Vintage National Park Service poster of Zion NP.

Back in the spring, I approached Ryan Corrigan of the James River Association with an idea that had been bouncing around in my head for a while.

“You know those vintage National Park Service posters, the ones from the 1930s?” I asked. “How cool would it be to make posters like that of iconic James River locations in Richmond?”

Corrigan is a people person. He’s the Marketing Director for the JRA; it’s his job to know people. He loved the idea, and he immediately thought of the perfect artist to turn the idea into reality.

“Let’s call Chris Camera at Firefly Design,” he said.

Four months later, here we are with the first four in what we hope will be a growing art series featuring Richmond’s natural wonders – the places that make outdoor enthusiasts love RVA. We started with these four because…well, because we thought they turned out great, and because Belle Isle, Pony Pasture, Pipeline Rapids and the Atlantic Coastline Railway Bridge are about as iconic as it gets. We think Chris nailed it. We hope you agree!

You can buy the limited edition fine art-quality prints signed by the artist and posters (also very frame worthy). Pint glasses and t-shirts will be ready for order soon. Take a look around, and see which you like best. The cool part: a hefty portion of the proceeds goes to support the JRA and their work protecting America’s Founding River.

Click here for the online store.

Chris Camera’s Belle Isle poster.

(Oh, and if you’ve got a suggestion for which natural place should be immortalized next? Shoot me an email at andy@richmondoutside.com.)

Ronnie Nickerson is excited to kayak. Credit: Elli Morris

Silence fills the air as the interpreter signs the question, “What did you think about today?”

Ronnie Nickerson rapid-fires his answers with his hands: “I like learning to paddle and going into the eddies. I know I need to have speed, and then the right angle and lean into it, so I practiced that today. It was a lot of fun.” Then Ronnie laughs and adds, “And Maggie splashed me with water!”

One of the greatest blessings of the James River through Richmond is the diversity of water features, where advanced boaters and beginners alike can enjoy the river, be challenged, and learn. Taking advantage of that, Sportable offers a kayaking program for their athletes, like Ronnie.

“A lot of our athletes are in wheelchairs or some have trouble walking,” notes Cat Anthony, Operations Director of Sportable. “We have spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, some amputations, and visually impaired athletes. Once they get on the water it’s an equal playing field for everyone. They are able to kayak and have a great time. “

Karen Sparrow out on the water near Huguenot Flatwater. Credit: Elli Morris

Greg Velzy, Outdoor Adventure Programmer for Chesterfield Parks’ Outdoor Programs, is working with Sportable to provide instruction and safety.

“We’re making sure people of all abilities get out on the water and realize once we are on the water we’re all equal,” he says. “And getting over that barrier that some people think there’s a disability involved but this way there’s not. We’re sitting in a kayak and we’re all the same out there. I love that.”

Each athlete that participated in the recent program, paddling upstream from Huguenot Flatwater, expressed a real sense of fun and learning. “I found the eddies!,” jokes Carolyn Andrews. “Eddie Monster wasn’t there this time!”

Jacob Pribble, agrees, “It was fun. I learned a lot. I learned how to get out and go into the eddie better.”

Ronnie Nickerson gets a ride up the boat launch at Huguenot Flatwater. Credit: Elli Morris

The mother daughter duo of Karen Sparrow and Emma Williams also spent the two hours on the water learning the basics of eddies. “It’s awesome to get out on the water in a supported environment. Knowing that I’d be able to challenge myself as much as I was able to but that I would have help and support to a degree when I couldn’t do it. It was great fun,” Emma says. “It was fun to learn how to keep the kayak in control and not be so behind.”

Then with a huge big old smile on her face she adds, “And get wet!”

It is, after all, summer in the city and the James is the best place to be!

I got an email from Max Posner, local stud whitewater paddler and VP of the James River Outdoor Coalition, yesterday with the above video attached. JROC put it together, Posner said, “because we’ve noticed, along with park staff, that much trash is being left in the park this summer.”

So he put together a short video PSA from Nathan on the importance of taking your trash out of the park.

I wrote about this when it first became news, and I think it’s worth highlighting now that it’s entered the public input phase. The James River Association is inviting residents of the Richmond and Tri-cities regions to attend one of two community meetings to engage in a discussion on the Regional Rivers Plan. This plan for the rivers of the Richmond region will make recommendations and identify strategies to leverage our waterways to improve quality of life and catalyze river-based economic activity.

Your input is need to craft the area’s “Regional Rivers Plan.” Credit: City of Richmond

The study team, which is composed of planning professionals from the JRA, Timmons Group, 3north, and Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, is focusing on public access and economic development along the four major river corridors of the Richmond region: James River, Appomattox River, Chickahominy River, and Pamunkey River.

“With the help of local experts, we’re answering questions like ‘what’s there?’, ‘what’s missing?,’ and ‘what’s next?’,” said Andy Boenau, lead planner with Timmons Group.

“We are excited to share our progress to date and engage members of the community in a conversation about the future of our region’s rivers,” said Justin Doyle, Community Conservation Manager with the James River Association. “The Regional Rivers Plan will identify three to five catalytic projects that will expand access to the James River and its tributaries to increase opportunities for river recreation and riverfront economic development.”

The meetings are scheduled as follows:

July 15, 6 pm — Chimborazo Park Roundhouse, Grace Street at N. 36^th Street, Richmond, VA

July 22, 6 pm — The Cameron Foundation, 228 S. Sycamore Street, Petersburg, VA

The creation of the Regional Rivers Plan was one of four strategies presented by the James River Work Group of the Capital Regional Collaborative – a partnership between government, business and community to improve the quality of life across the Capital Region and to address issues that are not confined by city or county limits.

Competitors in last year’s James River Rundown. Credit: Angie Williams

Earlier this season the James River Association announced details for our 2nd Annual James River Rundown, a series of paddle races that take place June 27-28, 2015 in the heart of central Virginia on the mighty James. With its ala carte menu of race options, both seasoned paddlers and lollygaggers alike will be pleased to hit incredible stretches along this historic river. A grueling 100-mile endurance race begins the morning of June 27 at James River State Park in Gladstone and is touted as one of the longest races of its kind on the East Coast, testing even the most seasoned paddlers.

But wait, there’s more! This year the JRA has added two shorter races to the event in the hopes of enticing paddlers of all skill levels to register. On June 28, a 40-mile race starts in Cartersville, and later that morning a 20-mile race starts at Powhatan State Park. All of the races will culminate just past Robious Landing in Richmond at American Legion Post 354 for a post-race celebration complete with local bluegrass faves 14 ½ Strings, barbecue, and beverages from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Boom.

Competitors will traverse the river in kayaks, canoes, rafts and paddleboards, either as solo paddlers or in teams. There are no restrictions on what they paddle, just as long as there is no motor, sail, or anchored oar configuration and participants reach the finish line within the 40 hour cutoff. Designated safety checkpoints will be set up along the way, offering paddlers a chance to rest or camp.

I caught up with a few of the adventurous early adopters of the paddle in hopes they would pass along some wisdom to anyone caught up in the idea of running any one of these amazing paddles. Rusty and Leza McClain dominated last year’s run with a searing 17 hour win. Saw no one for hours. Epic. Kevin Odberg founded the race after paddling a 340 mile stretch of the Missouri. Raced with his brother Mike. They still like one another. And John Nestler was first place solo, second overall. Tremendous effort.

RO: Before the James River Rundown, what was the longest distance you paddled?

R&L: We paddled the 120 mile Ausable River Canoe Marathon in Michigan

KO: I paddled the 340-mile Missouri River 340. That was my first big race and it took my brother and I 62 hours to finish. Prior to taking the leap and signing up for that race, however, my longest paddle had been about 10 miles but I got in some good training runs prior to that race.

Ready for action before last year’s Rundown.

RO: How did you prepare for the Rundown?

R&L: We paddle/race all year round. For example did the General Clinton 70-miler on Memorial Day several weeks before the JRR-100. Ran several sections of the race course in the weeks between the 70-miler and JRR-100.

KO: I paddled most sections of the course and got in a few longer paddles of 4-6 hours to make sure I was comfortable in the boat, which I was, for a short time. But if you paddle for 18 + hours in a padded lounge chair eventually you will not be comfortable so you just need to prepare to hurt.

RO: Looking back, what would you do differently to prepare? Punching slabs of beef? Lifting logs? P90X?

KO: Any cardio is great, however, paddling 100 miles is more about enduring than it is about fitness. If you are willing to paddle through the exhaustion and pain you are more prepared than someone in great shape prone to giving up. One of the best things you can do is learn good paddling technique so you use big core muscles more than smaller arm muscles. That will help with muscle fatigue.

JN: I brought plenty of water and food which kept me comfortable, but totally neglected the wear and tear that would happen on my hands. I was using a whitewater paddle in a sea kayak, so the water dripping down the shaft and constant friction gave me pretty bad blisters by mile 30. I started wrapping my hands in duct tape, but it wasn’t that effective. So a couple pairs of dry gloves could be really good – and a longer paddle to prevent a wet shaft. I also peed in my kayak since I thought taking my skirt off took too much time – worked well while I was racing, but smelled pretty foul after. So maybe that wasn’t necessary….

RO: Was there a section of the James you found most challenging? Most awe inspiring?

R&L: Some of the ledges in the first half of the race and after dark seeing large numbers of lightening bugs twinkling like Christmas lights in the trees along the shore.

JN: None of the course was all that technical for a plastic sea kayak, but people definitely had trouble in composite boats. I saw one canoe flip in a rapid, which really slowed them down, and a couple boats had issues with the rocks. I’d say that was my biggest advantage – I really paddled fast through the rock gardens since I didn’t have anything to worry about with a durable, fast boat. Those sections were the most fun too as I could play around with my whitewater skills, whereas the flat water gets pretty monotonous sometimes.I also passed the annual Batteau Festival (http://www.vacanals.org/batteau/) during the race, and it was quite a sight to see those boats being poled down the river!

All human-powered vessels are fair game at the JR Rundown. Credit: Angie Williams

RO: Give me an “oh $h*@” moment during the race.

R&L: We were told at the last check-point at 900 pm that there were no more rapids to contend with in the dark, however there were at least two ledges that caught us by surprise, and were a little un-nerving in the dark.

KO: My brother and I were paddling an 18.5-foot canoe which is not easy to maneuver. We found a chute in a rapids section only to find out there was a very large rock straight ahead of the chute we were running. We were already committed and just had to accept the fact we were about to crash into it. We did and slowly tipped sideways and got to cool off for a second before continuing.

RO:   Was there any point in the race where you thought “What the hell am I doing ? “

R&L: Of course, luckily not to both of us at the same time, so we kept each other going.

KO: Multiple points. You tend to go through energy cycles. One minute you feel great and you’re loving life and paddling is easy and enjoyable. Ten minutes later and you feel exhausted and want to hit someone with a paddle. It’s usually happens around the 60-80 mile mark. You’ve paddled longer than ever before, most of your body hurts, especially your butt, you are exhausted, possibly nauseous, and realize you still have 20-40 miles left to paddle. Once you get closer to the finish, the end is in sight and you get re-energized by the fact you know you’ll make it.

RO: What’s one piece of wisdom, advice you would pass on to this year’s Rundowners?

R&L: Keep paddling and pre-paddle as many sections beforehand as possible.

KO:  Don’t show up to the race already dehydrated. Hydrate for 4-7 days prior to the race, bring plenty of water and eat a little something every hour to keep energy levels steady. Also, just stay in the boat and keep going.

JN: Don’t stop until you finish – the hurt really comes on when your body realizes that it’s done racing and it can shut down. Also take it easy at the beginning – people really blasted off the starting line, but it’s a long race.

RO:   Besides pulling into Robious Landing, any moments of Zen you’d care to share?

KO: There was one moment when a bald eagle holding a bass flew over our heads and we got to watch it cross the river. We both saw it so it wasn’t a hallucination.

JN: You get in the zone. God knows how many strokes it takes to go 100 miles, but there’s definitely a zen associated with it. It’s a cool feeling that’s hard to get in shorter events.

Think you have what it takes? The James River Rundown is still accepting registrations until June 24. RichmondOutside.com is a proud sponsor of this year’s Rundown. Get out in a boat, and maybe we’ll be interviewing you this time next season.

A racer navigates the mayhem on Buttermilk Trail.

It was a lot of fun riding around with Trey Garman, XTERRA’s marketing/media maven, and Jesse Peters, local photographer extraordinaire, during yesterday’s XTERRA East Championship race here in Richmond. We zipped around the course, trying to catch the male and female leaders as they passed certain key spots. We started on Belle Isle for the swim, watched the bike portion in three or four spots, then the run in a couple. It was hot as heck, but a good time. Here’s Garman’s write-up along with my pics. (I shot the video above at the infamous “rock face” party zone on Buttermilk Trail as fans waited for the racers to come by.)

Josiah Middaugh and Suzie Snyder captured the 17th annual 2015 XTERRA East Championship off-road triathlon pro race titles on a hot and humid day around the James River Park System.

Riders make their way over Reedy Creek in Forest Hill Park.

Both came from behind out of the water, took charge on the bike, and held on during the run.  It’s the second career Richmond win for Middaugh, who last won it all in 2008, and the first-ever win on the XTERRA U.S. Pro Series for Snyder.

The elite race started an hour earlier than the amateur race, right at 7:50am in the warm and shallow waters of the James River.  There was a spot in the middle of the river that had everyone running across water – quite a sight for those watching from underneath the CSX Railway line or across the river on Belle Isle.

Craig Evans led the pro men out of the water on Belle Isle, midway through the swim, followed by Ben Collins, Brad Zoller, Braden Currie, and Branden Rakita.  Those five would post the quickest swim times (roughly 15 minutes) but Middaugh was only about one-minute back and got in the mix on the bike right away.

Men’s champ Josiah Middaugh on the run.

“This is a really challenging course for me,” said Middaugh, who lives and trains at altitude in Vail, Colorado.  “It’s really different than what I train on all the time so it’s always presented a really good, hard challenge for me.  I won it one year when Conrad (Stoltz) had a flat tire, it was on Father’s Day, but it’s been a while.  I wasn’t able to do much pre-riding but luckily I’ve done this race like nine times or something so I felt like I knew the course, just wasn’t practiced at race speed on it.  So I felt pretty good and surprisingly, I’ve worked on my technical skills a little bit and that’s starting to pay off.  Keeping weight on my feet and getting around those corners.  Today I had no problems, that’s the big thing. I’ve had a lot of mechanicals here in the past but today I made it through the course unscathed.”

Middaugh may have been one of the few racers today who didn’t go down at some point.  Runner-up Braden Currie from New Zealand said it was all he could do to stay on his bike.

“That was a tough day out, I tried to do what I could do and I just didn’t have it,” said Currie, who came in with three straight wins at XTERRA New Zealand, Australia, and the Southeast Champs. “I’m a bit gutted really. I would have liked to been a lot closer to Josiah.  It’s a bit annoying to fall off so much at the end, but that’s racing.  Haven’t had the best few weeks so I’ll just take it as it is.”

There were goats in the James River System along the course. That’s correct — goats.

Without the seemingly invincible duo of XTERRA World Champs Flora Duffy and Lesley Paterson in the line-up, the spotlight seemed destined to shine on either Emma Garrard or Suzie Snyder.  Those two have finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, at four of the last five regional championship races.

Garrard was coming off a brilliant effort winning last weekend’s Mountain Games in Colorado, while Snyder was still not 100% from her crash at last month’s Southeast Championship that bruised her ribs and strained her shoulder.

The two posted identical swim times and headed out on the bike behind Sara McLarty, Christine Jeffrey, and Catherine Sterling but it was all Snyder after that.  By midway through the first lap in Forest Hill Park (about mile four) she had passed everyone and put two minutes on Garrard.

These dudes seemed to be enjoying themselves waiting for riders on Buttermilk Trail.

The madness on Buttermilk Trail last year as fans watch riders go by.

If you’ve followed XTERRA’s history in Richmond, you know that in the past few years a raucous party zone has popped up on Buttermilk Trail along the mountain bike course of the off-road triathlon. As you can tell from the pictures here, this isn’t just any party zone. Every year it seems like, more crazies come out of the woodwork to cheer on, and sometimes heckle, the riders as they pass that narrow section of trail.

Well, I guess the demand for that space is now such that another party zone is planned for the bike course at tomorrow’s XTERRA East Coast Championship race. I got a text from one of those crazies today saying that a large group had tested out a new location during last month’s Urban Assault MTB race. They went to Forest Hill Park, where the trail crosses Reedy Creek just below Patrick Henry Elementary School and across the street from Crossroads Coffee. It’s a tricky crossing, and the rocks will be wet, which should mean more than a few crashes.

“We’re taking it up a notch this year,” he said.

The creek crossing in Forest Hill Park where fans will set up a second party zone. A wooden bridge near this spot was washed out by a storm last year. Credit: Alex Modestou

What that means, exactly, I’m not sure. But if you’re in the market for a Sunday morning spectacle tomorrow, head to either the Buttermilk Trail (below Riverside and Southcliff roads) or the Forest Hill Park Trail where it crosses Reedy Creek. The races start at 8 a.m. You won’t be disappointed.

It’s XTERRA weekend in Richmond, and that means off-road triathletes from all over the world have descended on RVA to test their mettle on the James River (1K swim) and it’s surrounding trails (20K mountain bike, 10K run). To quote Trey Garman, XTERRA VP in charge of media relations, “XTERRA has been racing in Richmond since 1999, and the city has firmly established itself as the sports’ finest urban adventure with a hip city culture that compliments ripping trails and the unpredictable James River.”

Here’s some more from Garman on what to expect at the XTERRA East Championship on Sunday:

Josiah Middaugh on Buttermilk Trail. Credit: Jesse Peters

The course itself annually attracts professional and amateur racers from across the country and around the world to discover the epic trails in the James River Park System – where they are greeted by a raucous bunch of bike and trail fanatics who annually throw a trail party at the trickiest section in Buttermilk Heights known as “Rock Face.” They blast music, BBQ, dress in costumes, scream, shout encouragement, and blast on vuvuzela’s to the delight of riders all day long. 

As for the run, it has been best described as the “Fugitive 10K” because of its similarity to some of the chase scenes in the movie The Fugitive including river crossings, rock jumpings, the “Mayan Ruins” stair climb, and train track crossings.  There is simply no XTERRA course in the world like the one in Richmond. 

A solid pro field is in RVA to take on the challenge highlighted by Josiah Middaugh, who won the 20-24 age group race back in 2002 before turning pro, won it all in ’08, and has finished in the top 3 here five times.  Middaugh is fresh off his eighth straight GoPro Games Ultimate Mountain Challenge title in his hometown of Vail, Colorado last weekend (as is women’s XTERRA star Emma Garrard).

Middaugh will be up against Kiwi great Braden Currie, who’s been perfect so far this season.  Middaugh and Currie had an epic race at the Southeast Championship last month, going neck-and-neck from the bike all the way through the run and into the finish line.  Currie, who took the tape in Alabama, says he expects another close one on Sunday here in Richmond.

“The swim is a bit shorter so Josiah will be out of the water not too far behind, and the ride is so technical that there is only so much time you’re going to make on that ride and not a huge amount of long climbs that Josiah sinks his teeth into and really likes so that’ll play a little bit in my favor, so then it’ll come down to the run.  We’ll see, should be a lot of fun,” said Currie.

The party scene on the bike route makes Richmond unique. Credit: Jesse Peters

After Josiah and Braden there are a lot of guys to mention, like Craig Evans who has been in the top 5 here five times and will be competing for the last time as a full-fledged pro.

“I’ve been close a few times here,” said Evans.  “I’m excited to race, and I came to fight this weekend.”

Chris Ganter has been hot this year, finishing third at the first two regionals, the tall Canadian Karsten Madsen was riding great in Alabama last month before a crash and a trio of flats took him out of contention, Kiwi Olly Shaw has had some time to comfortable here in the U.S. and the new look courses, Branden Rakita – the consummate professional has lots of experience here, regulars Ryan Ignatz, Brad Zoller, and Alex Modestou are in the mix, plus Ian King in his first pro race and road tri star Ben Collins making his debut in the U.S. Pro Series.

The women’s race will see a new champion emerge as none of the past XTERRA East winners are here.  There’s no Flora Duffy (last year’s champ), no Lesley Paterson (2013 Champ), no Melanie McQuaid or Jamie Whitmore (both four-time winners), no Shonny Vanlandingham (2011), no Renata Bucher (2010), nor Jody Mielke, Anke Erlank, or Kerstin Weule.

There is, however, Emma Garrard and Suzie Snyder, both eager to take home their first XTERRA U.S. Pro Series win. A couple of fast Canadians – Christine Jeffrey and Brittany Webster – are sure to put them to the test.  Five other women in the top 10 of the Series standings will start with Kara LaPoint (4th), Maia Ignatz (6th), Sara McLarty (7th), Debby Sullivan (8th), and Catherine Sterling.  For local knowledge look no further than hometown favorite Emily Bashton, who’s been racing in Richmond since 2000, and Rebecca Blatt who got her doctorate in medicine at the University of Virginia.

It’s supposed to be a scorcher on Sunday, with temps in the 90’s and the humidity to go with it, so just to finish will be an accomplishment for all involved.  Add in the unpredictable James River, the crazy fan-base in the forest, the one-of-a-kind obstacles and a host of finely-tuned XTERRA elites and you’ve got all the right ingredients for another amazing edition of XTERRA in Richmond.  We’ll document the elite race on twitter @xterraoffroad #xterraRVA starting Sunday at 7:40am EST.

A section of the downtown RVA heron rookery in its glory days. Credit: Nick Kotula

Here are a few things that you should know about me before reading this: When I put together the words “Richmond” and “outside”, I immediately think of the James River. When I think of the James River, I immediately think of wildlife. And when I think of wildlife, I think of herons. I’ve been writing about the heronry (a rookery for herons) at Pipeline Rapids since 2012, primarily for the James River Association for their Today on the James blog. You can read my most recent article here, or you can waste a bit of time reading all of them here!

So, I really like birds. I especially like great blue herons (GBH for short). For the past few years downtown Richmond has been THE premiere spot in the area to view these birds as they court, copulate, and care for their young. In 2015, the Richmond heron world was rocked. Much like the purple martins (I love that that website still exists), the birds were a no show. At least no one had planned a Heron Festival, which actually surprises me, in retrospect.

Even with no rookery, this is a common sight along Pipeline Park. Credit: Nick Kotula

Richmond Times-Dispatch even did a piece on the disappearance and questioned if they were just delayed or perhaps confused from our horrible winter.

In April I only found one lonely bird. Previously, if there were leaves on the trees, there were chicks in the nests. I returned to Pipeline in May, and I think we can safely say that there will be no heronry this year at Pipeline Rapids.

However, while the herons may have abandoned their previous home, they seem to remember where to find the best takeout in Richmond. The fall line was teaming with GBHs taking full advantage of the running shad and assorted other fish.

So, what does this mean? For you, it means Pipeline is still an excellent place to get in touch with nature. For the James, hunting herons are a great sign of water quality. For the usually solitary and territorial herons, the fact that they are still visiting the fall line en masse means that they are probably still nesting nearby. For me, that means further exploration and reporting on where they’ve taken up residence!

Few birds are more impressive than a heron in flight. Credit: Nick Kotula

If you have never been, I highly recommend that you make a visit to Pipeline Park. Click here to find RichmondOutside.com’s Pipeline park page, scroll down and look on the right side where you’ll find a green “Click for Directions” button. That should get you there!

Do you have a favorite spot on the James? Do you have any leads on where the herons are nesting? Let me know in the comments!

Remember the old rockfish art competition/auction from over a decade ago? This could be like that…or it could be something else entirely.

To promote the James River as the single most important attraction and natural resource of the Richmond region, the James River Association is conducting its first-ever Regional River Feature contest. This design competition encourages residents to identify and create an iconic regional river feature that symbolizes, creates an identity for, and promotes the rivers of the Richmond region.

Other regions have used iconic natural or constructed features to help distinguish and identify their locality and this contest is an opportunity for Richmond to do the same. Examples of similar projects in the area include Richmond’s Rockfish, the Jefferson Pocket Park Design Competition and the RVA Street Art Festival.

The James River Association will accept submissions including but not limited to permanent or temporary art installations, conceptual designs to enhance underutilized riverfront spaces, and conceptual designs to promote the riverfront as a whole. Design concepts to consider include community spaces, gateways, public art, and low-impact design.

You know what would be cool? A James River cairn competition. Imagine thousands of these on rocks in the James through RVA when the water is low. Genius, I know.

The Regional River Feature contest is open to residents of the Richmond region. Submissions will be accepted from May 1, 2015 through July 31, 2015. A selection committee will review all submissions and select finalists for public voting. Feasibility, creativity and public benefit will be considered in judging process.

The selected submission will be announced during the final presentation of the Regional Rivers Plan in September. The winning submission will be included as one of the catalytic projects recommended in the plan for implementation.

For more information contact Justin Doyle, Community Conservation Manager, at jdoyle@jrava.org.