OUR MISSION
FOLAR works in partnership with the community to conserve, protect, and promote the Appomattox River for all to enjoy.
OUR VISION
We envision a welcoming Blueway-Greenway of extraordinary beauty and cultural richness that forever connects nature, people, and vibrant communities.
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We are committed to creating a welcoming place and to encourage everyone to actively connect, learn, share, and enjoy the benefits of a healthy river environment. The importance of FOLAR’s mission is enormous as is the potential strength of our communities and partners engaged in protecting and strengthening our Blueway-Greenway—as a path to wellness, conservation, and prosperity.
The FOLAR Board of Directors is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS. These awards honor the impact of individuals and organizations who have made a difference for our community through exemplary service and philanthropy in support of conserving and protecting the Appomattox River for all to enjoy. CHAIRMAN’S…
Come join us at an upcoming event in 2023! There are lots of volunteer opportunities, the annual ARRP 5K Trail Run, and the 15th annual Paddle-or-Battle. We hope to see you on the Appomattox River Trail Blueway-Greenway soon!
People can soon see varied art installations representing the Atlantic sturgeon along the Appomattox River Trail (the ART). “Art on the ART” is a Public Art Project organized by Richmond CultureWorks Tri-Cities Program Manager Daniel Jones to celebrate and increase awareness about the on-going effort to protect sturgeon and their habitat. While the Atlantic sturgeon were thought to…
Governor Glenn Youngkin recognized the winners of the 2022 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards at the recent Environment Virginia Symposium. The Appomattox River Trail – University Boulevard Overlook & Trailhead was recognized as a silver medal winner, the program’s second highest honor, along with two other projects from across the state. Reginald Tabor, Director of Planning…
What started as an idea jotted on the back of paper napkin has resulted in a $35,000 proactive grant from John Randolph Foundation (Ursula M. Gibbs Memorial Endowment) to Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) to support its current challenge grant effort for the Appomattox River Trail’s vital western entrance spanning Dinwiddie and Chesterfield…
By: Wayne Covil, Jan 21, 2022 PETERSBURG, Va. — The dream of a 25-mile trail running along the Appomattox River from Hopewell to Dinwiddie County is getting closer to reality. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s a very therapeutic walk out here. A lot of people come out here because it’s just a nice trail and…
By Jack Jacobs, January 20, 2022 One of the next legs of another regional walking and biking trail is being further mapped out. The planning process is underway for the western edge of the Appomattox River Trail, a partially completed 25-mile paved path that will run east-west from Hopewell to Lake Chesdin. Friends of the…
The FOLAR Board of Directors is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS. These awards honor the impact of individuals and organizations who have made a difference for our community through exemplary service and philanthropy in support of conserving and protecting the Appomattox River for all to enjoy. **VOLUNTEER…
Paddle Battle Has Record Breaking Year We could not be prouder of the 13th Annual PADDLE-or-BATTLE held on Saturday, September 25, 2021. We had a record turnout and record-breaking times. This event is FOLAR’s signature recreation program, and it has so many community benefits. We’re promoting physical activity, environmental stewardship and conservation, and tourism in…
First Annual Trail Count Report Published FOLAR just published our first annual Trail Count Report, using data from eight sites along the Appomattox River Trail. Can you guess which are most popular? Read the full report to find out! Download a PDF of the 2020 Trail Count Report (link to document). This report will be…
By Zach Armstrong, The Prince George Journal — The Friends of the Lower Appomattox River will consider climate change impacts into the development of the Appomattox River Trail blueway and greenway relating to the ecosystem, park and trail infrastructure as well as the park and trail users. “The climate change adaptation framework isn’t going…
By Leslie Middleton, The Chesapeake Bay Journal — The Appomattox River in Virginia has long been a river I’ve wanted to explore. Its name conjured up associations with the Civil War, but otherwise I knew little about it. Lucky for me, a water trail helped me to tackle the adventure. The Appomattox is the…
