"Trails, and Trusses, and Travelers! Oh my!"

Trusses from the historic Fieldale Iron Bridge are shown above on a truck provided by project sponsor Craddock Logging Supply & Repair. The incorporation of these trusses into a local trail as educational art is just one of the exciting programs that participants will learn about while attending “Trails, and Trusses, and Travelers! Oh My!”

The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) would like to invite the public to attend a special presentation entitled “Trails, and Trusses, and Travelers! Oh my!” It will be held on Tuesday, July 14th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fieldale Community Center.

The presentation, led by Jennifer Doss of DRBA, will showcase places where residents and visitors can enjoy walking, biking, fishing, nature watching, and paddling in Martinsville and Henry County. Participants will also learn about special projects centered on area trails such as the preservation of trusses from the historic Fieldale Iron Bridge and the Adopt-a-Trail program.

If you would like to learn more about the future of our area trails, how they are benefiting our community, and how you can get involved; please attend this informative presentation.

DRBA’s Rivers & Trails project and the Adopt-a-Trail program are funded by a two-year grant from the Harvest Foundation which is dedicated to making Martinsville / Henry County the community of choice by enhancing opportunities and quality of life for all of its citizens.

For more information on these programs or the public presentation, please contact Jennifer Doss at 276-634-2545 or jdoss@danriver.org.

Posted by: Jennifer Doss

Master Naturalist Program to Offer New Class

Come find out about fun and interesting classes to become a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist. A brief overview of Southwestern Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program will precede a free public lecture on reptiles.

Jason Gibson, a Danville biology teacher and nature photographer who has served as president of the Virginia Herpetological Society, will be the guest lecturer.

Jason helps to organize events, called bioblitzes in which teams of scientists, volunteers, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many different species as possible.

These events give adults, kids, and teens the opportunity to join biologists in the field, participate in bona fide research expeditions, and learn from the experts about biodiversity—both around the planet and in our own backyards.

This is a fun and interesting way for communities to learn about the biological diversity of local parks and to better understand how to protect them. Jason often volunteers to identify, document and report reptiles and amphibians on site.

He will share some of the interesting work he is doing with local turtle populations.

Would you like to learn more about Virginia’s natural environment? Would you like to experience the natural beauty of our region on field trips led by specialists in their field of study? The local chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program is offering a great opportunity to gain a broad overview of the biodiversity, local ecosystems, and geographical treasures found in Southwestern Virginia.

Community members are invited to attend a public informational meeting on July 16th at 6:00 pm at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, in the Mr. And Mrs. L. Dudley Walker Lecture Hall. This is an opportunity to meet with current members of the program and to learn more about the program and the upcoming course of study.

During this brief informational meeting, community members can sign up for a course of study that starts on August 18, 2009. Registration can also be made online by filling out the application provided at the chapter website.

Weekly classes will be taught by a variety of guest speakers, who focus in areas of their specific expertise. Training includes forty hours of classroom sessions and field trips to learn more about our natural environment. Other opportunities for advanced training and volunteer service are easily coordinated once basic training is finished to receive certification. After completing these requirements, chapter members may become Certified Virginia Master Naturalists.

The Virginia Master Naturalists Program is part of a statewide plan designed to train and involve volunteers in natural resource education, management, and conservation activities. The Virginia Museum of Natural History is the sponsoring agency for the Southwestern Piedmont Chapter and helps with certifying Virginia Master Naturalists locally.

Additional information can be found by contacting Denny Casey at 276-634-4184.

Contributed by: Lynn Pritchett

DRBA Welcomes a New Team Member

The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) would like to announce the addition of a new member to Team DRBA! Regenia Manns, shown above walking the Fieldale Trail, is our new Administrative Assistant in the Collinsville office. Regenia is from Martinsville and enjoys walking and bowling. We are excited to have her on board as we work together to preserve and promote the natural and cultural resources of the Dan River basin! You can catch her in the office on Mondays & Wednesdays between 9 am and 5 pm, and also on Fridays between 9 am and 4 pm. Her office number is 276-634-2591.

Two Paddle Events offered August 1st

On August 1 members of the Dan River Basin Association and their guests will have a choice: enter or assist with the boat race sponsored by the Madison-Mayodan Recreation Department, or float with DRBA’s First Saturday Outing near Hanging Rock State Park.

Both the Madison and the Stokes County floats will be on flat or Class 1 river sections suitable for novice paddlers with some river experience.

Entrants in the 20th Annual Madison Boat Race will run a 2.5 mile course from Lindsey Bridge Access to NC 704 Access. The event will offer food, entertainment and awards in a variety of age, gender and boat categories.

More information is at http://app.expressemailmarketing.com/get.link?linkid=1478573&subscriberid=82058798&campaignid=402661&linkurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.danriverboatrace.org%2f .

Non-racers will join Will Truslow for a scenic 6.5-mile float on the Dan River in Stokes County from Big Creek to the Dan River Company. Participants will meet at the Dan River Company, 1110 Flinchum Road, Danbury, NC, where from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., David Hoskins will shuttle drivers to the put-in.

One of the most popular stretches of the Dan River, “There are incredible bluffs that come straight down to riverside. The scenery is magnificent.” Near the end of the trip, he adds, is “a quarter-mile-long bluff that is stunning.”

Most of the trip will be through lands recognized by the state of North Carolina as State Natural Heritage Areas, and about half a mile is in Hanging Rock State Park.

Within the first two miles after the put-in, three creeks enter the Dan on river right—North Double Creek, South Double Creek, and Cascade Creek. Cascade Creek comes in at Moore’s Spring Campground, site of a mineral spring discovered in 1866 and of a spa operated from about 1900 to the 1920’s.

Shortly afterward, paddlers may take a break at “Demon Rock,” (the name corrupted from “Denman’s Rock,” its name in 1800), a spectacular 60-foot cliff. Travelers have imagined they could see such images in the rock face as cowboy boots and a Native American face.

Boaters’ imaginations are further reflected in names given to small ledges in the riverbed, including Dogleg Rock Rapid, Three Sisters Rapid, Play Wave Rapid, and Learning Curve Rapid.
Besides natural ledges, paddlers will pass vee-shaped fish traps, used for centuries by Native Americans and European settlers to channel fish into nets or baskets during their annual spawning runs.

To reach the Dan River Company from Danbury, NC, travel north on NC 8/89 past Hanging Rock Park Road. Go one mile, turn left onto Flinchum Road, and go to the end of the road.

Participants in the outing are asked to provide boat, life jacket, lunch and water, to dress in layers of quick-drying fabric and to sign a waiver.

Boat rentals are available at the Dan River Company, 336-593-2628 or http://www.danrivercompany.com/.

Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are open to the public without charge.
For trip information, contact trip coordinator Will Truslow at 336-547-1903 or willtruslow@hotmail.com.

For information about the Dan River Basin Association, visit http://www.danriver.org/.


Contributed by: T Butler

River Alert

The Dan River Basin Association and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) would like to urge paddlers to use extreme caution when paddling the Smith River between the North Bassett and Fieldale River access points.

Work has begun on the Fieldale Iron Bridge and new obstacles are now in the river that may pose a hazard to paddlers. A work bridge is being installed that will hang 6-8 feet over the river at low water. During high flow, this structure can pose as a strainer. It is advised to portage around the construction zone during generation.

VDOT officials warn that paddlers should be aware of construction materials, such as concrete blocks, in the river that may present hazards. Paddlers are also urged to pay attention to which side of the river that workers are on so that they may pass by on the opposite side for the safety of both the paddler and construction workers.

Signs notifiying paddlers and fishermen of these warnings are presently being posted at nearby river access points. As always, please practice safe paddling techniques on the river and wear a life jacket.

2009 Smith River Film Fest

Want to show off your hot paddling skills, showcase your favorite rapid, or laugh at funny wipeouts? Take your camera out this summer to capture the best of the Smith River! Send your paddling clips to the Dan River Basin Association for a chance to be included in the

2009 Smith River Film Fest!

Friday, September 4th, 7 p.m.
at the Rives Theater

Uptown Martinsville

Enjoy a night a the movies eating popcorn and watching short films
made by local paddlers. You can even vote for your favorites!

Awards include:

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Videos

People's Choice Video

Craziest Wipeout Video

Best Dressed Paddler

All proceeds go to the enhancement and addition of
new river access points on the Smith and Mayo Rivers.

Film clips must be no longer than 10 minutes and family friendly. Clips may be submitted via email to jdoss@danriver.org or DVDs may be mailed to DRBA PO Box 7 Collinsville VA 24078. Deadline to register is August 24th. Please be safe on the river while filming!

For more information contact 276-634-2545.

Check out this clip submitted by Andy Parker and "River Gal"!

Preserving the Fieldale Iron Bridge: Part II