09/08/2026
It’s time for another…
𝐃𝐚𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
𝑩𝒚 𝒁𝒐𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ—ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱʜᴀʀᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ."
Michael Shrader has spent his life exploring rivers, from tubing as a child in Virginia to paddling the Potomac and, today, kayaking the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. A conservation-minded landowner, cyclist, and board member with the Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, Michael dedicates much of his time to restoring native habitats, improving wildlife habitat, and promoting responsible stewardship of the land.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮?”
Some of my earliest memories involve rivers. My mom likes to tell people that I was tubing before I could even walk. Throughout college, I spent countless days on the river, and later I explored sections of the Potomac while hiking with my dogs.
When my wife and I moved to the Shenandoah Valley, we quickly found ourselves drawn to the North Fork. One of my favorite places is a natural river crossing on the property that my family shares with several partners. We often gather there with friends and family, set up our chairs beneath a large sycamore tree, listen to the gentle sound of the water moving over the rocks, and simply enjoy being together. It's peaceful, quiet, and one of those places where time seems to slow down.
Another favorite tradition is kayaking with my wife. When the river is at the right depth, we'll paddle upstream for a mile or so with our two husky mixes running along the shoreline as our little dog sits on the bow of the kayak. Once we've reached a quiet spot, we'll stop for a picnic before turning around and letting the current carry us back home. Those simple moments have become some of my favorite memories on the river.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?”
The river has become a place of peace, solitude, and connection. At the same time, it's also a reminder that the health of our waterways depends on the choices we make on the land around them.
I think about the river not only as somewhere to enjoy, but as something we all share responsibility for. We rely on it for recreation, wildlife habitat, and clean water, and I believe it's our job to leave it in better condition for the generations that follow.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫?”
Protecting the river starts with taking care of the land around it. Since moving to the Shenandoah Valley, I've worked to make our property a better place for wildlife and healthier for the watershed. Through conservation programs with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, we've delayed hay cutting so ground-nesting birds have time to raise their young, removed invasive species from our woodlands, and encouraged more native vegetation to thrive.
I also believe that helping people connect with the river is an important part of conservation. Because much of the North Fork flows through private land, many people don't realize it's there or have the opportunity to enjoy it. As more access becomes available, I hope more families will experience the same sense of peace and community that the river has given me.
Conservation isn't always about large, complicated projects. Often, it's the small, intentional decisions we make every day that leave the biggest impact. Whether it's restoring habitat, choosing more sustainable land management practices, or simply helping someone discover the river for the first time, those small actions add up. I hope future generations will have the chance to build the same memories on the North Fork that my family and I continue to make today.
🙋♂️ Want to share your River Story? Send us a DM or email [email protected].
