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COVID-19 Guidance:
In light of changing circumstances, please check the Virginia Department of Health and/or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updated recommendations to ensure individual and community health.
Park Hours:
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​Park  is open dawn to dusk.  
Park News​
Dark Skies News!  Click here for Rappahannock News article.

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News from Week of August 22:


Four volunteers worked mightily in REC right of way on August 26 to clear Japanese stiltgrass and other weedy growth.  Plantings looking good and some native forbs showing well!


On August 27, the 3d Dark Skies event of 2022, Milt Roney presented "The Color of Stars: How Astronomers Decode Starlight"  to 35 visitors, most of whom stayed to view the clear-sky view of stars, nebula, and the Milky Way.

Volunteers install 2nd Bench (donated by RLEP)
and Work in the Park
July 14, 2022
 Twelve students from the Rappahannock County High School Pathways project volunteered on June 28...spreading mulch under swings and other playground equipment, assembling and installing our latest bench (donated by RLEP) in the playground, mounting our Homegrown National Park sign, and weeding a few invasive plants along the trail.  Afterwards, they enjoyed lunch in the Pavilion.  One student commented, "I can't believe that the most fun day I've had is digging dirt!"
(photos pending permissions)

And,  moving along...groups of stalwart volunteers have pulled Japanese stiltgrass in the REC right of way to allow space for the newly planted understory plants and some native plants competing for light.  Watch for bladder campion, goldenrod, aster, white vervain, Joe Pyeweed, and more!
Dark Skies a Little too Dark!
June 11, 2022
Fifteen hopeful souls showed up for the Dark Skies program on a sketchy weather day to view the near-full moon.  Rick Kohler of RLEP introduced the 2 speakers:
Joyce Harman, who spoke on "Using your Phone Cameras, Spotting Scopes and Binoculars to Capture the Moon, and James Granahan, whose presentation highlighted features on the moon that you can see with the eye, binoculars, and telescope as well as locations of recent and manned spacecraft landing sites .

The moon, however, was shielded by a heavy cloud cover until about 9:30pm. While the telescope had been packed away, Joyce's Harman's camera-mount telescope, on its way to the trunk of her car, was set up in the parking lot as the moon showed itself between wisps of clouds.  A few photos were captured!  ​
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Cellphone photo of moon on June 11, 2022
Free Fishing Day Returns!
June 4, 2022
Thanks to the help from many community supporters, Free Fishing returned to Rappahannock County Park on Saturday, June 4--a perfect weather day.  The Rush River was stocked with 200 10-12 inch trout on Tuesday evening.  A steady stream of fisherpeople of all ages turned out throughout the day on Saturday in hopes of catching a few fish. 
 
Special thank you to:
  • Keir Whitson, Rappahannock County Supervisor, who orchestrated the fish stocking  along with financial support from the Rappahannock County Park Foundation, Debbie Knick, and Becky Burr.
  • Sean Michael Knick, who made connections with the local fishing community and offered fly-tying demonstrations
  • Roger Flinchum, who conducted fly-fishing casting coaching throughout the day
  • Tim Bostic, Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR):  Conservation Officer
  • John Odenkirk, Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) biologist, who provided loaner rods/reels and tackle
  • Mountain State Trout, which supplied the trout and provided a $20 prize for the child who caught the largest fish
  • Representatives from Piedmont Environmental Council, Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (Homegrown National Park), Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Program, and Old Rag Master Naturalists who offered information in the Pavilion about habitats that support wildlife
 
If you missed the event this year, put it on your calendar for 2023…usually the first weekend in June.  Plans are underway for more attractions, which may include live music and refreshments!
 
Watch the Park website for updates.
Rappahannock County Garden Club donates Trex bench to Park
June 3, 2022

Thanks to the Garden Club donation, you can now watch the children in your life play in the Park playground in comfort.  The bench is a benefit of a project to recycle plastic bags at Flatwood Recycling/ Refuse Center.  

First Dark Skies Program Event since 2020!
​April 30, 2022

The evening began with presentations by RLEP representative Joyce Harman and NOVAC member James Granahan.  Joyce Harman's talk described the disruptive effects of unnatural light on wildlife as well as examples of solutions which might accommodate human needs for lighting without compromising the needs of birds, insects, and other creatures affected by nighttime lighting.  James Granahan's presentation, "What's Up?" highlighted features visible that night:  galaxies, globular clusters, nebulae, and double stars.  To the delight of the 33 participants, the cloudy sky cleared just in time to offer good viewing!  

*for information about dark skies lighting, check RLEP website:  www.rlep.org
*For more information about Dark Skies calendar and events, see adjacent column.

Spring Cleaning at the Park
April 29, 2022

Thank you to the PATH Foundation for sponsoring our Let's Volunteer Week event (notice everyone sporting their PATH Foundation ballcaps!)
REC Right of Way Planted!
March 18, 2022

Seven volunteers completed the planting and mulched the REC area from activity level to upper trail.  Watch for leaf-out and maybe a few blooms on elderberry, viburnum, ninebark, chokeberry, and hazelnut.  While you are there, take a walk on the trails to see the bluebells, just coming up and starting to bloom!
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REC Right of Way Cleared to Upper Trail.  February 25, 2022
Even though they started out in damp and drear, it turned out to be a grand day for the 7 volunteers who worked in the Park on 2/25.  The REC right of way from upper level to upper trail is looking fine.  Plants put in last fall are mulched and look ready for spring.   Today's group finished pulling vines and cutting / digging out woodies, as well as mulching--with some time left over to go after some ailanthus and burning bush, and cut some treefall on trail.  

Hopefully our next workday in mid March will be for completing the planting in this area.  
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Linda Lowery, Lynne Leeper, Mike Wenger, Bonnie Beers, and Charlene Uhl
REC Planting Project Continues
February 18, 2022

Five stalwart volunteers cleared the REC Right of Way down to the upper trail for planting this spring.  And...spread mulch on the plants set in ground last fall.  Thank you to ORMN members Mike Wenger and Jere Willis; community volunteers Torney Van Acker, Virginia Zuniga; and Madison High School student Savannah Brown.
In case you missed it....Explore the creation of lower to middle trail connector installed April 2021 here.
Mark Your Calendars

Volunteer Workdays
Check back for workday updates.

Dark Skies events
Please check back for Dark Skies 2022 report and for calendar for 2023.

Fodderstack Race: 

Check here for results and updates.

Click to see Monroe and Crocker proposed site plan and planting map.
 ( to be considered and approved by RCRFA board)

Archived Park News:   Archived news from 2021
                                        Archived news from 2020
                                                        Archived news from 2019             
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Fall 2020 accomplishments in Park:

October 6:  32 trees planted in Plots D and E (in addition to 121 trees planted in spring.  Reforested area is new home to shagbark hickory, black gum, redbud, dogwoods, and oaks.

October 19:  23 hazelnut shrubs planted in Plot E, 24 New Jersey Tea set along VDOT right of way

November 14:  volunteers weed gardens and work on invasive management along upper trail

December 10:  Burning Bush Busters--lots of burning bush removed.  Lots remains!

December 19:  ORMN Christmas Bird Count birders observe  95 birds, 18 species.


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