Dear Fellow Master Naturalists,
I write to you today to announce our Chapter’s designation of Chilton Woods State Forest (CWSF) as our Tree-mendous Twenty activity center over the next year. As you may recall, the Virginia Master Naturalist office created the Tree-mendous Twenty challenge to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Master Naturalist Program in Virginia. Michelle Prysby had previously announced this and challenged each Chapter designate a project to commemorate the anniversary. We will focus on CWSF by undertaking a series of stewardship, education, citizen science and perhaps, administrative volunteer activities over the next year.
The Department of Forestry’s website writes this about Chilton Woods:
Chilton Woods is a 397-acre state forest in Lancaster County. Management focuses on demonstration of sustainable forest management practices, timber production, passive recreation, wildlife habitat, water quality, research, and plant and animal biodiversity. Its high timber quality results from a long history of forest management activities by the Chilton family. The land has gentle terrain and varied flora under forests of mostly loblolly pine and pine-hardwood mix. A small stream known as Balls Branch borders part of the forest, and a few of its tributaries extend into the property. The Northern Neck Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists have adopted Chilton Woods and maintain a number of trails on the forest. [Emphasis added.
Our Chapter’s BTC 19, as its training class project, worked with the Department of Forestry to improve trail accessibility and improve trail blazes. Since then, different members have continued to maintain trails, although the intensity of this effort has slowed over time.
Over the next year, the Chapter will host a variety of activities at the forest. Dennis Gaston, State Forester, Eastern Forests, recently shared his needs list with us. Included among these are additional trail maintenance, new signage for trails, a kiosk at the main parking area, and establishment of a native pollinator garden along the electricity transmission lines. In addition to these, we intend to include bioblitzes, flower and fauna walks, invasive plant removal, and other opportunities at the forest. Additionally, the Chapter has recently approved an activity to participate in the "Tick Survey Project" in partnership with Dr. Holly Gaff from ODU and the Middle Peninsula Master Naturalist Chapter. As most know, CWSF is a tick haven, and participating in this study may provide additional understanding of the tick risk there and improve tick avoidance strategies.
Buz Cox (BTC 19) and Anne Parker (BTC21) have agreed to be the Chapter Co-Leads for the overall initiative, and we will be recruiting others to assist in leading activities throughout the year. For example, would you lead a trail maintenance day or invasive plant identification? How are your plant and tree identification? Do you prefer trail maintenance? There will be ample opportunities for you to volunteer as a participant or leader.
So, please mark your calendars for our initial kick-off of our Tree-mendous Twenty initiative. Our first activity will include surveying the trail system to determine needs and to prioritize our future activities. This will take place on October 7, between 9 and 1. Based upon this initial survey, we are considering stewardship on Saturday, October 18 or, Tuesday, October 21 with a possible rain date of Saturday, October 25. We need additional volunteer leaders to help with these dates.
Your participation and support of this initiative will be greatly appreciated. There are truly spectacular areas of the forest, and we hope that you will join us and enjoy the time, in the woods, with friends, and doing good.
For more details of the Tree-mendous Twenty, please follow this link:
https://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/blog/do-a-treemendous-20th-service-activity-in-2025/
See you there,
andy