The O. Winston Link Museum and the Western Virginia Land Trust present their first juried photo contest, Land+Link, as an opportunity for photographers to document the landscape of Southwest Virginia while competing for prizes and inclusion in the resulting group exhibition. We are asking photographers to submit an image (or images) that reflect their interpretation of this year's theme, "Preserving Our Landscape." The competition will be held during the summer of 2011. Subjects are limited to southwest Virginia.

The contest will be open to all. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners, as well as the winner of a special "People's Choice" award. The top three winners and People's Choice award winner will be featured in the Roanoke Star Sentinel, on the websites of the Link Museum and the land trust, and in upcoming issues of the land trust's magazine Saving Land and the Link Museum's newsletter Link News. Finalists will also be displayed at an exhibition at the Link Museum from Sept. 7-16, 2011 and at the Western Virginia Land Trust's Conservation Celebration on Sept. 18.

 

We ran this story a few weeks ago, but it's something we feel passionate about and encourage you to take action. 

 

Virginia state river access laws are among the least boater-friendly in the nation. While such laws are rare in other states, Virginia's laws allow private landowners to prevent paddlers from using many rivers and creeks throughout the state. Access to certain rivers and creeks have been deadlocked in debate for years, and remain in legal limbo. Throughout the state, paddlers have been escorted off rivers and access has been blocked.

 

To be clear, everyone agrees that if you get out of your boat, and step onto the river banks that you are indeed trespassing. What is at debate is whether you are trespassing if you float (while remaining in your boat) through sections of private land.

Neighboring states, such as West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Maryland have more nationally consistent river laws which support the public use of rivers. As a result, these states have bustling river-based economies, great quality of life for residents, good public health, and a high societal value on healthy rivers.

 

A petition is being circulated that requests the State of Virginia re-evaluate its laws regarding river access. If you support a change to Virginia's laws which will give paddlers the right to freely float the rivers and streams of Virginia please consider signing the petition.

 

Steps to Sign:

1. Download the petition (pdf)
2. Print the petition
3. Sign the petition (get your friends and coworkers to sign it too)
4. Mail to provided address (hard copies of petition carry more clout than online petitions which is why it is necessary to mail the petition)

Visit The RoanokeOutside.com Calendar of Events for details on these upcoming events!

• Weekly bike rides throughout Roanoke & NRV Valley
• Weekly ultimate frisbee pickup games (Sundays & Wednesdays) 
• Hikes too numerous to list 
• Monday Bike Polo
• Tuesday Tune Ups  
• Thursday Happy Hour Floats    
• Odyssey Land Navigation Clinic - 8/6
• Tubing on the Maury River - 8/6
• Intro. to Whitewater Kayaking - 8/6
• Artie Levin Memorial Century Ride - 8/7
• Microfestivus - 8/13
• Smith River Fest - 8/13-14
• 37th Annual Salem Distance Run - 8/13
• Rolling Down the River - 8/20
• Carvins Cove Backcountry Mtn. Bike Shuttle - 8/20
• 15th Annual Fab 5K - 8/20
• Sea Kayaking on Carvins Cove - 8/27
• Mountain Road Wine Experience - 8/27
• Wilderness Survival Skills Clinic - 8/27
• Bass Pro Shops River Bassin' Trail Tournament - 9/10
• Banff Radical Reels Film Festival & Get Outside Expo - 9/14 
• The Roanoke Outdoor Circus - 10/21-23   
• Into The Darkness Trail Run - 10/22 
• Gear Junkie $40,000 Outdoor Gear Treasure Hunt - 10/23  
• Run Around the Gorge - 10/21-23