Today, we're highlighting the great work of Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR), a nonprofit conservation organization in Fredericksburg, VA. FOR was formed in 1985 by citizens concerned with the health of the Rappahannock River. Originally focused on the river where it flows through Fredericksburg, Virginia, FOR now works to conserve the entire watershed of the Rappahannock, from its headwaters in the Blue Ridge Mountains to its terminus where it flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
As one of the ACA's 2015 Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Grant recipients, FOR is using its grant funding to work with the City of Fredericksburg, the local Girl Scout Troop, and community volunteers to install a proper “soft launch” for paddle craft at the campground at the confluence of the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. The confluence is owned and managed by the City and protected by a conservation easement; it is also among the most popular stopping points for overnight paddle trips on both the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. The current area where paddlers put in and take out is nothing more than a mud slide. The new low-impact soft launch will eliminate erosion, provide a long lasting slide for paddlers, and expand public access to the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers.
Please visit www.riverfriends.org to learn more about Friends of the Rappahannock and what you can do to help support their conservation efforts.
Through funds provided by L.L. Bean, the ACA's Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Program has provided nearly $130,000 to over 135 different stewardship initiatives since its inception thirteen years ago.
Inspired to start your own local stewardship project? Apply for the CFS grant next year! Get more information here. Or just order yourself a Paddle Green Bag and take it with you the next time you hit the water.
Stewardship Saturday is an ongoing theme of the ACA Water Blog where we we shine a spotlight on organizations and individuals who are working hard to make the world a better place to paddle. Want to be featured? Email ACA Communications Coordinator Catharine Lloyd at clloyd@americancanoe.org to tell her about the stewardship work you are doing in your local community.
Stewardship Saturday is an ongoing theme of the ACA Water Blog where we we shine a spotlight on organizations and individuals who are working hard to make the world a better place to paddle. Want to be featured? Email ACA Communications Coordinator Catharine Lloyd at clloyd@americancanoe.org to tell her about the stewardship work you are doing in your local community.
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