[BSW] Manassas walk tomorrow + Cameron Run Regional Park meeting tonight!

[Kathy Bilton]

The next BSW  field trip scheduled for this Saturday, April 1 at Turkey 
Run. Leader: Edd Barrowes (barrowse at georgetown.edu) 
http://botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Nancy Vehrs nvehrs1 at yahoo.com [vnps-pot]"
Subject: [vnps-pot] Wildflower Walk Tuesday at Manassas National 
Battlefield Park

Hi Wildflower Lovers-  On behalf of the Pronce William Wildflower Society, 
botanist Marion Lobstein is leading a wildflower walk at the Stone Bridge 
at Manassas National Battlefield Park on Tuesday, March 28, from 10 a.m. 
until noon. This area is known for its Virginia Bluebells and is an easy 
walk. Please email Marion if you would like to 
attend, mblobstein at earthlink.net.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>From Rod:

Hi all,

All TreeStewards of Arlington and Alexandria, Arlington Regional Master
Naturalists, Virginia Native Plant Society, Botanical Society of Washington, and
other organizations and individuals – whether residing in the City of Alexandria or
not - are encouraged to voice their comments and concerns in determining the
highest and best use for Cameron Run Regional Park.

There are three ways to participate in the planning process: 1) please see the link
below; 2) consider attending the meeting tonight at the time and address below; and
3) consider joining the “Walk & Talk” at the park this Saturday, April 1, 2017
(details also below).

(Time and place of meeting: 7pm Monday, March 27 at 3601 Eisenhower Avenue 
Suite 600 | Alexandria, VA 22310)

Also, see Last Surviving Flora of the Lower Holmes Run Stream Valley - Cameron Run
Regional Park under the “Resources” section at the link below for a virtual tour of
the irreplaceable natural amenities of the site.

The City of Alexandria may happen to own Cameron Run Regional Park, but the site is
part of the NOVA Parks network and is very much a place for all northern Virginia
residents (as well as our D.C. and Maryland neighbors).

 Small case in point (and particularly for the TreeStewards): Naturally occurring
Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii) and Beadle’s Oak (Quercus x beadlei) – a
rare natural hybrid between White Oak and Swamp Chestnut Oak – are highly rare in
northern Virginia.  Cameron Run Regional Park is the only known station in the City
of Alexandria for these species; only one known station for Swamp Chestnut Oak is
known for Arlington County (though no Beadle’s Oak); and Swamp Chestnut Oak is very
rare in Fairfax County, also with no known occurrences of Beadle’s Oak.  

More importantly, Cameron Run Regional Park also contains the last known surviving
remnant of Southern Piedmont / Inner Coastal Plain Floodplain Terrace Forest:
Liquidambar styraciflua - Quercus (michauxii, shumardii) - Carya cordiformis / Ilex
decidua / Carex amphibola Forest (USNVC: CEGL007006) in northern Virginia.

This floristically diverse, bottomland forest community typically occupies rich,
well-drained levees and floodplains of oxbow channels and braided streams, with a
primary range to the south of our area.  The Alexandria site encompasses a
several-acre expanse of rich, alluvial floodplain forest along an ancient oxbow
channel of Cameron Run at Cameron Run Regional Park and behind the Vola Lawson
Animal Shelter (small sections of rich floodplain forest and flora also occur
directly to the northeast at the Old Cameron Run Channel Floodplain Forest).  This
tract, which is referred to as “Ward’s Woods” by some, is the sole remaining
example of this type in the City and probably represents a northern extension of a
community that was once likely more widespread throughout the lower Cameron Run
watershed.

All the best,

 

Rod


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2017 16:50:51 +0000
From: Rod Simmons <Rod.Simmons at alexandriava.gov>
To: "TreeStewardsArlAlexVA at googlegroups.com"
     <TreeStewardsArlAlexVA at googlegroups.com>,
     "armn at googlegroups.com" <armn at googlegroups.com>,
     "Botanical Society of Washington (BSW at botsoc.org)" <BSW at botsoc.org>,
     VNPS ORG <vnps.org at gmail.com>
Subject: Cameron Run Regional Park meeting tonight!
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Eileen Grant <granfling at aol.com>
To: treestewardsarlalexva <treestewardsarlalexva at googlegroups.com>
Cc: jfennell <jfennell at mbakerintl.com>
Sent: Tue, Mar 14, 2017 11:58 am
Subject: Cameroon Run Regional Park

Hi Tree Stewards,

 

For all you Alexandria City Tree Stewards, we've been asked to give our input to a
local urban design firm ( Michael Baker International 3601 Eisenhower Avenue Suite
600 | Alexandria, VA 22310 | [O] 703-236-7477 )that has been hired by the city to
look into what residents believe should be done with Cameron Run Regional Park.
 See the link below:

https://www.alexandriava.gov/recreation/info/default.aspx?id=96029

 They would be most grateful  if we could give our two cents of input as Tree
Stewards. Even if you don't know much about the park, you do know about trees and
that is an angle they'd like to address.

On Monday March 27th at 7pm they will host a meeting for us at their offices on
Eisenhower Ave.  Please let me know if you're interested in helping out.  I'll even
bring cookies and tea :-)

 

Eileen 
 

From: Alexandria eNews

Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2017 5:49 PM
To: Rod Simmons
Subject: Public Invited to Cameron Run Park Planning Process Walk & Talk April 1

 

You are subscribed to the free Alexandria eNews service. Replies to this message
will not be received. For correspondence, please use the contact information in the
body of the message.  

          Public Invited to Cameron Run Park Planning Process Walk & Talk 

For Immediate Release: March 23, 2017

Join the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities
(RPCA) and community planners at Michael Baker International’s Urban Design Studio
and be  part of the Cameron Run Park Planning Process by touring the current park
site, learning about what makes this place so unique, and discussing current and
future park issues. The Walk & Talk will take place on Saturday, April 1 beginning
at 9 a.m. in the Cameron Run Park Parking Lot, 4001 Eisenhower Ave. The walk will
occur rain or shine.

The purpose of the planning process is to assist in determining the highest and
best use for the Cameron Run Park on Eisenhower Ave. between Telegraph Road and the
Eisenhower Connector. The information gathered from community meetings and
engagement activities will contribute to the development of concepts for the future
of the park.

For additional information, visit the Cameron Run Park Planning Process project
website or contact Dana Wedeles, Acting Principal Planner, RPCA, at 703.746.5491
or Dana.Wedeles at alexandriava.gov.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in
an alternative format, call Dana Wedeles at 703.746.5491 (Virginia Relay 711) or
e-mail Dana.Wedeles at alexandriava.gov.