FOLAR to Celebrate the 2020 Outstanding Community River Impact Awards Recipients and retiring Founding Member, Richard Taylor

The community is invited to join the virtual celebration on December 16, 2020 at 6PM and can register HERE.

The Board of Directors of the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 FOLAR COMMUNITY RIVER IMPACT AWARDS. These awards honor the extraordinary impact of individuals and organizations who have made a significant difference for our community this year through exemplary service and philanthropy in support of the cause of conserving and protecting the Appomattox River for all to enjoy.
This year, along with recognizing our five exceptional 2020 honorees, FOLAR is honoring retiring board member, Richard Taylor, with a special LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. After his 20 years of selfless dedication to the mission of FOLAR and the Appomattox River community, Richard is retiring from the FOLAR Board.

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The National Recreation and Parks Association provides guidelines for safe distancing when in parks or on trails.

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Restrictions and guidelines are different in various regions around the country, depending on how severe the coronavirus COVID-12 outbreak is – for now, in our region, WE CAN GO OUTDOORS for a walk, run, or bike-ride. Be sure to practice “physical distancing” and self-responsibility. Check local government websites for closings and/or restrictions at each site. 

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The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is a changing situation. For the most up-to-date information, check resources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) regularly.

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LEAVE NO TRASH. When you go, bring a suitable trash bag to take everything out. This protects park workers and helps keep our parks, trails, and river clean, green, and pristine.

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We are very fortunate that the Appomattox River Trail provides nearby, beautiful, accessible locations – CLICK HERE to see where they are.

The Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) today announces that in partnership with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation it has purchased nearly 5 wooded riverfront acres along the state designated scenic Appomattox River in Petersburg and established a public conservation area. The property will be conveyed to the City of Petersburg when improvements are achieved.

“This achievement reflects our continuing effort to work with our communities and partners on protecting the Appomattox River for recreation and conservation,” said Mike Golden, FOLAR Chairman. Protection of and planned improvements to this property will also help protect the Appomattox River’s water quality and natural habitats by maintaining the natural buffers along the shoreline. Land protection here and all along the Appomattox River is vitally important since the river is a source of drinking water for the surrounding communities and the river corridor falls within the Chesapeake Bay watershed as well as a priority area of the Governor of Virginia’s Conserve Virginia strategy which identifies land having the highest conservation value for the state.

“We are thrilled to be a partner in this visionary project, which will provide thousands of citizens with new opportunities to connect to the Appomattox River and nature,” said Virginia Outdoors Foundation Executive Director Brett Glymph. “It represents the kind of community-driven conservation that VOF is proud to support.”

Within the corridor, FOLAR is also working to improve public access by developing the Appomattox River Trail, that when completed will be over 25 miles in length connecting a rich diversity of historical, cultural and physiographic areas stretching from Lake Chesdin in the Piedmont region to the confluence with the James River in the Coastal Plain region at historic City Point National Park, in the City of Hopewell. “The riverside route offers both a trail that is scenic, safe, and accessible as well as creating water access to a spectacularly scenic river,” said Heather Barrar, FOLAR Regional Trails Program Director.

Completing the Appomattox River Trail will leverage the growth of the outdoor recreation industry and its beneficial impact on health and wellness in the metro-Richmond region through a vision to create connection to hundreds of miles of regional trail including the Virginia Capital Trail, James River Park system, the East Coast Greenway, and the proposed Ashland-to-Petersburg trail. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Outdoors Plan (VOP) identifies the Appomattox River Trail as a Regional Featured Project.