As you all should know by now, Bryce Wilk is leaving the James River Park System for a position with Virginia State Parks. He shared some parting thoughts with us:
“The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”
-William James
This quote lives on my signature line on every email and serves as a constant reminder that I am in the business of parks and nature. If you are involved as a land manager in greenspaces, you know we are in the long term business. We work not in the terms of now, but in terms of decades into the future. Rarely do we get to see the fruits of our labor fully realized, but we take comfort in knowing that the benefits will be there for the next generation.
The James River Park System is a perfect example of a place that is constantly evolving but at a more leisurely pace than the hustle and bustle of our modern world in the City of Richmond. Buildings rise and fall, bridges are built, people come and go, but the Park System serves as a constant of sorts. There are changes that occur within our Park System, but they are on a different time scale. There is a familiarity of the roar of the Hollywood Rapids on Belle Isle, the ups and downs of Buttermilk Trail, the towering Sycamore trees along Pony Pasture Park. Each visit to the James River presents a unique and exciting experience, but is familiar and comforting at the same time.
I had the privilege of working as the 3rd Superintendent of this spectacular place! Preceding me as Superintendent, I worked with outdoor trailblazer, Nathan Burrell. Prior to Nathan, a true Richmond Icon and 1st Superintendent of the JRPS, Ralph White, helmed the position for decades. Now, Giles Garrison, the latest Park Superintendent, will provide a new vision that encompasses many of the best qualities as the former leaders. She will be an amazing steward to this precious Richmond resource.
I humbly understood the gravity of the position and more importantly the power of the James River and the passion of the people who use the Park System. January 22nd, 2019, my first day, I could not turn the smile off on my face. I vividly remember reporting to Reedy Creek Headquarters on the banks of the James. There was a slight fog along the river, I caught a glimpse of paddlers cutting through the ice and water on their way to the lower rapids, a red tailed hawk landed on a branch just outside the building to welcome me, and the sound of the river will forever resonate in my mind. During my time working in the James River Park System, that smile has never faded as I went into each day teeming with excitement for the possibilities of the Park System. Very rarely does a person oversee a space where you never repeat the same day twice, you are directly connected to a passion filled community, and you serve as the chief steward to the largest natural, historical, and cultural resource in the City of Richmond.
I will say farewell to the City of Richmond and the Parks Department February 3rd to work on new adventures at Virginia State Parks.
It was not an easy decision, there is always so much more to be accomplished with many goals and action items on the cusp and in motion as we speak. But we who work in parks, know that it is not about today, it’s about the future. In my relatively short time, we:
- Created the James River Park System Master Plan
- Increased access to the river through the Universal Access Ramp at Huguenot Flatwater and secured funds for an ADA path at Pump House Park
- Focused on native habitat restoration with the removal of tens of thousands of invasive plants and planted thousands of native plants at various parks along our river banks
- Improved our sustainable trail practices
- Rebuilt portions of our Parks after severe floods
- Enhanced safety focused education and wayfinding signage in multiple languages
- Raised awareness of our fragile ecosystem with our partner organizations and added acreage to our Conservation Easement
- Hired all available positions to have a fully staffed team, plus utilized grant funding to hire additional staff
- Restored archways and windows at the Historic Pump House
- Hosted special events like movie filming, art and culture festivals, paddling, nature camps and adventure races guided by Leave No Trace principals
- Provided quality educational programs for school aged children and the general public
- Most importantly, the James River Park System served as a safe haven and healthy outlet when our world faced a pandemic, hosting more Park guests than any other time in the Park System’s history!
I want to thank each and every one of you who connect with the river, especially the amazing support from Friends of James River Park, James River Outdoor Coalition, and Friends of Pump House Park and the Park Staff for making me and my family feel welcome, providing constructive feedback, challenging me at the appropriate times, supporting the efforts and enjoying the Park System! I appreciated the time and take comfort that the Park System will outlive me.
