Category Archives: Uncategorized

River Rat

Looking back on the River Rat training, I found that the whole organizational idea of it is a prime example of how to get the community involved in protecting their natural resources.  Because the program seemed somewhat catered to people … Continue reading

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The Mission of the Reedy Creek Coalition as a Well Formed Land Ethic

I knew my Religion, Ethics, and the Environment class was going to overlap significantly with GeoJames when on the first day of the semester we discussed the the Northern Spotted Owl and its role in the protection of Old Growth … Continue reading

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On being a river rat

The JRA tries to be the voice and the guardian of the river. They have two goals: keep Virginia on track with regard to the Chesapeake Bay plan, and help the community realize the benefits of a healthy James River. … Continue reading

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The Tree Killers

Paintbrush in hand, I timidly reached toward the freshly cut stump and applied the dark blue chemicals. I had killed my first heavenly tree. To this day, I have not come to terms with the invasive tree removal we participated … Continue reading

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Revitalizing the Natural Beauty of Dutch Gap

When I was first given to massive trash bag at the Dutch Gap cleanup, I was skeptical about the amount of trash we would be able to pick up with such a large number of people participating.  My estimate was … Continue reading

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A Day with the Nuns of Belmead

“THERE’S ONE! THERE’S ONE!”, the nun barked at me as I trudged into the woods.  This was not some sort of Catholic school punishment I was receiving as you might expect, but a rather interesting service opportunity to remove an … Continue reading

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The Convoluted Relationship Between Buildings and Nature (Reflection Post)

Gravel crunched under my tires as my car pulled into the parking lot of the crew team’s boathouse at Rockett’s Landing.  I arrived about an hour before the start of practice to do a few repairs, and realized this would … Continue reading

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Reedy Creek: Revealing the DEQ’s Absurdity

Bill Shanabruch’s concern was palpable as he waded deeper and deeper into Reedy Creek.  The water furiously rushed over his waders while he explained the intricate relationship between the locals, politicians and environment.  His knowledge of the controversial topic was … Continue reading

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The Lake Comes to Life – a Reflection

On the day prior to the GeoJames exam, I decided to take a break from the library to lay in the hammocks. The environment of the library can be a bit overwhelming: the sound of clicking on multiple keyboards, the … Continue reading

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Whitewater Kayaking Adventure (RiverRat)

As I locked my helmet in place and zipped up my PFD and wetsuit, I looked ahead and saw my coworkers, Zach and Natalie, sliding down the stairs in their kayaks and plunging into the James, barely able to contain … Continue reading

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