ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 4, 1997 TAG: 9703040074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
Volunteers are being sought to plant 6,500 seedlings along the new connector road from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Explore Park on Saturday, March 15.
The trees, a gift from Valley Beautiful, are intended to complement the 11/2-mile Roanoke River Parkway, a $9.7 million road which is scheduled to open in October. The area to be planted has been disturbed by road construction and, years ago, the landfill's closure. It also includes thin spots in the adjacent forest.
The species will include 1,000 each of black locust, Eastern white pine and green ash, and 500 each of European black alder, red maple, red oak, white oak, black walnut, yellow poplar and persimmon.
The planting comes near the end of a road project whose funding took years to secure and whose completion is expected to boost Explore Park's attendance well above last year's 31,000 people.
The event "should be a good project to give people a part in the whole thing," said Mark Pritchett of the National Park Service's Vinton office. He estimated it will take 10 years for the trees to become chest-high.
Tools, instructions and lunch will be provided. No experience is needed. The event will begin at 8 a.m. at the entrance to the closed regional landfill, on Rutrough Road in Roanoke County. A sign will mark the spot. The work is expected to last until at least 2 p.m. As of Monday, 50 volunteers were signed up and 50 more were needed.
To register, call Pritchett at (540) 857-2186 by the close of business Friday.
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