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Footprints & Paddledrips
Volume 3 Issue 9
Newsletter of the Georgia Nature-Based Tourism Association,
October, 2001
September Gathering Highlights
The Sept. 18 meeting of the GNTA was held at Cypress Lake Plantation
in Dodge County. The host was Rona Janssen of the Eastman-Dodge
County Chamber of Commerce.
The morning program focused on the birdlife and natural areas of Dodge
County and was given by local educator Donny Screws.
He described efforts to protect the Ocmulgee River with its many oxbow
lakes, caves such as Devil's Den, and numerous Native American burial
mounds. It was noted that Dodge County also has many natural springs and
privately-owned mill ponds that are used by a variety of wildlife including
wading birds and rare fish.
After conducting business from a scenic overlook of Cypress Lake, those
attending the gathering were treated to a boat ride around the 100-acre
site which was filled with towering cypress trees.
The lake hosts over 100,000 nesting wading birds during the summer months,
and the surface of the black water was still covered in a carpet of green
duckweed that had absorbed nutrients from the bird droppings.
A short list of birds recorded included Great Egret, White Ibis, Yellow-crowned
Night-Heron, Anhinga, Little Blue Heron, Eastern Bluebird, and Cooper's
Hawk.
The Plantation, located on U.S. Highway 280 two miles west of Rhine,
was formerly the location for a wildlife park containing exotic animals.
Currently, it is a popular hunting and fishing spot in a 1300-acre pine
plantation with a lodge for overnight use. Daytime boat tours, camping,
and nature-trail use are available by appointment only (229-385-3051).
After the outing, the GNTA members patronized a local resturant that
featured "down-home" cooking and made plans to return to this
beautiful site during the nesting season next year.
Annual Meeting Update
The GNTA held its Annual Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting at the
September gathering at Cypress Lake Plantation. A complete report is available
to any interested member.
It was learned that because of work and family committments, Director
Cate Tobler had to resign. The GNTA thanks Ms. Tobler for her past involvement
with the Association. Michael Neal, of Bull River Cruises in Savannah,
has been nominated to fill that position after an election at the November
meeting.
Although the GNTA has yet to resolve the issue of the Sierra Club's non-payment
of funds that were earmarked for the Association through the Sapelo Foundation,
over the past year the GNTA has accomplished much.
Successes included: acquiring its federal non-profit status, creation
of a Web site, receiving two grants which allowed the purchase of audio-visual
equipment and Web site develompent, conducting nature-based tourism seminars
& a Fall Canoe Excursion/Environmental Conference, and serving as
one of the consultants for the development of a new Suwanee River State
Park.
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
Fall Coastal Celebrations
Georgia's coast has long been recognized as a favorite destination for
nature-loving tourists. Additionally, it also serves as an important stop-over
for thousands of birds that migrate southward during their Fall migration.
The National Audubon Society and Bird Life International are working
to recognize significant birding habitats around the world with a focus
on such migration pathways.
In recognition of the need to protect these vital areas, and to highlight
the nature-based tourism/conservation connection , outdoor celebrations
will be taking place this Fall at Coastal Southeast Georgia sites that
have been regis-tered as Important Bird Areas (IBA). (see
schedules)
Nov. 1-2 Jekyll Island will be formally listed as an IBA with
the Coastal Georgia Audubon Society and the Jekyll Island Authority serving
as hosts for bird talks & walks by noted author Kenn Kaufmann.
Nov. 3 the Altamaha River Delta is the site for the Georgia Nature-based
Tourism Association's Fall Excursion with Jeanne Pleasants of Marsh
Tours at St. Simons Is- land providing a birding boat tour of the
salt marshes & Pelican Spit.
The following schedules apply:
Nov. 1: 1-3:00 p.m. at G.J.Ford Bookshop (Shops at Sea Island
on St. Simons Island)--book signing by Kenn Kaufmann, author of "Birds
of North America".
4:30-5:30 p.m. at The Jekyll Island Ampitheater (Jekyll Island)--bird
walk at a wading bird rookery/roost site with Kenn Kaufmann & Coastal
Audubon Society members.
5:30-6:16 p.m. at The Jekyll Island Ampitheater (Jekyll Island)--IBA
ceremony & bird talk by Kenn Kaufmann.
Nov. 2: 7:30 a.m. (tenative time) at the south end of Jekyll Island
(Glory Boardwalk)--morning birdwalk along the beach with Kenn Kaufmann
with a focus on shorebirds.
*For additional IBA event infor-mation, contact Lydia Thompson at (912-634-1322)
or artworksbylydia@thebest.net.
Nov. 3: 2-4:00 p.m. to the Altamaha River Delta (Hampton Point
Marina on north end St. Simons Island)--6 person capacity pontoon boat
tour featuring bird-ing, dolphin-watching, ecology, & local history.
This scenic & edu-cational trip is courtesy of Marsh Tours (featured
on GPT's "Georgia Outdoors") which will also provide binoculars
& bird lists.
*Register for this GNTA-mem-bers-only, first-come, first-serve
event by calling for details & di-rections via 912-638-9354 or e-mail
jeanne@marshtours.com. A second trip that day may be pos-sible
if there is additional interest beyond the 6-person limit in ad-vance
of the trip date.
IBA Contacts
For further information about Georgia's Important Bird Areas and the
nomination process, e-mail jim@efg.org
or write Jim Wilson, Georgia IBA Coordinator, Atlanta Audubon Society,
Suite 214, 1447 Peachtree Rd., Atlanta, GA 30309.
The IBA program is part of the Partners in Flight program, and seeks
to identify & conserve key breeding & feeding areas used by birds
throughout the year. This is a response to the ever-increasing habitat
loss faced by birds.
Several areas in South Georgia with ties to GNTA members have now received
this honorable designation including: Atlamaha Waterfowl Management Area,
Little Saint Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Cumberland Island, and Okefenokee
Swamp.
Check the GNTA directory for members who provide resource information
& access to these critical areas.
Directory Updates
Reminder: please check your GNTA directory periodically & note any
revisions. These are typically done on a monthly basis and sent by e-mail
where possible.
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. Please check the latest directory postings &
notify us of any changes.
Send Us Your N ews
If you know of any interesting nature news, conservation concerns, or
nature-based events & conferences, please help spread the word by
sending us a notice.
At each meeting member newsletters & other informative documents
will be available for display.
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)
Nov. 20--Obediah's Okefenok, Waycross--Obediah's Okefenok
Note: Hosts are needed for 2002
Clean-up Events
Oct. 27-Hazelhurst...river & landing clean-up to be held in
conjuntion with the Georgia DNR's Rivers Alive initive. 912-379-1371
Carolyn Hodges Memorial Clean-up...An Altamaha River clean-up was sponsored
on Sept. 22 by The Nature Conservancy, Altamaha Riverkeepers, & McIntosh
SEED. This now-annual event was named in memory of Carolyn Hodges who
was one of the original members of the GNTA
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