In 2004, portions of the Redbud Run watershed in eastern Frederick County, Virginia were set aside for conservation. But while acquiring land is essential, it is only the beginning of long-term protection. The property’s conservation must be planned, implemented, maintained, and evaluated. Scientific data are needed to inform ongoing decision-making. The public must be engaged, too, so that they can appreciate, enjoy, and help maintain and manage the site.
To help achieve these goals at Redbud Run, The Opequon Watershed, Inc. (TOW) is collaborating with staff of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), which was renamed the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) last year. The emphasis has been on public education, and on conservation of land adjacent to the stream. Our key DWR partners are Ron Hughes, Lands and Access Manager, and Samantha (Sam) Lopez, Wildlife Management Supervisor.
An important initial step, based on our site visits and follow-up discussions, occurred in October 2020. We identified general goals and potential projects for TOW involvement at the Redbud Run WMA and elsewhere in the watershed. You can see the list we developed, which is linked in the “Resources” section of this website. While there is no shortage of ideas, TOW members recognize that our organization cannot do the work alone. We intend to work with other citizen groups and local agencies to coordinate efforts with DWR to protect, support, promote, and celebrate Redbud Run and its surrounding watershed.
Join in!
Interested in getting involved? Have other ideas? Contact TOW President Steve Bauserman: jsbauserman@frontier.com
Redbud Run is spring-fed stream that flows for 5 miles to Opequon Creek through Frederick County, Virginia. It is situated just two miles east of Interstate 81 and the City of Winchester. Historically, native brook trout have inhabited Redbud Run. At some point, rainbow trout appeared – probably introduced by owners of adjacent land. The rainbows’ successful reproduction was documented by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) in 1975, and the creek was designated a Class III Wild Trout Stream.
While commercial centers, residential developments and highways cover much of the Redbud Run watershed, the stream’s water quality has been maintained somewhat by wooded ravine slopes, agricultural land, protected open space and forests. Fish surveys in 2001 and 2005 documented a marginal rainbow trout presence throughout the entire stream. Today Redbud Run is one of only three Shenandoah Valley streams that support a naturally reproducing rainbow trout population.
In 2004, the DGIF acquired a 33-acre land parcel that includes a 0.83-mile segment of Redbud Run downstream of the Third Winchester Battlefield. In 2012, the property became the Redbud Run Wildlife Management Area (RRWMA). TOW and Trout Unlimited (TU) took lead roles in working with the DGIF, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, Civil War Preservation Trust, and other organizations and agencies to protect the watershed and establish the wildlife management area. TOW and TU member Jim Lawrence coordinated these successful efforts.
A parking lot beside Woods Mill Road, 0.2 miles north of Route 7, provides access to the property. Wooded paths traverse the tree-covered slopes above the creek. The area is open to catch-and-release trout fishing, hiking, and nature study. Redbud Run is the site of TU’s “Trout in the Classroom” project: children in Frederick County schools work with the Winchester Chapter of TU to raise brook trout (the trout species native to Virginia) from eggs. They release the fry the following spring.
Ready to Help?
The list below, and the accompanying photographs, provide some of the highlights of our activities since early 2020.
- Site visits on August 3, 2020 and April 26, 2021 to examine the trails, creek, parking lot, signs, and historic buildings. Identification of maintenance issues, data needs, and potential projects.
- In-person and online meetings in 2020 and 2021 to prioritize projects and identify local partners.
- Additional site visits and project work by TOW and DWR, including trail clearing, in Spring 2021.
- Group work days with DWR on May 26, and July 20, 2021:
- Site preparation for a pollinator garden, featuring plants native to our region, in front of the interpretive kiosk in the parking lot
- Trash and brush removal
- Removal of shrubs, brush, and aggressive/invasive trees in the bioretention swale surrounding the parking lot
- Clearing trails that run west from Woods Mill Road across the ravine slopes above and beside Redbud Run
Projects to undertake in the near future include these:
- Ongoing control and removal of aggressive trees and shrubs in the bioretention swale
- Planting and maintenance of the pollinator garden
- Re-establishing the open meadow (extensive removal of non-native plants required) and seeding of native meadow species east of the parking lot
- Clearing of 1-2 access points to Redbud Run near the parking lot
- Identification of noteworthy areas of native plants to maintain and monitor
- Update kiosks with pertinent DWR information and map
- Continue to rotate signs on a seasonal basis in kiosk (built and maintained by Shenandoah University)
- Seasonal and annual maintenance and monitoring
Interested in getting involved? Have other ideas? Contact TOW President Steve Bauserman: jsbauserman@frontier.com
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