River Star Homes
participants explored the Lafayette "up close and personal" on Saturday,
September 25th. The Living River
Canoe Trip on the Lafayette took paddlers
into secluded
creeks and along the river where they had an opportunity to hear experts
talk about the flora and fauna of the watershed. Paddlers traveled by
oyster restoration areas and shared their stories and discoveries with
each other.
"We talked a lot about restoring the Lafayette, so it was great to be on
the water with citizens who are making a difference through our River
Star Homes program," said Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, Elizabeth River
Project's Executive Director.
The group spotted snowy egrets, osprey and belted king fishers.
Photographer Kenn Jolemore reported that he had seen three nesting
pairs of kingfishers on the Lafayette. The paddlers surprised several
great blue herons which rose into the air, squawking. Osprey
"fished" along behind the explorers as they paddled.
Some participants came in boats they made themselves, including Michael
Berg in a tiny wooden kayak that he takes onto the Lafayette almost
every day, journaling his observations of weather, water conditions,
wildlife and more.
River Star Homes is an exciting pilot program for the Elizabeth River
Project. Residents in the Lafayette River watershed are eligible for
this program which will be expanded to include the entire Elizabeth
River watershed in 2011. The program offers specific actions, and
support for these actions, to help residents restore the health of the
river. Examples include reducing excess fertilizer and keeping bacteria
levels down by scooping dog poop, encouraging geese to migrate and other
("boo to poo") actions. And there are opportunities for fun with
like-minded adventurers...like this paddle trip!
If you live on or near the Lafayette River, consider becoming a
River Star Home.
