#87 Bottomlands of the South Fork
May 8, 2008
This show originally aired on May 11, 2006 and was aired again on May 8, 2008 on “The Rivanna Rambler,” a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net.
A couple of years ago, I visited the bottomland owned by Jane and Stirling Williamson along a stretch of the South Fork of the Rivanna River, to learn about tree planting for river protection.
As we descend the hill and cross a thin stream, the floodplain opens up in front of us and we an assortment of trees planted four years ago: red maple, box elder, northern red and willow oak. We, too, are a motley crew: Hank Helman, has brought along his two young children who run alongside, weaving in and out of the plastic tubes that mark where trees were planted. Angus Murdoch, who for years has grown and planted trees around the entire watershed for the Rivanna Conservation Society. And me, curious to figure out the point of planting these trees.
The existing banks of the river are brambly and spare buffer of five feet here, ten feet there …some older trees, a lot of blackberry, poke weed, broomsedge stalks still witchy yellow from last fall’s die-off. But over here, the tender leaves of a small red maple peeks out of the pale green tree tube, unfurling to the world. And here, an oak just emerging from its three-foot high protective sleeve. Spaced 10 to 15 feet apart, they will grow into a riparian buffer – a swath of trees and shrubs that has been intentionally undeveloped landward from creeks and rivers. This is one way that land conservation can improve water quality in adjacent waters: by returning a strip of forest to the edge of waterways, we let the trees do the work of anchoring the soil, filtering run-off from upland development, and absorbing excess nutrients from adjacent farmlands before they reach the water.
Several years ago, the Williamsons participated in a USDA program called CREP, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, through the Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation. They agreed to set-aside for tree planting 8 of the 80-some acres of bottomland that was previously in pasture hay. For this, they received reimbursement for 25% of the costs of planting the trees. And each year that the trees grow and the buffer fills out, they reap a tax benefit in exchange for giving up arable land.
At first it seems rather unimpressive, this growing buffer, until I take a closer look and see that something wild is happening. Another kind of pasture is taking hold, hundreds of box elder seedlings stretch out for yards in front of us … born from the mere planting here and there of single elders in tree tubes. There are red maple, too, sprouting on their own, with no protection from deer and wind. Since they have seeded and are growing so well on their own, I cannot help but ask, “If these trees are taking hold by themselves, why plant them? Why not just set aside the land?”
Angus offers several things to ponder, starting with stewardship. Once in the C.R.E.P. program, a landowner is asked to maintain the newly planted buffer, which means clearing the area of weeds and pesky invasives. And NOT to plant or sow seeds of his own, which can cost a farmer a pretty penny. NOT to mow, but to watch over the slow but sure process of growing something that will live for many more years, which will never be harvested.
Looking back at the bluff now over half a mile away, I feel the special quality of this place, one of largest chunks of bottomland in the watershed. Stirling says he’s paddled his canoe across this floodplain in years when the waters rose , blanketing the fields with fresh soil from upriver.
On our way back, Hank’s son crashes to his knees on a rough cement cattle guard and crumples into a quick young boy’s wail. As his father scoops him up in comfort, we see he’s OK, a small but sudden scrape of skin on his knees. Within minutes, he’s off and running ahead of us. Kind of like the land itself and the river that runs through it, it will heal quickly if given a chance. Fortunately for this piece of land, the Williamsons have taken steps to do just this.