I’m working up a grant proposal to see us through 2010; so many cool projects either continuing or evolving, some new ones, and best of all, some new faces and partners!
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/lakes/docs/lp_watershed.appl%20guide%202010.pdf
Not quite, but we DID discover armored mayfly larvae last Sunday! Of the genus Baetisca, these cute little buggers are uniquely shaped for their kind. Instead of being long and sleek, Baetisca mayfly larvae are like tiny HumVees: round and hump-backed, with “poky bits” that look like thorns sticking out around a hardened shell-like structure. Sure, they have the typical trio of hair-like tail, but they are much shorter in relation to the body than I expected.
There’s a terrific image of these guys at one of my favorite bug Web site, Bug Guide: http://bugguide.net/node/view/53289/bgpage
The kids in Ms. Calcagni’s science class at Riverside Middle School found dozens of these little guys, which are generally considered moderately sensitive to sensitive when it comes to polluted waters. I’d say they are a pretty good indication that the Black River has a wide diversity of critters, many of which will only live in clean, healthy water!
Well, I’ve decided to make the leap and actually start using this nifty WordPress site to do what it’s meant to do: blog. With a pinch of luck and a handful of determination, I’ll post all sorts of goings-on with regard to the Black River, our wonderful volunteers, terrific partners, and exciting projects. With the guidance of the awe-inspiring folks at Divergent Technology, I’ll actually do it well enough that visitors like you will be able and inspired to post your own comments! (Having issues posting photos, but I’ll figure it out…with DT’s help!)
That said, we’re looking at a good-sized list of projects coming up, so give a shout if you would like to lend a hand or a suggestion:
1) Removal and storage of the kayak dock at Riverside Middle School ~ probably within the next two weeks. The dock will be re-installed in early spring for the enjoyment of the whole community, for paddling, fishing, crayfish stalking, bird watching, and just plain chilling out.
2) Buttoning up the Japanese knotweed demonstration site. We’ll need to lay out more landscape fabric (which is in my garage at the moment), secure its edges with more stones (which are at the Gurney Brothers gravel pit at the moment), and take some photos. We’ll also need to make some plans for re-vegetating the site with sturdy native weeds and plants, so put your thinking caps on and send me suggestions! Trees are out, as we are close to the road and some power lines.
3) Creating our first ever newsletter! Yes, next year is the BRAT’s tenth anniversary, and I want to celebrate all the fantastic people who have made this group possible. Donors, supporters, volunteers, partners, all of you. One theme I’m thinking of for the inaugural newsletter is “10 Years, 10 Stories” and do a brief interview of ten different folks who have had a big impact on this team’s growth over the past decade. I have a LOT more than ten people in mind, of course!!!! Other themes or suggestions are extremely welcome.
4) Planning next year’s events, including a very special Volunteer Appreciation Potluck Picnic. I’ve a wealth of ideas on this one, and would love to hear suggestions and have a little help in planning and execution.
So give me a shout in e-mail, as I practially live in cyber-space these days! blackrivercleanup@yahoo.com
Thanks so much for your support,
Kelly
Yes, it’s true…the bugs of the Black River are once again giving a performance. Dozens of mayfly larvae, a damselfly larva, even a couple of freaky-looking fishfly larvae made an appearance during my visit with the cool kids of Miss Calcagni’s science class at Riverside Middle School last week.
The kids were helping in a project to sort and count various river critters as a way to learn about the health of the Black River in Springfield, VT. Water pennies were spotted, caddisflies caught, and even a blood-worm was counted among the many wriggling mayflies.
The same group of bugs was checked out by some local Girl Scouts a couple of days later, as part of World Water Monitoring Day. The girls and their moms not only explored the pans of bugs, but everyone grabbed a net and headed into the water to find more! With low water levels, warm sunshine and a gentle fall breeze, it was a perfect day for bug hunting. The girls are working on earning their Water Drop Patch and Linking Girls To The Land Patch, both from the EPA.
BRATs Do It Again, Thanks To Volunteers And Scores of Supporters!
More than 70 volunteers of all ages scoured the river banks in Ludlow, Weathersfield and Springfield on August 22nd, searching for renegade shopping carts and other trash in the 10th Annual RiverSweep.
Despite threatening skies and the occasional sprinkle, people grabbed garbage, hefted a grappling hook, and gathered glass to help clean up the banks of the Black River. While recent rains muddied the waters and prevented any trash retrieval from kayaks this year, plenty of junk was recovered by the diligent Black River Action Team. Some new areas were cleaned this year, including a stretch of the Black River in Weathersfield that was tackled by Cub Scouts, headed up by BRAT volunteer Heather Payne. Among the items retrieved by the 16 volunteers were a 55-gallon drum, three tires, and “the better part of a case of wine,” according to Payne.
The Ludlow group was headed up by BRATs Robin Reilly and Sue Poirier, along with Sue’s husband, Al. The efforts of these fine folks is greatly appreciated; each year, new folks join the Ludlow cleanup and Robin & Sue were instrumental in making that event go smoothly. Their volunteers retrieved pots and pans, sixteen bags of trash, some toys, and enough metal junk to fill a pickup truck. All the trash was brought up to the Ludlow Transfer Station for disposal.
In Springfield, Cub Scouts and Brownie Girl Scouts worked side-by-side with the adult volunteers, hauling things from the banks of the river and “fishing” for shopping carts dumped over the railing of the footbridge in the shopping plaza. Eleven carts were retrieved despite the opaque, muddy water, and were hauled away by the fine folks of Clear Away Rubbish Removal, who scrapped the metal in Ascutney. The money from the recycling will go into a BRAT “account” and will be mailed as a check once the tally reaches a certain amount. The rest of the Springfield trash was disposed of by the plaza owners, the Youngs. Jim Young and his daughter, Jen, worked tirelessly from the start of the Sweep till the very end, hauling junk and grilling up hot dogs for the hungry volunteers.
Marita Johnson, who is heavily involved in many volunteer organizations in Springfield, co-organized the Springfield “HeadQuarters” of the RiverSweep. Her flexible “can-do” nature always makes people feel welcome and appreciated. Kelsey Marston of Chester was also eager to help with set-up, grappling hook hefting, welcoming volunteers, and “breaking camp” at noon. The help of these two ladies made the whole event run like a dream.
All in all, more than 30 bags of trash were collected during RiverSweep, along with plenty of metal junk, bits of glass, cans and bottles, a few “unmentionables” from under the footbridge, and some odd pieces: a broken gumball machine and a handful of “troll” trinkets in plastic bubbles, metal bedsprings, a dead rat, a twisted park bench, a plastic butterfly, and a kitchen knife.
RiverSweep started in 2000 with 3 volunteers and a simple idea to just take care of the river. The idea is still simple, but the support received by the Black River Action Team by the scores of volunteers as well as the businesses and donors in the local community continues to grow and inspire. Many thanks to everyone who supported this year’s efforts!
Supporters for 2009 include (in alphabetical order):
CT River Watershed Council
C&M Concrete
Cavendish Historical Society
Citizens Bank
Clear Away Rubbish Removal
Divergent Technology
Drew’s All Natural of Chester
Dr. Chris Fauver
Garden Alternatives
HCRS, Inc
JB Handyman
Katherine Washburn Ceramics
Lucas Industries
Ludlow Transfer Station
Luzenac America
Mack Molding of Cavendish
MadHouse Munchies
Main Street Market
MDM Metals
New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
Norcross Wildlife Fund
North Fork Bagels
Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation District
Portraits by Aleks
Radio Shack of Springfield
Riverside Middle School
Sandri-Sunoco
Shaw’s of Ludlow
Shaw’s of Springfield
Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission
Spring River Enterprises
Springfield Fence Co.
Springfield Garden Club
Springfield Rotary Club
Springfield Town Library
Springfield Transfer Station
State of VT Agency of Natural Resources
Town of Ludlow Parks & Rec
Town of Springfield
Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea Co
Vermont Tees
Wallace & Pancher, Inc
Wicked Good Pizza
Youngs’ Furniture & Propane
A river is an intricate puzzle, with many pieces or elements coming together in various ways to influence each other and the overall system.
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