• Current Info
    • PSP WeatherUnderground
    • Events in Virginia State Parks
    • Poca Go! race
    • Pocahontas Premiers
    • 2022 VSP Adventure Series
    • Hike with Your Hound
  • About Us
    • About the Friends.....
    • News Releases
    • Officers
    • Meetings
    • Donate / Support
    • Charitable Status
  • Our Park
    • Location
    • Park History
    • Mountain Bike Trail Info >
      • Trail Safety
      • Night Mountain Biking
      • Trail Maps
    • CCC Cabin Preservation >
      • CCC Cabin Work Week >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2022
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2021
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2020
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2019
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 >
          • Cabin Work Week 2018 Volunteers
      • CCC Cabin Work Week Preparation Project
      • CCC Group Cabin Stabliization Financial Contributors >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 Preservation Virginia Pitch Winner
        • Lowe's 100 Hometowns Award
      • CCC Cabin Blueprints
    • The Native Plant Garden
    • Pocahontas Park Web Site
  • Volunteering
    • Log Volunteer Hours
    • Volunteer Information
    • Volunteer Benefits
    • Current Board Opportunities
    • Meet-Up Events
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • Virginia Master Naturalists
    • DCR
    • IMBA
    • Paralyzed Veterans of America
    • RVA MORE
    • Virginia State Parks
    • VA Association for Parks
  • Follow Us
    • FoPSP Facebook
    • FoPSP Twitter
    • FoPSP Instagram
    • FoPSP Meetup
    • Trail Boss Twitter
    Friends of Pocahontas State Park
  • Current Info
    • PSP WeatherUnderground
    • Events in Virginia State Parks
    • Poca Go! race
    • Pocahontas Premiers
    • 2022 VSP Adventure Series
    • Hike with Your Hound
  • About Us
    • About the Friends.....
    • News Releases
    • Officers
    • Meetings
    • Donate / Support
    • Charitable Status
  • Our Park
    • Location
    • Park History
    • Mountain Bike Trail Info >
      • Trail Safety
      • Night Mountain Biking
      • Trail Maps
    • CCC Cabin Preservation >
      • CCC Cabin Work Week >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2022
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2021
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2020
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2019
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 >
          • Cabin Work Week 2018 Volunteers
      • CCC Cabin Work Week Preparation Project
      • CCC Group Cabin Stabliization Financial Contributors >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 Preservation Virginia Pitch Winner
        • Lowe's 100 Hometowns Award
      • CCC Cabin Blueprints
    • The Native Plant Garden
    • Pocahontas Park Web Site
  • Volunteering
    • Log Volunteer Hours
    • Volunteer Information
    • Volunteer Benefits
    • Current Board Opportunities
    • Meet-Up Events
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • Virginia Master Naturalists
    • DCR
    • IMBA
    • Paralyzed Veterans of America
    • RVA MORE
    • Virginia State Parks
    • VA Association for Parks
  • Follow Us
    • FoPSP Facebook
    • FoPSP Twitter
    • FoPSP Instagram
    • FoPSP Meetup
    • Trail Boss Twitter

IV Squad Tackles Invasive Wisteria

12/20/2013

0 Comments

 
There are a number of old homesites within the park boundary.  Except for a few sites which have been maintained for park personnel, the old homesites have been cleared to permit forest regeneration.  We can still identify the sites, though, by the telltale non-native vegetation that has persisted over the years.  One old site, near the Dance Forest Trail, has become degraded by the aggressive spread of exotic wisteria.  This area has become the focus for the initial work sessions of IVSquad.  The control technique being used here is to cut all stems, whether small or mature, shrubby or vining, just above ground level.  Later on, during the growing season, all the resprouts will then be treated with herbicide.  There are several acres of wisteria here, so the cutting will likely take all winter.  There are plenty of work sessions available, and the work is not hard.  Join us for some fresh air and pleasant exercise.

--Ben
0 Comments

Invasive Plants Volunteer Squad

11/13/2013

0 Comments

 
The Invasive Plants Volunteer Squad is being implemented as a cooperative endeavor between The Friends of Pocahontas State Park, represented by Ben Hedges, and the Virginia State Parks District 4 Resource Manager, represented by Irene Frentz.  Under the supervision of Irene, Ben will serve as the guide for ongoing working sessions to control invasive plants in Pocahontas State Park.

Working sessions will be available, via registration, most afternoons, both on weekdays and weekends, 1 to 4 PM.  These working sessions will not be “one off”, requiring people with conflicting schedules to all be available for an occasional special event.  Small teams of just two or a few volunteers will be the norm.  Access to Signup Genius for registration is by invitation from Ben.  To receive an invitation, send an email request to benahedges@alumni.uiowa.edu.

The description of  IVSquad follows.

Mission:  Assist Virginia State Parks District 4 staff in controlling invasive plants on park property.

1.      What we will do
  • Manual control (with/without power tools)
  • Assist park staff with herbicide treatment
  • Assist with session logistics
  • Document session activity
  • Locate and document species occurrence
  • Perform follow-up monitoring

2.      Who may participate
  • Any Pocahontas registered volunteer

3.      When activities take place
  • Guided session schedule will be posted on Signup Genius
  • Guided sessions will be available on weekdays and weekends.
  • Participants may register for any session in the schedule.
  • Members having appropriate training (via prior guided sessions) are at liberty to work independently

4.      Where sessions will be held
  • In Pocahontas (and possibly in another District 4 park)
  • Specific location to be announced in session confirmation email

5.      How we are organized
  • Our project will be known as IVSquad
  • Sessions are initially guided by Ben Hedges or Irene Frentz
  • Participants are encouraged to share guide responsibilities or other roles in order to grow the squad
  • Irene Frentz  and The Friends of Pocahontas are the squad sponsors

6.      How we operate
  • Tools and supplies are funded by The Friends of Pocahontas
  • Participants are responsible for snack, drink, gloves, personal items
  • Participants registered for a session via Signup Genius will receive a confirmation email the day before the session
  • Each session has an attendance and status report (name, emergency contact number, activity date, location, accomplishment)
  • Attendance and status are stored on Dropbox at FoPSP Documents\IVSquad
  • Species data for each session is recorded online (website TBD)
  • Record volunteer hours on the State Parks volunteer website as General Park Opp (PO)
  • VMN members may also record VMN volunteer hours under Pocahontas State Park - Stewardship

0 Comments

Invasive Species Task Force

10/30/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
In August and September of this year, directed by State Parks Resource Specialist Irene Frentz and Friends of Pocahontas member Ben Hedges, a series of invasive plant control sessions was conducted to remove Japanese Stillgrass from the park.  To capitalize on the success of those sessions, Irene and Ben would like to organize an on-going invasive plant control volunteer task force for Pocahontas.  These volunteers would continue to help with control of the various invasive plants in the park on a regularly scheduled basis.

A meeting has been scheduled by Irene and Ben at the Heritage Center,on November 9 at 9am, to discuss and define the who, what, how and when parameters for this activity.  All current park volunteers who have an interest in helping control invasive plants in the park are invited to participate in this discussion.
0 Comments

Capital One Volunteer Day

10/25/2013

1 Comment

 
Our thanks to the three Capital One volunteers who ventured out in the woods with me today to help remove invasive Shrubby Lespedeza along Fendley Station Loop A.  It turned out to be a pleasant afternoon in the park, and almost an ideal day to get some serious exercise.  We pulled up at least two dozen plants, plus some Japanese Honeysuckle Vine and one cluster of Multiflora Rose, both of which are also invasive.  It will be an easy task next summer to revisit that trail and pull out any missed or resprouting plants.

--Ben
1 Comment

    Volunteer Blog

    Thoughts and advice on volunteering at the park.

    Archives

    February 2020
    November 2017
    October 2016
    October 2015
    October 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Events
    Firewood
    Gardening
    Invasive
    Litter
    Wisteria

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Dendroica cerulea
  • Current Info
    • PSP WeatherUnderground
    • Events in Virginia State Parks
    • Poca Go! race
    • Pocahontas Premiers
    • 2022 VSP Adventure Series
    • Hike with Your Hound
  • About Us
    • About the Friends.....
    • News Releases
    • Officers
    • Meetings
    • Donate / Support
    • Charitable Status
  • Our Park
    • Location
    • Park History
    • Mountain Bike Trail Info >
      • Trail Safety
      • Night Mountain Biking
      • Trail Maps
    • CCC Cabin Preservation >
      • CCC Cabin Work Week >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2022
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2021
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2020
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2019
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 >
          • Cabin Work Week 2018 Volunteers
      • CCC Cabin Work Week Preparation Project
      • CCC Group Cabin Stabliization Financial Contributors >
        • CCC Cabin Work Week 2018 Preservation Virginia Pitch Winner
        • Lowe's 100 Hometowns Award
      • CCC Cabin Blueprints
    • The Native Plant Garden
    • Pocahontas Park Web Site
  • Volunteering
    • Log Volunteer Hours
    • Volunteer Information
    • Volunteer Benefits
    • Current Board Opportunities
    • Meet-Up Events
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • Virginia Master Naturalists
    • DCR
    • IMBA
    • Paralyzed Veterans of America
    • RVA MORE
    • Virginia State Parks
    • VA Association for Parks
  • Follow Us
    • FoPSP Facebook
    • FoPSP Twitter
    • FoPSP Instagram
    • FoPSP Meetup
    • Trail Boss Twitter