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Footprints & Paddledrips
Volume 4 Issue 3
Newsletter of the Georgia Nature-Based Tourism Association,
March, 2002
March Meeting
The March meeting of the GNTA will be held on Tuesday, March 19 at the
Baxley-Appling Co. Board of Tourism
office in Baxley, and its Director--Lynn Carter--will serve
as host.
The featured speakers will be Christine Griffiths of The
Nature Conservancy and Scott Saucier, Manager of the Moody
Forest Natural Area who will present a slide program on the unique
Moody Swamp which was recently acquired by the Conservancy.
Lunch will be at Virginia's, a local restaurant.
The afternoon educational activity will be a visit to Appling County's
Heritage Center and also to Wildlife Art, a local gallery which features
South Georgia's wildlife in a variety of artistic mediums.
Directions
The meeting will be in the Appling Co. Chamber of Commerce building on
305 West Parker St. (Hwy 341) in Baxley.
At the intersection of Hwys U.S. #1 and Hwy #341 procede 4 blocks to
the west. Parking is on the left.
For further information call 912-367-7731.
Appling Co. & Moody Swamp
Appling County has a rich history that includes a local economy
involved in farming, the livestock trade, the timber/naval stores industry,
& manufacturing.
The local museum displays artifacts which detail those livelihoods as
well as the cultural history of the area.
Its natural scenic beauty of farmlands, forests, and the magnificent
Altamaha River have been the inspiration for writers & artists throughout
the region.
The Moody Swamp is located along the shores of the Altamaha River
and is rich in species diversity. Its cypress-black gum wetlands and adjacent
longleaf pine forests contain threatened wildlife and ancient trees.
The Nature Conservancy of Georgia and GA Dept. of Natural Resources are
working jointly to protect & manage this special area. The master
plan is to combine eco-tourism opportunities with protection of natural
resources.
March Agenda
9:00 a.m. Committee Meetings
9:30 a..m. Refreshments/Social Period
10:00 a.m. Introductions/General Meeting
11:00 a.m. Program (Christine Griffiths, Scott Saucier--Moody Swamp)
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Field Activity--Appling Co. Heritage Center; Wildlife Art
Send Us Your News
If you know of any interesting nature news, conservation con-cerns, or
nature-based events & conferences, please help spread the word by
sending us a notice.
At each meeting member news-letters & other informative docu-ments
will be available for display.
Member News
Suwannee State Park Dedication--Fargo Major Patricia Oettmeier
announces that the groundbreaking ceremony for the new state park to be
located on the banks of the scenic Suwannee River near her city will take
place on March 17 at 1:30 pm at the River Landing on Highway #441 city.
Many state and area dignitaries will be in attendance to participate
in launching the next " jewel" in the crown of the Georgia Department
of Natural Resources state park system.
This new site will focus on preserving and presenting the historic and
beautiful Suwannee River that has its origins in the Okefenokee Swamp.
Features will include an eco-lodge, cabins, nature trails, exhibits,
& welcome center.
The Fargo golf course has become part of this new park as well.
For further information call 912-637-5597.
GNTA Contacts
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
Newsletter Delivery
The Footprints & Paddledrips newsletter will be sent via e-mail
where possible. If you would like a hard copy instead, please contact
Sheila Willis at 912-285-0419. It is vital that we have your current,
correct e-mail address.
2002 Directory Update
The new GNTA Membership & Resource Directory is being sent with the
March Newsletter issue. The number of changes in the various categories
are numerous, so please be sure to replace the older
version with this edition & make updates to your files.
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.
2002 (date/location/host)
Mar. 19--Baxley C.O.C., Baxley--Baxley-Appling Co. Board of Tourism
May 21--Cypress Lake Plantation, Rhine--Eastman-Dodge Co. COC
Note: Hosts are needed for 2002 in Jul. 16, Sept. 17, &
Nov. 19
Members Spotlight
The GNTA is composed of a variety of individuals, organizations, businesses,
& agencies who all believe that conservation and commerce are inter-connected.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of Nature-based Tourism.
There is a shared sense of responsibility to our communities and our natural
resources.
Also, GNTA members believe in the importance of looking past artificial
boundaries of city, county, & state limits and those that separate
various agencies & organziations.
Each of us can reap benefits by examining the work & ideas of others.
In order to learn more about the individual members of the GNTA &
the focus of their work, a "Members' Spotlight" column is presented
here with excerpts taken from the members' brochures, flyers, and other
information sources. Additional members will be highlighted on a regular
basis.
Baxley-Appling Co. Board of Tourism
The Board of Tourism is charged with promoting the cultural, historical,
& natural features of Appling County and also with helping to preserve,
develop, & renovate these areas.
In order to accomplish these goals, the Director works with multiple
cultural, environmental, & educational organizations.
Brochures proclaim: "Discover the Difference...a relaxed lifestyle
in a community proud of its progressiveness".
The majestic Altamaha River is the key feature in the area and has been
called "One of America's Last Great Places, Georgia's Natural Treasure".
The BOT Director recognizes the need to work beyond the local boundaries
of the county in order to secure this waterways' protection.
Thus connections have been made with the Altamaha Riverkeepers to restore
& protect the entire river system, the Altamaha River Corridor Group
to partner with other neighboring counties tied to the river & working
for its natural environment, and the Nature Conservancy to acquire protection
for the unique Moody Swamp.
Additional on-going projects include assisting with the development of
the Altamaha River Canoe Trail, improvement of selected River Landings
that will include nature trails, and work towards creation of an Altamaha
River State Park.
Recognizing the importance of instilling concern for nature at an early
age, the A. Randall Tuten Environmental Park & Outdoor Classroom was
developed with nature trails, ponds, interpretive signs, and outdoor amphitheater.
In the cultural arena the BOT has been a supporter of local writers such
as Janisse Ray, author of "Ecology of a Cracker Childhood" that
describes her life growing up in Baxley, GA while depicting the beauty
of the Coastal Plains' longleaf pine forests and calling for their preservation.
"Nature-based Tourism is our focus" is a slogan used by the
BOT. The marriage of conservation and commerce is evident in the many
annual festivals which have an outdoor connection with a preservation
message.
Prime examples would be the twice-yearly, family paddle called the Altamaha
River Rat Run (a "Keep America Beautiful" project) and the April
Baxley Tree Fest ("Celebrating the Pines of South Georgia")
Both events have an educational as well as a recreational bent.
Baxley-Appling Co. Board of Tourism
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