RMS Annual Board Meeting

Calendar

Prev Month	View Month	Search	Go to Month	Next Month

RMS Annual Board Meeting

Thursday, September 25, 2025, 5:00 PM to Monday, September 29, 2025, 5:00 PM EDT

Category: Board

Hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University at the VCU Rice Rivers Center, Charles City County, VA

The River Management Society (RMS) is excited to announce its 2025 National Board Meeting, hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) at the picturesque VCU Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, Virginia! The Rice Center is VCU’s “River campus,” an environmental research and education field station on the tidal lower James. Join us for a productive meeting, engaging activities, and the unique opportunity to experience the natural beauty and rich history of the James River.

Overview & Itinerary:

We encourage attendees to schedule their travel to arrive on the late afternoon or early evening of Thursday, September 26th.

Thursday, September 25th (Evening): Welcome Dinner at the VCU Rice Rivers Center.
Friday, September 26th (Full Day): Business Meeting at the VCU Rice Rivers Center.
Saturday, September 27th

Morning: Business Meeting at the VCU Rice Rivers Center.
Afternoon: Field Activity: Flatwater paddling on the lower James River for eagle and (maybe, if lucky) Sturgeon breaching with the RMS member RVA paddlesports. This trip offers opportunities to observe bald eagles, learn about local history, and potentially witness sturgeon breaching!
Evening: Open Dinner for Board Members and regional RMS members interested in joining.

Sunday, September 28th (Full Day): River Outing on the James River through Richmond, organized by the VCU Outdoor Adventure Program. This exciting trip will navigate the upper/lower sections of the James River, offering Class II Upper James or Class III Lower James whitewater experiences (or both), depending on river levels and interest. We can mix rafting with history and rock pool science!
Sunday, September 28th (Evening only) / Monday, September 29th (Morning): Departures.

Directions:

The Rice River Center is located at 3701 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City, Virginia 23030, between Richmond and Williamsburg, VA. The Richmond International Airport is about 20 miles away. Airport shuttles can be arranged to and from the field station for those flying in

Accommodations:

Participants are encouraged to stay on site in the Inger Rice Lodge. This overnight residential facility overlooking the Kimages Creek Wetland allows us to host top international ecologists, faculty, and students conducting on-site research or multi-day fieldwork excursions. Inger Rice Lodge is a residential facility that can accommodate up to 22 overnight guests in bunk beds. The lodge has a living area, a full kitchen, and a large screened porch and is designed as a day-use or residential venue for meetings, symposia, and professional retreats. It is a short walk from the Research Facility and the Walter L. Rice Education Building. The Inger Rice Lodge provides multiple-occupancy rooms, designed to foster a sense of community among guests. In total, there are six rooms. This includes one double-occupancy room equipped with bunk beds, three four-person occupancy rooms with an en-suite bathroom, and two four-person rooms that use the shared lodge bath and shower room. Please note that we do not provide linens or pillows. We recommend you plan accordingly and bring a sleeping bag, sheets, or whatever you need to be comfortable. DIY camping in a grassy field next to the lodge is also allowed. Overnight users of the Inger Rice Lodge will be charged $15 per bed per night.

If you have your own transport and you’d like to “choose your own adventure” and arrange your lodging, you might consider looking at the few Airbnb options near Charles City, VA (15-minute drive). Other options include River’s Rest marina on the Chickahominy River (30 min drive, rooms from $180 per night), North Bend Plantation historic bed and breakfast (20 min, drive, rooms from $170 including tax), and the cities of Richmond (40 min drive) and Colonial Williamsburg (55 min drive) offer many options.

Community Meals:

Preparing and sharing meals is a fantastic way to connect, enjoy each other's company, and build a strong community. To foster this spirit and keep event costs down, we'll be self-catering our meals using the kitchen facilities at the Inger Rice Lodge.

We'll prepare a meal plan beforehand, taking into account everyone's dietary needs. Generally, here's what you can expect:

Breakfast: A self-serve, light breakfast bar, similar to what you'd find on a river trip. Think coffee, bagels, cream cheese, oatmeal, cereal, and yogurt.
Lunch: A self-catered sandwich bar.
Dinner: Delicious, community-prepared dinners. We'll plan these based on attendees' dietary needs and preferences, with ideas like spaghetti night, chili night, or a cookout.

Your active participation is key! We ask that all attendees come prepared to help with meal preparation and cleanup. This collaborative effort will not only strengthen our community bonds and provide opportunities to interact but also significantly help us keep event costs reasonable and accessible for everyone. Once we have our attendee list, we'll organize a meal prep and cleanup roster to ensure everyone gets a chance to contribute. We're excited to share these meals and build memories together!