Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment.In King George County, we are privileged to have Caledon Natural Area State Park to enjoy that natural Environment.The North boundary of Caledon Natural Area is formed by three and one half miles of shore line on the Potomac River.
Litter and debris alongCaledon's shoreline of the Potomac River
Anexample of what can be created, from trash to art!
As the tide cycles over and over an assortment of items wash ashore.During storms the water will rise higher than usual and push the trash further inland. Some of the objects that wash upare what you would expect to find in a river, such as fishing tackle and crab pots. However, there are otheritems that wash ashore that would not immediately come to mind, but are not so unusual when you give them some thought. Things like ball cap visors, shoes and other footwear, parts of coolers, combs, lighters, expended shot gun shells, plastic dinnerware, and various beverage containers are examples of the slightly unusual.These seem to be things that fall overboard when folks are out in their boats enjoying the river.
On April 21, 2012 the park will be hosting a "Trash to Art" event which is free and open to all ages with prizes for the most creative sculptures. Caledon invites artists, non-artists, children, teens, and adults to work individually or in teams to remove litter from the beach and have fun assembling “their litter” into unique art forms.
Participants should meet at the Caledon Picnic Pavilion at 10 a.m. Transportation will be provided to/from the beach and all participants will be provided with trash bags for collecting litter. Litter collection bags will be transported to the park pavilion at noon for sculpture building.A picnic lunch will be provided by Dahlgren Area Chief Petty Officers Association for an appropriate donation.Participants should bring basic sculpture building supplies including lightweight wire, string, utility scissors, pliers/wire cutter, and a hole punch/awl.
Create Trash to Art from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 pm.Judging of sculptures will be at 2:30 p.m. with prizes in many categories.
Finished sculptures can be taken home, sold at silent auction to benefit Park Visitor Center.
Members of the Friends of Caledon.
Register to participate by April 14, 2012.To register, phone Caledon Visitor Center at 540-663-3861 or email your intent to [email protected].Please provide your name, phone number, and the number in your party.
LOCATION: Caledon State Park is located in King George County between Fairview Beach and Owens, 23 miles east of Fredericksburg on Route 218. From Fredericksburg, take 218 East for 23 miles. Caledon is on the left. Or you may take Rt. 3 east 18 miles to a left onto Rt. 206 for six miles, then turn left onto Rt. 218 and go about one mile; Caledon is on the right. From U.S. 301 (MD), turn right onto Rt. 206 for four miles to Rt. 218, then west about one mile.
Drive Time: Northern Virginia, 1 hour 45 minutes; Richmond, 1 hour, 30 minutes; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, 3 hours, 30 minutes; Roanoke, 6 hours, 30 minutes.