March 22, 2009

People gathered Sunday from all over central Virginia to plant trees along the Rivanna River, which is the largest tree buffer project in Albemarle County this year.

The Rivanna Conservation Society Received a grant from the state of Virginia and Albemarle County to plant a total of 4,000 saplings, which was then matched by Glenmore Country Club.

Volunteers worked the entire day planting saplings, which years from now will grow into a Riparian Buffer along the Rivanna River.

"What's important is to keep as much silt and sedimentation out of the river at the head waters, which is where we are, so that downstream we can protect the bay," said Robbi Savage, of the Rivanna Conservation Society.

The actual planting happened on the property of Glenmore Country Club.

"Everyone wants to make sure that our waterways stay clean. Rivanna is one of the cleaner rivers in central Virginia, and we'd like to keep it that way," said Glenmore County Club Director, Glenn Crossman.

Volunteers planted about 2,000 trees Sunday alone. Now, these trees will eventually serve as a buffer between the golf course and the Rivanna River, thus helping to keep out harmful things such as pollutants, fertilizer and sediments, and helping to slow down erosion.

"The siltation and sediments is what really causes a lot of problems, and that comes from disturbing the land, either through agriculture, animals' development or growth," said Savage.

Ten years from now the walnut, sycamore and red maple trees that were planted Sunday afternoon will be big enough to protect the river.

"By the time this trees have come out of the tubes and the branches start to touch each other, that's when they'll be doing their full job," said Steve Pence, of the Rivanna Conservation Society.

As the trees get bigger each year, the Rivanna River will be a little more protected than the year before.