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The Friends of Dyke Marsh: A Brief HistoryThe origins of the Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. can be stated quite precisely: it followed a meeting of local activists and naturalists held with officials of the National Park Service on January 28, 1976. Of course there had been earlier "friends," notably Louis Halle, whose splendid book Spring in Washington (1945) was set in large part in Dyke Marsh; Irston Barnes whose articles in the Washington Post helped engineer the Act of Congress of 1969 which set aside the Marsh as a wildlife preserve; and Jackson Abbott who for years had been keeping records of sightings and leading bird walks. Nonetheless, by 1976 the area seemed virtually abandoned. No attempt will be made here to identify the numerous volunteers who gave their time and skill freely over the past 27 years to preserve the Marsh. The appearance of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff in the Marsh in late 1975 raised questions which the Park Service proposed be addressed at a meeting which was organized by the Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS). I was on the ANS Conservation Committee and put together a list of attendees. In addition to publicizing possible plans for expanding the Marsh, it was agreed that an environmental assessment would be prepared and that the public should be involved through a continuing committee (the Friends!). In short order officers were elected and a charter was adopted. Later, articles of corporation were adopted and Friends' objectives were agreed to. Above all, the goal of the Friends was to preserve the remnant but valuable fresh water tidal marsh against a multitude of human and natural threats. A number of steps were agreed to, first by the new committee and in the years since:
(5) As the area around Dyke Marsh has become urbanized various human problems have been aggravated. Some problems such as hunters, commercial fishing, drug use and public immodesty were clearly illegal and gradually reduced. FODM supported these efforts. (6) A great deal of effort was spent coping with a "no brainer," a proposal to use herbicides to wipe out supposed menace hydrilla. The Friends' intervention was successful. (7) Proposals for a new Wilson Bridge access cutting across sensitive marshland. This proposal was opposed by the Friends' and was ultimately abandoned. (8) On the plus side, a boundary was set up to prevent intrusion by the Belle Haven Marina, signs posted identifying the preserve, and a boardwalk built to confine visitor trails. FODM participated. (9) A major positive activity of the Friends has been collecting and organizing data of all elements of the natural environment. Friends have collected and spent some $30,000 over the years to support research goals. This has gained Dyke Marsh entry in the Virginia State Department of Natural Resources files, among other collections. We have supported collection of data on, especially, the bird life including annual winter census and breeding bird surveys. Collection of data also includes results of the weekly bird walks led by expert birders. Other flora and fauna are the subject of ongoing collection efforts which we support and already have published in a pamphlet prepared by a trained biologist. After over a quarter century of effort, members can look back with satisfaction on the camaraderie of regular meetings, the contribution of volunteer work and the gains in understanding the natural ecology at their doorstep. It is clear that threats to the integrity of Dyke Marsh will never cease. Buffeted by natural and manmade forces, the continuation of the Friends is essential. -- Ed Risley (Founding Member, FODM)
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Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. is a non-profit §501(c)(3)
organization.
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