Government Island Guided Nature Hikes Begin this Month

The Master Naturalists are pleased to announce the first guided nature walk at Stafford County's Government Island, off Coal Landing Road, just east of Route 1 in North Stafford. The first walk will take place on Saturday, April 21 at 2:00 pm. Members Maria Cannata and Kristen Murphy will meet participants in the parking lot for an informative, lively nature walk along well-marked trails. Bring walking shoes and water.

Maria and Kristen have been working for months locating and learning the flora, fauna, and geology of the park. Government Island is a fascinating area in its diversity. Within the confines of the park there are 2 creeks, swampland, tidal marsh, and even a vernal pool. As Spring slowly evolves, so does the landscape at Government Island. Almost daily new plants are growing and new animals are becoming active. Each day brings a new surprise.

Government Island contains the site of the old sandstone quarry that was in operation during colonial times. Blocks of Aquia freestone were used to build many of the symbols of freedom that we see in Washington, D.C., including the White House and Capitol Building. The stone was taken by barge down Aquia Creek and up the Potomac. The quarry site is now accessible to the public.

Walks will continue throughout the summer and fall, on the 3rd Saturday of the month,at varying times, starting on a regular basis in June or July, as park access permits. Groups may request the nature walk, or a modified/customized version by contacting our chapter.

Government Island Guided Nature Hikes Begin this Month

The Master Naturalists are pleased to announce the first guided nature walk at Stafford County's Government Island, off Coal Landing Road, just east of Route 1 in North Stafford. The first walk will take place on Saturday, April 21 at 2:00 pm. Members Maria Cannata and Kristen Murphy will meet participants in the parking lot for an informative, lively nature walk along well-marked trails. Bring walking shoes and water.

Maria and Kristen have been working for months locating and learning the flora, fauna, and geology of the park. Government Island is a fascinating area in its diversity. Within the confines of the park there are 2 creeks, swampland, tidal marsh, and even a vernal pool. As Spring slowly evolves, so does the landscape at Government Island. Almost daily new plants are growing and new animals are becoming active. Each day brings a new surprise.

Government Island contains the site of the old sandstone quarry that was in operation during colonial times. Blocks of Aquia freestone were used to build many of the symbols of freedom that we see in Washington, D.C., including the White House and Capitol Building. The stone was taken by barge down Aquia Creek and up the Potomac. The quarry site is now accessible to the public.

Walks will continue throughout the summer and fall, on the 3rd Saturday of the month,at varying times, starting on a regular basis in June or July, as park access permits. Groups may request the nature walk, or a modified/customized version by contacting our chapter.

Salamander Loop Hike

 Join the Virginia Master Naturalists on the Spotsylvania Greenway Initiative's Salamander Loop.  Our Central Rappahannock Chapter leads nature walks on the 2nd Sunday of the month. It's a great opportunity to learn about the trees, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife.  We make new discoveries each month as we explore the upland forest and vernal pool.

See the listing of events on this page for dates and location.

Salamander Loop Hike

 Join the Virginia Master Naturalists on the Spotsylvania Greenway Initiative's Salamander Loop.  Our Central Rappahannock Chapter leads nature walks on the 2nd Sunday of the month. It's a great opportunity to learn about the trees, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife.  We make new discoveries each month as we explore the upland forest and vernal pool.

See the listing of events on this page for dates and location.

VMN CRC is on Facebook

Our VMN chapter is now on Facebook.  If you have a Facebook account, you can join the VMN Central Rappahannock group.  Our members share information about upcoming events, pictures from their volunteer activities, and other items of interest.

To access it, click the following link and request to be added to the group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/177327920476/

VMN CRC is on Facebook

Our VMN chapter is now on Facebook.  If you have a Facebook account, you can join the VMN Central Rappahannock group.  Our members share information about upcoming events, pictures from their volunteer activities, and other items of interest.

To access it, click the following link and request to be added to the group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/177327920476/

August 2011 Chapter Meeting and Guest Speaker

The next chapter meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 16 from 7-9 pm at the Fredericksburg Church of Christ (336 Riverside Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22401).  The guest speaker will be Jerry Peters.

Jerry Peters is a Certified Master Naturalist and has been a member of the Fairfax chapter since it was chartered in 2007. He serves on the Training Committee and teaches the chapter's Basic Training course on Biogeography, Land Use, and Urban Ecosystems.

He is on the trail of what he believes are the oldest fossils in northern Virginia, slolithos, trace fossils of Cambrian tube worms. In the Potomac and James River watersheds these fossils can be found in what were originally riverine or near-shore deposits that are now stranded on ridge tops along the Fall Line. In his presentation, he will explain how these beach-dwelling worms came to rest on Piedmont ridges and he will show some examples.

To his knowledge, no one has determined whether these fossils occur in the York or Rappahannock watersheds. Jerry wants to encourage other Master Naturalist chapters in these watersheds to determine whether slolithos occurs there or not. Geogists at the U.S. Geological Survey are interested in the results because their presence or absence could be useful in interpreting the geologic history of the Mid-Atlantic region. The citizens' science project he will propose could advance the state of the art in regional geology.