Geography of the James (Earth Lodge)

Participating in the invasive species removal at Bandy Field on Saturday, April 25 challenged and expanded my existing knowledge on both how invasive species operate and the importance of removing them. Prior to this experience, and especially prior to taking this class, I knew on an abstract level that invasive species were a negative for ecosystems, but I always assumed that this was simply for aesthetic or perceptive reasons. I also had not thought deeply about the varied impact that invasive species’ may have on different native plants and animals. However, on Saturday I learned about the ways that English ivy, one of the most common invasive species in Virginia and on the East Coast generally, crowds out native plants and effectively suffocates trees through competing with them for water, blocking out some sunlight through its dense leaves, and weakening their branches. Generally, I also learned that for invasive species to succeed, they have to have characteristics like the English ivy that allow them to outcompete and kill off native species. Put into that context, the invasive species removal was a meaningful and thought-provoking experience, and at its completion I felt like I had contributed an important service to the native fauna and flora at Bandy Field. We were largely focused on the removal of English ivy, and while I knew before this experience that it was a common invasive species, I was still surprised by how prevalent it was in all aspects of the wooded areas of the site (e.g. on trees, spreading on the ground, and overtaking smaller plants). It seems to spread quickly once it is introduced and create a strong foothold from which to do harm in any ecosystem. I hope that others can have similar experiences to the point where society as a whole recognizes the dangers posed by invasive species, especially the English ivy, and takes steps to eliminate it, not only in public spaces like Bandy Field and park locations along the James River, but also are encouraged to eliminate invasive species from their own contexts (e.g. their yards). 

Environmental issues can often feel abstract, but after people see them in real life, they become tangible, and people transform concerns into actions. Throughout this GEO 215 course, my understanding of sustainability deepened through lectures or readings and a wide array of embodied experiences in and outside of class that connected learning to live action. Whether testing water quality at the James River, volunteering at the Rethink Waste Basketball Game, or helping build a sustainable stage for a Shakespearean play, I saw that awareness alone is insufficient. The fusion of education, personal engagement, and creative outreach fosters meaningful and lasting environmental stewardship.

One moment epitomizing this was our visit to the James River Association’s River Education Center (Observation Log 4). I was drawn to the small wildlife in the water – tiny aquatic organisms invisible to most but essential indicators of water health. Discovering how their presence reflects the river’s ecological integrity opened my eyes to how even the smallest creatures play critical roles. I also learned about the river’s historical pollution, including the toxic Kepone spill by Allied Chemical. It was deeply inspiring to see how the James River has bounced back from a “D” to a “B” on its report card. It showed me that sustained effort and community commitment make environmental restoration possible. This field experience made the concept of “watershed health” tangible and emotionally resonant.

This transformation lesson continued in my hands-on experience during Invasive Species Awareness Week, where I volunteered to remove ivy from the Eco-Corridor (CBL Observation Log 3). Unlike classroom discussions, cutting down the invasive vines myself let me realize how aggressive and damaging these species can be. The vines were wrapped tightly around trees, which threatened the survival of native plants and posed a physical challenge for me to remove them. This experience grounded my understanding of ecological disruption and restoration, reinforcing the need for community-led conservation efforts.

Volunteering at the Rethink Waste Basketball Game gives me insight into waste management as a community education challenge (CBL Observation Log 2). While I was stationed at a bin, the encounters I had were eye-opening. I realized how vital clear communication and positive engagement are in encouraging sustainable habits. Although Some people ignored the signage and me, many still would follow my instructions. Besides, many people were unaware that the tissue paper offered at the University of Richmond is compostable, underscoring the importance of institutional messaging. Composting isn’t just about reducing landfill mass – it also benefits watershed health by minimizing nutrient pollution and supporting soil vitality. Events like this show how behavioral nudges in everyday spaces can shape environmental consciousness.

Art, too, has the power to educate and activate. As You Liked It, a sustainable production of Shakespeare’s play, brought the message of environmental care to the stage (CBL Observation Log 1). Having helped create props from recycled materials, I saw firsthand how creativity can repurpose waste into beauty. The show’s use of 90-95% reused materials from the university’s waste stream was more than a design choice; it was a narrative strategy that embedded sustainability into the audience’s experience. This ties directly into our class discussions about how waste affects watersheds. When aligned with environmental values, art can engage people in a way that lectures or statistics alone cannot.

Across all these experiences, I saw that environmental awareness flourishes when rooted in participation. My classmate Yixuan has echoed similar insights. He reflects on the James River’s recovery from past pollution crises. In his synthetic observation log, he emphasizes the importance of community engagement through storytelling, education, and hands-on restoration projects to foster a sense of place and collective responsibility. His reflection reveals a shared truth: when people are involved, they care; when they care, they act.

In conclusion, environmental education cannot be confined to classrooms. We must intertwine knowledge with action and outreach to foster sustainable mindsets and behaviors. The river, the forest, the compost bin, and even the stage serve as learning spaces. Whether pulling ivy, sorting trash or making cardboard trees for a play, each act of engagement builds our collective capacity to protect and renew our world. Sustainability begins not just with knowing – but with doing.

P.S. I don’t have specific pictures for this synthetic observation log, so I decide to put the photo of our whole class before rafting. I really enjoy this class!

This semester’s class discussions and my classmates’ posts strengthen my understanding of the word “resilience.” Our watershed’s strong recovery from the kepone and algae crisis in the late 1900s informs everyone in our community that we are resilient and can drive great changes. Thanks to all the extraordinary restoration work, the James’s water quality has improved from a grade of D to B. However, this result does not tell us to be complacent about the current status; instead, it should serve as an engine for collective actions to drive greater changes. The James River Report Card serves as scientific guidance for areas of strength we need to keep up with and issues requiring special attention and collaboration. What means can we, as environmentalists of sorts, utilize to realize change and achieve our vision of a fully healthy James River supporting thriving communities?

First, by leveraging the power of storytelling and history through the narrative of past wrongs and reconstructions, we can instill a sense of place and identity in our community members—an essential foundation for motivating environmental action. Martin’s Observation Log 5: Scars and Renewal emphasizes that battlefield parks serve the dual purpose of honoring painful history and encouraging ecological recovery. These landscapes show us how communities have learned to rebuild their relationships with nature after destruction. Similarly, the Kepone crisis in Hopewell serves as a stark reminder of environmental negligence and its consequences. Chapter 17, “Lessons of the Flow,” from In River Time recounts how the dumping of Kepone by the Allied Chemical Co. and subsequent algae blooms devastated public health and livelihoods. It also introduced us to Newton Ancarrow, a boatbuilder and wildflower enthusiast turned activist, who helped spark federal investment in sewage treatment by presenting the importance of establishing a sewer system and preserving diverse wildflower species to a garden club-school circuit after witnessing pollution firsthand. These stories of harm and healing can stir empathy and action. Organizing community events—like an annual “James River Day” or “Water Quality Festival”—and showcasing the river’s history and the efforts of environmental leaders can cultivate environmental stewardship and collective responsibility.

Second, we should strengthen community engagement ​through science, education, and hands-on restoration projects. For Observation Log 4, I used my water data collection experience at the James A. Buzzard Education Center and the James River Report Card to think about how scientific discoveries can help us identify and prioritize the most critical issues in the James River Watershed for fundraising and community projects. For Observation Log 5, I reflected on our enjoyable experience at the eco-corridor, where we learned about fish species, macroinvertebrates, and soil, and how this shared green space and learning center might draw more volunteers for restoration projects. For CBL 3, I talked about my experience volunteering at Bandy Field Nature Park, where I filled buckets with mulch and spread it over recently planted trees to improve the soil, stop erosion, and keep invasive species out. From these hands-on learning experiences, I formed a deeper connection with the watershed and marveled at our ability to drive significant impacts through passion and small actions. By integrating watershed science into school curricula and encouraging more youth participation in the green infrastructure projects, we can empower our current and future generations to become river stewards.

Lastly, meaningful change will require collaboration across sectors. In Observation Log 4, I identified three most critical issues we should prioritize for the James River based on the report card, including stormwater runoff, sediments, and the declining or dire situations of multiple fish species. The solutions on the report card inform us that the river’s health is not just an environmental issue; it intersects with economic development, agriculture, and public health. To address the problems of stormwater runoff and sediments, environmentalists must work with farmers to reduce nutrient runoff through regenerative practices, such as riparian planting, and with urban planners to implement green infrastructure like rain gardens and permeable pavements. The success of green and blue infrastructure projects in Osterbro, Copenhagen, illustrates an excellent example of the collaboration between the city planner and community members in building a climate-adapted neighborhood. Regarding coordination across diverse stakeholders, Mairin’s Observation Log 6 discusses the challenge of public-private partnership in securing federal and state funding and managing the James River Park System due to the park’s sheer size. However, by appealing to each other’s values and balancing each party’s needs, the partnership can turn out to be successful in fundraising and policy implementations.

In conclusion, the story of the James River is one of resilience, recovery, and responsibility. While we celebrate the progress that has brought its grade from a D to a B, we must remember that true environmental resilience requires continual vigilance and collective care. By grounding our efforts in powerful narratives, fostering community involvement, and pushing for systemic change, we can build a future where the James River thrives as both an ecological treasure and a unifying force for its communities.

         This semester, our discussions about environmental activism and leadership made me think about what comprises successful environmental leadership. Key discussions for me included (a) how compromise happens between a variety of stakeholders (e.g., to determine the management of parks and green spaces), (b) how environmental activism can result in greater protections for natural spaces, and (c) the importance of educating people about environmental issues. Drawing from these discussions, I believe that crucial aspects of environmental leadership are the abilities to compromise while ensuring environmental priorities are met, to act and secure decisive wins for environmental causes, and to educate the public about the importance of addressing environmental issues in proactive and preventative ways before they create irrevocable harm.

         First, successful environmental leadership involves the ability to understand viewpoints and compromise across a wide range of stakeholders (e.g., city planners, environmental activists, people who want historical sites preserved, and representatives of the tourism industry). However, it is important for leaders to hold firm on critical arguments in ways that lead to resolutions which may include concessions but also preserve core environmental interests. The complexities of reaching mutually agreed upon arrangements among stakeholders was illustrated by our class exercise to create a hypothetical battlefield park when opinions varied on how it would best be used. The city planner wanted to develop residential property and shopping areas, the Civil War historian wanted the site preserved exactly as it was, and the environmental activist wanted the site to be reclaimed by nature. An example of how a favorable resolution could be secured includes: (a) allowing residential development on a small part of the property with specific tree canopy requirements (e.g., 10% to 20% of residential property has to be covered by trees), and (b) restoration of the battlefield through constructive conservation that preserves its historical significance while allowing for green spaces. This kind of compromise, which advances environmental interests while meeting the needs of other stakeholders’ is a critical part of environmental leadership.

Figure 1: Totopotomoy Creek National Battlefield Park represents an area that could be utilized in a variety of manners for a variety of interests while maintaining environmental integrity

         Second, environmental leadership includes the ability to generate decisive wins locally and for the broader environmental cause through direct activism. An illustrative example is the work of Newton Ancarrow to end rampant pollution of the James River in the mid-to-late twentieth century. Ancarrow and his fellow activists worked tirelessly in lobbying Virginia politicians, raising awareness of high pollution levels in the James River, and working against corporate interests who polluted the river. Several key wins, aided by the work of Ancarrow and the highly publicized Kepone crisis, culminated in the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act then paved the way for the recovery of the James River and other Virginia waterways. For example, the James River moved from a rating of an F to a B for water quality as a result of subsequent legislative and political wins secured on its behalf. Overall, the ability to serve as a catalyst for positive environmental change through activism is another characteristic of environmental leaders.

Figure 2: Ancarrow’s Landing, named for Newton Ancarrow, along the healthier James River

Lastly, successful environmental leadership includes the ability to educate the public on environmental issues in ways that promote action to successfully address them. At a fundamental level, it is not possible to accomplish leadership objectives (i.e., find compromises that protect environmental interests and generate decisive wins for the environmental cause) if the broader public does not understand the nature of the problems and care about finding solutions for them. For instance, prior to Newton Ancarrow’s activism and the Kepone crisis, many citizens simply ignored the health of the James River or turned a blind eye to the pollution, rather than pushing for its cleanup and water quality improvement. While activism undoubtedly played a large role in the river’s recovery, public education on the dangers of pollutants like Kepone also played a critical role. More recently, the James River Association’s Buzzard Center has served to educate the public on the improvement and continued dangers facing the James River. This serves as an example of environmental leadership that can have far-reaching consequences by imparting knowledge that motivates the actions of others.

Figure 3: The James River Association’s Buzzard River Education Center

         In conclusion, environmental leadership requires several skills that are needed to move the environmental agenda forward. One is the ability to compromise with other stakeholders’ diverse interests, including those that seem diametrically opposed to the environmental cause (e.g. those of energy companies or real estate development groups). Another is the ability to utilize activism and lobbying in order to generate wins for the environmental cause in the realm of public policy (e.g. Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act). A final skill is the ability to educate the public on key environmental issues and persuade them that solving the issue is critical to their and the environment’s health and well-being. Together, I believe that these skills define environmental leadership that can create momentum, steps forward, and wins for the environmental agenda.

The James River, throughout the years, has played a significant role in human development. However, throughout the years, the health of the James River has always been in jeopardy from much of our human involvement and actions. Throughout the semester, we went through the history of the James and the different stages of the health of the James. We managed this by going to various places that allowed us to view these up front. I picked each of these trips specifically because it reflected on the past, present and the potential future. With the trip to the museum, we had reflected on the past of the James and the influence that it played on human development. At the James River Association Education Centre, we learnt about the wildlife, such as the bald eagles, scuds and smallmouth bass. We also did the actual testing of the health of the James with the oxygen level and water clarity of the James. In the rafting trip, for observing the wildlife, I was thinking about the potential future of the James. Although the James River is doing fine, it can be improved by bringing back more species of fish, such as the American Shad. Hopefully in the future, the state of the James can improve as the city of Richmond also expands.

In our trips and previous OBL, I like to compare it to what we learn in the classroom. Especially in the chapters from In River Time, we use what we learn in the chapters in which our classmates present. These usually centre around the history of the James and the perspective of the James through different eyes. For example, in the chapter of the Champion of the Golden River, with my activity, I wanted to put people into the perspective of how people interpreted James. With the two perspectives consisting of John Smith and the colonists and Opechancanough and the Powhatan. These perspectives were able to allow people to have fun with it but also learn the intentions for the James throughout history. The Powhatan intended to keep the river sacred and prioritise their river, and John Smith wanted to use the river’s resources to better the state of their people. As history progressed, we know what happened to the Powhatan and John Smith, as human involvement had changed what we previously used the James for and how sacred it was to the Powhatan prior to the arrival of the colonists.

On these trips, we learnt a lot about the health of the river throughout the years and the improvement the Richmond community has done throughout the year. In previous entries, I went into detail regarding each trip, but in discussing the Kepone disaster in 1975, the health of the James was rated extremely poorly early on with the grade of a D. However, now James has gotten a grade of a B within the past 20 years. This rapid recovery throughout the years has been in large part due to organisations such as the James River Association, and their contribution to improving the health of the James is paying off. When we went rafting, it was the first time I had ever been rafting or in an outdoor scenery so green. Even more meaningful was the scenery of the Richmond skyline being surrounded by the American sycamore and river birch trees. It really exemplifies the urban integration of the Richmond area with the James River. To compare Richmond in the 1850s and how it is now, it seems people knew how important the river was but were not knowledgeable about how important the health of the James is. With time, people started to become more knowledgeable, but, in 1975, the James had sadly taken a hit with the Kepone incident. However, as we bring it back to the present day, we can reflect on hopefully the positive impacts in the future as we seek to further improve the James.

Richmond in the 1850s

Richmond from the James River (Present day)

During the rafting session on Friday, our coach, Ty, demonstrated how to alter the raft’s direction using strokes and empowered Mairin to take on his role for a while to give instructions and change the raft’s direction. His action reminds me of one of the essential elements of transformational leadership that I learned in my organizational behavior class: inspirational motivation. A transformative leader inspires followers to take action to work toward the goal. Likewise, a successful environmental leader, especially leaders from environmental organizations, can empower the community to protect the environment by instilling a sense of stewardship over environmental actions.

How would an environmental leader empower community members to take collective action toward sustainability goals? An environmental leader can enhance their commitment by increasing awareness of the issues, encouraging members to explore parks and green spaces, and organizing volunteer events. A good example of raising environmental awareness is how the James River Association Education Center organizes regular learning sessions for students of all grades to learn about the state of the James, native and invasive species, and the organization’s goal and best management practices for the James River Park System. In the first observation log, I discussed how successful environmental leadership involves providing a platform for people to learn about their place, including its nature and history, and thus develop a sense of place. Indeed, by delivering scientific knowledge, reconnecting community members to nature, and introducing them to volunteer programs, a leader can motivate followers to take small, constructive actions to transform the place and realize the sustainability vision.

The improved water quality of the James River from D to B in recent decades demonstrates the extraordinary leadership of environmental organizations and the active participation of the community in restoring habitats and reducing pollutants from entering the waterways. The City of Richmond has also tried to address the environmental justice issue and improve socioeconomic and racial equity in access to a healthy environment by renovating the houses and building more parks and green spaces in the poor communities. By organizing more events for the public to learn about these environmental issues and encouraging participation in volunteer opportunities, we can instill environmental stewardship in new generations and achieve the vision of a sustainable river city.

It was a wonderful day volunteering at Bandy Field Nature Park. Not only did I get to remove English ivy at the Pine Grove Area of the park and spread wood chips to smother the growth of invasive species, but I also learned about some conservation efforts and native trees in the park from the two managers.

When I entered the park at 1, I saw many volunteers digging a big pile of wood chips using shovels and placing them into trailers. “Where is this pile of wood chips coming from? What are they doing with it?” As a first-time volunteer who had never seen such work at parks, I was curious about everything I saw. A park manager greeted me with a smile and showed me around the area. He pointed to dense, deadly vines winding around many trees. They were Chinese wisteria, which blocked sunlight from reaching the trees and killed many of them. At that moment, I was shocked. I have never seen such devastating effects of invasive species like Chinese wisteria on native trees. After that, he showed me a video of an automated machine shredding the wisteria in the area a few days ago, leaving a pile of wood chip mulch on the ground. We volunteers would put this mulch in carts and buckets and pour it around the newly planted trees to enrich the soil, prevent erosion, and keep out invasive species. I soon joined the group to fill my bucket with wood chips, pour them near a new tree, and repeat this task. I also placed piles of wood chips into a trailer using a shovel. After filling a trailer, someone filled the area around the bridge with mulch from my trailer and leveled it off. Although the work was repetitive and took time, I got a strong sense of satisfaction after completion.

Figure 2: We poured our mulch near a new tree to protect it from erosion and enrich the soil.

After finishing the work with this pile of mulch, Andrew and I followed another manager’s direction to the Pine Grove area to clear English ivy. English ivy, just like Chinese wisteria, competes with native trees for resources and significantly harms their health. Although, according to the manager, the English ivy issue was not that severe in that area, it still took me significant time and effort to pull down the vines. A challenging part of this task for me was to remove these vines efficiently, since, on some occasions, when I identified a group of ivy on the ground, I just picked off the leaves instead of being able to identify and remove the vines. In other cases, I used force to pull the vines as they took deep roots. Overall, I enjoyed this experience since it relieved my pressure and made me proud of my work.

Finally, the manager showed us two native tree species in the park: winged elm and sweetgum. Winged elm has narrow, oval leaves with tiny teeth along the edges and a pointed tip, while sweetgum leaves are star-shaped with five-pointed lobes. It was great to learn more about the native species in our place.

Overall, this volunteer experience at Bandy Park was very informative and interesting. I gained a lot of scientific knowledge and best practices for removing invasive species, especially regarding how invasive vines like Chinese wisteria can be repurposed as mulch to enrich soil and prevent erosion. I appreciate the two managers leading us around the area and sharing their knowledge and conservation efforts in the park.

Figure 3: The leaves of a winged elm in the park.

Figure 4: The leaves of a sweetgum adjacent to the winged elm.

Figure 5: My selfie with the Bandy Field Nature Park marker.

During class on Friday, April 18th, learning about water management methods in Copenhagen prompted me to think about the impact that climate change has on coastal communities and the need for solutions such as relying on green infrastructures to combat it. Given the successful implementation of green infrastructure solutions in Denmark, I wondered if similar infrastructure could be used in U.S. coastal cities (e.g., Miami and New York) and other cities that are frequently impacted by heavy rainfall. Through my own knowledge and experiences, I know that Miami and surrounding South Florida communities such as Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton) are impacted by a variety of climate-related water management challenges. These challenges include sea level rise, heavy rain, and severe weather events (e.g., strong thunderstorms and hurricanes). Similar to Copenhagen, these communities experienced flooding due to prolonged and intense rainfalls (e.g., flooding in Fort Lauderdale in April 2023). These challenges are exacerbated by the rapid population growth in Miami and South Florida as a whole. I wondered if green water retention and draining locations, similar to those in the Osterbro district of Copenhagen, could mitigate some risks associated with these events. Other green infrastructure solutions (e.g., living shorelines), could provide some level of protection from sea level rise, and as hurricanes that can cause rapid inundation. Lastly, I hope that if these solutions are implemented in South Florida and elsewhere in the U.S., they are implemented equitably so residents living in low-income areas are protected to an equal degree as residents living in high-income areas in cities such as Miami or New York. In the same vein, I hope that developing nations with fewer resources than the U.S.  and Denmark are able to implement this kind of infrastructure to protect their citizens and increase the climate resiliency of their coastal areas.

In our class discussion and activity on Friday, April 4th, we learned about the recovery of the James River after the kepone crisis and related ecological problems resulting from pollution and unregulated industrial development near the river. These issues challenged the conventional wisdom of the time that the river was an isolated ecosystem, separate from the surrounding environments. It helped me understand the importance of the river to the surrounding communities and their wellbeing (e.g., in terms of health and economic strength). For me, a striking moment in the readings from In River Time was when Newton Ancarrow described being advised to stay away from the river, as if ignoring the problem made it irrelevant. However, our reading and class activity showed that a heavily polluted river impacts not only the river and its direct ecosystem but also all aspects of the food chain (e.g., from birds of prey to fish that they eat to insects and smaller species in a river contaminated by pollution). Additionally, polluted rivers impact Virginia’s fishing industry, which relies on healthy fish, and the tourism industry, which relies on a clean river that people want to visit. Further, polluted rivers impact the quality of water available to residents in surrounding communities. Though substantial progress has been made in the health of the river’s ecosystem and the quality of its water, continued maintenance of the river and its input tributaries is necessary to ensure that all stakeholders in this complex and interwoven ecology can thrive. Additionally, there is room remaining for further improvement, especially in the restoration of the river’s American shad population and sedimentary pollution, which the James River Association considers to be the greatest challenge facing the river. Lastly, the reading demonstrated the power of activism on behalf of environmental causes, especially when it is performed by determined and influential figures such as Newton Ancarrow.