Volunteers from all over Virginia crawled into the woods and slogged through the marsh for Earth Day, removing 291 old tires and many bags of trash from The Elizabeth River Project's proposed "Eco Park" on  Paradise Creek in Portsmouth. 

 

A forecast of thunderstorms was belied by beautiful weather as 70 volunteers pulled cans, bottles, old carpet, washing machine spinners and tires from the proposed trails and shoreline of a 40-acre site, part of it pledged for donation by businessman David Peck. The park is a partnership in the making with the City of Portsmouth and many other interests.

 

SPSA donated T-shirts and Mr. Peck donated soft drinks. A competition developed over the oddest finds, which included: a rubber piggy bank, a broken lamp in the shape of an eagle, and a sink drainage board. A youth group from a church in Northern Virginia on a
 "30 hour famine" for hunger even found their way to "Paradise!"

 

After their hard work, volunteers were treated to a nature walk through the site, lead by Mark Kalnins of the Virginia Department of Enviromental Quality. Mark pointed out examples of the natural beauty and wildlife that can be found on the site, such as box elder—rare for this area— willows, black gum, red oak, elm,  the deep orange buds of native honeysuckle and the communities of fiddler crabs that have colonized the marsh.

 

A community task force has developed a draft design for the park that includes wetland and wildlife habitat restoration, trails, picnic shelters, a canoe launch and possibly soccer and baseball fields, with environmentally sensitive design throughout. For more information on the park or to share your suggestions or resources, contact Lyle Jackson, Project Manager, at 399-RIVR (7487) or ljackson@elizabethriver.org.

 

The Earth Day event was made possible by:

 

Mr. David Peck, Peck Land Co.

Portsmouth Clean Community Commission

Craddock Helping Hands

30-Hour Famine Volunteers

Beach Marine Services, Inc.

SPSA – Refuse Derived Fuel Plant

Hobb’s Implement

Eure Equipment Rentals

K & N

Farm Fresh

Frito Lay

Kathy Hill

And all of the hardworking volunteers that came out to support ERP!

 

THANK YOU!