Walking the dogs, I happened upon Nathan Burrell, city trails manager, and his crew at the Reedy Creek boaters put-in in the James River Park today. They were waiting for the cement truck to show up so they could finish the handicapped access ramp that’s been in the works since November. Weather has played havoc with their schedule, but when it’s finished the ramp will be the first of its kind on the entire length of the James River. I wrote a column about the project in the Times-Dispatch when it first began.

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, REI, and Friends of Bryan Park are recruiting volunteers to help clean up litter and debris washed into streams in Richmond’s Bryan Park. The cleanup is Saturday, Jan. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

What to wear: Volunteers should dress for the weather, including layers of clothes to adjust for variable weather conditions. If there is a chance of rain, please come prepared with a rain jacket. Wear clothes you do not mind getting dirty. Sturdy shoes are highly recommended as we’ll be cleaning up along perimeter of a pond in the park.

What to bring: Hats, sturdy shoes, rain jacket. Lunch provided by REI. Please bring a refillable water bottle.

Contact: Jess Barton, CBF Virginia Grassroots Coordinator; (804) 780-1392; jbarton@cbf.org

Residents of the Tri-Cities, Chesterfield County, and anyone interested in outdoor recreation in the southern part of Central Virginia, take note. The below is from a press release sent out by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. (In case you’re wondering, “the Virginia Outdoors Plan is the state’s comprehensive plan for meeting outdoor recreation, land conservation and open space needs. Established in 1965, the plan provides guidance for all levels of government and the private sector. In addition, it assists the state in prioritizing projects and allocating funds for outdoor recreation and land conservation. The plan was last developed in 2007.)

Planners with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will hold two public meetings Jan. 19 in Petersburg to gather regional input for the 2013 Virginia Outdoors Plan. Meetings will be at 3 and 7 p.m., at the Crater Planning District Commission, 1964 Wakefield St., Petersburg. Residents are invited to share their ideas for outdoor recreation and land conservation needs.

The following are potential matters relevant to the region:

· Additional trails and recreation facilities on or near the waterfront of the Appomattox River, including Ferndale Appomattox Riverside Regional Park in Dinwiddie County, Patton Park in Petersburg and Appomattox River Regional Park in Prince George County

· Recreational water access on the Lower Appomattox, Nottoway and Blackwater rivers

· Expansion of greenways and trails, including the proposed trunk line trails that traverse the region (East Coast Greenway, Beaches to Bluegrass Trail and James River Heritage Trail)

· Expansion of partnerships and collaborative efforts to connect the region’s natural, historic and recreation resources

· Recommendations for scenic rivers and byways

“The Virginia Outdoors Plan serves as the guide for increasing and enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities for all Virginians, as well as our many visitors and tourists,” said Danette Poole, DCR’s director of planning and recreation resources. “We look forward to gathering feedback from communities across the state so that the upcoming plan continues to reflect the needs of citizens.”

The Petersburg meetings are part of a series of public-input sessions scheduled statewide. Anyone who cannot attend a meeting may submit written comments. Email comments to janit.llewellyn@dcr.virginia.gov, or write to: VOP Comments, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 203 Governor St., Suite 326, Richmond, VA 23219.

View the 2007 Virginia Outdoors Plan at: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational_planning/vop.shtml

Tricia Pearsall has an intriguing piece in Virginia Living Magazine’s online “Exploring” section. The topic is one many Richmonders are probably unfamiliar with, but shouldn’t be. She writes about the James River Heritage Trail, a gleam in the eye of Virginia land-use planners for 30 years that is now one step closer to reality with the recent completion of a conceptual plan.Read More

A group called Project Athena, which helps survivors of medical or traumatic setbacks live an adventurous dream as part of their recovery, has announced they’ll be bringing one of their fundraising adventures — a “Relay Marathon” — to Richmond in July, 2012. Teams of four will each run a 10k lap (for a cumulative “marathon” time) through downtown Richmond area. The course has not yet been set. Thei goal is to have at least 300 teams of “Fundraising Gods/Goddesses,” as well as to honor 50 local survivors at the start (all of whom receive free entry and training).

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 Rex Springston has an informative piece in today’s Times-Dispatch on Virginia’s Natural Heritage Program, which protects rare plant and animal species in its dozens of Natural Area Preserves. The pics by Dean Hoffmeyer are pretty spectacular, too.

One of my favorite NAPs is Cypress Bridge (seen in the pic above), near the North Carolina border on the Nottoway River. I wrote a column about it in the T-D back in 2009. The below is from the Heritage Program’s website.

Home to some of the biggest trees in Virginia, Cypress Bridge Swamp Natural Area Preserve offers a glimpse back to a time before the widespread clearing of America’s forests. The core of the preserve is home to trees estimated to be more than 1000 years old and an assortment of sylvan giants, including the largest Carolina ash in the nation, the largest swamp cottonwood in the state and former-champion overcup oak and water tupelos. A 123-foot tall bald cypress here briefly wore the crown for Virginia’s largest tree. Unfortunately, though it still towers over the swamp, this ancient specimen died shortly before the preserve was established. Much less conspicuous but no less significant, the state-rare shade mudflower is also found here. In all, the preserve encompasses nearly 380 acres – mostly bottomland hardwood forest – and borders the Nottoway River for more than three miles.

Almost two years ago I wrote a column about the effort, led by the Friends of the James River Park (especially members Warren Foster and Maureen Egan), to have the state make James River Park System license plates. Well, if you filled out a form to get your own plates, the wait is almost over. If this looks like the kind of plate you can see yourself driving around with, go to the Friends’ wensite to learn more. The below is from the Friends’ website:

FOJRP board member Warren Foster, who kickstarted the JRPS license plate project a couple of years ago, had the honor of going to DMV last week to see and approve our new Virginia license plate! It’s been a long time coming, but here it (almost!) is! DMV is ordering the steel, and though the plate(s) so many of us pre-ordered in 2010 or 2011 won’t arrive for this holiday season, they should arrive in our mailboxes in February or March.

I emailed Foster to find out a little bit more, and here’s what he had to say:

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On Thursday, Dec. 22, the Friends of James River Park will have a Winter Solstice Celebration on Belle Isle.

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On Friday’s Open Source radio program [podcast] with host Will Snyder, Andrew Moore, the director of urban architecture for Glave and Holmes,  talked about the draft downtown Richmond riverfront redevelopment plan for the James River.Read More

In my column in the Sports section of today’s Times-Dispatch, I make the argument that the city’s handling of Ralph White’s retirement — who they hire and under what circumstances — will go a long way toward determining the value they place on the James River and its associated parks. And those who care about the river — which should be all of us — have a role to play in making sure the city understands what’s at stake.