RTF received one of only four nationwide Cordura® Trails for Tomorrow awards for the fine work our 150 volunteers did on National Trails Day in Fontaine Research Park.

  Liz Dooley from the American Hiking Society visited us recently to walk our trails. She specifically wanted to see the Senior Center Bridge (our 1998 National Trails Day project) because it so well "exemplifies a successful partnering between AHS and a local trails group".

  The Rivanna Trail has been nominated for two honored designations because of its superb riparian habitat: a Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail and a National Recreation Trail.

  Take a hike on one of our new trail segments:

• Free Bridge to the VFW - We thank the River Road residents for allowing us to build a trail overlooking the Rivanna River
• Sunset Ave. to McElroy - There is active bird life in the thick brush along Moore's Creek.
• Hydraulic Rd. to the 250 Bypass - Virginia Dominion Power employees plowed through a jungle of bittersweet and briers to open up an oasis along Meadow Creek.

OUR TRAIL ADOPTERS... What a great start!
  Ryan Bowles deserves a big thank you for his vision and implementation of our new Trail Adopter program. Under his leadership and armed with RTF tools, our new adopters successfully held at bay the heavy vegatation growth our trails experienced this past summer. Each Trail Adopter routinely walks a particular trail segment and is the key contact person for Ryan. Individual thanks go to: Gordon Laurie (Moore's Creek - VFW); John Potter and the LGNA (VFW - Holmes); Jeff Wilbur (Holmes - Melbourne); Harry Hibbits (Melbourne - RR tracks); Rick Seaman (RR tracks - Greenbrier); Charlie Gleason (Greenbrier - Hydraulic); John Conover (Hydraulic - Emmet); Dan Monahan, Karen Siegrist and Ted Heneberry (Barracks - Old Ivy); Tony Gentry (Ivy Road - Old Shed); Jennifer Gaden (Old Shed - Fontaine); Chris Gensic (Fontaine - Stribling); Ryan Bowles (Azelea Park - Fifth St); Ivan Henao (Fifth St - Quarry Park); Paul Brant and the BNA (Quarry Park - Rivanna River). If you would like to provide assistance on a favorite part of the trail, call our message phone.

  We also owe thanks to all you hikers who scuff your feet when you hike, throw sticks off the trail, remove fallen trees, clip back your own little adopted section, and call our phone line to report problems. In September, twelve people called to alert us to the huge tree that had fallen and damaged the Quarry Park bridge. Such public support makes us grateful that so many people are hiking the Rivanna Trail, developing a sense of ownership for it, and working together to maintain and protect it.

SECOND SATURDAYS.... dirty, sweaty, fun, rewarding... bring a friend
  This winter, we hope to concentrate our efforts on our "missing links". We meet the second Saturday of each month from 9:00-12:00. We have tools, but bring shears or clippers if you have them.  We rally at the trailhead on Melbourne Road just east of the CHS football field and caravan to he work site. If you want to go directly to the project, or have questions, call the workday leader for particulars.  See the schedule of future work days.

Charlottesville.....possibly the best trail system in the South!

RIVANNA TRAILS FOUNDATION
Footpaths encircling Charlottesville

For More Information Contact:

Rivanna Trails Foundation
P.O. Box 1786, Charlottesville, VA 22902 
Tel: 434-923-9022
Internet: johnc@justice4all.org

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