Geography of the James (Earth Lodge)

It has been five weeks since the start of my sophomore year in at the University of Richmond.  Five weeks that  feel like they lasted an eternity and, at the same time, seem to have gone by far too quickly.  At the culmination of our first full month of school, many of us were visited by our parents for University of Richmond’s family weekend.  The perfect opportunity to explain everything I’ve been doing in my classes and exactly why I have the furthest living arrangements possible on campus.

Simply stating that I learn about the James River Watershed raises confused looks from both my parents and younger brother, so I begin to explain what exactly that means.  I learn about how everything around me, every animate and inanimate object, effects my life and the lives of everything else around us by means of effecting the path of water.  The focus on how intricately everything is connected only makes me marvel at the force of nature, at its power to create such a finely tuned system.

Explaining my recent interactions with the Watershed itself, beginning with the kayaking trip taken so many weeks ago.  Floating upon the water, you can see the few fish flitter just beneath the surface.  The water seemed so calm, it appeared to be a sheet of reflective glass, almost sturdy enough to walk on.  However, at the same time that we trekked up and down the river, the altering hand of humanity was clear as day. We are all brought back to reality with a bang, or rather a train whistle, as a freight train with too many cars to keep track rushes by, just feet from the river.  Quite apart from the transportation, there are few fish, birds, or any wildlife (save insects) prevalent in an ecosystem that used to have a thriving diversity of an ecosystem.  The natural beauty within the river ecosystem still exists, but is constantly demeaned by human influences.

Barely two weeks later, I experienced Maymont park for the first time of my life… and it blew all of my expectations out of the water.  Walking through the gate I saw a beautiful expanse of hills and fields, blissfully unaware of what lay behind them.  Upon exploring with fellow Earth Lodger Hilary and our friend Mariah we discovered the vast beauty or Maymont including a coy pond, multitude of trees, a beautiful field of flowers, and a full sized waterfall!  Even amongst all this “natural” beauty, the influence of humanity is incredibly present.  A good portion of Maymont is human made to be ascetically pleasing and a nice way to go about an enjoy nature.  Even in enjoying nature, we feel we must alter it to make it better, as if we know how to improve upon its natural beauty.

Throughout the past five weeks it has become clear how altered our natural habitat has become simply by our existence here.  Our readings tell the tale of a time before we overreached our environmental capacity, when we lived among the other inhabitants in pseudo-peace. Now, even our “natural” exhibits have the hand of human engineering within it.  So few things are entirely not corrupted by humanity we have begun to believe our creations are natural.

We have not only begun to perceive our attempts at recreating natural beauty as the real deal, but we as a society have become apathetic enough toward nature that most disregard even the fabricated natural beauty.  Despite its inauthentic natural nature, Maymont is still a beautiful way to spend a weekend day of sun, and most of the people I know have never even heard of Maymont, and even less have visited its grounds.  Even students at the University of Richmond often fail to recognize the sheer beauty that resides in the middle -of our campus: Westhampton Lake (itself a man-made, economical, aesthetic investment).  There are few things more beautiful then standing ion the bank, on a clear night, and looking out at the sky reflected perfectly against the water.  Do the students acknowledge the beauty? Do they even respect it even a shred?  No, they discard cigarette butts and throw University “Green Bikes” into its depths.

The expressed apathy even begins to alter the most natural of beauties in the area.  The James becomes polluted from the runoff from poisonous fertilizer used in everyday lawn care.  The runoff kills innocent animals whose only crime was being an inhabitant of the river itself.  Cleanup efforts are blown off as “a hippie movement” or as “unnecessary”.  Due to the exponentially increasing construction of water-impervious surfaces, sediment is carried back to the river without the natural absorption and filtration usually preformed by the healthy soils.  Soils absorb a fraction of the rainwater that they used to due largely to human waste and the destruction of natural habitats keeping soils healthy and absorbent.  The lack of absorption leads to increased frequency and severity of floods.  With no natural barriers left to defend against, and instead of attempting to restore these barriers, we alter the area further with the construction of flood walls.  These walls not only destroy the natural habitat further, but if breached  serve the opposite purpose than what they constructed for and trap the water within civilization multiplying the damage and destruction.

We are surrounded by beauty, as natural as we are going to find it.  We can still appreciate what lies around us, what is left after hundreds of years of our manipulation.  We may even be able to restore portions of it to its truly natural state.  But to do so, we must escape the apathetic mindset that “it will always be here” because, if we don’t, it won’t be here for long.

The Westhampton Lake has always troubled me. Something about it just irritated my mind, making me want to turn away, rather than observe the beauty. For all of freshman year, I put this discomfort down to the easy answer of the lake’s seemingly polluted state. As someone who prides herself on caring about the environment, the scum on the water surface seemed the most obvious reason. These past four weeks of spending time on the water have shown me that there maybe a totally different factor. As I mentioned in my first blog-post, I’ve grown up around moving water, and I apparently haven’t quite made the adjustment. When I stop to consider, I realize that lakes and ponds have always seemed rather strange and foreign compared to the rushing waters of my beloved Rapidan. On our excursions to the James River, I always felt much calmer and refreshed than I ever had on my numerous walks around the lake, something I chalked up to class-related stress. While many of my most peaceful memories from childhood involve rivers, I have often vowed never to set foot in the lake for any reason (jokingly claiming fear of a toxic reaction). But Earth Lodge has thus far shown me that the way we think about our water sources can directly affect how we treat them, giving me greater incentive to become friendlier with our resident lake.

In our “The Trouble with Wilderness” reading, we were introduced to the various approaches to ‘wilderness’ that humanity has taken. Beginning with the worshipful sublime era, which regarded the wild as a church-like sanctuary from evil; to the conquering frontiersmen, headed by Teddy Roosevelt, who climbed mountains to prove their worth; and ending with today’s backyard approach, attempting to integrate the wilds into our everyday life. It’s easy to draw parallels between these viewpoints and my own water-related experiences. From my parents I learned a combination of the sublime and frontier perspective. Many a summer afternoon was spent coasting down rivers, lazing in the sun and pointing in sheer joy when wildlife made an appearance; one of my proudest moments was making it down the Rapidan in a single-person canoe without having to get out and push. In contrast, D.C. leaves the Potomac on a pedestal as a pretty view, while mostly ignoring the extremely poor water conditions. I have often heard myths of people having to be sent to the hospital after simply falling out of their kayaks; not for injuries, but for potential poisoning from the river. It seems that once the city conquered the river, it was left to gather dust on the proverbial self, a pretty, crumbling statue in the city’s backyard. And then there’s the James, embraced by Richmond and the center of quite a lot of activity. From beautiful street-art to bluegrass on a dock, there is rarely something NOT happening on the river. Although the James seems to fit most snugly into the backyard approach, I would almost argue that it has been relegated to front yard: shown off to everyone who passes through. Not all of the problems have been fixed along the James, but efforts are ongoing and it doesn’t seem that the river will easily be forgotten anytime soon.

One of the main themes that has become apparent these past few weeks has been that education and interaction are key to watershed health. The “Awareness Appraisal Model” showed us that the more people knew about the problems in their watersheds, the more likely they were to want to help. Although education around the James River may leave something to be desired because it more often targets young children than anyone else, Richmond has the interaction part down pat. During the warm months people flock to the swimming holes and kayak put-ins, spending hours on the river and forging an attachment to the centerpiece of their city. Even as the weather cools, many will continue to walk the shoreline with their companions, canine and human, as a break from the business of urban life. With such a strong connection in place between Richmond’s population and the river, education and action is sure to follow. Already many turn out to raise money for the river in such events as the James River Association’s Splash ‘n’ Dash 5k. As far as urban rivers go, the James has it pretty good.

I’ve often been called hyper, a well-earned description with my distaste for standing still or even focusing on one subject for very long. I move quickly, just like my beloved rivers, so it was with chagrin that I sat myself down by Westhampton Lake, determined to forge a connection with the water that still gave me pause with its stillness. I had an hour to kill, and nothing in particular to think about, making it the perfect moment to just sit and watch. Moving water had always calmed my mind into stillness, so I anticipated an opposite reaction to the lake; in short, I expected to leave the hour frazzled and stressed. Yet once I sat down and settled, I soon found movement all around me. A horde of ducks descended on a young girl with breadcrumbs, before being driven off by the geese. These ducks soon became the focus of my attention, watching their funny way of rinsing themselves in the water reminded me that you rarely get this close to animals on the rivers I’ve canoed. The sky was my next focus; the sunset bathing the tops of the tallest trees while rest resigned themselves to night. And then finally, in the last quarter of my hour on the lake, I was able to watch the slight ripples from the breeze on the surface and feel the peace that had always meant rivers before. I’m still learning how to approach the lake, but Earth Lodge is quickly teaching me the importance of getting to know all of your environment, not just your favorite parts.

Five weeks ago, I was beginning my second year at the University of Richmond, I knew nothing about the James River. I functioned as a student for a whole year without giving any regard to the waters flowing around me. I had an appreciation for the Westhampton Lake but never asked myself what role it played in the environment or if it connected to anything outside of campus. The lake seemed as though it existed only for my enjoyment. The freshly birthed environmentalist living in my brain has changed my way of thinking. I believe that living at the University of Richmond without understanding waterways such as the James River, is like living with closed eyes. The more I experience, the easier it is to understand the place I live.

Visiting parks and exploring nature have been my favorite parts of my Earth Lodge experience. Each time I visit a James River park, I understand more about the James and the habitats it creates.  Excursions to Pony Pasture, the Wetlands, Belle Isle, Maymont and other little pockets of nature bring new meaning to the city of Richmond. Exploration broadens my horizon as I familiarize myself with new areas. Our recent visit to the Wetlands reminded me of the mountains around Lake Tahoe which made me realize that areas around the country are connected in this way. I am able to have two similar experiences on two opposite edges of the continent.

My life has always been connected to water habitats. My hometown is named after the small creek that runs underneath Main Street. I played in the creek after T-ball games or walked down after school and waded through the creek. The creeks and rivers at home do not compare to the mighty James but my upbringing gave me an appreciation for nature. The Geography of the James River Watershed class gives me an intensive appreciation for nature by combining education and experience. The kayaking trip down the James allowed me to absorb the surroundings. I had never been on a moving body of water with trees whose roots grew twisted into the bank and with leaves that end at the sky. The riparian zone is thick and the forests allow no visibility which creates a sense of seclusion. This forces undivided attention onto the characteristics and wildlife of the James. I remember observing blue dragonflies scraping the water around me and huge birds flying above me. There were rocks just below the water surface that had green vegetation which flowed with the water. I learned about the myriad of wildlife that lurk underneath the water at the Maymont Nature Center. Huge and menacing prehistoric looking creatures slide by each other underneath the rippling waters. Marveling at the wonders of the James creates a feeling of a wild and genuinely natural experience.

We have learned that the James is not as natural as it had been in the past. The roaring and untamed James faced the challenges of industrialization by having to bend and change to the needs of civilization. Dams and canals have domesticated the wild James. The harmful practices of the past have had adverse effects on the ecosystem such as high levels of pollution and the disruption of local wildlife. Recently, there have been strives made to correct the past abuse of the James. The dams created a migration disruption for the shad but the installation of fish ladders and breaks in the dam allow for the shad to bypass dams and travel further upriver. I feel that industry and development can be correctly executed in order for habitats and waterways to be respected. Nature does not have to be sacrificed for the sake of progress, there is a definite balance.

Using the University of Richmond as a focus area often helps me understand the relationship between civilization and nature. Using the Little Westham Creek watershed I gain first-hand and everyday experience involving the relationship between water and an increase in population. A higher demand for resources leads to an increasing amount of manipulation to waterways. Riparian zones and wetlands are disregarded as the University develops. Beatification takes primary concern to conservation. Resulting developments such as the University and the golf course plague the waterways with nonpoint pollution. These developments manipulate the environment with a focus on economic benefits rather than sustainability.

We have learned the importance of vegetation and its role in preserving freshwater. Riparian zones and other plants absorb and filter harmful materials before they reach waterways. Impermeable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt allow toxic substances to flow directly into waterways. There are development practices that can prevent the pollution of rivers and creeks. For example, respecting the riparian zones involves analyzing the local ecosystem in order to determine the proper length of the riparian zone. The correct amount of riparian zone can create a sustainable ecosystem with cleaner water and an adequate habitat for a diversity of animal species. Also, planting water thirsty plants in areas surrounding water provide filters for minerals and pollutants flowing off nearby impervious surfaces. These examples are a few development practices to take into account that prioritize sustainability for freshwater systems.

Sustaining water is important because water connects everything. The human experience is inevitably connected to water. It is easy to compare my new experiences with the James River to my past experiences with every other river. Whenever water is discussed, everyone has their own experience with waterways. On our kayaking trip, we were all asked if we had experience with a kayak. Everyone confirmed their kayaking experience with confidently raised hands. None of us had kayaked in the same place before but we shared a connection through our general experience with water.

I am optimistic about the future of this course based on all the interesting aspects of the James I have already learned. I cannot wait to share new experiences on the mighty James River and discover more of its marveling wonders.