Welcome to the first edition of Mariners’ Park Field Notes! As the seasons change, our dedicated Park teams have been hard at work enhancing trails, protecting our forest, caring for our beautiful Lake, and beautifying the grounds. From award-winning landscaping to exciting community partnerships, read on to discover what’s been happening in your park!
Forestry and Fire Safety
Our Forestry Team achieved a major milestone by completing the Museum’s first-ever Mitigation Action Plan for proper forest management and defensible space. This comprehensive plan outlines brush management, invasive species removal, forest thinning, and prescribed burns to reduce fire fuel around the property. Additionally, our forestry representative joined the City of Newport News Tree Canopy Advisory Committee, helping guide future plantings and the development of an Urban Forestry Plan for the city.
Trail Team
In preparation for the 50k race during the Fall Festival, our trail crew tackled high-priority erosion locations along miles 1-3 of the Noland Trail, using approximately 35-45 tons of material. The erosion fixes include the slopes toward bridges 5,7,9,10, and 11, as well as some trouble spots in between. The team also applied lessons learned from previous projects to adjust water bars and divert water away from the trail tread
Starting 2026 strong, the team resurfaced one of the roughest sections of the Meadow Path, covering exposed gravel with clay and stone dust to create a safer, more pleasant walking surface. This represents about 8 percent of the mile 6 resurfacing plans for the year ahead!
Lake Activities
Our Lake Team had a fantastic summer hosting hundreds of youth campers and paddlers! The fall season brought continued community engagement, including a Nature Time program that was featured in the Virginia Gazette/Daily Press. In September, the Lake Team and three dedicated volunteers conducted a shoreline trash cleanup in the Gatewood Road area, harvesting an impressive 325.75 pounds of trash — our largest single-event cleanup of 2025! Regular shoreline cleanups on foot and by kayak are essential for lake resource management and community engagement. We track this data carefully to better understand human impacts on the lake, monitor lake health and dam safety, and protect vital habitat. We’re also collecting valuable data on fish species to support a thriving lake ecosystem.
Horticulture and Grounds
Working alongside United Way of the Virginia Peninsula Day of Caring volunteers from WM Jordan and the Coast Guard, our Grounds Team removed dead shrubs at the propeller wall next to Warwick Boulevard and pulled 75 percent of the English ivy near the Museum’s front entrance. This cleanup not only improves the Museum’s appearance but also creates space for native plant species to flourish.
Award Spotlight
The Newport News Green Foundation named The Mariners’ Museum and Park as a 2025 Green Award recipient for our ongoing commitment to native, environmentally friendly landscaping. We also won the People’s Choice Award!
Team Recognition
Congratulations to Erica Deale, Director of the Park Department, on her appointment to the Newport News Wetlands Board! This appointment strengthens our connection to regional environmental stewardship
Thank you for being part of the Mariners’ Park community! Whether you’re walking our trails, paddling our lake, or simply enjoying the natural beauty around you, your support makes all of this work possible.