After 10 years of water quality monitoring by members of the Goose Creek Association, it has been found that Goose Creek is one of the best streams in the Piedmont of Virginia. This is in no small part due to many cooperative landowners, who live along the many steams in this 350 square mile watershed. However, Goose Creek, including its tributaries, is facing significant challenges to its long-term health.

This year the Goose Creek Association is initiating a community effort to stabilize the banks of Goose Creek and its tributaries, by undertaking a significant tree planting effort that we will call ―The Goose Creek Challenge.

At our annual Educational Forum at the Middleburg Community Center on March 7, 2012 we discussed how native willows, other plants and trees can stabilize the stream banks. It was explained how tree planting will engage volunteer school students, Scouts and families, thus accomplishing conservation education. Financial options were detailed. We look forward to working with interested landowners as we begin this multi-year challenge to protect our creek for future generations.

We hope to engage three types of participants: 1) landowners who desire to stabilize their creek banks to protect them from erosion, and/or create a buffer of trees; 2) volunteers who are willing to plant the shrubs or tree stakes, as well as already rooted small trees; and 3) donors who would contribute to a new ―Goose Creek Challenge fund which will help move this project forward. Hopefully, our membership will consider one of the three categories. For more information about the ―Goose Creek Challenge please contact the Goose Creek office at (goosecreek@erols.com or call 540-687-3073). Let’s work together to keep Goose Creek the ―Gem of the Piedmont.