SIERRA

   There are a lot of issues that I could be harping on and I will get around to at least one of them. But let's begin this fall time of year with some positive thoughts about Nature and the outdoors.

   One significant result of these activities has been that we have essentially doubled the size of our local Board. This makes it possible for us to do more and do a better job of meeting the needs of more of the membership.

   Following are some quotes from James A. Swan:

"Emotional health requires anchoring in nature."
"Strive to establish sympathies with the natural world, stones, plants, animals and stars are the very core of our identity."
"The oldest people on earth have a common characteristic; they appreciate the beauty of nature."
"Ancient wisdom in cultures all around the world asserts that if you love and care for a place, it will reciprocate in ways that will surprise you."

   There are several issues that do deserve our attention. Amongst them are preserving farm land so that we don't become dependent on foreign food sources like our dependency on oil, uncontrolled growth and the one getting our attention currently: transportation.

   For a moment consider the transportation referendum. The third crossing with connectors is very desirable particularly if it includes light rail. However, some of the other roads are going to create more traffic. These include The South East Parkway and Route 460. Both of these are going to open large areas to further development and vastly increased traffic in just a few years. However, not expanding 460 will possibly create even greater problems.

   The main problem currently is all the development going on in Suffolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach without any improvements in the roads taking place. We are allowing development to occur almost every where with no new roads.

   Our problems with traffic, pollution and evacuation will not be solved by the few roads proposed in the referendum. Five years ago the Hampton Roads District Planning Commission was recommending 11 projects. Now we are only proceeding with 6 of them. Further more, the people of Virginia Beach will have a nearly impossible time leaving the area for a disaster and may have to look to shelters instead of joining in the creeping parking lots that will occur.

   I used to think that we are smart enough to know how to create a road system that would control traffic and provide effective transportation for all. Watching the development that is going on in this region without any consideration for a transportation system leads me to think that the political situation will not allow for an effective system. The people we send to Richmond either don't know how to do it or don't want to do it. Their agenda seems to be no taxes and very little if any government. They have no intent on managing the situation and apparently have developed no managerial skills. Their approach has a very bad impact on important matters of government such as education, transportation, public health and the environment. We need to change these people until we find some who are willing and able to make our government work.

   We suggest you vote no on the transportation referendum and letıs get people in Richmond who are willing and capable of doing the job.

   Come join us for an exciting year of enjoying and preserving the environment.

   An Environmental Art Show for the benefit of Sierra Club's Chesapeake Bay Group was the inspiration of Sarah Byrne. This was a win, win, win situation. The environment, the artists and the gallery would all be the beneficiaries.

   Sarah gathered 15 local artists who have a passion for the outdoors to create works for the "show". Our own Pamela Barcita participated with three remarkably original pieces.

   This is an excellent gallery and does do justice to the presentation of the work.

   The "show's" opening was the evening of 19 July with a major wine and cheese affair. The artists, friends, Sierra Club members and others from the community were in attendance at this first time event. It truly was a fun affair. The art was very original and several of the pieces dramatized the conditions of the environment. The show ran until mid August.

   We are fortunate to have for our opening Fall program Mr. Jim Bonavita. Jim is the local snake expert. He sometimes teaches at EVMS.

   Jim will share with us his passion for these remarkable creatures. He will also pass on some of his knowledge of how best to behave with the snakes and how to deal with snake bites in the wilderness.

   Come join us at the Virginia Beach Central Library at 7PM on Monday the 9th of September.

   Our first outing this year will be a hike at one of our favorite sites: First Landing State Park.

   Nancy McAdoo will be our guide and she has invited one of the parkıs guides to come along and to explain the fauna and flora.

   The date is 14 September. Meet at the visitor's center off of Shore Drive. You have to drive in about 2 miles to get there. The time is 9 AM.

   Bring a light lunch; we will do a get together after the walk. Contact Nancy for further questions: 464-4483.

   Let's hope for some great fall weather.

   Sierra Club is about adventure. This spring one of our very own members, who is almost 70 years old, bicycled across country. Fran Adams, Grandmother of 11, began in San Diego on the 8th of March 2002 and arrived in St. Augustine Florida on the 3 of May. She biked every inch of 3,080 miles. She did this with 12 other women all who were over 50.

   There were lots of mountains, wind and sand, days and days without trees in West Texas, and even alligator burgers.

   Several of the women riders are cancer survivors.

   This is an exciting as well as emotional presentation. Come and see if there is an adventure in your future.

   The date is 7 October, the location is the Virginia Beach Central Library and the time is 7 PM.

   Special outing to 'Nike' Park in Smithfield. We have had an invitation to conduct a species survey for the park. The park has never had any kind of a survey that would establish a data base that could be employed to develop a habitat improvement program.

   We have several good birders and butterfly enthusiasts that will be using their skills to conduct the survey. We will also be sampling wild flowers.

   Come and either participate or observe the survey in progress. We will spend the morning doing the survey. Around noon time we will stop and have a good lunch.

   The effort for the day should be over at about 1 o'clock.

   The date is 12 October. Some of you can go straight to the park. Others will meet at the Virginia Beach Central Library and proceed from there. The time will be 8 AM at the library. We should all be at the park by 9 AM. Experienced birders may want to go over much earlier. Contact Fred at 467-2775 for details.

   The fall service outings program is shaping up with some outstanding projects. You may want to get involved!

   We have been requested the Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation to construct bird cages for hawks and owls. The cages are 8x8x8' for each of 6 birds, three hawks and three owls.

   One of the cages is already under construction but two remain to be done. For additional details contact Don Jeffries at 340-5250.

   We have also been requested to assist with the construction of butterfly gardens at Norfolk's Title I camp for elementary school children. The camp is located behind the Chesapeake branch of TCC. It is an outstanding camp for young students with learning limitations.

   Unfortunately, the site is low lands covered with pine trees and very little sunlight. Butterfly gardens require considerable sunlight.

   We will check the location out and hopefully we will be able to find a suitable site for installing a couple gardens for butterflies and the students.

   In addition, we have the opportunity to assist Nike Park, which is near Smithfield, with a species inventory. The inventory is necessary for effective planning for enhancing the habitat for wildlife and for environmental educational programs. Fortunately, our group has some serious enthusiasts for birding, butterflies and wildflowers. Come and join us and develop some skills in these areas. The one that requires the least experience is wildflowers.

   Our coordinator will be Ron Andersen, who has recently participated in two training classes on mapping of species inventories.

   Finally, we still have on the list planting grasses on the tunnel islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Everything is in place with the exception of obtaining the grasses. I just don't seem to be able to finalize that part of this project. Want to help, call Fred 467-2775.