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Footprints & Paddledrips
Volume 3 Issue 6
Newsletter of the Georgia Nature-based Tourism Association,
July 2001
July Meeting
The next meeting of the Georgia Nature-based Tourism Associa-tion will
be held on Tuesday, July 17 near Savannah in the Quality Inn &
Suites (I-95 & 204). Hosts will be Karen Arms & Beth Nunley
of Tootsy Tours.
The morning program will cen-ter around a discussion of the nature-based
tourism business, eco-tourism ethics, & techniques for "being
green" for both the customer & the operator. Guest speakers will
be Michael Neal of Bull River Cruises,
Diana Churchhill of
Wilderness Southeast (912-897-5108), & Karen Arms.
Lunch will be at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant courtesy of Tootsy Tours.
The afternoon field trip will be a visit to the nearby Savannah-Ogeechee
Canal Museum & Nature Center for a short hike.
Directions
Take exit 94 (old 16) off I-95 south of Savannah at GA 204. The Quality
Inn & Suites will be located just east of the inter-change near the
1st traffic light. For furthur information, contact Tootsy Tours (toll-free)
at 1-888-736-3828.
Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center
Located along the banks of the mighty Ogeechee River near Savannah, the
popular site preserves a portion of the 19th Century barge canal that
connected the Savannah & Ogeechee Rivers. History comes alive through
interpretive tours and various exhibits in the Mus-eum. The natural side
of the area is also an attraction, as short trails allow a visitor to
explore both the river swamp and a sandhill community where unique wild-life
abounds. The site is on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, and is a mecca
for birders who hope to glimpse Swallow-tailed and Mississippi Kites as
they glide over the cypress canopy. From exit 94 (old 16) on I-95, it
is only 2.3 miles west along GA 204 on the left (south).
Information: 912-748-0805 or www.socanalmuseum.com.
July Agenda
9:00 a.m. Committee Meeting
9:30 a.m. Refreshments/Social Period
10:00 a.m. Introductions, Announcements, & General Meeting
11:00 a.m. Guest Speakers "Ecotourism"
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Afternoon Activity S.O.C.M. & N.C.
May Activity Highlights
The May 2001 meeting of the GNTA was held in Woodbine at the Satilla
County Park located along the beautiful Satilla River. Earlene Crews
and Tonja Rosado of the Kingsland
Convention & Visitor's Bureau were hosts. Woodbine representatives
included Sandy Raceland, City Manager, and Pat Kelly, Council Member.
The afternoon educational field trip was led by Jake Price and Karen Rock.
Mr. Price began the leisurely srtoll on the River Walk by identifying
the trees, shrubs, & wildflowers which grew along the banks of the
Sa-tilla River, and relating many interesting facts about the plants.
The new boardwalk was built with nature-loving tourists in mind, and provided
excellant views of blooming wildflowers such as Pickerelweed, Lizard's
Tail, & Coral Bean. Clumps of Wild Rice waved in the wind, and were
a reminder that in the 1800's a major rice plantation called Refuge was
once located across the river. Another historical feature located here
was the famous Dixie Highway which was used by tourists traveling along
the Atlantic Coast until the more modern highways were con-structed. In
an effort to continue meeting the needs of its visitors, local officials
used funds from the "Rails-to-Trails" Program & converted
railroad tracks to hik-ing paths. Ms. Rock continued the tour by escorting
the group through the picturesque historical district of Woodbine. The
charming style of the 1890's was evident in sev-eral two-story homes
which fea-tured intricate latticework, bay windows, & white wicker
fur-niture. It was noted that the St. Mark's Episcopal Church was one
of the last Southern build-ings to be constructed of tabby. The community
is also famous for being the location of the renown Bryan-Lang Library,
which is the repository for an amazing assortment of valuable area historical
records & is regularly visited by researchers from around the country.
Those who participated in the field activity agreed that Woodbine's focus
on protecting, restoring, and high-lighting its natural beauty, architectural
charm, and historical heritage is a winning blend of the best of nature-based
tourism. Thanks to the efforts of Earlene Crews, the meeting was featured
on KB106 radio and in the Georgia Times-Union.
GNTA Contacts
GNTA Web site
www.georgianature.org
Correspondence & membership
Correspondence/membership
President:
Sheila Willis
326 Pineview Dr.
Waycross, GA 31501
912-285-0419
Newsletter Items (by last Monday of each month)
Vice President:
Karen Arms
P.O. Box 10585
Savannah, GA 31412
912-232-0032
karms@tootsytours.com
Billing statements
Treasurer:
Joy Campbell
Rt. 2, Box 3325
Folkston, GA 31537
912-496-7156
info@okefenokeeadventures.com
A Suwannee River Park
Funds have now been secured to create a new Suwannee River State Park
near Fargo. Soon to come are a visitor center, board-walks, an eco-lodge
for confer-ences, cabins, & campsites. The focus will be on the peace
one finds while visiting this ancient waterway, and it is expected that
canoeists & kay-akers will compose a substan- tial part of the guest
profile. Congratulations to Mayor Patricia Oettmeier whose vision of an
ever-flowing Suwannee River enjoyed by future generations is becoming
a reality.
Nature-based Events
A Bird Photography Contest is being held thru Jan. 2002 in an effort
to draw attention to the state's Colonial Coast Birding Trail & its
amazing variety of birds. Photos must be taken at one of the 18 sites
located along the trail. Four members of the GNTA are part of this system:
Jekyll Island, Melon
Bluff Nature Preserve, Okefenokee
National Wildlife Refuge, and Savannah-Ogeechee
Canal Museum & Nature Center. A variety of prizes are to
be awarded & include Coastal Georgia vacations, binoculars, &
signed wildlife prints. For furthur details, contact Kitty Sikes of
the GA Dept. of Industry, Trade, & Tourism (Colonial Coast)
at 912-651-3160 or via e-mail at ccgarep@mindspring.com.
Send Us Your News
If you know of any interesting nature news, conservation concerns, or
nature-based events & conferences, please help spread the word by
sending a notice to the GNTA. At each meeting member newsletters or other
informative documents will be available for display.
Appreciation Corner
It is impossible for any organization--whether it is large or small,
non-profit or for-profit, local or state--to function in an orderly fashion,
to meet its goals, or to improve & grow without the caring and hard
work of numerous individuals. The GNTA would like to thank Vickie Leverette
and Staci Tucker of the Waycross
Tourism Bureau for
going more than that famous "extra mile". They have offered
invaluable assistance of all kinds, and the recent success the GNTA has
had in securing several grants, producing a monthly newsletter & directory,
and maintaining communications among the membership is due in no small
measure to their support. While the WTB will continue to be part of the
GNTA, the talented duo will be focusing on pro-ducing a landmark brochure
that will encompass all the entrances to the famous Okefenokee Swamp.
We wish them well in this new venture which should show how an ecosystem
approach to na-ture-based touism, and stressing unity rather than competition,
will truly benefit all. See what they are accomplishing via www.waycrosstour@accessatc.net
The GNTA would especially like to express its sincere gratitude
to the professional staff of Lenz,
Inc.. This
Atlanta-based firm, under the
guidance of Richard Lenz,
has worked tirelessly to develop the GNTA Website, post the latest information,
& add "special touches" which have drawn compliments from
many. Chip Evans, John
Lenz, & Pam Holliday are part of a remarkable team whose actions
prove that their commitment to conservation is more than just "saying
the words". Anyone who has read their nature publications can see
where their heart is. Thanks for all you do.
Welcome New Members
We would like to welcome to our ranks the following: Ashton, Ashton,
& Associates (New-berry, FL) and Sweetwater Fishery (White Oak, GA).
Please see their listings in the Directory & use the GNTA Website
to click onto their respective sites for more back-ground information.
We look forward to a great partnership with you all.
Future Newsletters--"Meet the Members"
Work schedules & other obligations make it difficult for all the
members of the Association to attend each meeting and thus share their
views or become better acquainted with their fellow members. Therefore,
upcoming editions of "Footprints & Paddledrips" will periodically
spotlight the mission statements, business philosophies, and personal
thoughts of the various members of the GNTA as revealed in their pub-lications,
etc., as well as descriptive accounts of who they are. The words one
choses to publish reveal much, and a glance at some of the member information
sent for the Association's reference file shows that we have an abundance
of thoughtful, talented, and caring people within our ranks. Let's get
to know them.
Newsletter Issues
"Footprints & Paddledrips" is compiled, printed, &
issued monthly by Sheila Willis & Karen Arms. Due to health problems
& other events, the June edition was incorporated into the July issue.
Directory Changes
The Membership & Resource Directory has been updated, & is being
sent to members (e-mail or snail). Please note updates in information
& changes in the membership listing itself.
Project Updates
ICAPP Grant: The GNTA has received its funds & purchased audio-visual
equipment & supplies that will be used in developing & presenting
pro-grams on the GNTA for its Educational Outreach Project. We were awarded
the grant last year by Georgia Southern University which administers the
ICAPP program. Planning is underway for a short Summer 2001 presentation
at Laura S. Walker State Park near Waycross. Again, please send us any
slides, photos, etc. of you & your area which you would like
to have used as part of this educational effort.
Savannah Presbytery Grant: The GNTA was awarded funds thru the
M.K. Pentecost Ecology Trust Fund which will be used for its Communications
Net-work including website, news-letter, & publications. This will
allow the Association to continue spreading the word about the need to
integrate eco-nomic development with re-source conservation as part of
our responsibilities as stewards of the Earth. We thank the Savannah Presbytery,
and its Staff Associate for Ecology, Merri Bass, for their generosity
and support of the GNTA & its mission. Their website is: www.savannahpresbytery.org.
The Sapelo Foundation Grant: The GNTA was unsuccessful in securing
funding for general support. However, we thank the Sapelo Foundation and
its Executive Director, Phyllis
Bowen, for considering our proposal & its support in the application
process.
Association Schedule
General Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of alternate months. If
you would like to host a future meeting, please contact the current president
no later than the 15th of the month preceding the gathering.
2001 (date/location/host)
Jul. 17--Quality Inn & Suites (I-95 Exit 94), Savannah-Tootsy
Tours
Sep. 18--Cypress Lake, Eastman--Eastman-Dodge Co. Chamber of Commerce
(GNTA Annunual Meeting)
Nov. 20--Obediah's Okefenok, Waycross--Obediah's Okefenok
Thought-for-the-Month
"The people of Georgia are the guardians of their own natural
heritage and everyone's support is need-ed to ensure that this outstanding
natural diversity is preserved for future genera-tions." ...Georgia
Heritage Program, GA Dept. of Natural Resources
Georgia Nature-based Tourism Association: Why, Who, How
WHY: Georgia is a state which has an amazing diversity of na-tural areas
such as mountains, rivers (white & blackwater), forests of all kinds,
farmlands, swamps, lakes, coastal marshes & barrier islands. However,
the potential exists for causing negative impacts upon these natural resources
as vari-ous efforts are undertaken in order to achieve a stronger econ-omy.
Two avenues of impact are the embracing of overtly de-structive industries,
and the overuse of those resources by nature-based tourism entities themselves.
The facts show that nature-based tourism is an important segment of the
overall economy, and is one which is based upon there being a diverse,
healthy environment. In the 1990's an international corporation made
plans to create a strip mine (promoted as an economic benefit for the
area) that would be adjacent to the Okefenokee Swamp and nega-tively-impact
both the world-famous wetland and the local nature-based tourism entities.
Concerned individuals & groups from both the conservation and business
communities of the state responded, and created the Georgia Nature-based
Tourism Association in order to draw attention to how it is pos-sible
to have both sustainability of natural resources along with economic benefits
to the com-munity. The focus is placed on the interface (common areas)
of conservation and commerce. The GNTA was seen as a way of educating
decision-makers about the need to integrate eco-nomic development with
re-source conservation. To say, "it's not an "either-or"
situation." And also that there are truly no "local conservation/economic
issues or efforts"--everything is interconnected. Another goal of
the GNTA was to create a forum whereby public (& member) awareness
of the existence & value of our natural resources would be increased.
As more individuals become exposed to, have a positive experience in,
and develop an affection for, Georgia's unique areas, the greater the
chance is that they will work for their protection & wise use. And
the more areas are protected, etc. then the opportunity for enrich-ing
experiences increases.
WHO: The GNTA is an alliance of nature-based tourism busines-ses, conservation
organizations, government agencies of all kinds, and individuals of diverse
backgrounds. Its members have a desire to look past the traditional ap-proaches
to solving conservation and commercial concerns which often line groups
up on oppo-site sides. Mindful of the different needs & agendas for
each, we promote respect for the earth as the guid-ing force for our actions,
and be-lieve strongly in working toge-ther in a cooperative partnership.
HOW: The GNTA, through its regular meetings, newsletters, & website,
presents information on a variety of environmental edu-cation, conservation,
and nature-based events and concerns from around the state. The GNTA is
not in competition with any other conservation, tourism, or business organization,
and it encourages each individual & entity to take any knowledge
gained thru us into their own arenas for action as they see fit. Thus,
individual businesses or communities are responsible for their areas,
the state & federal agencies have their own agendas, and conservation
groups work as lobbists, educators, or preservers of natural sites as
the case may be. As another, more individualized way of calling attention
to the many diverse natural areas of our state, each member is given the
opportunity to host a gather-ing or to provide information about their
particular region, nature-based events, or local issues. Meetings include
a period during which a guest speaker may present specialized information
about a natural area or topic, or a group-discussion may be held that
focuses on current concerns. The afternoon activity is an educational
field trip arranged by the host to a local natural area. Periodically,
special outdoor excursions or multi-group con-ferences with a regional
focus are organized. In addition, the GNTA sends its representatives to
selected na-ture-based tourism and/or con-servation events sponsored by
other organizations. By working as association or in-concert with other
partnerships which may be a result of this process, there is a greater
likelihood that our mission will be accomplished.
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