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Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club - Blog

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  • 27 Oct 2021 9:00 AM | Anonymous

    Pleasure House Point Invasive Species Attack

    This is a call for volunteers to join up and help the City of Virginia Beach clean out some invasive plant species and vines in one of the City’s newest environmentally sensitive parks. We will be working with City Parks and Recreation staff to rid a portion of the park of nuisance plant life that is strangling several beautiful live oaks and pine trees. We may be working along Shore Drive again or in another area of the Park. More information will be available at a later date

    We need 24 volunteers to show up and join the fun. No experience is necessary. The City staff will be helping us identify what items are to be lopped and removed. Preliminary work hours are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, unless we finish early. FREE on-street parking is available on Marlin Bay Drive.

    Masks will NOT be required if you are fully vaccinated for COVID 19. Wear long pants and long sleeve shirts to protect from the briars, heavy-duty gloves and sturdy closed-toe shoes. Hats and sunscreen are optional. Also, bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. Who knows, there may even be an opportunity for lunch or ice cream at the end of the effort?

    Let’s show up again and let the City see what TATC members can accomplish in a short period of work. Contact localtrails@tidewateratc.com to sign up or get more information

  • 13 Oct 2021 7:00 PM | Anonymous

    Wednesday, October 13, 2021 - 7:00 – 9:00pm

    Norfolk Public Library: Mary D Pretlow Anchor Branch

    111 W Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503, USA

    TATC General Membership Meeting

    Contact: Lee Lohman president@tidewateratc.com

    Program:  TBD

  • 5 Oct 2021 10:31 AM | Anonymous

    Hi folks,

     

    As the current USFS certified sawyer extension gets close to its end (Oct 8), the USFS has signed another to extend current certifications through Dec 31, 2022. That interim directive is attached. All certifications are extended through the end of December of 2022.

     

    Thanks to those of you who’ve been able to participate in a chainsaw recertification day – these one-day refreshers are a good chance to brush up on safety, best practices, get some pointers, and maybe learn something new. For those of you who’s original certification has expired, but are certified under the USFS extension – we’ll continue to try to get you recertified.

     

    On the crosscut side, we’re close to having a GW-Jeff agreement in place that would allow C-level sawyers to instruct and evaluate A/B sawyers, with USFS district rangers signing cards. Once the agreements are signed our C-crosscut sawyers, along with ATC staff, will be reaching out to schedule one-day crosscut recertifications.

     

    It's been two years since we’ve had a new sawyer two-day course, we’ll try our best to arrange some of those next spring.

     

    Please share with your volunteers and certified sawyers. Let me know if you’ve got any questions.


    Josh Kloehn

    Trail Operations Manager - South

    Appalachian Trail Conservancy

    Email: jkloehn@appalachiantrail.org

    Office: 540.904.4391

    Cell: 406.860.8371

     


  • 25 Sep 2021 7:13 PM | Anonymous

    First Landing State Park (FLSP) has asked for our help with the Coastal Cleanup Day on September 25th. We will assist by cleaning up the Park shoreline. Please plan on arriving by 9:00 AM at the FLSP Chesapeake Bay Visitor Center, 2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach. We should be done by noon.

    This is a free parking day for National/Public Lands Day. Bags and  latex gloves will be provided as well as data collection sheets. Recording data on what we collect will give our work more of an impact.

    You may wish to bring sunscreen, hat, comfortable shoes for walking in sand, water in reusable water bottle, hand sanitizer, face mask if unvaccinated or entering buildings, work gloves if you would rather not use latex gloves and a phone or camera for taking photos of something great happening on our beach!

    I hope you can help us with this effort. To register please contact me at malabad2@gmail.com or call/text 757-285-1252.

    Thank you,

    Ellis Malabad

    Note: email replies to this message should only be sent to malabad2@gmail.com, not to the administrative email address used to send this message.


  • 25 Sep 2021 9:00 AM | Anonymous

    TOUR NAME: Naturalist James Abbott is Back!

    DATE: Saturday, September 25, 2021 (rain-date is Sunday, September 26)

    DURATION (ROUND TRIP): 9:00 – 2:00 Please arrive at 8:45 at REI to board the bus.

    PRICE: $30 per person (purchase your ticket at TheNatureBus.com > Calendar)

    DESCRIPTION:

    The Nature Bus will travel to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (BBNWR). This time a completely different trail, and a naturalist/birding perspective. You don’t want to miss this tour. Right in the “backyard of Coastal Virginia”, this unique coastal maritime scrub habitat has stunning scenery of dunes and marshes. Back Bay is an important ecosystem for many imperiled plant and animal species and in September is a vital stopover area for thousands of birds on their fall migration south. Join us to walk the scenic trails, learn about the amazing phenomenon of migration, and observe some of the over 200 species of birds with naturalist and educator James Abbott. Bring your own binoculars or The Nature Bus can provide you a pair to use. Pack your sack lunch for a picnic in the shade of a tree. The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters, like Back Bay, set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants.


  • 8 Sep 2021 8:17 PM | Anonymous

    TATC Club members, this month we will return to a Zoom-only General Membership meeting.  A number of Board members heard from you that last month’s hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting suffered from poor audio.  We have yet to completely sort out that problem--but we are working on it.  Potential venues are also a problem.  The Pretlow Library only offers its meeting room on Saturdays and only until 6:00 pm (according to the voice recording). City parks in Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach are now closing their pavilions at 7:30 as the hours of daylight decline. The Virginia Beach Central Library (Oberndorf) shuts its meeting rooms at 7:30 as well.
     
    Last month, we tried moving the meeting back to 6:00 pm, but that was too early for many of our members.  So, we are back to Zoom.  Nevertheless, we will be on the hunt for a good location for the October meeting, and with luck, we will have solved the audio problem and can do it as a hybrid meeting.
     
    The General Membership Meeting agenda is below along with the Zoom invitation.  If you have any last-minute suggestions for the agenda, please email me at president@tidewateratc.com
     
    Take care, and I hope to see you all on Wednesday night at 7:00 pm.
     
    Lee

    ZOOM Meeting: 

    Lee Lohman, Tidewater A.T. Club is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
     
    Topic: TATC's September 8th General Membership Meeting Invitation
    Time: Sep 8, 2021 at 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
     
    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85122727751?pwd=eFdRVmwvNzFYbTNoNDVVdnlQTmgxdz09
     
    Meeting ID: 851 2272 7751
    Passcode: 976674
    One tap mobile
    +13126266799,,85122727751# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,85122727751# US (New York)
     
    Dial by your location
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
            +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
            +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
            +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
            +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
    Meeting ID: 851 2272 7751
    Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kb2WRJ5hC0

    Agenda: 

    Call To Order 1 minute
    Identification of New Members or Visitors 3 minutes
    Report from the A.T.  To Be Announced (TBA) 3 minutes
    Report on Board Deliberations and Decisions 1) COVID’s Delta variant and TATC’s upcoming events, 2) 50th Anniversary Event/Diner, 3) the Holiday Party, 4) Dedication of TATC’s annual ATC contribution to the Ridgerunner Program, 5) Creation of a committee to develop a communications strategy and manage our media:  Facebook, Website, Meetup, blogs, and Newsletters 6) changes in Board leadership.  Lee Lohman 10 minutes
    TATC’s Cabin.  Rentals and Upcoming Events.  Bob Adkission/Greg Hodges 3 minutes
    Results of the Lopperfest, August 13, 14, and 15.  Britt Collings 2 minutes
    Plans for the Fall Maintenance Trip, October 15, 16, and 17.  Britt Collings 4 minutes
    Local Trail Maintenance.  Multiple work trips on the schedule.  Dave Plum 3 minutes
    Holiday Party:  Preparations and Progress.  Sharon Salyer 3 minutes
    50th Anniversary Historical Committee.  What is needed now?  Jim Sexton 3 minutes
    50th Anniversary Event/Dinner.  Progress so far.  Steve Clayton.. 3 minutes
    The 50th Anniversary Project.  We need Ideas for something that is significant, TATC labeled, and enduring. Ideas submitted so far.  Lee Lohman 3 minutes
    Education Committee.  Land Navigation:  How Not to Get Lost in the Woods.  Training results and next steps.     Lee Lohman 2 minutes
    Elections on the Horizon.  Nominating chair/committee needed.  Lee Lohman 3 minutes
    Other Matters 5 minutes
    Trail Presentation.  TBD. 10 minutes
    Estimated Meeting Time 61 minutes


  • 3 Sep 2021 11:30 PM | Anonymous

    First Landing SP has requested our help in mapping the various walkways, trails and bridges, etc. in the Park using the Avenza app. Training will be provided as needed. If you are not tech savvy you can work to support the teams using paper charts. I envision that if we have enough volunteers teams will spread out in the Park to cover all the trails and structures with the goal of completing the work in one day.

    If you are interested we will add you to our email list. Once a date is scheduled we will contact you with more information. Please contact Ellis Malabad at malabad2@gmail.com by Friday September 3rd to be added to the email listing.

    Ellis Malabad

  • 1 Sep 2021 9:47 PM | Anonymous

    Insufficient federal funding and too many crowds are prompting the staff at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to propose higher fees for camping, call for a permit system for backcountry camping, and require reservations for hiking up Old Rag.

    You can find out more information and comment on this proposal at: 
    https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/08/shenandoah-national-park-proposing-higher-camping-fees-reservation-systems

    TATC will be in contact with ATC and the National Park Service for this proposal and will provide updates as they become available.


  • 31 Aug 2021 3:06 PM | Anonymous

    The National Hurricane Center has issued a public advisory for Tropical Depression Ida, which is predicted to cause heavy rain along the #AppalachianTrail and surrounding areas. Some portions of the Trail may experience flash flooding and downed trees. #AT hikers are encouraged to monitor weather sites and make adjustments to their plans as needed. For the latest Trail updates, visit https://appalachiantrail.org/trail-updates/

  • 31 Aug 2021 1:07 PM | Anonymous

    USFS Saw Operations Guidance:

    Saw Operations Guide

    Understanding Complexity - USFS

    Five-Step Cutting Plan (OHLEC) (draft)

    USFS Saw Complexity Guide

    Click on the links above, and you can also find these and other general saw certification info at: ATC's Sawyer Safety page

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Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club (TATC) 

P.O. Box 8246

Norfolk, VA 23503 

www.tidewateratc.com  

The "Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club" is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

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