NATIONAL TRAILS DAY 2004 …. CELEBRATIONS …. and THANK YOU TO ALL …

On National Trails Day, 150 volunteers ignored the rain and enthusiastically built a mile of new trail to connect the Rivanna Trail and Pen Park. Residents north and south of Meadow Creek can now enjoy miles of new hiking opportunities without having to drive on Rio Road. Look for a trailhead on Pen Park Road or a rustic rock hop across Meadow Creek downstream of Holmes Ave. We thank our generous landowners, the City of Charlottesville Department of Parks and Recreation, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, the Charlottesville Catholic School, and the Albemarle County Parks Department. We ask hikers to respect the privacy of landowners, cooperate with posted guidelines, and stay off the golf course at all times.

Look for our improved stream crossing in Jordan Park, thanks to the efforts of our Saturday work party volunteers.

Our Trail Adopters deserve our hearty thanks for their unwavering efforts to keep the trails clear of vegetation. Contact us if you would like to help your neighborhood adopter or would like to adopt one of our unadopted sections.

Trail maintenance as a social event – Garnett Mellen and Paul Brant have inspired the Locust Grove and the Belmont Neighborhood Associations to take an active interest in maintaining, improving, and protecting their trail corridors.

Dave Morris, Mark Voorhees, and their merry band of volunteer carpenters have brought our bridge building skills up to a new level of professionalism. Their first bridge is near Barracks Road. Watch the RTF website for future opportunities to help.

Eagle Scout David Gibson organized construction of a new footbridge and extensive trail renovations near the City Gardens.

Monticello High School seniors restored the Dept. of Forestry’s Nature Trail and installed birdhouses along Moore’s Creek.

UVA Madison House students created new trailheads behind UVA Law and the JAG School.

The Junior League Provisional Class built a boardwalk to help hikers bypass muddy sections north of Hydraulic Road.

The Rivanna Conservation Society donated 50 trees that members of the Boys & Girls Club then planted with RTF volunteers to protect Meadow Creek from erosion.

The Museum of Natural History at UVA received a Dept. of Forestry Urban Forestry grant to create natural history interpretive programs about the forests of the Rivanna Trail. Contact VMNH at vmnh-uva@virginia.edu or 434-982-4605 to learn more about their excellent resources for children.

The Charlottesville Track Club awarded RTF with its annual Community Service Award.

The Buck Mountain Half Marathon organizers awarded their race proceeds to RTF.

Rick Seaman has improved RTF membership communications with website updates and an RTFriends email list. Visit the website for previews of our work parties, reports of trail conditions, and specific ways in which you can support RTF efforts.

Totally subjective presidential kudos –

Eben Smith deserves warm words of appreciation for the work he does for RTF. His love of maps has played a large role in RTF’s being able to move from dream to reality in its vision of encircling Charlottesville with a network of hiking trails. He has served as secretary since Day 1, Trail Adopter, historian, photographer, publicist, footbridge mapper, and all-around cheerleader.

Rosemary Balister is a model trail user, monitor, protector, and advocate. Rosemary walks on the Trail daily and keeps us abreast of trail conditions and notable plants. A regular at our National Trails Day events, she inspires her neighbors to appreciate and preserve the beauty of the trails, has adopted a small section that she keeps under control, and has motivated her alma mater in England to become RTF life members. Rosemary is a tireless champion for protecting the trail corridor.

Secret and not-so-secret trail angels – Do you ever wonder who cares for the lovely trailhead garden at the corner of Greenbrier and Brandywine? Though we do not normally encourage the planting of non-native plants on forest trails, we love it when people feel a sense of ownership for a favorite portion of trail. We have maintenance opportunities available for scouts, students, campers, and groups who want to do community service. In whatever way you feel moved to help, thank you.

SECOND SATURDAY WORK PARTIES .... Everyone welcome!