It seems important to report on the wealth of activities and fun that have been provided through volunteering at Caledon Natural Area.
River Shore Cleanup
The Potomac River forms a three and one half mile boundary on the North side of the Caledon Natural Area and cleanup of this shoreline was the first task I had as a volunteer. I have learned that as long as trash is thrown into the river, I will have work to do removing it. With each cycle of the tide, more items are deposited on the shoreline. I find that various kinds of balls are among the trash that accumulates and I count them as an amusement while cleaning the shoreline. The majority of these are tennis balls.
This year I have kept the count statistics and can report the following at the end of a year’s work: 1115 balls found; best ball count any day – 164 on March 19, 2010; best rate achieved in picking up balls – 31.55 per hour on April 15, 2010.
These statistics cover 27 different work days removing shoreline trash. Other interesting facts include: Removal of 81 bags of trash and 22 automobile tires. 179 hours were dedicated to trash removal. These statistics do not reflect the hours, or the quantities of trash removed during two organized cleanup efforts where crews of people worked to remove trash.
Wildlife Sightings
Caledon abounds with various critters. I have seen convocations of Eagles and herds of deer. During the summer while we waited for a hurricane to pass off the East Coast a muster of Wood Storks settled in at Jones Pond, apparently out of their usual habitat because of the storm. As summer passed, a rafter of Turkey was seen on several occasions while I tending to business in a remote area of the park. Squirrels that are solitary animals are ever present as Caledon is loaded with them.
Activities Extraordinaire
Caledon Natural Area has provided a year’s worth of exciting and interesting activities. These range from fixing the front doorbell to decorating the Christmas tree in the Visitor’s Center. During the three weeks that the group of Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) boys worked at the park, I enjoyed working with them and getting to know them and their aspirations. A different activity is that of trail maintenance from the easy to the more difficult job of helping the park staff remove fallen trees.
Through the year there are various special events that require preparation such as erecting tents, marking special areas, and driving for hay rides. One of the most rewarding activities this year was helping with the 24th Annual Veteran’s Hunt. Being able to take part in making sure these veterans are able to hunt is well worth the time and effort.
Meeting park visitors is tremendous fun and educational. One gentleman that I met had played and fished off the shore many years before Caledon became a State Natural Area. A visitor from Germany told me of plans to attend a Quilting Convention in Texas. There are always the canines on leash, which are eager to meet you too.
Personnel
The volunteer hours allows an opportunity to work with some wonderful park staff and volunteers. Where else could you meet people that sneak peeks into Blue Bird houses, have bird calls for the ring tones on their phone, or give you a new nickname “Bob-a-loo”?
Conclusion
This concludes my report for 2010, as I eagerly await the opportunities to continue working at Caledon Natural Area.
Interested in volunteering at a Virginia State Park? Find information on opportunities and an on line application by clicking here. The park you select will contact you and provide all necessary training.