The Rivanna Trail recently received National Recreation Trail designation. We earned this honor because we are viewed as a model for making an urban wilderness experience accessible to people right outside their doorsteps.

  RTF made a presentation about grassroots efforts at the Southeast Regional Foot Trails Conference, held in Georgia and cosponsored by the American Hiking Society and the National Park Service. We are highly admired for our volunteer support and for our ability to "get trail on the ground."

  John Conover, 2002 community "Bridge Builder" honoree, handed over the RTF leadership to Diana Foster and Art Kiser on June 1st. Luckily for all of us, he's only dropping his presidency title. John will continue to be a tireless voice for "completing the loop" with all of his usual humor, wit, creativity, enthusiasm, and generosity.

  Take a hike on one of our new trail segments and admire special volunteer projects.

• 5th St. to Jordan Park - Sat. workday groups, Monticello High School students, and two long-distance trail runners have pushed through the creekside jungle. The birding is excellent.
• Avon St. eastward - Leadership Charlottesville installed a new loop trail (look for blue dots), and Tandem School students created a new section along the small stream that feeds into Moore's Creek from the west.
• Monticello Ave. eastward - Monticello High School students installed a trailside bench and collected tons of trash from Moore's Creek.

  A Rivanna Trail first - In June we had escapee cows on the trail behind CHS. The cows did a bit of trail maintenance and then returned to their home across Meadow Creek.

 YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE PLANTS GROWING....
  The Rivanna Trail offers something special in every season: colored leaves in autumn, open views of the streams in winter, new growth and increased bird activity in spring, shade in summer. The explosion of vegetative growth that has just taken place is welcome for giving us a cool retreat in the summer but presents a challenge for trail maintenance. We welcome your help at any level. Contact us at 923-9022 or email us through our website (www.rivannatrails.org) for more information.

  Trail Adopter - We have only a few openings for new adopters, but we can put you in touch with your neighborhood trail adopter if you want to lend a hand.

  Clipping Party or Clipping Solo - Feel free to organize a neighborhood outing or to use your clippers when you walk. Please follow these trail maintenance guidelines:

• We build to Appalachian Trail standards. Think of a tunnel through the trees. Think "2-4-8" to keep it easy. A foot tread of no more than 2 feet. A width of 4 feet at knees, hips, and shoulders. A height of 8 feet.
• Trim back flush. Cut stumps close to the ground to prevent tripping. Prune limbs where they fork from larger limbs.

  For an adrenaline rush - We have several areas on the Rivanna Trail that experience aggressive growth either because they are in the sun or because they are new. If you have a field or brush mower and would like to help just once a year to keep an area under control, please contact us, and we'll send your energy and enthusiasm in the right direction.

SECOND SATURDAYS... What a fun way to make a contribution!
  This summer we'll work to keep our newest trails open. We might even have a cool project in a creek. We meet the second Saturday of each month from 9:00-11:30. We have tools, but bring shears or hand clippers if you have them. We rally at the trailhead on Melbourne Road just east of the CHS football field and caravan to the work site. It you want to go directly to the project or have questions, call the workday leader for particulars.  See the schedule of future work days.

Charlottesville.....possibly the best trail system in the South!

RIVANNA TRAILS FOUNDATION
Footpaths encircling Charlottesville

For More Information Contact:

Rivanna Trails Foundation
P.O. Box 1786, Charlottesville, VA 22902 
Tel: 434-923-9022
Internet: dfoster@newventure.com

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