Exploring Pony Pasture - Richmond, VA

 Have you ever walked through the park and heard an unfamiliar bird call? Or noticed a plant that you didn't quite recognize? There's an app for that! Two of my favorite apps to have on-hand when exploring out in nature are Merlin Bird ID and Seek by iNaturalist.  Merlin Bird ID This handy app was developed by the Cornel Lab of Ornithology.  It has step-by-step identification assistance, and even cooler than that - you can let it record your surroundings and it will identify birds by their call! Just the other day, I had Merlin out on my walk and it identified a Great Horned Owl. After a few minutes of hearing it and looking in the trees, I saw it! Merlin not only makes exploring the outdoors fun, but it's also a tool that helps to educate those who may be new to ornithology.  Home Screen  of Merlin Bird ID - options for Step-by-Step, Photo ID, and Sound ID Picture of Sound ID and list of identified birds. Recording of a Sound ID  Seek by iNaturalist Seek i...

 So! You've visited the park, talked to the friends group, and now you want to get involved with a volunteer group of your own. Maybe you want to focus on education rather than stewardship - or something entirely different. Whatever it may be, when starting your conservation focused group, you'll need to start a non-profit! Here are the steps you can take to start a non-profit. Disclaimer: this is not intended to be legal advice, please consult with legal counsel before taking official action.  Step 1: Needs Assessment Do research and determine a need for what your group is going to offer. Who would use the group's services? Does this kind of group already exist? What makes your group different? Step 2: Develop a Mission Statement What is the purpose of this group? Describe it in 1-2 impactful sentences! Step 3: Articles of Incorporation By incorporating, an organization can limit liability. The Articles of Incorporation is the defining document that lists the purpose and t...

While the James River Park System (which encompasses Pony Pasture & the Wetlands) is owned and operated by the City of Richmond, the City has not employed an adequate amount of personnel to steward the parks. The friends group, Friends of the James River Park (FRJOP), was established to have a community of citizen stewards that help advise the City on the needs of park system, organize volunteer days, and work on maintaining the park system's 20 + miles of trails.  At Pony Pasture & the Wetlands specifically, FOJRP coordinates multiple volunteer days to work on trail maintenance, invasive species cleanup, and litter clean up. They also coordinate signups to have ambassadors at the park to tell visitors about the park or educate visitors on the importance of river safety.  FROJP also coordinates fundraisers for the park system, including their annual " camera to canvas " fundraiser - which is an auction to purchase paintings based off of images of the City captur...

 Learning about how to properly classify different species is a fun way to find similarities between different forms of life!  Let's take a species native to Pony Pasture for example - the Pileated Woodpecker! This is a large black and white woodpecker most distinctively known for its red crest which makes them easy to spot.  The Classification for the Pileated Woodpecker is as follows: Domain: Eukaryota - meaning the organisms's cell have a membrane-bound nucleus Kingom : Animalia - multicellular organisms who (with few exceptions) consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, and reproduce sexually. Phylum: Chordata - these animals possess a hollow dorsal nerve chord (notochord), an endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal slits (nostrils), and a tail. Class: Aves - essentially birds. They are characterized by feathers, toothless, beaked jaws, laying hard-shelled eggs, a four chambered heart, and a strong (but lightweight) skeleton.  Order: Piciformes - ...

 Dendrology - or the study of trees and shrubs - is a fun way to get to know about the place you are exploring. Please watch the below video (with audio) to learn more! Information found from Virginia Tech Dedrology! Curious about what is in your area? You can use this tool to explore!

Please watch this video to learn more about the invasive species located at Pony Pasture & The Wetlands  Want to get involved? Check out the James River Park System's invasive species Taskforce here!