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2003 News Archive September | October | November
| December HIGHLIGHTS CALENDAR DETAILS POTOMAC TRAIL CAUCUS Thu Oct 16, 9-3, Meadowlark Park, Vienna. Discussion of plans and progress for proposed 250 mile National Scenic Trail along both MD and VA sides of Potomac and extension to Pittsburgh; FREE; lunch $15; info www.potomactrail.org; fbfrancke@aol.com, 571-436-7801 ALGONKIAN TO RIVERBEND HIKE A SUCCESS 45 people joined a coalition of trail groups and park authorities last month to hike a possible new stretch of the Potomac Heritage Trail trail from Algonkian to Riverbend Park. Twelve made it the entire 12 miles; the others got as far as a Seneca Road shuttle. The route passed through the Lowes Island golf course, for which we had one-day permission. The future route lies off the course in a wooded wet area; volunteer help is needed soon to construct it. Some construction has already been completed by the No. Va Regional Park Authority just this month—a ramp to allow hikers and equestrians across an elevated boardwalk for golf carts. Soon crossings will be built for Old Sugarland Run and Sugarland Run, so that this Loudoun segment will be linked with the Fairfax Cross County Trail. QUESTIONAIRE TO BE SENT TO SUPERVISORY CANDIDATES
FTAS will send this questionnaire to the Fx Co Supervisory candidates,
and publish any answers received: Fairfax Trails and Streams E-news Sept 29, 2003 We need volunteers to help assemble a stream valley trail bridge in MD next weekend! On Saturday, Oct 4, volunteers will haul the parts to the site, and on Sunday the 5th they will assemble it. The work times are 8 am - 1 pm Sat/Sun, October 4-5. We are hoping for a big turnout, as these bridges are not only necessary, but a lot of fun to assemble. Its quite an interesting and simple to assemble truss design. Volunteers should call Naomi Manders, Volunteer Coordinator for Natural Surface Trails at Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission, at 301-650-4395 to register, so she knows how many volunteers are coming either day. Directions: We'll meet at the corner of Watkins Mill Rd and Green River Terrace at 8 am both days. Take I-270 North from 495 for about 10 miles to Exit 11, MD Rt 124 East (Montgomery Village Ave). 270 is divided into central express lanes and outer local lanes, divided by a jersey wall. Watch carefully for the Exit 11 sign so that you don't go past it. There is a traffic light at the end of the exit. Pass through that light and get in the left lanes. Make a left at the next light onto MD Rt 355 (Frederick Rd). Go .6 mile to a right onto Watkins Mill Rd. Follow Watkins Mill for 2.5 miles to the bridge over Seneca Creek. Cross the bridge and go up the hill to the first right, Green River Terrace. We'll meet there at 8 am. Should you arrive late: Cross Watkins Mill from Green River Terrace and turn left. Watch for signs and follow them to the trail. Turn right onto the trail and follow about 1/2 mile to the work site. Gloves, water, lunch, and a large crescent wrench are good items to bring. Hope to see lots of folks there. Fairfax Trails and Streams E-news October 12, 2003 We have a busy fall calendar! Saturday's semi-annual Pimmit Run Litter cleanup needs volunteers, especially site captains. Thursday's Potomac Trail caucus will introduce you to the premier National Scenic Trail in our area and the volunteer efforts underway to build it-notably a new section in Northern Fairfax and eastern Loudoun county that FTAS hiked in August. The fulfillment of a 15-year dream of trail activists Robin Rentsch, Karen Jones and others, this trail section will be built by volunteers on Nov. 8 and Dec. 6. Note that our November 1st hike has been changed to a trail-maintenance event, because of damage to the CCT in recent storms. Please help us clear the trail so we can reschedule the hike soon. CALENDAR POTOMAC TRAIL CAUCUS Oct 16 Please join your fellow advocates of the Potomac Heritage Trail
for a day For more information contact info@potomactrail.org or 571-436-7801 Directions: The Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens is located at 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA., just off Beulah Road. From the Capital Beltway, take the exit for Route 7 toward Tysons Corner; drive 3 miles west on Route 7, turn left onto Beulah Road and drive 2 miles to the Meadowlark Gardens entrance on the right. (From eastbound on Route 7, turn right on Beulah Road.)6, 2004 Monday 7:30pm 3rd annual Cross County Trail Caucus PIMMIT RUN FALL 2003 CLEANUP: Come find where one of the undiscovered gems of the McLean area is while you help cleanup McLean and our environment. Come join your friends and neighbors to pick up litter, glass, plastic and other debris along the Pimmit Run Trail and Stream. Garbage bags and gloves will be provided. Certificates of community service will be given to teenagers who need them. Cleanup volunteers will be gathering at 9 AM on 18 October at the following locations on Pimmit Run: Olney Park in Pimmit Hills; Great Falls Street North of Kirby Road; Westermoreland Street near Little League Fields; Old Chesterbrook Road at Bridge over Pimmit Run; Old Dominion Drive South of The Hamptons at Bridge; Brookhaven Street where it dead-ends; Bryan Branch Road by the Swim Club Entrance; Colleen Place at dead-end in Potomac Hills; and Kirby Road at Claiborne Drive. For more information please contact Ed at pickens_slim@hotmail.com or 703 448 0415 Fairfax Trails and Streams E-news October 29, 2003 Trail Volunteers Needed Nov 1st, 8th. Special thanks to all of you who helped clean up Pimmit Run on Saturday, we'll have a report soon. Read about the recent Potomac Trail Caucus at www.potomactrail.org. CALENDAR Fairfax Trails and Streams E-news November 14, 2003 CALENDAR FTAS extends congratulations to the new Fairfax Co. Board of Supervisors. Both new faces (Joan DuBois, Lynda Smith) and Chairman-elect Connolly are among the six who answered our trails questionaire. 11/22 9:30 am VOLUNTEERS NEEDED To build the Cross County Trail in Oakton Please come help Fairfax Trails and Streams, MORE, the Hunters Valley Riding Club and Fairfax County Park Authority build a new section of the Cross County Trail in Oakton. It will enable CCT signs to be posted on 3 new miles of trail, from Miller Heights Road to Vale Road. This is one of the most remote and beautiful sections. Bring tools such as hand saws, loppers, picks, and heavy duty wheelbarrows. No experience necessary. We will clear brush and build two stream crossings with boulders. Directions: From Dulles Toll Road take Hunter Mill Road south, and right on Vale Rd. From Route 123 take Hunter Mill Road north, and left on Vale Rd. then turn left on Valestra Ct and park near the corner. Info: Bill (wniedrin@mitre.org or 703 883 7169) On Dec. 6, volunteers will continue building a trail link from Algonkian Park to Great Falls Park (and the Cross County Trail), building on the work of 14 volunteers and 5 NVRPA staffers last weekend. Direcutions from Beltway west on Rt 7, right on Georgetown Pike, immediate left on Seneca, go to end and park. This is a big project; expect more work dates next few months. 11/15 9am HELP REMOVE INVASIVE PLANTS ON LITTLE PIMMIT Help the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust remove bamboo and other invasives species along the banks of Little Pimmit Run this Saturday, November 15, from 9am- noon. This is a great way to help the environment, grab some fresh air, and get a good work-out! This event is a follow-up to the October 25th Invasives removal, where 1000 cubic feet of bamboo was removed! Participants should wear gloves and bring gardening tools if they have them. Refreshments provided. Meet at Little Pimmit Run Park, North 38th street and North Dumbarton Street, Arlington, VA. Please RSVP if you will be able to attend. For additional information contact Kelley at information@nvct.org or 703-354-5093 DIRECTIONS: From Old Dominion & Lee Highway, take Old Dominion West to North 38th street and make a right. At North Dumbarton Street make a left. The Park is on both sides of Dumbarton Street. CONSERVATION TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE The Commonwealth of Virginia gives a credit against state income tax, for landowners who donate land or easements for conservation. Several of these landowners around the state, who have taken conservation action on their land, cannot use all the tax credits themselves, and would like to sell their credits to other taxpayers. Virginia allows the sale of these conservation tax credits. A purchaser can buy credits at a discount, perhaps ninety cents for a dollar's worth of credits, and then use the credits to pay his/her Virginia income tax instead of cash. So, a conservation credits buyer gets a saving on taxes, and helps land conservation and trails efforts around the State. Two longtime Northern Virginia trails supporters have formed Virginia Conservation Credit Pool, LLC (known as "VCCP"), to make this conservation incentive work. Now, VCCP has a substantial volume of tax credits available for sale. The minimum sale quantity is $20,000 worth of credits. To use credits to pay taxes for 2003, the purchase must be completed before the end of the year. Any unused credits can be saved and used later, up to five years after the original conservation donation. There are some risks involved with buying these credits, and some other tax side-effects. For complete information, please contact VCCP c/o Phil Hocker, at phil@hockers.com or 703.683.4990. We hope that this credit program can help promote more private land conservation and trail-building around Virginia! More info: Philip M. Hocker ConServCo / Conservation Service Company, LLC 20 West Chapman St., Alexandria, Virginia 22301 Tel: 703.683.4990 / Net: phil@hockers.com Fairfax Trails and Streams E-news December 7, 2003 Seneca Worktrip snowed out; will be rescheduled FTAS Meets Monday Dec 8, 7:30 pm Volunteers Build New Section of CCT, Nov 22 Trail-Building December 6th: Potomac Heritage Trail
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