In the fall of 2006 JRA was approached by four local garden clubs that were in search of a project that would promote conservation through water quality education & outreach. The end result was Extreme Stream Makeover.
Project Map
Extreme Stream Makeover was a week-long event that will brought volunteers from local government, schools, scouts, neighborhoods, businesses & everyone in between, together to improve the health of Horsepen Branch in Henrico County.
Over the years, the area surrounding Horsepen Branch has developed to a point where rain water runoff can no longer soak into the ground. Instead, the streets, rooftops, parking lots and other “impervious surfaces” create large flows of rain water that break-down stream banks and carry trash and pollutants like oil from cars, chemicals, dirt, and excess fertilizers into our local waterways.
Extreme Stream Makeover provideed an opportunity for young and old alike to help improve Horsepen Branch with a series of restoration projects including streambank stabilization and buffer enchancement, planting rain gardens, installing rain barrels and trash clean-up. These projects will help control rainwater runoff and the pollutants associated with it.
Extreme Stream Makeover will began with the kickoff ceremonies at Crestview Elementary School on Monday, October 20. We worked work from 8:30am until 4:30pm daily. This year we held a special 'family night' work session on Friday, October 24, from 3:30 - 7:00pm at Crestview Elementary School. This was an opportunity for families, scout and school groups, and other organizations that could not volunteer during the day to come out and join our effort. Extreme Stream Makeover 2008 concluded with the closing ceremonies and celebration from 11:30 - 1:00 on Saturday, October 25 at Christ United Methodist Church.
Funding for Extreme Stream Makeover was provided by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Alcoa, Honeywell and Philip Morris.
Our partners for this project included Boxwood, James River, Three Chopt, and Tuckahoe Garden Clubs, Henrico County, Keep Henrico Beautiful, Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District, Center for Watershed Protection, Home Depot, Draper Aden Associates & Christ United Methodist Church.
If you would like to dontate to Extreme Stream Makeover please contact Colleen Messick at cmessick@jrava.org.
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