With a notepad in one hand and an oar in the other, Olivia Nayeri is one of the hundreds of River Rats patrolling the James River seeking out environmental changes that could impact the quality of the watershed. The area includes everything from wild life and water quality to the sediment at the bottom of the river.
Established in 2011 by the James River Association, the River Rat program has made a positive impact on the river through community involvement.
Volunteers from the Richmond, Williamsburg and Lynchburg areas have gone through training in order to spot any changes to the river and report back to the James River Association at least three times a year.
These locals provide valuable information to the JRA and have a keener sense of what looks different. River Rats get to choose where on the river they want to patrol which provides the association with local perspectives on watershed changes.
Some things that River Rats are educated on what to look for when monitoring the water include unusual smells emitting from the water, cattle bathing on the banks, large amounts of deceased fish and oil or pollution that may come to the surface.
Each problem that they may encounter are ranked in importance and whether it would qualify for immediate action, one being large amounts of floating fish.
Members are also encouraged to take photos of their areas for any problems they may face or just to show the JRA how well things are going. Photos provide feedback for Watson and other members of the conservation team.
River Rats was started by the James River Association's chief executive officer #BillStreet when he wanted a way to involve the community in their natural resources. Today the program is thriving and has over 350 members working towards restoring the watershed.
Volunteer coordinator Sophie Stern is in charge of communicating with and organizing the group. She grew up near Lake Erie and has had a passion for nature since a young age. Stern previously worked for a botanical garden before joining the JRA and enjoyed taking care of plant life. Since joining the association, she has continued that passion by connecting with community members.
If anyone is interested in becoming a River Rat should to apply online and then attend one of the few training sessions held a year. These requirements are crucial as they properly prepare interested conservationists with the tasks at hand.
People may join the program for a variety of reasons. Some of the trainees at the April 14th session joined because they live near the river and others joined because they have a passion for the environment and want to do more to help it.
Nayeri has always had a place in her heart for nature. She wants to become a marine biologist and is pursuing her undergraduate degree in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. By joining the River Rats, she hopes to better decide if biology is the right field for her and also wants to learn more about the watershed around her.
She also plans to stick with the program for all four years of her undergraduate degree as a way to volunteer and learn more about the scientific processes that go into monitoring the water quality and changes seen throughout the changing seasons.
River Rat trainings are instructed by Stern along with staff scientist Ben Watson and Emily Cope. Together they hold a four hour session of information on the JRA, what their duties will be and action projects for the Rats to soak up.
Watson grew up along the #JamesRiver in Richmond and spent most of his summers outdoors enjoying the nature around him with friends and family. He pursued an environmental science degree from Virginia Tech and later received his masters in climate change and vegetation dynamics.
Now working with the #JamesRiverAssociation, Watson studies data and statistics on the current state of the James including water quality and fish reproduction. He also works alongside other members of the association such as Jamie Brunkow to create a State of the James report that is produced every 2 years.
Brunkow is the lower James river-keeper and assists Watson in gathering data, reaching the community and educating the public.
These reports provide information to the public on the rises and falls of stream health, brook trout, phosphorus reductions, bald eagles, riverine forests, smallmouth bass, agricultural pollution, sediment reductions, storm water pollution control, bacteria reductions and more.
The report is discussed with the River Rats. It provides insight to the trainees on what focus areas should be their main priorities. Any improvement seen throughout the report is highly looked upon. River Rats along with other members of the community are helping achieve those goals.
Emily Cope grew up near the #ChesapeakeBay and had field trips to the water her during elementary school fifth grade class. There she discovered her love for nature. This led her to pursuing a college degree in biology and environmental science from William and Mary.
She now works with the JRA as a regional outreach coordinator and is located in their Williamsburg office. She is the lower James River community’s point of contact and assists the River Rats whenever needed.
Stern provides each trainee with a pamphlet that has detailed information about the JRA, who the staff is, safety precautions to consider, duties to be performed and what types of pollution to look for.
River Rats are also required to complete one action project a year that can be anything from picking up trash along the river banks to writing an informative blog post to be broadcasted on their social platforms.
Action projects play a vital role in the program. These are a way to get trainees to connect with their fellow community members and educate them on what the #JRA is striving to do. Each River Rat is allotted a $500 budget to help fund their projects. This is especially crucial because it allows members to think above and beyond without the limits of money.
After completing all of their trainings and gaining education on their duties, the #RiverRats are sent out to manage their section of the river. One #kayak paddle at a time, the #watershed will see benefits from the actions taken by these community conservationists.
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