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What we’ve been up to:

River Clean-Ups

Every year we work with volunteers to pull tons of trash out of the North Fork. While the pandemic has limited the number of in-person cleanups completed this year, Friends began the North Fork Trash Challenge, a monthly, individually led cleanup around our watershed. To get involved in cleanups or to report a site in need of attention, get in touch with our Volunteer Coordinator!

Riparian Buffer Maintenance

A healthy, forested buffer bordering rivers and streams is super important for the health of our waterways. These buffers help to filter out pollution from runoff coming from roadways, farmland and developed areas. Friends’ volunteers go out and improve buffer areas by controlling and removing invasive species that threaten the health of these buffer areas. If you are interested in joining our team, sign up for our Riparian Buffer Team here.

Water Quality Monitoring

Collecting data about the heath of our waterways is important for informing and engaging the public around issues affecting our rivers and streams. Friends’ currently serves as a drop off site for citizen scientists monitoring with Friends of the Shenandoah River. Learn about our past work with monitoring for e.coli and drinking water research here. To get involved with future monitoring efforts, sign up as a FNFSR volunteer water quality monitor here.

Seven Bends State Park

Serving as the community support organization for Seven Bends State Park, Friends of the North Fork coordinates Friends of Seven Bends State Park. There are plenty of ways to get involved at this beautiful local resource. Sign up as a volunteer for Friends of Seven Bends here.

North Fork Conservation Corps

The North Fork Conservation Corps provides project-centered, mentor-led experiences, for teens of ages 13 – 17, at Seven Bends State Park. Stay tuned on the News tab of our website, or contact our Volunteer Coordinator for more information on upcoming programs to take place. Learn about past programs here.

What projects are underway:

We are very excited to be working with the Virginia Department of Forestry in providing landowners support in maintaining the riparian buffers installed through the Mountains to Bay buffer program. FNFSR is also currently partnering with Virginia Save Our Streams to provide area residents with great opportunities to get involved with water quality monitoring (through benthic macro-invertebrate – bug – sampling) in the North Fork and its tributary streams.

Where we want to go from here:

We envision a culture of active stewardship all throughout the North Fork’s watershed where citizens are engaged and empowered to take action to protect and support the health of one of our most important natural resources, our river.

Community Action Resources and Useful Links

Interested in getting involved? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator for more information!