In this month's newsletter, we have:
- Get Involved
- Indian River High School Scholarship
- Conservation Landscaping
- Upcoming Events
- 4/2 Saturday - Adopt-A-Park @ Indian River Park
- 4/9 Saturday - Second Saturday Hike at Indian River Park
- 4/23 Saturday - Earth Day Event - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road
- Other News
- Indian River Road Tree Planting
- Plymouth Park Tree Planting
- Indian River Area History and Conservation
Indian River High School Scholarship
The Friends of Indian River is once again sponsoring an $500 education Scholarship for a current Indian River High School senior who will be a college freshman next year. The scholarship will recognize a senior who excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities and academics. Applications are due Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Learn more at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html
Conservation Landscaping
Interested in improving the natural value of your property? Would you like to add beauty while helping the environment? The Elizabeth River Project is still offering matching funding for installing living shorelines (up to $4000), buffers (up to $1500), or maybe a Rain Garden (up to $2000). The Friends of Indian River has limited funds to kick in up to another $250 toward these projects in the Indian River section of Chesapeake. Learn more at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/conservation-landscaping-program.html
We always encourage you as an individual to pick up any stray litter that you come across along our roads, parking lots, and in our parks. Every piece of trash collected is one less that causes harm to wildlife in our natural areas and waterways. And just as important, reduce your use of single use packaging to not create litter in the first place. Take The Pledge to keep Virginia Litter Free at https://loversnotlitter.org/pledge/
Upcoming Events
Adopt-A-Park @ Indian River Park
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2001 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
We'll be tending to the native plant garden at the park entrance. We may also do some trail work, pruning, weeding, and cleanup.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves. If you can, bring shovels, rakes, pruners, saws and other gardening tools. We'll have water and snacks available. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
We will be following all recommended Covid-19 safety precautions in place at the time of this event.
To save time and allow for better social distancing, please pre-register at https://forms.gle/9owyesoXD4Ni1oc48
Second Saturday Hike at Indian River Park
Location: Meet at the Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2001 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River floodplain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
To speed up registration and improve social distancing, please pre-register online at https://forms.gle/AKsmchfVBDBsrd7N9
Earth Day Event - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road
Location: Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School. It is a No Parking zone along Oleander Avenue (parallel to Indian River Road).
We need your help for our quarterly cleanup. Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road. We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. One focus will be the area around the Bridge and the future Blue Heron Landing Park. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
To save time and allow for better social distancing, please pre-register at https://forms.gle/fYFD2u8uEE5iGE2r7
No Monthly Meeting in April
Other News
Indian River Road Tree Planting
We finally got the new planting along Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge installed in March. Almost two years in planning, the project combined grant funding from the Virginia Department of Forestry Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant and the Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism / Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council - CEIC License Plate Beautification Fund. Our contractor Basnight Land and Lawn prepared the site and planted 14 native trees - magnolias, red cedars, fringe trees, a red bud, and a black gum - and several shrubs. On the last Saturday of March, 14 volunteers came out to plant 20 more shrubs, 31 native muhly and fountain grasses, and 200 daylilies. And we still have a few shrubs to add in. Combined with the new HRT bus shelter, the site is looking really great. Of course, we also have the native bald cypresses and American holly in the road median and in the coming years Blue Heron Landing Park will be developed across the street. This gateway is really starting to come together! Over the coming years, we will be needing help to weed and maintain the site, so stay tuned for volunteer requests.
Plymouth Park Tree Planting
March 19 was the day for a community wide tree planting in the Plymouth Park neighborhood, organized by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Over 50 trees were planted in the local park, along Border Road, and at residences around the community. At Plymouth Community Park, we had 8 Friends of Indian River volunteers come out and we planted 2 Persimmon Trees, 2 Hazelnut Trees, and a False Indigo Bush, which are all native to this area. In another effort led by the Chesapeake Tree Board, trees were planted along Border Road which will eventually help absorb runoff as part of a stormwater swale.
Indian River Area History and Conservation
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