By RUSTY DENNEN
Balancing recreational activities, such as camping and hunting, with protecting water quality, plants and animals along the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers, is a key focus of Fredericksburg's watershed property management plan.
A draft of the proposal--in the works for over a year--will be available for public review tomorrow night from 6-8 p.m. at the University of Mary Washington Jepson Center.
Fredericksburg in 2006 created a permanent conservation easement on more than 4,200 acres of land it owns along the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers. Along with the city, easement holders include The Nature Conservancy and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The acreage runs more than 20 miles upriver into five jurisdictions, and is considered an environmental and recreational jewel.
But as use of the property grows, Fredericksburg wants to update a decades-old management plan created after the City Council purchased the land from Virginia Electric and Power Co. in the 1960s.
City staff, easement holders and the Friends of the Rappahannock are heading up the current effort.
Camping, hunting, hiking, fishing and other recreational pursuits have always been allowed on the land. That won't change, though rules governing some of those activities are being re-examined.
For example, the draft notes that hunters and hunt clubs regularly use the property; hunters have made it clear they want continued access to the land.
According to the draft, "Large tracts of land available for hunting are rare near Fredericksburg, thus many individuals desire to retain the privilege. " Another reason cited for continuing the practice is controlling whitetail deer herds.
But hunting conflicts with other uses, so the draft recommends that hunting be banned within 100 yards of campsites and other public-access areas such as Motts Landing.
The plan calls for the highest recreational use to be concentrated closest to the city in what's been designated Corridor 1--Motts Landing, down river to below Interstate 95. That area is frequented by anglers, paddlers and float-tubers on short trips provided by river outfitters.
Corridor 2 encompasses Motts to Blankenbaker's (about six miles upstream).
Corridor 3 is Deep Run
The intent of the management plan is to steer activities to already established access points, such as boat ramps at Motts Landing and Kelly's Ford, and campsites at the confluence and other spots.
Friends of the Rappahannock's Water Trail Guide, published in 2007, lists current access points in the watershed property and has maps for paddlers and points of interest.
While hiking is encouraged on the property, along with leashed pets, recreational gold mining, all-terrain vehicle riding and horseback riding are among items not permitted.
Read the draft plan at: riverfriends.org/LinkClick .aspx?fileticket=bt5OR5-H240%3d&tabid=267&mid
Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Email: rdennen@freelancestar.com