Still Meadow and the River Anna - sounds like the title of a novel!

One thing that has caused the most reflection for me is reading about the history of the Rivanna River.  Growing up in Virginia, we would take school trips to Jamestown every year.  There is a lot of history in here in general and especially connected to these rivers.  It’s certainly not all happy history, but it’s a part of who we are today and you can see so much of it in these natural areas.  It kind of makes me want to watch Disney’s Pocahontas, even though it’s pretty much a fictional cartoon story. Fun fact: The Rivanna River was named after Queen Anne, River Anna!

A nice historical summary of the river, from the RCS website:

Rivanna

“The Rivanna River, the largest tributary to the upper James River, was named for Queen Anne, as it was the custom in early Virginia history to name streams for royalty. Its headwaters originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, in both Albemarle and Greene Counties. The river meanders through the City of Charlottesville and stretches south through Fluvanna County, joining with the James River at Columbia. The confluence of the North and South forks, just upstream from Darden Towe, forms the Rivanna’s mainstem, a total of 50 miles in length. The 766 square miles of watershed is home to a variety of terrestrial and aquatic species, including the rare and endangered James Spinymussel (Pleurobema collina). Remarkably, sixty-five percent of the Rivanna Watershed is forested, which helps retard pollution.

Historically, the banks of the Rivanna River were home to the Monacan Indian Tribe. And, with the establishment of the European settlements, the Rivanna became an essential resource for early agricultural activity. Thomas Jefferson enhanced the river’s usefulness by improving navigation, in large measure to accommodate the transport of wheat and tobacco from Monticello and other regional farms.”

I’ll try to get a picture of the James Spinymussel to share!!

My own history of the Rivanna was growing up so close to it. 

My brother and his friends would go out to play around the train tracks and in the river, as boys do.  And I would tag along, as the annoying little sister, exploring and endlessly entertained by the wonders of nature.  As a child, I never thought about the preservation of these spaces but simply enjoyed them, and as I’ve grown, the Rivanna has remained a special childhood memory.  Coming back here and learning about river conservation in relation to my river has been very surreal.  I’m thinking of it so differently this time.  It’s funny that I’m very aware of other environmental issues in Boston and other places, but not so much in my hometown, where I grew up and spent so much time.  I guess it was just never on my mind as a child, so even as an adult, the childlike mentality remained. 

Fields behind Still Meadow

  Our neighborhood has developed a lot in the past 15 years.  There used to be a farm behind our house where the Still Meadow development now stands. They have made a nature trail that’s a little easier to follow around the edge of the river, rather than our old tiny trails through the woods.  Another memory that comes to me is of cutting back through the farm and fields of hay bales to the train tracks and river.  There are less hay bales now, but still some fields and corn crops!  The area has been maintained very well by the farmer who still lives in the same house, though his backyard is Still Meadow now.  He keeps the grass mowed on a trail that follows the river, and even has a playing field mowed out in the middle of the open space.  It’s a really nice resource for the people in this area, and for my dad, who loves to run.  I know I’d rather run through an open field than on pavement.  So, with the bad there has been some good! 

My dad and I went on a walk the other evening to take some pictures.  The water level is low right now, so we’re hoping for rain soon.  Again, not something I ever would have thought about 

until this trip.  I sort of miss the childlike wonder of just enjoying it for what it is and not thinking about the water levels or following a cut path down to the river, but just finding my way in! 

can you spot the deer?  he spotted me while I was taking this!

The walking path in Still Meadow

There's one of those hay bales I mentioned. A creek connecting to the Rivanna

locally grown corn!  you actually don't want to eat this.