Get your paddles ready, because the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR)’s 17th annual Paddle Battle is coming to the river on Saturday, September 27! Every year during our annual Paddle Battle, friends and river folks paddle downstream from Petersburg to Hopewell on the scenic Appomattox River. During this year’s event on September 27,…
FOLAR is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Jackson Christopher Bartlett as its new Executive Director, effective August 1, 2025. Along with his many years of experience in leadership, fundraising, communications, and board relations, Dr. Bartlett brings a deep commitment to environmental stewardship, education, and community engagement. “We are thrilled to welcome Jackson as…
By Elise Neuscheler It was expected for several years – Spotted Lanternflies, Lycorma delicatula, native to East Asia, have been making their way down the east coast, and have hit the tri-cities area. These insects have a close relationship with the invasive “Tree of Heaven,” Ailanthus altissima, which is also a native of East Asia…
By Makayla Hamlin If you’ve opted for the outdoor option at restaurants, you may have an upper hand over all of us who choose to eat inside. July is National Picnic Month, so let’s talk about one great advantage of eating outside: the Sun. When your skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet…
Calling all river neighbors! You’re needed as we work together to preserve the Appomattox River! We’re gathering Riverfront Champions together to unite as a community group where we can share river care resources, learn from each other about preserving views while reducing erosion and strengthening shorelines, and ultimately, work together to protect our shared resource.…
By Makayla Hamlin With 16 riverside parks, 8 boat access points, and 3 marinas, there are many areas to get close to the water on the trail. As June 2-8th is National Fishing and Boating Week, we thought it would be nice to have a collected list of tips for boating and fishing on the…
Happy #NationalRiversMonth! Recently, we geared up and headed for the river as our partners from the Capital Region Land Conservancy, Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation, and the Crater District Planning Commission met to discuss current stream conditions. This collective of partners work on a variety of projects together, including annual surveys of the land and…
A big part of our fundraising initiative for this year’s Community Service Awards involved exclusive Appomattox River Trail Experiences — an array of independently-led or guided Experiences that encourage your sense of adventure and appreciation for the river! Thanks to the support of our local partners, these unique experiences combine outdoor adventure, river exploration, and…
By Makayla Hamlin May is National Bike Month, so we can’t help but encourage you all to give bike riding a try on the ART! The month was established to encourage biking as transportation, sport, and fun. The League of American Bicyclists, the sponsor for the month, believes that biking should be a typical part…
A drum roll for… YOUR 2025 HONOREES! These are some of the wonderful people who have contributed so much to FOLAR’s progress in the past year, and it’s important that you help us celebrate them at our 2025 Community Service Awards and Fundraiser at the NEW Appomattox River Center on May 1! _ Chairman’s Service…