The Rapidan Institute began working on the Rapidan Fish Passage project in 2020 with the goal to restore 541 miles of river habitat in Virginia. Restoration efforts are primarily focused on the potential alteration of the dam at the Rapidan Mill as it blocks the movement of important fish species such as shad, herring, and […]
Beaver dam analogs, also known as BDAs, are man-made structures built out of wood and other natural resources designed to replicate the form and function of beaver dams. ACP began working on BDAs this year with the intent to help restore freshwater ecosystems and make possible habitats more suitable for beavers. Being that BDAs are […]
The Virginia Wildlife Habitat Cooperative, a sector of the Center, is working with residents of Gordonsville, VA to develop pollinator and quail corridors through neighboring land parcels. These corridors are simply designated areas on the owner’s land that we work with to promote an environment that is as close to its natural state as much […]
I don’t think we can get very far with the Bay until we bring back substantial populations of the North American Beaver – and I know this is a crazy idea. And it may be impossible to much implement for lots of reasons. Nevertheless we could at least talk about it more. My beaver-fever is […]
Perhaps COVID will provide some greater awakening on the interdependence of biodiversity and human health. Our contracting services SoilKeepers and the Virginia Wildlife Habitat Cooperative enhance soil, plant, and animal biodiversity for residential, estate, and agricultural clients in the mid-Atlantic region. https://www.sciencealert.com/daycares-in-finland-built-a-backyard-forest-and-it-changed-children-s-immune-systems
Legacy sediment is a hidden issue that plagues many of the eastern US watersheds where a combination of agriculture, mill dams and deforestation occurred in the 19th century. Much of the Rapidan watershed was deforested for agriculture causing massive erosion into stream valleys. There were also many water powered mills that trapped sediment on floodplains. A few dams […]
The Rapidan Institute in Partnership with the Virginia Wildlife Habitat Cooperative (contractor) has received approval of a proposal to study creation of North American Beaver habitat for a tributary of Goose Creek, in the Potomac watershed. Locations for the creation of Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) will be evaluated and a construction budget will be created. […]
There are any number of ways to make our community better, and any number of ways to address perceived problems. Within the international development community, a movement to link community, economy, and environment was dubbed the triple bottom line approach back in the 1980’s. Since then the business community, nonprofits (e.g. Grayson Landcare in Grayson County, VA), and governments have adopted […]
Climate change predictions have been cussed and discussed since the 1970s. The latest report paints a fairly grim picture as it looks like a temperature increase of 4.6° Fahrenheit is inevitable in our lifetime. Like recalcitrant children, we balk at dire predictions that we can’t see with our own eyes. Climate doesn’t work that way, and humans, especially Americans, are […]