THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606070197
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 61 lines
Work on the new Chesapeake Arboretum is in full swing.
The new city arboretum is being developed on two parcels of about 48 acres of natural hardwood forest on Oak Grove Road, not far from North Battlefield Boulevard's bustling shopping centers.
The arboretum was the idea of Abby Hughes and the late Wade Long, both Chesapeake Master Gardeners. After years of negotiations, starts, stops, hopes and disappointments, the idea became a reality when the nonprofit Chesapeake Arboretum Inc. received the land on Oak Grove Road in October.
The facility will be a cross between a botanical garden and a place for cultivating trees, flowers and shrubs for scientific study and purposes, said Jack Starr, a retired architect, Master Gardener and one of directors of the Chesapeake Arboretum Inc.
Deborah L. Hennessy, an obstetrical nurse at Chesapeake General Hospital, helps coordinate work projects at the arboretum and supervises and coordinates volunteers. Hennessy said work has been done on the site for a few weeks.
``Things really took off about four weeks ago,'' she said. ``With lots of volunteer help, this land has the potential to be anything the city wants it to be.''
The first wave of volunteers at the site have been the Chesapeake Master Gardeners, who are trained in gardening and urban horticulture techniques. The Master Gardeners have already contributed more than 200 hours of work.
``One of our Master Gardeners has a husband on the USS Bainbridge, a ship stationed here that's being decommissioned,'' Hennessy said. ``They love doing community service and even set aside certain days in the week to help out communities. They will send teams of sailors to work at the end of June and in July.''
The site has already been visited by a small contingent of Bainbridge crew members who have contributed about 15 man-hours of work.
Hennessy's husband, Randy Hennessy, who works for Safeway Steel, was able to round up three workers from the company to help build a 30-foot-long, 7-foot-wide tube and clamp scaffolding bridge over part of the stream that snakes through the Arboretum's property.
``It's a temporary bridge that can be moved wherever we need it,'' she said. It will be there until we can build our permanent wooden bridge several months from now.''
Hennessy said Chesapeake Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops also have expressed an interest in helping out.
``The work isn't pretty,'' she said. ``We clear land, mow grass, weed, use weed whackers and hand-held sickles, dig and do other dirty soil work.
``There's a tremendous amount of dedication from our volunteers,'' Hennessy said. ``They all give us free labor. And, believe me, it's sweaty labor.''
But the end result will benefit the entire city, she added.
``This can be such a wonderful enrichment for the city on so many levels,'' she said.
Arboretum directors plan to establish hiking and walking trails for cardiovascular patients at Chesapeake General Hospital, fragrance gardens with wind chimes for the visually impaired and sanctuaries for birds. MEMO: Volunteer help is always needed to clear, clean and develop the
Chesapeake Arboretum. Especially needed are residents with power mowers
and power grass and weed trimmers. More information is available by
calling Debbie Hennessy at 482-7798. by CNB