The greenspace off Interstate 81 at Chilhowie’s Exit 35 is a haven for many species. Thanks to a cooperative project, it’s now a better sanctuary for the critters frequenting it.
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“It’s a combination of knowing that Roanoke logperch is there and having that resource concern that we were able to address.”
The North Fork of the Roanoke River traverses Montgomery County. Its meandering beauty won it a designation as a National Rural Historic District.
But multi use water ways don’t repair themselves, and the wear and tear from all kinds of activities, takes its toll.
It can cost thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, even millions in some parts of the state, to protect the water and keep it clean.
“And a lot of times what happens is the landowner starts to realize that they’re losing a lot of topsoil,” says Mike Pinder is an aquatic biologist with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. “And a lot of the stream is cutting away in sections and large sections of the property are falling into the Creek and washing away.”