Our mission at Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) is to work in partnership with the community to conserve, protect, and promote the Appomattox River for all to enjoy. Recently, we took a big step forward with a community trail cleanup event at three locations: Roslyn Landing in Colonial Heights, Ferndale in Dinwiddie, and the Marina Overlook in Hopewell.

Thanks to the amazing efforts of our volunteers, we were able to collect a whopping 55 bags of trash! But that’s not all – we also removed a mattress, car parts, tires, and various other debris from the riverside.

While cleaning up the existing trail, we were excited to check in on the progress of our native planting project at Roslyn Landing. Back in March, we partnered with the James River Association (JRA) to plant 98 native trees and shrubs in a one-third acre area that had been devastated by Chinese wisteria. This invasive vine had choked the life out of the native plants, leaving behind barren ground.

Replacing Invasives with Natives: A Project Through Pictures

 

The destructive power of wisteria is evident just a short walk down the trail, where these vines creep even into the crowns of 60-foot-tall trees!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, at the wisteria-cleared site, we were thrilled to see new life taking root. The planted trees and shrubs are flourishing inside their protective tubes, and the pawpaw trees in a nearby grove are bursting with flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our most exciting discoveries was the success of our “live staking” efforts in the flooded portion of the planting site. Since the JRA-provided plants wouldn’t survive directly in the mud, we took dormant branch cuttings from a nearby black willow (Salix nigra) – a native species that thrives in wet conditions. We simply planted these cuttings directly into the flooded area, and to our delight, they’ve sprouted new leaves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a fantastic testament to the power of native plants and the importance of working with nature’s resilience.

FOLAR extends a huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers who helped make this cleanup and planting project a success. Together, we’re making a real difference for the Appomattox River and the native habitat it supports. If you’re interested in getting involved, check out our Stewardship Saturdays opportunities for more information.