in the Chapter Bees?  Read On  (posted March 7, 2020)

Click on this link for a single page information sheet on the Chapter's bees and the apiary operation.

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The Bees in our Apiary have been Readied for the Winter (posted December 6, 2019 )

Our beekeepers report that the apiary has been readied for the cold weather upcoming for winter.

 

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Flowers Finally Flourishing  (posted August 5, 2018 )

After a number of trys in order to provide some flowers for our bee and honey production, flowers finally appear in the bee garden.  Thanks to the efforts of Barbara Pritchett and several other volunteers that prepared the seed bed and provided irrigation when needed these beautiful flowers are now appearing usut east of our apiary near the shoreline of the pond

Adopt-a-Highway -- May 2018  (posted May 6, 2018)

A few of our fellow chapter members again answered the call to help keep our piece of this beautiful state beautiful.  Shaun and Tammy Heming, Jeff and Pam Parker, Butch Morris, and I met at the clubhouse at on May 5, 2018 and convoyed to Widow Tapp's Field in the Wilderness Battlefield to pick up and bag litter along four miles from the road shoulder on Orange Plank Road.  Among us we picked up 17, 30-gallon bags of litter.  As with everything else, many hands make for lighter work. The participants in the May clean up are veterans of the chapter's adopt-a-highway team, and certainly do their part in the club's work.  We'd love to welcome others on the team.  It's a great way for new members to meet and get to know other members. I encourage you to join us in June.  Our June 2018 event will be on June 16, 2018, the Saturday AFTER the monthly chapter workday.  That means June will be an opportunity for new members to work other hours beyond the chapter workday toward the new member work requirement.  We will meet at the Chapter clubhouse at 8:30 AM on June 16, 2018.  Please feel free to contact me, Bill Hudson.  My contact email can be found on the Contact Us page.

Clean Water Challenge (posted April 23, 2018)

See National Webpage for information about the Clean Water Challenge from Danielle Donkersloot.       

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The Apiary Report for April 15 (posted April 19, 2018)

Let this email serve as the work report conducted at the Apiary on 4/15. 

With the temps holding steadily warm and no other low drop in the forecast, we decided to remove the protective screen break. This will allow for natural breeze through the apiary as we officially enter the summer.
 
We also determined that, based on visual observations and environmental conditions, the feeders would be removed allowing the bees to collect natural pollen for production.  All but 2 feeders were completely empty, hive 8 and 13 had approximately 1/4-1/2 liquid. Based on the activity, we did not pull apart the hives.

Jim Mauck will check hive 13 in detail during the week, very active and populated hive yesterday. Which we did remove one excess empty shallow from since it appeared they we’re not using that real estate.

Jim Mauck also suggested using our new swarm boxes, strategically placing to capture any potential swarms due to over crowding. 

I’ll send a separate email with our next visitation plans and suggested window for planned extraction in July.  We need to be certain we have enough labor to manage the extraction

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Apiary report for Easter Day, April 2018  (posted April 1, 2018)

Today marked the first complete inspection of the season and based on what the Beeks have observed, they are very happy with the overall health of the apiary. 
Attached is a hive by hive inspection with a few things to note and that there are now clearly identified positions for 18 hives.  We currently have 9 total hives; only lost one over the winter, which, in our opinion is very good.  Of those hives, 3-5 show potential for splits with 2 appearing to lack the proper queen production one would normally expect at this point of the year.

All sugar boards were removed and we began feeding them a liquid 1:1 diet. The next feeding will occur next Sunday 4/8, (unless otherwise announced), around 11 AM for anyone who is available to attend. 

A few of the Beeks will be attending Thursday’s Chapter meeting on April 5 should questions develop; the Beeks  we can answer.

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Chapter Awarded Monetary Grant from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (posted March 28, 2018 )

The Chapter is excited and proud to report that it has received a $3000 grant from the REC to support the Chapter's Apiary project.  See an article explaining the grant as well as what we are doing with our apiary.  If you do not already round up your electric bill payment, consider very seriously joining with other members of the REC in rounding up your monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar and allowing the small amount of change to be used to support charitable causes supported by REC members through Community Awareness of Rappahannock Electric Charity, Inc.  (C.A.R.E. Charity, Inc.)

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Bee Status Report from Jim Mauck   (posted January 23, 2018)

"Happy News All!

A couple of items to share:
- I visited the Apiary yesterday to inspect our girls and am happy to report there were bees entering and exiting ALL ten hives. I was especially curious to see the status of the newer hives, those in the back, and can report after lifting the top covers, bees were actively feeding on the sugar and pollen patties. Nice moist heat could be felt rising up into the inner cover so I figure those hives had decent clusters. The single hive to the right as you enter was as feisty as ever so I did not linger. Temperature reading inside Apiary was 70-degrees F.

I realize there’s more winter to negotiate and all sorts of things can happen twixt now and Spring but, I’m optimistic that we’ll have lots of 2-year hives to work with even if we lose few over the rest of this winter. February is nearing and maple and willow trees will begin to produce nectar although the temperatures will need to in the 60’s for foraging girls.

I dropped off 2 finished nucs and 2 swarm boxes the Scouts made for us. Now we need to decide where to place the swarm boxes.

Finally, if anyone is interested in taking the Beginning Beekeeping course that Gateway Beekeepers holds, they begin February 6.  Eight, two-hour sessions for $35 (?). Taking the class makes you a member of the Associationn and you get a very good textbook. But the best thing about the course is the opportunity to mingle with and pick the brains of a lot of very experienced "Beeks."

If interested in the course, email Doug Hancock at: doughancock1973@gmail.com "

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A Message from our new Conservation Director (Posted July 9, 2017)

Hello Everyone!!  

If I didn’t get to meet or talk with you at the July membership meeting, my name is Mike Cronrath, and I’m pleased to serve as your new Conservation Director.  I am new to IWLA, but have been involved with the Fredericksburg Project Healing Waters Program for the last several months, and now eager to help develop a fun and informative environmental conservation program for IWLA.  While my professional background is centered on aviation and occupational safety, I’ve worked as an environmental compliance director for a military installation in the past, and will try to bring what I’ve learned about environmental sustainability to the association.  

I’ve been looking over the conservation postings from the last several years to see what areas and efforts we’ve been involved with, and it looks like you’ve been busy with bee keeping, tree plantings, Earth Day activities, Stewardship awards, and of course the Adopt-a-Highway cleanup program.  So now, I’m wondering, what can we do next to increase our conservation awareness, and broaden our understanding of good stewardship principles?  I think I have a simple 6 point plan to get started:

 

1.   Talk to and meet you!  It’s apparent that several of you already have a ‘conservation area of expertise’.  Let’s leverage your wisdom in forestry management, fisheries and water management, entomology, avian, game and non-game mammal care, sustainable living, recycling, renewable energy, etc.

2.    Develop an internal ‘conservation network’ or planning committee.  Everyone can contribute hopefully, and we can publish a local ‘point of contact’ or reference listing for locating additional subject matter expertise to share our experiences.

3.    Develop an external conservation network.  How can we build synergy with other environmental and conservation groups to promote our vision, and how can we attract and inform others of our cause?

4.    Find out what educational and informational offerings you desire?  In the next few weeks I’ll check on setting up a web based survey, but feel free to contact me anytime.

5.    Develop a conservation ‘calendar of events’, for inclusion on the IWLA calendar of conservation events, training, and planning meetings . 

6.    Identify any needed resource gaps and develop a status report for the leadership.

 
If you would just like to chat about our conservation work, or what you can do to help, please contact me, phone or text at 540 621-8245, or email: mrcronrath@gmail.com.  I think we can accomplish great things together and am looking forward to promoting conservation and environmental preservation with you!

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Tree Planting Event at The Chapter on Saturday, April 29 (Posted March 23, 2017 )

Rod Hughes has obtained some chinquapin saplings and bald cypress saplings for us to plant.  We will plant the saplings at the Chapter grounds on Saturday, April 29 starting at 9 AM.  Bring a garden spade or a tree spade, if you have one, and a digging bar as some of the earth at the Chapter has never been disturbed and will need some persuasion even if we have some spring rainfall this week.  For those planting the cypress, bring some boots as the cypress will like to be near the water's edge. It is a great conservation outing for all IKES and especially new members that need to accrue some hours against their 20 hour commitment.

Be sure to sign the volunteer work sheet that will be in the Chapterhouse to indicate you were there.

Savings Bees by Planting Flowers  (Posted March 12, 2017 )

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Adopt-a-Highway Status Report  (posted June 3, 2017) 

Finally got a break!  Bill Hudson and a larger contingent of volunteers this month tried to completed the June roadside clean-up and the weather was perfect.  Bill and his crew collected 20 bags of debris from the roadside and it looks so much better. Bill has an Adopt-a-Highway event for every work day through October to "get 'er done." So, plan on a schedule for a pick-up in July, August, September and October.  Meet in the parking lot in front of the Chapterhouse early Saturday morning.  Shaun Heming has agreed to be the Assistant Road Warrior to help Bill fulfill our commitment to VDOT

Bee Hive Inspections - August, 2016  (posted August 31, 2016)

The following is a summary of the weekly August inspections. 

This August has been a very hot, humid month with very little pollen or nectar sources available for foraging bees. So weekly feedings of 1:1 sugar syrup are required to ensure the bees will have sufficient population growth and food stores for the winter.  Cooking up 100 lbs of sugar per week for sugar syrup has been the norm to keep the ten hives of the ILWA fed this summer. The result has been steady bee population growth and, with one exception, all hives are comprised now of a deep hive body topped with 2 supers.  The exception, Hive 8, is the slowest growing hive but likely it will have a second super added by summer’s end.  Due to the heat, (it’s tough on both the bees and the beekeepers) the inspections were generally cursory: only on one occasion were the hive bodies inspected. For the most part, the focus of the August inspections were ensuring the hives were fed and, by assessing extent of capped frames in the uppermost super, whether to add and additional super.

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              Hives 1 through 5                                               Hives 6 through 10

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Annual Tree Planting, May 7, 2016 (posted April 29, 2016)

Rod Hughes has planned our IWLA Annual Tree Planting Project.  At our April meeting, it was decided to do the planting on the Chapter work day (May 7) at the Lee Hill Park, 9910 Lee Hill Park Road (Fredericksburg address) Spotsylvania County.

Please bring tools if you have them: digging bar (or specialty seedling tool) to make small holes for planting seedlings; alternatively bring shovel.  Also need hammers to drive in small stakes to mark locations and to secure protective seedling tubes.

Meet Rod at the IWLA Fred Rapp Chapter grounds for a 9:00 AM departure if you wish to play “Follow the Leader” all the way to the Lee Hill Park planting site. You will convoy first to Loriella Park, to pick up our trees, then continue to the Lee Hill planting site.  If you live closer to Loriella Park than to our Chapter grounds, you can meet us there, and join the convoy to our final destination.

• Alternative pick up location: If more convenient for you, meet us at Loriella Park Swimming Pool parking lot, 10910 Leavells Road. Our convoy will depart from there at 9:30 AM, and “Follow the Leader” to the Lee Hill Park planting site.

 or

• Just meet us at Lee Hill Park.  (Set your GPS to 9910 Lee Hill Park Road. Upon arrival, proceed to the end of the road.) We will assemble at the baseball diamond parking lot - a very short walk from our planting site - not later than 10:00 AM.   At 10:00 AM, we will have a quick demonstration of planting technique, then Fun will be had by all.  We have approximately 100 hardwood seedlings to plant, so the more folks that participate, the merrier our task well be.  

"Hope to see you on the morning of May 7th.  Thanks in advance,"
Rod

Adopt-A-Highway Dates Planned for 2016 (updated July 3, 2016)

A message from Bill Hudson, our Adopt-A-Highway coordinator... Several years ago, the IWLA Fred-Rapp Chapter began supporting state conservation efforts via the Adopt-A-Highway Program and committed to keeping clean and litter-free both sides of 2 miles of Route 621/Orange Plank Road adjacent to the Wilderness Battlefield and northward.  That commitment requires picking up the litter along that stretch of highway no less than four times each year.  Normally, as a minimum, we do that in April, June, August, and October each year and do it on scheduled chapter workdays during those months.  Should weather cause safety issues we reschedule the event for the following Saturday of that month.  Sadly, it is our experience that very few chapter members take advantage of this opportunity to help keep our little piece of Virginia countryside clean and free of litter.  Remember --- many hands make light work, and there is no better way to get to know some fellow Chapter members than to walk along our byways picking up the trash so many of our fellow citizens so thoughtlessly toss from their vehicles.  Please consider doing your part to help your Chapter do its work and to keep our beautiful Commonwealth beautiful.  This year I urge each of you to meet us at 0900 on the Chapter workday Saturdays in June, July, August, and October to don an orange safety vest and tote orange trash bags (safety vests and bags will be provided) and participate in this important work.

Second Quarter 2015 Adopt-A-Highway After Action Report  (posted July 25, 2015)

Today was a great day!  Five of your fellow Ike's did their part in keeping the Commonwealth beautiful with a little fellowship thrown in for good measure.  We fought high grass, ticks, dead deer, and speeding traffic picking up litter along both sides of our 2 miles of adopted Virginia highway.  The most interesting item found today was a pair of lady's underunspeakables.  Still trying to sort out in my mind just what that wase doing there and why.  Thank your fellow Ikes, Carl and Trina Rice, Scott Firewicz, and Jim Lloyd for their work keeping our environs beautiful. They did a great job.  If you want to get to know a few more of your fellow club members, nothing quite like getting acquainted walking along the highway. Pictured left to right are Jim Lloyd, Trina Rice, Scott Firewicz, and Carl Rice with Bill Hudson taking the picture.

Thanks to all that came out on a summer day in Spotsylvania County
Bill Hudson

Click the thumbnails below to view a larger picture

Pictured left to right are Jim Lloyd, Trina Rice, Scott Firewicz, and Carl Rice with Bill Hudson taking the picture.

Conservation Topic Presented at August Membership Meeting (posted August 8, 2015)   

At the August membership meeting there were 65 members in attendance as we had a fantastic talk and demonstration from Mr. Art Foltz.  Art captured our attention with the subject of Trapping.  He was able to walk us through the entire process of the activity. Art explained the laws in the state of Virginia and what animals are commonly trapped. He brought an assortment of different types of traps and demonstrated how they are set and employed. The subject of trapping generated many questions by our audience and Art was able to answer all of them.  We thank Art for taking his time and speaking with us. It was very interesting and educational.
  

June 2015 Membership Meeting Guest Speaker (posted June 4, 2015)

Our membership meeting on the evening of June 4th was special. Our guest speaker was Chief Ranger, Visitor Experience, Lauri Schular from Lake Anna State Park. Ranger Schular spoke to us about Lake Anna State Park and other parks in the area and around Virginia. She informed us about programs and activities that are important to the parks and its customers. She was very informative and even brought a few creatures that were sure to keep our attention. A very nice little turtle and a corn snake made their appearance for all to see and touch. The group asked many questions and Ranger Schular answered them all with wit and candor. We thank Lauri and her assistant Mariya for sharing their time with all 60 of us and making sure we improved our educational awareness in the world of nature.  

First Quarter 2015 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup (posted: May 3, 2015)

Wow, what a great morning. It couldn’t have been nicer. Our group of “Road Warriors” scoured the roadside from end to end today. The most interesting item found today was a working iPhone. Our youngest member of the group found the phone. A few moments later a car pulled up with a young lady looking for it. She was able to describe it and our eagle eyed young man handed the phone over to the owner. She thanked him and took off. About 15 minutes later the same car appeared again and handed the young man and his father a couple of sodas and thanked them again. We also found some peacock feathers but nobody came by looking for those. :) Thanks to our volunteers today. They did a great job.

Click the thumbnail below to view a larger photo

Road warriors:
(Bill Hudson, Keith Buck, Jonathan Buck and Mike Sullivan taking pics)

April 2015 Tree Planting at Lake Anna State Park (posted: April 4, 2015)

Today our Izaak Walton Chapter had a beautiful day to plant trees. The weather was in the 50s and sunny and a little breezy. The ground was soft due to the rain over the past days. This made our planting much easier. We were at the Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.  Our day started out with a briefing from Ranger Lauri Schular. Once she finished, all 25 of us grabbed our shovels and planting bars and went to work. We planted about 70 trees in the parking area grassy medians, the cabin area and one picnic area. All the saplings/trees were deciduous and native to Virginia. Our volunteers today were chapter members and guests, families, kids and four legged creatures. I want to thank all our volunteers. This could only be possible with their efforts. Additional thanks to Ranger Schular and the staff for facilitating our environmental project at the park. Our saplings/trees came from the Virginia Department of Forestry, Forester Thomas Snoddy.  We all had a great time, met many fantastic people and helped contribute to making our local environment a much better place to live.

(Keith Buck, Jonathan Buck, Bill Hudson, Barbara Anderson, Rachael Brautigam, Chris Brautigam, Yuleiny Garcia Contreras, John Caracciolo, Steven Tharp, Kate Tharp, William Tharp, Brandi Merryman, Mike Merryman, Chris Merryman, Rod Hughes, Candus Grawl, David Grawl, Michelle Chowaniac, Michael Chowaniac, Mariya Froiove, Katy Lawler, Greg Raines, Jim Lloyd, Lauri Schular, Patty Nunn, Tim Jones, Rick Nehrboss and Mike Sullivan)

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair Emeritus
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net

2015 Tree Planting Photos

Click the thumbnails below for a larger view

Mike Sullivan's Personal Message to all IKEs  (posted: November 16, 2014)

Hi, it has been a blast being the Conservation Chairman the past five years. I am going to take a break as Chairman at the end of this years term in December. We implemented and accomplished many conservation programs and projects. Thank you to all our IKEs volunteers. You are fantastic. I also want to give a special "thank you" to Forester Tom Snoddy from the Department of Forestry, for supporting us with trees each year for our plantings and reforestation efforts. Also, to Officer Lee Sillitoe, the City of Fredericksburg Watershed Property Manager. Lee took the time to search for and coordinate property and property access along the watershed where our reforestation efforts could occur. They are exceptional conservationists and a pleasure to work with. I’ll see you around the clubhouse. Keep up the great work and keep the conservation efforts going.

V/R Mike Sullivan

Fourth Quarter 2014 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup (posted: November 9, 2014)

The morning started out at 32 degrees, but warmed up quickly. Our eight "Road Warriors" headed over to Orange Plank Road for our final Adopt-A-Highway clean-up of 2014.  We split up into three groups and scoured the road for the next few hours.  We found plenty to keep us busy as we filled 15 bags full of bottles, cans, plastic, paper and who knows what. In the end we met new friends, had some great conversations and solved the worlds problems. We even managed to make this little piece of the planet a better place. Thanks to all our volunteers. They did an excellent job.

Click the thumbnail below to view a larger picture

Road warriors:
Dave Long, Jerry Cappeller, Scott Darkow, Bill Hudson, John Caracciolo, Rod Hughes, Hank Fulghum and Mike Sullivan taking pics.

Gathering Acorns and Seeds in September/October 2014 Posted: September 9, 2014

IKES and others: Save some time on your calendar to replenish our supply of native trees in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Forestry asks for our help the last week of September and into October to pick up acorns and nuts from our Virginia trees. The Forest Service then uses these acorns to regenerate trees for planting in our community and on forest lands. These are the same saplings/trees we use each year to plant along our rivers. Please bring your cardboard boxes/paper bags (no plastic) full of nuts to the October monthly meeting (October 2, 2014) . I’ll collect and deliver the boxes and bags to the Dept. of Forestry. Please place your full name and e-mail address on the box or bag so I can mention you on our webpage and give you hours of credit if you need them. Thanks, Mike

Third Quarter 2014 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup (posted: August 9, 2014)

What a perfect day! All ten of us met at the clubhouse on a beautiful Saturday morning. The temperature was 75 degrees and not a cloud in the the sky. At 0900 on the clock we loaded up and convoyed over to Orange Plank Road. After our safety brief we split into three groups and began our quest for as much junk as we could find. In the end we collected over 15 bags of trashy stuff along with some car parts and unopened cans of beer. We all had a great time, met some new folks and cleaned up our little piece of the county. Thanks to all our volunteers. They make the effort worthwhile.

Click the thumbnail below to view a larger picture

Road warriors:
Jerry Cappeller, Dave Long, Keith Buck, Nikki Metterman, Michael Jordan, John Caracciolo, Hank Fulgham, Paul Simmons, unnamed 15 year old and Mike Sullivan.

Help Needed with Maintenance Tasks on the Honey Bee Habitat (Apiary) (posted: July 13, 2014)

All IKEs, are there any qualified bee keepers out there? Jim Ashcroft could use an assist from a qualified bee keeper from time to time.  Come out and lend a hand.  Please contact Jim Ashcraft at jashcraft@comcast.net or call him at (540) 972-2038. Thanks. Mike

Click the thumbnails below to view a larger picture

Bee Hive Inspection (posted: June 29, 2014)

Jim Ashcroft and several volunteer bee keepers inspected the hives located at the IWL property on Friday, June 27, 2014 . Half of the hives were inspected for a number of problems that can damage a healthy bee colony. For the most part the hives are progressing well and the bees should be able to establish enough stores for this winter by the amount of pollen brought in so far. Jim Ashcroft is planning to inspect the remaining hives early the week of June 29. Along with the inspection this coming week the hives will need to be supplied with "bee water" (1:1 ratio of sugar to water). Each of the 6 individual hives will need to be supplied up to 2 gallons of this mixture to sustain the production of honey during the summer. Jim would like to take this opportunity to thank Jim Mauck for all his help and assistance in getting the hives prepared and set up and establishing the bees within the hives. See the follwing photos that illustrate the status of the apiary. One of the photos includes the queen bee which can be identified by a red spot on her back.  Can you find her?

Click the thumbnails below to view a higher resolution/larger picture

Girls Scouts Issue Second Report of their Conservation Investigation at the Chapter Grounds (posted: June 24, 2014)

On June 21, 2014, girls and guardians from Girl Scout Troop 536 representing Spotsylvania/Fredericksburg, along with several IWLA members participated in a second investigative journey around our chapter grounds. Click to see the full report of their activity along with a number of great photos. Caution: If you have a slow connection it might take a few minutes to download and display this nearly 3 meg PDF file.

Second Quarter 2014 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup (posted: June 9, 2014)

Saturday the 7th was a fantastic day. The sun was out, it was about 75 degrees at 9AM. Nine hearty souls convoyed over to Orange Plank Road and got ready to clean up. We split up into three groups and cleaned the entire two mile stretch from start to finish. We gathered 16 bags of stuff and finished before noon as the temperature got into the 80s. We had a good time, got some exercise and met some nice folks.

Click the thumbnail below to view a larger picture

Road warriors:
George Lear, Mark Harbison, Randy Toney, Mark Wakeman, Travis Wakeman, Cynthia Sheppard, Dennis Sheppard, Scott Darkow, Mike Sullivan

Thanks to all our volunteers.

Girls Scouts Issue Report of their Conservation Investigation at the Chapter Grounds (posted: June 6, 2014)

On April 5, 2014, eleven girls from Girl Scout Troop 536 representing Spotsylvania/Fredericksburg, guardians, and five IWLA members participated in an investigative journey around our chapter grounds. Click to see the full report of their activity along with a number of great photos. Caution: If you have a slow connection it might take a few minutes to download and display this 2 meg PDF file. If you want to see only the map of the chapter with results click on the map only.

The Bees have Arrived (posted: May 23, 2014)

Hey what’s the buzz round town? There is a new creature in our neck of the woods. Honey bees have found a home in Spotsylvania, the location is our Izaak Walton Chapter. The bees took up residence Thursday night about 7 PM. Thanks to Jim Ashcraft and his crew for emplacing the bees in their new home. Come out and learn about these exceptional creatures.

SOME FACTS ABOUT HONEYBEES

From the Backyard Beekeeper Association ( http://www.backyardbeekeepers.com/facts.html )

Pollination
Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination. Honeybees account for 80% of all insect pollination. Without such pollination, we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables.

Pollen
Bees collect 66 lbs of pollen per year, per hive. Pollen is the male germ cells produced by all flowering plants for fertilization and plant embryo formation. The Honeybee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is one of the richest and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein, 10% sugars, carbohydrates, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins A (carotenes), B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (panothenic acid), C (ascorbic acid), H (biotin), and R (rutine).

Honey

Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.

Click the thumbnails below to view a larger picture

Opening the transport containers.	Checking the bees	One queen bee per hive
Covering the hive	Adding supplemental food	Almost done

2014 Honey Bee Keeping Initiative (updated: May 22, 2014)

The four nucs of bees will be picked up Thursday evening and installation is planned for Friday May 23, around 7 PM - IWL beekeeper wanabees please make plans to attend Friday's installation - if you can not make it let me know - I might be installing another two nucs next week. If anything changes I will let everyone know. If you are planning on attending the bee installation Friday evening please have your bee outfits which includes veil, gloves and suit, if you are going that way. You do not need anything else.

Please send your contact email to confirm if you are still planning to support this project to Jim Ashcraft at Jashcraft@comcast.net

Note: This is a great way to support the spring conservation efforts at Walton Park and an opportunity for new members to earn some volunteer work hours.

Below: A photo of a bee tending a hive and photo of a bee keeper's equipment:

IKES Celebrate Earth Day 2014 (posted: April 19, 2014)

The Fred-Rapp Chapter of the Izaak Walton League celebrated Earth Day on Saturday the 19th. We put three apple trees and 30 plants on the property. Our 21 people had a fantastic time while making the grounds look great and providing exceptional plants for our bee project. Thank you to all our volunteers. (Patty Nunn, Greg Raines, Joseph Macina, Pat Aubert, Jennefer Gaston-Smith and three family members, Darrell Schultz, Brenda Holland, Rod Hughes, Paul Seal, Kayla Ramey, Sheila Seal, Dave Riddle and his four family members, Al Saunders and Mike Sullivan)

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Fly Fishing University Graduates Class of Anglers  (posted: April 15, 2014)

Just like Jeopardy: There are nippers, zingers, floating strike indicators, nail knots and forceps. The proper question is - What are some "gotta have" devices for fly fishing? Correct! A group of ten or so wanna be fly fishermen and fisherwomen decided to take advantage of the exceptional knowledge of our resident fly fishing expert, Professor Dick Barnett. Over the course of three 1/2 day sessions, Dick provided a hands on beginners course in basic fly fishing. All students learned what gear was necessary, how to assemble it, tie proper knots and how to cast a line using the proper fly. All students had a fantastic time in the classroom, practicing on the grass and fly fishing in our pond. Thanks to Dick, we have a few more people who are a bit more knowledgeable and capable of preserving this fun sport.

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Girl Scouts Perform Conservation Project Activities (posted: April 9, 2014)

On the 5th of April, ten Girl Scouts, parents and leaders began a fun investigative journey around our chapter grounds. Their first investigation included testing the water coming out of the pond. Their tests included such things as determining the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the water. They all recorded the results and proceeded on a hike around the pond. There they learned about how unrestricted water flow can damage land. They discussed honey bees, trees, forest animals and how beavers can change the way our forests look. This knowledge was recorded by all the scouts. When finished with the hike, all participants went to the clubhouse to talk about what all this had to do with conservation. During the discussion, the scouts were asked to make posters about what they learned and how it is important to our environment. They had a great time, got muddy and learned a tremendous practical lesson about nature and its affect on our lives. This effort was made possible by Ms. Patty Nunn who organized the event and Mr. Jim McCloud who guided the scouts on their water testing effort as well as the hike around the pond. They did a fantastic job. Additionally, thanks to the parents who got muddy along with the scouts and provided an excellent example for our future conservationists.

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Honey Bee Habitat (Apiary) Construction Activity (posted: April 5, 2014)

There was a hive of activity over at the honey bee location today, 5 April 2014. Gravel was moved and spread, stands erected, paint splashed on equipment and fencing emplaced. Everyone had a great time. Thanks to all our volunteers. This project is off and running at light speed. If anyone would like to learn about honey bees, come out and join the fun.

Click the thumbnails below to view a larger picture

First Quarter 2014 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup (posted: April 5, 2014)

The Adopt-A-Highway program jumped off to a busy day on Saturday the 5th of April 2014. We had 26 members and family members participate. It was a beautiful day as we headed over to Orange Plank Road. We received our safety brief, found a vest that almost fit and gathered our orange trash bags. Over the next 3 hours we scoured the roadside on our two mile stretch of roadway and ended up collecting 21 bags of strange stuff. Thanks to all our volunteers. They did an exceptional job, met new friends, got some exercise and improved our planet substantially.

Click the thumbnails below to view a larger picture

Road warriors: Hank Fulghum, Barry Kilday, Mike Jordan, Paul Seal, Nate Majean, Devin Majean, Jim Lloyd, Ray Lopez, Andrew Lopez, Matt Lopez, Josh Lopez, Paul Simmons, Brenda Holland, Bryan Smith, Denise Smith, Joseph Murray, Jolene Murray, John Caracciozo, Nikki Metterman, Eugene Slaygle, Mike Dunlap, Dascha Finley, Rod Hughes, Wayne Rinker, Patty Nunn and Mike Sullivan taking Pics

Speaker from the Richmond Chapter of the Audobon Society (posted: April 5, 2014)

Our April Chapter Membership Meeting had an exceptional speaker, the President of the Richmond Chapter of the Audubon Society, Mr. Lewis Barnett. He gave us all an exceptional overview of the Audubon Society and the important work they do in the field of conservation and education as it relates to birds in our environment. His presentation was very informative. There were lots of interesting questions from our 65 members in the audience and Mr. Barnett stayed to answer all of them. It was noted that our organizations have many things in common. We thank Mr. Barnett for taking his time to talk to us this evening.

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March 2014 Tree Planting on the Rock Run Creek (posted: March 22, 2014)

Fourteen hearty souls (and two pooches) made their way to Fauquier County today. It was a perfect day to plant trees on the banks of Rock Run Creek. We parked our vehicles on a farm and walked back into the woods about a quarter mile. We assembled on the banks of the creek to get a safety brief and a planting demo. Then it was off to planting. We put almost 220 native trees in the ground today in places that had been deforested. The area is beautiful and with our work today, it should stay that way for future generations to share and enjoy.

Thanks to all our volunteers. They got muddy and plenty of exercise. We all had a great time and made our piece of this planet a little nicer. - Mike

Our volunteer work party for the activity included Patty Nunn, Jim McCloud, Tim McCloud, Michael Jordan, John and Susan Webb and “Zeke", Andrew Lopez, Josh Lopez, Matthew Lopez, Jim Lloyd, Greg Raines, Darrin Comfort, Mike Sullivan and two dogs.

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435717 756-6435

2014 Tree Planting Photos

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Note: Scroll down to see the article and pictures from the 2013 tree planting activity on the Rappahannock river.

IWLA Fly Fishing University (posted: February 7, 2014)

At our February 2014 membership meeting, Fred/Rapp IWLA Chapter Member Dick Barnett provided a lively introduction to the sport of fly fishing illustrated by several of his visits to renowned streams in the United States.

Dick is planning to conduct an IWLA Fly Fishing University at Walton Park starting in March 2014. The University will focus first on learning, developing skills and then fishing. There was an initial sign-up for prospective students at the conclusion of the meeting. To inquire about the University and to sign up to be a student send an email to Dick at k4guj@aol.com with a copy furnished to Mike Sullivan at mjs2516@comcast.net .

The curriculum for the course can be viewed here.

Adults: Make this a family event by signing up your son or daughter. As a proviso, Dick would like for each youngster to have an adult present for the classes.

Fly Fishing University Photos

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Shad fishing on the Rapp.	Fly fishing Prof	Places I have fished	Thanks Dick

2014 Quarterly Speaker Program

The 2014 schedule for Conservation Speakers is:

• (1st QTR) February 6 - Mr. Dick Barnett will make a presentation on Fly Fishing. Bring the family!
• (2nd QTR) April 3 - Mr. Lewis Barnett will make a presentation on the Audubon Society. Mr. Barnett has been on the faculty of the University of Richmond for 23 years. His interest in the outdoors started with roaming the woods of upcountry South Carolina as a kid. Birds attracted his attention when home ownership forced him back into yard work as an adult. He has been active with the Richmond Audubon Society for fifteen years.
• (3rd QTR) July, August or September - TBD
• (4th QTR) October November or December - TBD

If you have an idea regarding a group or an individual, please let me know and I will contact them to see if they may be interested in being a speaker at one of our monthly meetings.

Michael J Sullivan
Chair for Conservation
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

2014 Community Planting

Each Year in the March time frame the State Department of Forestry has provided trees to organizations such as ours to plant and beautify or regenerate areas in our nearby community. The date of the tree distribution is usually done on short notice (about a weeks notice). We have planted trees on the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers in the past couple of years and hope to do the same again this year. Please keep some weekend space on your calendar for approximately 21 March to come out and help us make our slice of this earth a little better.

2014 Earth Day Tree and Shrub Planting (updated: March 25, 2014)

Member Earth Day Celebration/Planting - 9 AM, Saturday, April 19, 2014. Six members and families have volunteered to plant a tree or shrub. If you and or your family would still like to plant a tree or shrub on the Izaak Walton grounds, I have room for a few more volunteers. I purchase plants based on the needs of our property and the number of people interested in planting and maintaining a plant on our Chapter property. Please let me know by e-mail or phone NLT 7 April.

Michael J Sullivan
Chair for Conservation
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Gathering Acorns and Seeds

IKES and others: Save some time on your calendar to replenish our supply of native trees in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Forestry asks for our help the last week in September and October to pick up acorns and nuts from our Virginia trees. The Forest Service then uses these acorns to regenerate trees for planting in our community and on forest lands. These are the same trees we use each year to plant along our rivers. Please bring your boxes/bags of nuts to the October monthly meeting.

State Adopt-A-Highway Program

All Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter Izaak Walton League members, we have a great program to assist us in promoting conservation of our land. Our Chapter has a two mile stretch of roadway on Orange Plank Road to support the Virginia effort to keep our highways free of trash. This piece of highway is our part of the State Adopt-A-Highway Program. Our stretch of road is identified by signs and begins at the intersection of Longstreet Drive and Orange Plank Road (Rt 621) and goes for two miles toward the Orange County line. The end of the two mile stretch is also identified by a standard Adopt-A-Highway sign. Our responsibility as part of the program is to organize a cleanup, as a minimum, four times a year. The VDOT will supply the bags, safety vests and notification signs for each cleanup effort. I will be the point of contact. This effort can be joined by other organizations as well. If the Boy Scouts or other groups would like to schedule a service project at a date and time of their choosing, we can accommodate that as well. Conservation is important and this is just one way to provide a needed service to our community as well as taking care of our beautiful roadways.

Read below for the reports of each of our clean-up events for the past several years.

The scheduled Adopt-A-Highway clean-up dates for 2014 are:

• April 5
• June 7
• August 9
• November 8

Safety and comfort details

1. All must wear a bright orange safety vest for visibility (vest are provided by VDOT and issued to the IWL POC).
2. The IWL POC must place the VDOT road pickup signs on the route prior to beginning the clean up activity.
3. We will clean just one side of the road at a time for safety purposes.
4. Orange bags will be provided to the POC for distribution.
5. When a bag is full, just tie it off and leave it on the side of the road.
6. Please stay a safe distance off the road to avoid traffic.
7. Wear appropriate personal clothing to protect you from the elements and the environment. - Recommend long sleeve shirt and long pants, hat, gloves, boots, bottle of water and an energy bar. Also bring a pick up stick for ease of lifting items.

We will always meet at the Izaak Walton League clubhouse at 0900 on the morning of the event and convoy as a group over to the location. Once in the parking site a quick safety brief is conducted and orange bags and safety vests are distributed. We usually work until about noon depending on the weather. We have a good time and it offers an opportunity to meet other members of our chapter. I look forward to the next event. See you there! Thanks,

Michael J Sullivan
Chair for Conservation
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Honey Bee Keeping Initiative, 2014

I want to introduce Jim Ashcraft to all of you. He is our Fred/Rapp Chapter lead in getting our Honey Bee Keeping efforts up and running. Jim and I attended the December Chapter Board meeting and Jim presented the Bee Keeping plan. The board liked the idea, the location and the plan. They unanimously accepted the proposal for keeping honey bees on our property.

Jim currently has three other members interested in taking an active role in our bee effort. We are always looking for more people to get involved. If anyone else would like to participate, please see me or Jim Ashcraft. It will be a fun educational program for our chapter. Jim's e-mail is: jashcraft@comcast.net

Earth Day Tree Planting at the Chapter grounds, April 20, 2013

We had a perfect day to celebrate Earth Day. The temperature was in the high 50s and sunny. It rained the night before, so the ground was pretty soft for digging all those holes. We put six trees and six more bushes in the ground. All will certainly give our grounds some much needed color. Thanks to all our sponsors who planted trees and shrubs today. The property will look fantastic as your trees and shrubs take root and produce some exceptional color over the years. Our participants are: Patty Nunn, Ken Guest, Mike and Jackson Weiss, Darrell Schultz, Nikki Metterman, Greg Raines and Mike Sullivan (taking Pics).

March 2013 Tree Planting on the Rappahannock River

March 16 started out rainy and nasty. Knowing this was our day to plant trees on the Rappahannock, it was almost expected. On the drive into the Izaak Walton the rain constantly beat against the windshield and cab of the truck. To my surprise, upon entering the chapter grounds the rain let up and it turned almost nice. There were some volunteers already in the parking area ready to head to the site. At a few minutes to 0900 we had thirteen people ready to go. We consolidated into six vehicles and headed for our site. Upon arrival we gathered at the top of the river bank and listened to the tree planting guidelines and the safety brief. We were ready to go. Our volunteers gathered their saplings and headed down the bank and onto the flood plain of the Rappahannock. Once at the bottom, it was easy to see where the trees were needed. Our group went straight to work and within thirty minutes, had all our fifty trees in the ground.

The Watershed Manager happened to be at site and had an additional one hundred plus trees available if we wanted them. We took advantage of the opportunity and planted them as well. By noon we were just about finished. We took some pictures and assisted with putting up the sign indicating our planting for the area (see Pic). Once finished with the sign we headed back up the river bank to the parking area. We had a very successful day due to our volunteers.

I want to thank all of them for their time and effort. They did a great job and made a difference in our local environment. I also want to thank Tom Snoddy (Va Dept. of Forestry) for coordinating the trees for us and Officer Lee Sillitoe (Watershed Manager) for locating an exceptional and historic place to plant the trees. It worked out fine and we had a great time. - Mike

The entire group: Darrell Schultz, Patty Nunn, John Caracciolo, Kevin Haley, Joseph and Jacob Macina, William Raney, Tony Oliver, Ryan Parker, John and Susie Webb, Christy Burns, Mike Sullivan, Tom Snoddy, Lee Sillitoe.

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Help with New Conservation Projects

To all Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter IKES, last year was very good in the conservation area. Participation was at an all time high and it was nice to see parents bringing their kids to many of the events. Our success came from members who enjoyed planting trees (twice a year), participating in our Adopt-a-highway program (four time a year) and conversing with our speakers at the quarterly conservation speaker program.

What I want to accomplish with this note is to see if there is interest in expanding to other areas this year. I talked to volunteers at our conservation activities and at our chapter workdays. Many indicated they would be willing to participate in other areas if offered. I asked for ideas and if they would be willing to take on the coordinating aspect of a project. The new ideas or proposals flowed quickly. Some members indicated they would also like to see projects that were more kid friendly while others asked for some projects that were less physical.

The collection of ideas below are noteworthy. I am asking all interested members who would like to take on an exciting conservation related project to give me a call or send an email. It is a great way to meet new people, make new friends, and improve our environment.

Proposed Conservation projects:

• *Initiate and coordinate a conservation education program for our chapter
• *Take over and run the quarterly Conservation Speaker Program
• *Be the chapter conservation writer/photographer
• Coordinate a food plot on our grounds
• Coordinate a beehive project for our chapter
• Coordinate a conservation beautification project
• Coordinate a lead test of our grounds
• *Coordinate and put together a conservation library
• Coordinate a river clean-up
• Coordinate a cemetery clean-up
• **Coordinate a chapter brass collection and turn in program
• **Initiate and run a kids US Dept. of Agriculture(USDA) Forestry Svc Conservation Program http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conservationeducation/programs

The items with an * are programs that would require less physical activity.

The items with two ** are proposed kid friendly programs.

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Stewardship Virginia

Governor McDonnell set up the Stewardship Virginia program upon entering office as the Governor of Virginia. This program allows organizations to recognize worthy individuals who lead and participate in conservation programs aimed to conserve and enhance Virginia's lands and waters.

The Fredericksburg-Rappahannock Chapter of the Izaak Walton League participates in this program. Listed below are chapter members who made a difference and participated in at least three conservation projects or events over the past three years. These individuals were recognized with a certificate of appreciation from Governor McDonnell at our January 2013 monthly meeting. See picture below.

• Terry Fellinger
• Darrell Schultz
• Hank Fulghum
• Bill McClellan
• Ron Herndon
• George Lear
• Nikki Metterman
• Michael Jordan
• Dan Eichelberger
• Greg Raines

Thanks to all our Conservation Warriors!

Earth Day at the Chapter grounds, Sunday, April 22, 2012

This was a fantastic day. The temperature was in the high sixties and the humidity low. We all got a good workout today by planting trees on the Izaak Walton grounds in celebration of Earth Day. We put three white dogwoods on the main roadway in the vicinity of the flag poles and a red bud next to the pavilion. Across the pond we placed three weeping willows and two azalea bushes. These trees and bushes will make our grounds particularly stand out in the spring as well as all year long. Thanks to all our volunteers who sponsored a tree. (Not in order - Ron Herndon, Darrell Schultz, Greg and Debbie Raines, Nikki Metterman, Joe Nemes, Logan Nemes, Lowell Woods, Dan, Stacy, Catherine and Margaret Moll, and Joseph, Jacob and Hailey Macina and Mike Sullivan taking Pics).

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Notes from Adopt-A-Highway events for past several years:

Notes from the August 3, 2013 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

The 3rd of August was an extremely nice day. It was a bit overcast and cool in the morning while the temperature rose sharply by 11:00AM. There were three of us today and a huge area to cover. We were able to cover the area of road needing the most assistance before the heat dictated that we cease operations and pack it in for the day. I thank the crew who came out today and provided their time to help us keep our roadway and county looking great. We had a good time, got some exercise and solved most of the world's problems in such a short period of time. Thank you to our volunteers. They were fantastic. We gathered almost 10 bags of strange stuff. Come out and join us on our next Adopt-A-Highway which will be in November. Our volunteers today were: ( George Lear, Scott Darkow and Mike Sullivan).

Notes from the June 8, 2013 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

The weatherperson said the chance of rain today (8 June) was ZERO!! Not true….. We had a few hearty souls show up today to participate in our Adopt-A-Highway program. We cleaned up over a mile and a half of roadway today and collected twelve bags of some interesting stuff. We had a great time and met some new friends. Come on out and join us on our next outing on 3 August. Thanks to all our volunteers. They always do a fantastic job

Road warriors: Nikki Metterman, Mike Anglemeyer, Joe Eastes, George Lear and Mike Sullivan (taking Pics)

Notes from the April 6, 2013 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

The Fred/Rapp Chapter of the Izaak Walton League conducted its first of four road clean-ups for 2013 this Saturday. Our "Road Warriors" hit the road on 6 April at 0900. The temperature was in the 40s when we started but warmed up nicely into the 50s by 1100. Today we had a nice size group of 17 volunteers. We were able to complete the entire route by breaking into four groups. Our volunteers scoured the ground and ended up collecting over 17 bags of trash. We met some new friends today and certainly made a difference in our little corner of the planet. Thank you to all our volunteers. You did a great job. .

Notes from the December 8, 2012 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

It is 8 December 2012 and it's 50 degrees out here. Our "Road Warriors" just finished scouring our Izaak Walton Chapters two mile section of Orange Plank Road in Spotsylvania County. Today was a good day. We filled over 13 bags with trash, met a few new members and had some great conversations. Thanks to all our volunteers this morning. It is a job well done and very much appreciated. (Not in Order - Dan Eichelberger, Hank Fulghum, Bob Fitzgerald, Randy and Ryan Armel, Joe Eastes, Ryan Parker, and Mike Sullivan taking Pics).

Notes from the September 8, 2012 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

Today was a beast. It was in the 90s and very humid. Did that stop our "Road Warriors?" Not by a long shot. Nine exceptional people made their way to Orange Plank Road this morning and we collected twenty orange bags of nastiness. There may have been some Sheriff DUI checkpoints along the road in August since there were quite a few unopened beers in bottles and cans as well as syringes and crack pipes in various locations along the road. Keep up the good work Spotsy Sheriff's office. I want to thank our volunteers who got some great exercise today and worked up a good sweat. Your efforts are certainly appreciated (Not in Order, Hank Fulghum, Mike Brown, Nikki Metterman, Jason Hawker, Michael Jordan, Steve Hansen, Rick McKearney, Bill McClellan and Mike Sullivan taking Pic).

Notes from the June 9, 2012 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

Today was a perfect day to get out and cut the grass, go fishing, trim your trees or sit on the deck and sip down a cup of cold ice tea. Instead, our group got up early and put on reflective vests and mosquito repellent. We formed up along Orange Plank Road in Spotsylvania County and got ready to pick up anything that was not supposed to be there. Our two mile stretch of road was quite a challenge. The roadside had not been cut for a while, the ticks had a nice spring to grow in abundance and the temperature was fast approaching 90. We were able to split the volunteers up into three groups. This made it nice to be able to cover more of our roadway. Our group stuffed 14 bags of junk today. When we finished, the roadway looked great due to the tremendous effort of our Road Warriors. I know the county and the people who live in the area appreciate the job they accomplished. This little spot of the county is a nicer place to live today. Names: (not in order) David Broach, Alex Broach, Jayden Broach, David Smith, TAS, Dave Smith, Jennifer Gaston-Smith,Hank Fulgham, Tony Oliver, Kevin Maxwell, George Lear and Mike Sullivan (taking Pics).

Notes from the April 7, 2012 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

Today is 7 April 2012. Our road warriors took to the back roads of Spotsylvania County today and assaulted the bottles, cans, paper products and plastic trash left on the roadside for our viewing pleasure. Today we started at 9:00 and finished by 11:30AM. Each road warrior scoured the ditches and ravines and when complete we collected 13 large orange bags of stuff. Thank you to all our volunteers. They all make a tremendous difference in our environment. All had a great time and we met new members of our chapter while getting some great exercise. Come out and join us for our next Adopt-A-Highway event in June.

Michael J Sullivan
Conservation Chair
Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter
Izaak Walton League
mjs2516@comcast.net
Cell 717 756-6435

Bat Boxes and Bee Boxes

On Saturday, May 14, Scouts built and mounted bat boxes and bee boxes at Walton Park.

View pictures here

Tree Planting

On 2 April six hearty souls gathered at the Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter of the Izaak Walton League to plant some deciduous trees. We had 10 river birch, 5 pin oak and 5 northern red oak. The folks braved three seasons in the one hour it took us to plant the trees. It was clear and sunny to begin the planting. It then turned windy and cold and finally it hailed on us for a minute or so. In the end, all trees were put in the ground on the west side of the pond about 3-12 feet off the path. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, we can expect about 50% of the trees to make it. Thanks to all the conservation volunteers who took the time to make our Izaak Walton Chapter little bit better today.