Sentinel eNewsletter - Volume 2, Issue 1

[FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway]

The Parkway Sentinel - News from the FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway  
          

         Volume 2, Issue 1 
     January 2006  
     

          
                    This Month's Features-    
                    Parkway Message   
                    Saving Parkway Views   
                     Trails Forever Program   
                    Volunteers In Parks   
                    Preserving the Hemlocks   
                    Our Online Store   
           Greetings!
            With a new year, we introduce a new version of the Parkway Sentinel. This newsletter was first designed in May of 2005 by our web volunteer, Chris Huddle. He said the word 'Sentinel' meaning, "one who stands watch to guard or protect" reminds him of all the ways our volunteers work to guard and protect our cherished Blue Ridge Parkway. Whether it is trail maintenance, viewshed planting, fundraising, or simply making web pages, all your efforts are needed to watch over and preserve this treasure for the enjoyment of ourselves and those in the future, and all your efforts are definitely appreciated! Thank You! 

            Please forward this e-newsletter to anyone you feel would be interested! If this message was forwarded to you by a friend, you can receive your own subscription by visiting our web site.
           

       

      Parkway Message 
      Virginia portion of Parkway designated All-American Road
      From Phil Noblitt: "The 217-miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia have been designated an All-American Road, the highest honor bestowed by the Federal Highway Administration to recognize roadways that possess surpassing scenic, historic, recreational and other intrinsic qualities that make them 'one of a kind'" (read article) 

       

      Saving Parkway Views
      FRIENDS Completes Another Successful Parkway Viewshed Planting
      November 5, 2005 was a beautiful, warm fall day and a great time to enjoy the outdoors. On this day, approximately 150 participants of all ages planted over 100 trees at Milepost 125.5. Volunteers began gathering at Clearbrook Elementary School as early as 7:00 AM where shuttle vans transported volunteers to the planting site. These enthusiastic volunteers were wearing their favorite work clothes and boots. Many were carrying shovels and other equipment.

      Our  planters  included Martha Bogle, Deputy Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway; other Park Service personnel; Congressman Bob Goodlatte; Roanoke County Administrator, Elmer Hodge; volunteers from The Kiwanis Club of Roanoke, Virginia's Explore Park, Virginia Department of Forestry, Western Virginia Land Trust, Leisure Publishing, Prudential Radford and Associates, Cave Spring High School students, William Byrd High School Beta Club, Roanoke Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cub Scouts Pack 7, FRIENDS' staff and Board of Directors and many, many more.

      Saving the Parkway views has turned into a family and community event. Some volunteers brought a lunch and spent special time together. Members came from as far away as North Carolina and a volunteer visiting from Germany enjoyed the event. A contractor dug all holes for the trees in advance and placed a tree at each hole. The volunteers had the fun part of placing a tree in each hole and filling in the dirt around each planting. The young volunteers took time out from planting to enjoy 'Express Yourself Through Art', a hands-on project by Polly Branch, and an exciting environmental education activity provided by Rachel Parsons with Virginia's Explore Park.

      Another area that saw much activity was the refreshment tent with tables laden with sausage biscuits, sandwiches, brownies, cookies and hot and cold drinks provided by FRIENDS' staff. Also enjoyed were packages of Craisins donated by Ocean Spray, snacks donated by Frito Lay, Inc. and bottled water from Western Virginia Water Authority.

      Some young volunteers said they are going to watch their tree as it grows. Together, we can restore the views to the Blue Ridge Parkway for future generations! It is exciting to have a significant project that the community can support and that will impact future generations.

      The Viewshed Planting Project is spearheaded by a community-based steering committee. The committee includes representatives from Creative Nursery & Landscapes, Virginia Department of Forestry, The Kiwanis Club of Roanoke, Virginia's Explore Park, Merrill Lynch, Western Virginia Land Trust, Roanoke Department of Parks and Recreation and Michael Wray, County of Roanoke Board of Supervisors. In addition to this most successful planting event, the steering committee is responsible for planting 100 trees in October 2004 and more than 150 seedlings in April 2005. The viewshed project at Milepost 121 has been completed.

      An Urban and Community Forestry Grant helped to fund the implementation of this planting and the one on October 31 at the Rocky Dale Quarry site.

      Now we look forward to planting 300 seedlings at Milepost 125.5 on April 1, 2006.

      I would like to donate to help save parkway views.
       

       

      Trails Forever Program
      The Blue Ridge PARKWAY TRAILS NEED YOU!

      FRIENDS and the Blue Ridge Parkway are looking for groups or individuals to adopt Parkway trails! The purpose behind recruiting groups to adopt Parkway Trails are many, but a few of these are:

        1.. Adopt-A-Trail groups find purpose in maintaining our natural resources and the satisfaction of preservation. 
        2.. Adopt-A-Trail groups provide long term commitment to maintaining a Parkway trail for their use and the millions of visitors that visit the Blue Ridge Parkway. 
        3.. Adopt-A-Trail groups provide needed assistance for maintenance and construction to the Parkway personnel. We are an interconnected team working directly with the Parkway. 
        4.. An Adopt-A-Trail group's Team Captain coordinates paper work and group coordination working directly with FRIENDS Trails Forever Program Manager. Your satisfaction for making a difference is an incredible purpose! 
      Some basic trail maintenance duties includes: cleaning out leaves and debris in drainage channels, water bars, dips and ditches, keeping the trail clear of uncomplicated simple blow downs, reporting larger trail blow downs to your Parkway contact and making an assessment of the trail condition and providing a report of the problems that need attention.

      Safety is the most important consideration while working on the trail. There is always the potential for accidents while using tools in the woods. Maintainers need to be constantly aware of these dangers.

      Please contact FRIENDS Blue Ridge Parkway at 800-228-7275 or email Linda_Kassar at FriendsBRP.org to obtain a list of trails that are not yet adopted. ** It is important to make an informed decision.

      A list of the trails appears on our website - check out this link. FRIENDS require a 3 to 5 year commitment - before you apply to adopt a trail we encourage you to walk the trail you are interested in - then apply or call FRIENDS to request an application. The Blue Ridge Parkway and FRIENDS need YOU!

      I would like to donate to help preserve parkway trails. 

       

      Volunteers In Parks
      Volunteers in Parks are Very Important People!

      The National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway and FRIENDS can only make a difference through the involvement of spirit minded people like you! The need for volunteers on the Blue Ridge Parkway is greater than ever.

      You can start a FRIENDS Chapter!

        a.. Identify 5 people who are members of FRIENDS or will join FRIENDS in your community. 
        b.. Contact staff at FriendsBRP.org providing us with the group"s: names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. 
        c.. Identify either a chairperson or co-chairs and a secretary from the list provided. 
        d.. FRIENDS' Chapters are Parkway project-based. 
      Individuals can make a difference! Volunteers can serve in many ways, such as the following:

        a.. Campground Hosting 
        b.. Cultural Demonstrations 
        c.. Educational Programs 
        d.. Fish & Wildlife Management 
        e.. Fundraising 
        f.. Grant Writing 
        g.. Resource Management 
        h.. Traditional Music 
        i.. Trail Maintenance and Construction 
        j.. Viewshed Planting 
        k.. Visitor Programs and Services 
      The National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway and FRIENDS can accomplish a great deal if caring individuals like you become involved. 
      Please contact FRIENDS' website for more information and to apply for a volunteer position. 
      All volunteer positions are approved by the Park Service. 

      Volunteer Need

      Bird Surveys: Volunteers are needed to help with three different bird surveys.

        1.. Northern Saw-whet Owls from about April 1 through May 31 from Milepost 298 - 430 
        2.. Grassland bird surveys from May 1 through June 15 between Mileposts 75 - 300 
        3.. Cerulean Warbler surveys mid-April through mid-July from Milepost 80 - 365 
      We prefer to have one volunteer who can do all three projects in North Carolina and one person for Virginia, but will consider using a group if necessary.Housing and stipend may be available for a limited number of volunteers. application 

      Contact:

        Bob Cherry - Resource Management Specialist, Blue Ridge Parkway 
        5580 Shulls Mill Road 
        Blowing Rock, NC 28605 
        828/295-7591   
        Bob_Cherry at nps.gov 
      I would like to donate to help the Volunteers in Parks. 

       

      Our Online Store
       FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway Peanuts (view now) 
      Enjoy these delicious premium salted peanuts while aso helping to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway for future generations. Visit Store 

       

      Preserving the Hemlocks
      "The arrival of the hemlock woolly adelgid in the Smokies is 'a major ecological disaster,' says GSMNP supervisory forester Kris Johnson. 'We have 5,000 acres in which hemlock is the dominant tree - over 50 percent of the forest - and many more where it's a major forest component.'"(read article) 

      I would like to donate to fight the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and help save the Hemlock trees. 

       

      Donate or HELP support FRIENDS
       You can make a difference by helping the FRIENDS preservation movement today to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway for the future! Join now or make a donation.

      If you have any questions, please contact us 
         
        
      Copyright © 2006 FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway 

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