50th Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally

First and foremost: THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who came out this past weekend to celebrate 50 years of the Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally! Now you too are a part of the amazing history of this event! If you didn’t get a chance to hear Lisa share some of that history, take a look below….

Konnarock Training School and Medical Cottage from a distance.

Things have changed a bit since the rally started back in 1975. Initially a wildflower walk put on by the Wilderness Road Garden Club and the MR Planning District Commission, attendance was pretty low for the first two years. To try and spark some more interest, a bird walk and salamander walk were added in 1977. Wallace Coffey designed the format, secured the speakers and field trip leaders, worked with the forest service, and chaired the MRNR committee for the first five years.

After determining that May was the best time of year, and getting permission from the Forest Service to use the “Spike Camp” (aka Schoolhouse), the naturalist rally we know today was born! In 1984, the rally moved from the schoolhouse to the Konnarock Community Center after the floor collapsed in the chapel. Field trips still met around the schoolhouse building though. In 2012, Carrie Sparks and the Friends of Mt. Rogers passed the torch to BRDC. And in 2022, the rally returned to the fully-restored schoolhouse!

Dr. Steven Hopp and his group went up to Whitetop Mountain to look for raptors and other birds, exploring the different habitats and soaking in some lovely views.

So many people donated their time and energy to make sure everything went smoothly this weekend. And we want to extend a HUGE thank you to all of them! We couldn’t do it without you. The goal of the rallies has always been to foster a sense of community, and every year that community grows a little bit. Twenty seven guides shared their knowledge and passion with us by leading programs both day and night that covered a wide range of topics- edible plants, insects, small mammals, geology, nature journaling, salamanders, astronomy and more! We had a bluegrass jam on Friday night and the amazing Dr. Kevin Hamed gave a wonderful presentation on the salamanders of the MRNRA, Saturday night.

Making sure 160+ participants have something to do is no easy feat! Twelve volunteers (and BRDC staff) ran the kitchen, parked cars, helped people pick programs, and cleaned up. And so many donors provided raffle prizes or food.

Carrie Sparks stepped in and led an edible plant walk around BRDC’s campus at the last minute. It was great to have her back, and very fitting considering her history with the rally!

By purchasing raffle tickets, you helped raise over $1,000 for camp scholarships! Thank you so much for supporting the local community and getting these kids an immersive, unique, outdoor experience.

Some of our many raffle prizes, generously donated.

And while staff didn’t get a chance to experience the adult programs, we know that the kids had a blast on Saturday at kids programming- We had our largest turnout yet! They drew in nature journals, played ecology games like raptors and rabbits, got in the stream, made our own fish to catch, and roasted some marshmallows for s’mores!

Excessive Road Salt: AsSALTing Our Streams

Who doesn’t love snow?! It’s fun to play in, pretty to look at, and no day’s better than a snow day. But, when a layer of snow compacts on sidewalks and roads, it can make for some treacherous conditions. Putting down salt on traveling surfaces can help make them safer. When salt dissolves, it lowers the freezing temperature of water. That means the water stays liquid at colder temperatures, and makes ice and snow melt faster without refreezing into a slick sheet of ice, keeping roads and sidewalks safe.

Environmental Impact

But what happens to all that salt when the ice and snow melt away? It gets carried along with that meltwater and ends up in our streams. Freshwater animals and plants can’t survive in high salinity water. Even if average levels remain safe, sudden spikes in salinity are especially harmful to the animals that live in streams. On warm days, lots of snowmelt can carry a load of road salt into streams all at once, resulting in spikes that can reach toxic levels. While some of our fish, including trout, have migrated downstream to larger waterways during the winter, smaller fish including sculpins and daces, as well as sensitive aquatic insects like mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies live in these streams through winter. Furthermore, salt can concentrate in the larger rivers downstream that are fed by several contaminated tributaries.

Infrastructural Impact

In addition to causing environmental damage, road salt also degrades infrastructure. Gritty salt wears away at paved surfaces, and fine or dissolved salt can corrode metal and cement. This includes roads and sidewalks, guard rails, and vehicles themselves. Here in the Blue Ridge mountains, many municipalities source water from rivers or shallow wells. When road salt contaminates these water sources, it can damage filters and corrode pipes.

Taking Action

If road salt is so bad, what can we do about it? Alternatives to road salt are considered in some areas. Sand and gravel can help increase traction on roads, but they don’t actually melt away ice. Plus, with sand and gravel, the sediment left behind can still damage paved surfaces and lead to sedimentation in streams.

Road salt is a powerful tool. When used wisely, damage to ecosystems and infrastructure can be greatly reduced. It only takes 12 oz. (that’s a cup and a half) to effectively treat 20 feet of road. Using more doesn’t make the snow melt significantly faster, but it does contribute to more contaminated runoff. Plowing roads regularly and salting roads less frequently can greatly reduce the amount of salt necessary to make roads safe.

This winter, you can help protect our streams by being more aware of local salt use. Keep an eye out for spilled piles of road salt or uncovered salt stockpiles. These can be reported to VDOT and the DEQ. Pay attention to salting practices, and if you feel your area is oversalting roads, say something! By showing property managers, community leaders, and local government representatives that you care, you can help change winter road treatment practices.

You can also make a huge difference in your neighborhood. If you are able, try to keep up with the snowfall and shovel it from traveling surfaces before it builds up. Read the instructions on road salt bags, and calculate how much salt you actually need to use to treat your driveway and walkways. By using the right amount, you can help protect streams and your wallet. Offer to help neighbors, and talk to them about the importance of reducing salt use. If you have a lot of surface to plow, perhaps consider an electric snow blower- you could share the cost with neighbors!

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More Information: Salt Watch

If you are interested in learning more, the Izaak Walton League of America has a program called Salt Watch. They provide some great resources on their website including articles about the damages and benefits of using road salt and how to responsibly use it; templates for educational yard signs, pamphlets, and letters to public officials; an interactive map showing stream salinity data from the last 6 winters; and links to other resources. You can even sign up to help monitor road salt runoff! They offer free salinity test kits so you can test your local stream, and report your findings to them. This data can help officials make more informed decisions in regions that are highly impacted by saline runoff.

The Twin County Community Foundation Sponsors Residential Education at BRDC

The Twin County Community Foundation (TCCF) continues to support Blue Ridge Discovery Center through grants to get students outside engaged in nature. These grants allow students to be fully immersed in the beauties and wonders of the outdoors through residential education programs at BRDC. Our programs engage students in nature in fully immersive outdoor activities.

This residential education program grant provided groups of students from Carroll County and Grayson County with experiential learning experiences that build lifelong skills and a passion for the outdoors. We provide overnight accommodations during the program and nutritious hot meals.

In 2021, the students participated in nature journaling, salamander surveys, seed experiments, macroinvertebrate studies, decomposition, phenology, dendrology, and highland games.

Thank you, Twin County Community Foundation, for your continued support! 

Learning about Amphibians & Aquatic Insects

BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.

Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.  Using field guides, they researched different species of salamander and presented their discoveries to the class.  The Eastern hellbender was a favorite among the students, as they were shocked by its prehistoric features. Students enjoyed watching a video about the life history of hellbenders provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Fifth grade students in Grayson County schools learned about frogs and toads. Students illustrated the life cycle of amphibians, learned the difference between frogs and toads, and listened to the calls of some of Virginia's common species. Many students had heard the calls before, but often didn't know what animal made the calls. The Virginia Herpetological Society's website is a great resource for determining different frog and toad calls: https://goo.gl/v84gqS.

After learning the calls of the American bullfrog, spring peeper, and American toad, students played a Frog and Toad matching game. Using a Peterson Guidebook to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, students matched the species name, picture, and description together. 

Galax Middle School After School program has been learning all about aquatic species. BRDC brought aquatic insects from a local stream to the classroom where students got a first-hand look at the life found in our creeks. Students learned about the life cycle of the insects, and enjoyed fly tying with Executive Director Aaron Floyd. 

In-school programming keeps BRDC's staff busy, but it is great to work with such a variety grade levels and see the enjoyment and wonder on the children's faces. To stay connected with BRDC follow us on Instagram @blueridgediscoverycenter.