Winter 2007 - Altamaha Riverkeeper

Winter 2007 Newsletter
Altamaha
Support for Watershed Protection Growing
The Altamaha Coastkeeper is now a reality, thanks to the support of ARK’s
members who gave generously to meet the Malcolm Fraser Foundation challenge
grant. Over $50,000 in individual contributions affirmed citizen commitment to
protecting the entire Altamaha Watershed—from its headwaters of the Ocmulgee, the
Oconee, and the Ohoopee to its coastal estuary system in Glynn and McIntosh
Counties.
As intense development proceeds throughout the watershed, citizens are taking
increased action to protect the natural resources that make this the best place to live,
work, and play in Georgia. Please join in and support ARK’s efforts to protect water
quality for all of the watershed’s inhabitants.
CONTINUED ON BACK
Altamaha Coastkeeper Begins Work
The Altamaha Riverkeeper selected Billie Jo Parker as Coastkeeper to expand
ARK’s work to protect Georgia’s priceless estuary, coast, fisheries, and wildlife. She
began training with Riverkeeper James Holland in February and working together
they will increase ARK’s watershed protection. Parker will concentrate in the lower
Altamaha; Riverkeeper Holland will focus in the upper watershed where many of
the problems begin.
Working with Holland, the Coastkeeper will investigate rapidly increasing
requests for assistance with pollution in the watershed’s coastal zone and work with
regulatory agencies to enforce water quality laws. She will participate in policymaking meetings, encourage sound land use in development, and build advocacy
through environmental education. In addition to coastal monitoring, Parker will
make site visits, take photos and videos, and conduct water tests to document and
stop pollution.
Billie Jo grew up fishing and boating with her father on the Altamaha in
McIntosh and Glynn Counties. She likes to kayak, sail, surf, and explore coastal
regions, last year making the roundtrip sail to the Bahamas with her fiancé.
Working as an environmental educator at the 4-H Center on Jekyll Island, Parker
gained experience that will help her develop outreach activities to involve more
people in the Coastkeeper program. We are excited to welcome her to ARK’s staff
at this time when coastal development issues are gaining statewide attention.
Altamaha Coastkeeper,
Billie Jo Parker, documents
siltation in salt marsh
Watershed Group of the Year
The Altamaha Riverkeeper was named the 2007 Watershed Group of the
Year, the Georgia River Network’s (GRN) highest honor for watershed
leadership. The award recognizes a group whose efforts create positive change
for a watershed, programs with significant results, and fostered growth and
sustainability of the watershed community.
Accepting the award during the GRN’s annual conference in Milledgeville
were, left to right, James Holland, Altamaha Riverkeeper; Billie Jo Parker,
Altamaha Coastkeeper; Deborah Sheppard, ARK Executive Director; Dana
Skelton, GRN; Constance Riggins, ARK Development Director and Neill Herring, ARK Board Member.
The Altamaha Riverkeeper and its Altamaha Coastkeeper program are
working to protect and restore the habitat, water quality, and flow of
the mighty Altamaha from its headwaters in the Oconee, Ocmulgee,
and Ohoopee to its terminus at the Atlantic Coast.
Altamaha
How ARK Works: Assisting citizens with water
pollution problems, the Altamaha Riverkeeper
investigates sites to stop pollution. ARK’s work
includes water testing, documentation, and follow
up reports to local, state, and federal regulatory
agencies to encourage the enforcement of water
quality laws. Through education, environmental
advocacy, citizen action, negotiation, and if
necessary, legal action, ARK finds solutions to
protect the health of our rivers and estuary.
2
Altamaha River
Clean
Up
More than 30 volunteers turned out on Saturday,
November 4, 2006, to support the Altamaha Riverkeeper and
The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to conserve the lower
Altamaha River. By foot and by boat, volunteers took to the
river and its banks to remove 2,800 pounds of trash and
water hyacinth, a non-native invasive species that threatens
the natural balance of the river system by blocking
waterways, competing with native plants and reducing
oxygen levels in the water.
Volunteers, including a group from the Unitarian
Universalists of Coastal Georgia, focused their efforts on
five key sites in McIntosh and Glynn Counties: Champney
River Landing, Altamaha River Park, Darien Waterfront,
Buffalo Swamp, and Fort Barrington.
The event was made possible through the generous
support of First Georgia Hardware and Marine, Darien
Communications, Piggly Wiggly and Southeast Adventure
Outfitters. In addition, Two-Way Fish Camp provided the
facility where the event was held, and the City of Darien
disposed of the collected trash and water hyacinth.
Special thanks to Mike Northrup for initiating a three-person clean up of Old Field Joyner on the Altamaha. Mike
found a nasty campsite when paddling the river and
enlisted the assistance of Riverkeeper James Holland and
Mary Janaus to clean it up. We salute this effort and
encourage others to follow Mike's lead to do something
about the problems you encounter when using the river.
3
Altamaha
Buy Dry Land Campaign
By Constance Riggins
Floods are the most damaging and costly natural
disasters in the United States, according to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency. And many Georgia
homeowners, living in new homes constructed on converted
wetlands, are finding their homes are severely flooded
during even moderate rainfall.
Last November, the Altamaha Riverkeeper, Georgia
Water Coalition, Georgia Watch, and other coastal
conservation groups conducted an educational workshop,
“Buy Dry Land.” The training, held at the University of
Georgia Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens near Richmond
Hill, focused on the dangers of buying a home constructed
on converted wetland property. Approximately thirty
homebuyers, builders, and elected officials attended.
Buy Dry Land Information
Before the 1970’s, over 40% of Georgia’s coastal area
was regularly-flooded seasonal wetlands. In the 70’s, much
of the land was drained and ditched to convert the area to
temporarily dryer land for pine plantations. Now the pine
plantations are being converted into housing developments to
accommodate population growth.
In Georgia’s ten county coastal region, the population is
expected to grow to about 844,000 over the next two
decades, a 50 % increase. Unfortunately, more homes are
being built in drained and ditched wetlands.
Consumer Beware
Wetlands have “memory” and with merely a moderate
rain, property that appears dry in some seasons will revert to
wetlands – for days, even weeks.
“Developers can dry out land by ditching, draining, and
filling but when the rains come the water has to go
somewhere,” said Deborah Sheppard, Executive Director of
the Altamaha Riverkeeper. “As one property is drained, the
one next door is flooded and the cycle of property damage
and environmental damage accelerates.”
State officials estimate that 70% of Georgia’s flood plain
maps are twenty years or more behind the times. As a result,
many homeowners are unaware of the flood potential and
fail to purchase flood insurance until the damage is done.
The homeowners realize only too late that their property lies
in an unmapped, expanding flood plain. Compounding the
problem, according to the Georgia Emergency Management
Agency, changing weather patterns create different rainfall
totals for some areas at the same time that overdevelopment
reduces the land’s natural ability to absorb water.
In many cases there are no legal requirements governing
the filling and building on freshwater wetlands.
Additionally, there are no requirements for builders or
realtors to tell buyers that property was originally wetlands.
It is up to buyers to determine if the home or land they are
considering was originally dry land or wetlands. For a “Buy
Dry Land” educational handbook and a list of questions to
ask your builder or realtor about wetlands and flood prone
areas visit www.BuyDryLand.org.
The Altamaha Riverkeeper’s Seventh Annual Meeting
ARK celebrations in Hawkinsville keep getting better. Thanks to the hospitality
of Mary Lynde and Bub Way, over 150 members of the Altamaha Riverkeeper
enjoyed a great day on the Ocmulgee River last September. Over the last three years,
the event at Way’s Landing has attracted a growing number of river supporters from
throughout the watershed.
The party’s cuisine offered the best of upper and lower watershed delicacies:
fried fish from the Ocmulgee and low-country boil with fresh shrimp and crabs.
Adding to the fare were delicious homemade desserts and side dishes from our
guests’ favorite recipes. Topping off the afternoon was music by the Middle Georgia
Mountain Dulcimer Club and river cruises captained by Ed McDaniel.
It was a wonderful day in the watershed and an opportunity for the Altamaha
Riverkeeper to thank all of its supporters. Sharing time on the river is a good way for
us to remember why watershed protection is so important.
Altamaha
4
Cypress Forests: Is Part of
Our Natural Heritage Going to Pieces?
in girth. Cypress forests provide tremendous value to our
state. Among other things, cypress wetlands provide
recreation, critical fish and wildlife habitat, water storage,
groundwater recharge, and pollution protection for our
waters by filtering pollutants and excess nutrients. They also
support our economy through tourism and recreation. In
addition, cypress forests help protect coastal communities by
serving as a buffer against flood waters – an important factor
during storms.
We Need Your Help!
MULCH is defined by Webster’s as “a protective
covering (as of sawdust, compost, or paper) spread or left on
the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil
temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil,
or keep fruit (as strawberries) clean.” Apparently, Webster
never imagined using whole live forests for this purpose. In
fact, today in Louisiana, Florida, and yes, our own State of
Georgia, whole stands of cypress, some hundreds of years
old, are being chopped into pieces and marketed as mulch
products such as “Cypress Gold.” There are several reasons
why there is so much concern over this practice. If the
thought of clear cutting these majestic forests for flowerbeds
doesn’t bother you, here are some facts from Louisiana and
Florida that may:
Many cypress forests do not regenerate after harvesting
because of past alterations to water levels at these sites.
Therefore, establishing the proper wetness for cypress seed
germination is difficult and rarely accomplished. In 2004, a
commission studying this issue in Louisiana found that up to
80 percent of harvested cypress stands will not regenerate
because of altered water levels.
Before the 1990s, most mulch was produced from
byproducts of the paper and lumber industries. Now, because
of exploding demand, timber companies are harvesting
whole cypress trees and forests and grinding them up for
mulch. In addition, scientists at the University of Florida
Extension Services say younger and younger trees are being
harvested – including those as small as a foot in diameter.
It has been shown that harvesting is outpacing the
supply of cypress in both Florida and Louisiana. In
Louisiana, this harvesting has left coastal ecosystems
vulnerable to wind damage and flooding from storms.
In Florida, about 60 percent of all the mulch sold is
cypress. There, thousands of acres of cypress are logged
every year simply to produce mulch.
ARK is working with Southern Environmental Law
Center to gather information on this problem in Georgia.
Please send ARK as much information as you can on:
• Locations of cypress mulch production plants.
• Sites where cypress stands are being harvested or have
been harvested within the past five years.
• Landowners who are planning to harvest their cypress
stands and are willing to participate in a scientific
evaluation of the regeneration potential of their site.
In addition to gathering important information about
cypress mulch production in coastal Georgia, we will be
taking actions to minimize the negative impacts experienced
by other states. These actions include:
• Supporting best management practices for logging
cypress that are sustainable and promote successful
regeneration.
• Contacting mulch suppliers and asking them not to carry
cypress mulch products from non-sustainable sources.
• Educating consumers about the effects on our coast of
using cypress mulch, and the importance of using
alternative products such as pine bark.
• Contacting major mulch users (such as public schools)
and asking them to use sustainable alternatives to
cypress mulch.
• Creating conservation incentives for private landowners
who own cypress stands.
The Value of What We’re Losing
Cypress forests are beautiful treasures that are an
important part of our natural heritage. Cypress trees can live
up to 1500 years and can grow up to 150 feet tall and 25 feet
5
WSB TV’s Ronnie Hoof next to cypress tree
Altamaha
Sea Island Tidal Pools Could
Turn into Swimming Pools
To protect the salt marsh on Sea Island from destruction
by fill dirt for residential swimming pools, the Altamaha
Riverkeeper filed a Clean Water Act (CWA) lawsuit in
December 2006.
This filing follows an earlier legal action in which ARK
filed a federal suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) after the Corps issued a Nationwide Permit 18 to fill
a tidal area. In the suit, ARK argues that according to
regulations a Nationwide Permit 18 cannot be used to fill in
a tidal area in Georgia.
Sea Island, Georgia, known around the globe for its
exclusive five-star Cloister Resort, touts on its website that
Sea Island “exists in a world of unspoiled natural splendor.”
The Altamaha Riverkeeper notes, “Sea Island’s natural
splendor is now threatened as a local resident takes steps to
build a bulkhead and fill a tidal area for the construction of
two private swimming pools.”
Background
When residents got word of planned construction in the
marsh near their home, they called the Altamaha Riverkeeper
(ARK). Upon investigation, Altamaha Riverkeeper James
Holland documented evidence that classified the area as tidal
waters of the United States. Holland says, “The property
contains visible signs of tides such as high water marks and
fresh duckweed washed in by the tides. I advised the
neighbors the area should be protected under the Clean
Water Act and to contact the Corps.”
When the Corps representative visited, he said the site
was declared non-tidal by the Corps and they had granted the
property owner a Nationwide Permit 18 to allow the
construction of swimming pools. Nationwide Permits are
used by the Corps to streamline and expedite the waiting
time for a permit.
From May through October 2006, Holland monitored
the site and during spring tides, he photographed and
documented tidewater entering the area. Using a dip net,
Holland documented the presence of blue crabs, shrimp,
Destruction of Sea Island tidal pool sparks lawsuit
Altamaha
silver mullet, and salt-water eel in the pools. He also took
videos capturing visual evidence of blue crabs foraging in
the pool and a school of 200-300 mullet swimming in the
water.
Environmental attorney Don Stack presented the Corps
with the evidence illustrating that the area contained tidal
pools. However, the Corps stated they would not accept
documentation gathered by Holland, because in their opinion
he was not an expert. Later, after conducting a review of
selected portions of the evidence presented by the Altamaha
Riverkeeper, the Corps agreed the area was tidal but
attributed the tidal influence to a rain event.
Before taking legal action against the Corps, ARK
brought in two more experts, a hydrologist and a biologist,
who documented and confirmed the area was flooded by
tides and therefore not eligible to receive a Nationwide
Permit 18.
In an attempt to avert the marsh fill authorized by the
Corps, ARK also provided the Coastal Resources Division
(CRD) with the documentation demonstrating the tidal
nature of the site. If CRD determines an area is tidal, it can
question the use of a Nationwide Permit 18; however, CRD
took no action.
Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. of the United States District
Court, Southern District, accepted the Corps’ report
declaring the area non-tidal. However, the information did
not include the subsequent additional evidence provided by
ARK proving the area was tidal. The judge refused to
continue a temporary restraining order issued earlier by
another federal judge.
Construction material arrived on site in early December
and a bulkhead was built to prevent the tidal waters from
interfering with the construction of the swimming pools.
Deborah Sheppard, Executive Director of the Altamaha
Riverkeeper and its Altamaha Coastkeeper program says,
“This action to divert tidal waters provides more proof that
the area in question is tidal. DNR’s Coastal Resources
Division and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are failing
miserably in their duty to protect the salt marsh from
encroachment by human activities. As a result of the failure
to properly review and evaluate the tidal status of this site,
the publicly owned salt marsh is once again compromised
for private gain.”
6
Taking Cathead Creek for Private Profit
engine that would drive downtown development, Darien’s
waterfront is now marred by Settler’s Bluff condominiums.
Begun 5 years ago, now only four units are occupied out
of the 42 unit development. The docks that developers
stated were needed to support the project’s economic
viability are currently in use by two sailboats and many
birds. This totally unjustified dock system is apparently not
enough to interest people in occupying the development.
ARK shares the feelings of visitors and residents who cringe,
knowing we lost our view of the river to almost empty
condominiums built on wetlands. (See past ARK newsletters
and website.)
Cathead Landing construction site
Cathead Creek flows into the Darien River just above
Darien. It is a cherished destination for people who come to
experience its wild nature and rich abundant wildlife. Many
people who travel from the upper watershed on extended
trips take Cathead Creek into Darien as the final leg of their
journey from the Piedmont to the Sea. Visitors and locals
canoe, hunt, fish, watch birds, and enjoy the undeveloped
nature of this portion of the river. Cathead Creek is one of
the last places left in the United States to experience a tidal
river and estuary system and feel the wildness that once
existed in our great river system. It provides habitat to a
number of federal and state protected species including the
West Indian manatee, shortnose sturgeon, bald eagle and
wood stork.
The lower Altamaha’s Cathead Creek and the Darien
River now face unprecedented threats from developers intent
on building condominiums and townhouses on the upland
portions of the rivers. Proposed developments, marketed as
exclusive second homes, threaten to alter the character and
use of Cathead Creek. A proposed series of massive docks to
accommodate large and fast motorboats will further sacrifice
the area’s wild and scenic nature.
Coastal development mistakes of the past few years
seem to be attracting more developers bent on putting more
and bigger buildings close to the water. Plans have been
presented to the public for five riverfront condominium/town
home developments on Cathead and the Darien River with
additional properties being marketed and considered for
similar developments.
The marketing of developments advertising deepwater
dock space even before seeking or gaining the necessary
permits is becoming common. Indigo Harbor, a
development proposed for Cathead Creek’s highest bluff, is
seeking approval for 250 – 290 homes on 18.5 acres. The
real estate ads boast 1000-feet of year round deepwater dock
space even though there has been no local, state, or federal
dock approval.
Repeating Past Mistakes
After years of controversy, touted as the economic
7
Cathead Landing: Another Eco-Friendly
Development?
Upstream from Settler’s Bluff, preparation for Cathead
Landing’s River Houses began in 2006 by uprooting all
vegetation and importing truckloads of fill dirt to reengineer
the landscape and squeeze in 45 river homes on a tract of
less than seven-acres. The Darien News reported in October
2005 that at the city council meeting, the developer told
council members his “eco-friendly” development would take
every measure to save the oak trees on the property and pave
the way for green friendly developers in Darien. That was
justification for requesting variances to allow more units
built closer together.
Photos taken by ARK from the air illustrate Cathead
Landing’s commitment to tree protection. All trees and other
vegetation were cleared from the site to create a blank slate
on which to build. Now this development presents a big
ugly scar from the river. It will soon become a sea of threestory structures packed tightly together and looming over the
surrounding landscape and river.
Cathead Landing has requested a Coastal Marshland
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Oyster shells reveal evidence of Native American occupation
on the future site of Indigo Harbor development. The
majestic coastal bluff erodes naturally as Cathead Creek
winds its way toward the Darien River. The developers plan
deep water docks for the area.
Altamaha
Legality of New Bleckley County Subdivision
Questioned by Altamaha Riverkeeper
The Altamaha Riverkeeper (ARK) is opposing the
property clearing for a subdivision and a proposed 70-acre
lake on County Line Road in Bleckley and Pulaski County
near Hawkinsville. The development area, called Bush’s
Mills, contains wetlands from what was a former pond with
old growth cypress. According to area residents, as the
major logging operation began, dynamiting of a beaver dam
was used to drain the pond on the property.
The land clearing operation for the new subdivision,
called Royal Palms 2, is illegal according to ARK because it
has not gone through the Federal Clean Water Act Section
“404” permitting process. In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps
Cathead Creek...
CONTINUED from page 7
Protection Committee (CMPC) permit to build 42 boat slips
for private recreational use, making this the largest marina
project proposed to date on Cathead Creek.
The marina proposal continues the practice initiated at
Settler’s Bluff of claiming a development needs excessive
docks because all its residents need boat slips to make the
project feasible. In reality, developers are increasing their
profits for lots that are not adjacent to the river by
advertising they will have deepwater access and boat slips
for all residents.
Three other projects are seeking rezoning and approval
on either side of Cathead Landing. Each new project will
bring similar requests for more new boat slips in Cathead
Creek. If these boat docks are permitted, the existing uses
and recreational value of this river system will be largely
diminished.
Cathead Landing’s developers are asking the CMPC to
grant a permit that would forever change the character and
function of a major local resource and tourist destination in
order to market full-time water access to its part-time
residents. The consideration of alternatives to this project
Altamaha
of Engineers (USACOE ) on November 29th, 2006, ARK
says the clearing is not part of a normal established ongoing
forestry activity and questions why the land clearing is not
going through the permitting process that is required before
harvesting trees from a water body.
Altamaha Riverkeeper James Holland inspected the site
following up on a citizen complaint involving improper
forestry practices. Holland discovered major problems that
violate guidelines, mandated by the Clean Water Act, for
harvesting timber.
Bush’s Mill Pond is located near and drains into the
Ocmulgee River below Hawkinsville. “If people get away
with logging this pristine waterfowl habitat for new
development and are able to dig an open water lake before
securing all federal and state permits, it is a travesty. ARK
or anyone interested in protecting the environment cannot
condone this activity. ARK believes it is illegal without
permits,” says Altamaha Riverkeeper Holland.
In the letter to the Corps, ARK says, “We request the
USACOE commence an investigation of this site. ARK also
requests the USACOE disallow for a minimum of 2-3 years
any structure on this site that creates a lake. We believe we
are justified in making this request in order for the cypress to
resume growth and regenerate new sprouts. If Bush’s Mills
is allowed to be filled with water before the regeneration of
new cypress growth, the characteristics of this ancient body
of water will be lost forever.”
fails to include any analysis of on-site boat storage, use of
public dock space at Settler’s bluff, boat sharing, or
estimates of the real needs for water access.
ARK needs your support and involvement to protect our
rivers and estuary for all its users. ARK’s advocacy and the
involvement of our members are the main forces standing
between senseless destruction of our priceless resources for
short term profits for a few. Please get involved in these
issues and donate generously to protect coastal resources.
8
Who is
James Holland?
By Constance Riggins
When I began work at the Altamaha Riverkeeper, I did not
know James Holland.
This is the man I met.
James began his research into the biology of fish, crab,
oysters, and shrimp when as a professional crabber his
harvests spiraled from 1500 pounds to less than 200 pounds
daily. He and many crabbers lost their livelihoods. Holland
learned the devastating effects that water pollution and
increasing salinity had on marine life from talking with
scientists, professors, naturalists, and fishermen. When James
became the Altamaha Riverkeeper, he became knowledgeable
on water quality laws to protect and prevent the impairment
and destruction of the Altamaha Watershed.
A dedicated defender of Georgia’s rivers, James Holland
works continuously. Trained young by the U.S. Marine Corps,
he approaches his job with authority and brings the strength of
total commitment to the skills he has developed. Making site
visits, conducting water tests, taking thousands of photos
documenting pollution, and communicating with regulatory
agencies, James fights to protect water quality in the Altamaha
Watershed. Using his intensive field-based approach, James
works with local, state, and federal regulators to find solutions
to enforce environmental laws and reduce water pollution.
Holland relentlessly monitors the river system and has no
fear confronting polluting industries, cites, and governments
with illegal discharges. His fight for the environment inspires
citizens to become knowledgeable and vocal advocates for the
protection of Georgia’s water resources, critical to the state’s
economic and ecological future.
The man I am beginning to know.
James has both a realistic and optimistic vision for the
future. His voice quakes when he hears about fish kills. He is
heartbroken when he witnesses wetland destruction. He fears
soon the small springs and creeks we know will become bare
skeletons of what they once were or join the long list of
wonderful things that no longer exist. He hates the destruction
of trees and wild animals for no reason. Every case of
pollution James discovers is the worst, most destructive, and
stupidest thing he ever saw and he will stop it; he won’t take
no for an answer. His environmental presentations to children
and young people give him great satisfaction. Using live
crabs, mussels, and shells, his lessons illustrate why a healthy
watershed is important and everyone understands. James
enjoys catching, cooking, and eating fish and he is good at all.
James never takes a day off unless it is to go fishing; however,
even then many outings turn up more work. It is just as well
because he would rather be working to protect our watershed
than doing anything else in the world.
I will probably never really fully know James Holland.
However, I do know James sees magnificent beauty in our
watershed and loves the wildlife he encounters there. And
with each picture of a creature, flower, or bird that he takes
and shares, I get to know James a little better.
9
With a contribution of $250 or more, you will receive our new
note card collection of Wildlife in the Altamaha photographed by
Riverkeeper James Holland. They illustrate 10 reasons your
donations to the Altamaha Riverkeeper are so important.
Altamaha
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...
Especially from a Bird’s Eye View
“Conservation through aviation” is the motto of South Wings, a non-profit conservation organization that provides skilled pilots and aerial education to enhance
conservation efforts across the Southeast. The Ashville, North Carolina based
group provides flights for non-profit groups like ARK at no cost.
South Wings Director Taylor Barnhill explains their service “ By looking at
the earth from a bird’s eye view, we are struck by the beauty & devastation of our
environment. Working with our flight partners, conservation & community
groups, we provide professional piloting skills and documentation of the impact
of humankind’s activities on earth. Through the information we gather, we
educate community leaders, policy-makers, and the media, and collect scientific
ARK Thanks Darwin Jones of Southwings for
data on the globally significant ecosystems of the Southeast.”
giving us a bird’s eye view of the watershed
The Altamaha Riverkeeper thanks South Wings and its team of experts and
pilots including Barnhill, Caroline Douglas, Darwin Jones, and others who
choose to remain anonymous for providing a great service to our organization and others.
In the past ten weeks, by flying with South Wings, the Altamaha Riverkeeper has identified major problems in our great
watershed. We have included photos from these flights throughout this newsletter.
Wetland development in Glynn County Buffalo River headwaters were logged and are now being
filled for residential development
Development in forested wetland near Eulonia in
McIntosh County
New development threatens this well spring 10 miles down
river from Dublin on the Oconee River
32-acre clear cut in Wilkinson County on the Oconee River
Altamaha
10
Together We Will Protect Our
Beautiful Watershed
Ways to Support the Altamaha Riverkeeper
As a member of the Altamaha Riverkeeper, you are a
part of a watershed movement to protect and restore the
habitat, water quality, and flow of the mighty Altamaha from
its headwaters in the Oconee, Ocmulgee, and Ohoopee to its
terminus at the Atlantic Coast.
• In addition to using the enclosed envelope there are
several ways to make giving easy. All donations are tax
deductable.
• Go to our website and make a contribution online at
www.altamahariverkeeper.org.
• Take Advantage of the Altamaha Riverkeeper’s Monthly
Giving Plan
• Enjoy the convenience of an automatic monthly transfer
from your personal checking or savings accounts for the
monthly contribution you prefer.
• Consider making a Major Gift or Bequest to the
Altamaha Riverkeeper through a planned gift, you can
leave a lasting legacy and help future generations
protect and restore the Altamaha River Watershed.
Gifts of Stock
You can now donate stock to Altamaha Riverkeeper!
Many individuals who have highly appreciated stock
positions find it advantageous to donate those positions
without paying the taxes. Its very simple and only takes a
few minutes of your time. Krull & Company, a socially and
environmentally responsible financial services firm, helps us
with the process. For more information, please contact Pete
Krull at 912-289-4212 or [email protected].
Additional wildlife photos by
James Holland and information on ARK's work can be
found on ARK's website at
www.altamahariverkeeper.org
Become a Corporate Guardian of Clean Water
Your company can become a Corporate Guardian of
Clean Water and support a community-based approach to
river conservation by contributing $1,000 or more to the
Altamaha Riverkeeper.
Give a gift membership to the ARK in honor of
or in memory of your friends and family
A thank you note will be sent to the person recognizing
the gift from you and your donation will be listed in the
Altamaha Riverkeeper newsletter. In addition to supporting a
clean watershed, members receive all mailings, invitations,
and environmental updates.
For information on these giving options, please contact
our office. However you contribute, thank you. We
appreciate your support.
Get Involved Today
Sign up with ARK’s email action list
ARK sends regular email alerts on a variety of topics to
update our members on current actions. If you want to
know more about our activities, please sign up for the email
alert list by including your email address with your next
donation or contacting the office and asking to be placed on
the list.
Communicate with your elected officials
Contact your county voter registrar for contact
information on your local elected officials. You can also
locate information about state officials by checking ARK’s
website or going directly to:
www.sos.state.ga.us/misc/districts.htm.
Help ARK reach out
Volunteer to staff literature tables and events throughout
the watershed. Call or send us an email and we will get you
set up.
11
Altamaha
Upcoming Events
Hike the Bartram Trail
Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:00 p.m. until
approximately 2 p.m. This event is offered for benefactors
who have contributed $500 or more in 2007.
Explore the trail of William Bartram, America’s first
environmental writer and pioneer naturalist in the area near
where he discovered the Franklinia alatamaha and the
fevertree. In an approximate 3-5 mile hike, guided by Neill
Herring an environmental lobbyist and Altamaha
Riverkeeper board member, you will see a variety of biotic
plant communities and some of the largest cypress we have
ever found. The trip will include a walk down the face of
the very last bluff on the south side of the Altamaha and a
short trek across the flood plain forest of cypress, tupelo, and
paper birch. Across the river from Smith Island, you will
see the site of Fort Barrington where the 1750 British fort
once stood as defense against the Spanish and Indian attacks
from Florida. We will provide a picnic lunch afterwards.
Reservations required by May 7.
Earth Day Film: THE NEXT INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, Noon, Darien’s Ida Hilton
Public Library
A 55-minute film that communicates the work and
vision of two leaders in a growing movement to transform
the relationship between commerce and nature. The film
inspires people to: reconsider their current efforts for the
environment, reinvent their businesses and institutions to
work with nature, and redefine themselves as consumers.
Meet the Coastkeeper in McIntosh County
Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 5, 2007 at 2:00
p.m. Meet the new Coastkeeper, learn about ARK’s
protection work, and what you can do to help. Join us for a
membership celebration at Delta Plantation and enjoy an
afternoon cookout on the Julienton River. We need
volunteers for this event. Details to follow.
A plume of polluting wastewater leaves Rayonier and enters
the Altamaha River at Jesup
The Georgia Department of Transportation continues to
install faulty Best Management Practice at the Lumber
City Bridge crossing the Ocmulgee. Pictured here on
November 30, 2006 Altamaha Riverkeeper James
Holland in an erosion gully created by storm water from
the project site. The rare Altamaha Spinymussel and
the federally protected shortnose sturgeon have been
found just downstream from this site. Both can be
negatively impacted by excess sediment that has been
leaving this site for months.
Altamaha
Rayonier's discharge smells rancid and darkens the
Altamaha from Jesup downstream many miles. ARK
continues to work with Rayonier to resolve this problem and
we remain hopeful they will identify and implement a
solution shortly. In the meantime we are asking people to
contact ARK if they have experienced negative effects of the
discharge while using the Altamaha in this area.
12
Legal Fund Seeks Matching Funds
Increased growth and development throughout our
watershed and estuary system continue to destroy vital
natural resources and degrade water quality. ARK seeks to
resolve water quality problems by working with elected
officials and regulatory agencies, but in cases where the
regulatory agencies refuse to act, we will take action to rally
the public and if necessary, resort to legal action.
The ARK Legal Fund was established in 2006 with a
goal of securing $100,000 to underwrite the costs of legal
actions. An anonymous donor has given a $20,000 matching
seed grant to initiate fundraising for this fund. Please
consider a generous donation to help ARK meet the match
and increase our ability to respond to problems with legal
actions when necessary. For more information about ARK’s
legal work and the legal fund contact ARK’s staff.
Aiken Island, Glynn County - These silt fences are in the
tidal zone because the Coastal Resources Division allowed the
developer to rely on an 18 year old marsh jurisdiction line.
Donations to the ARK Legal Fund will be used to address
problems like this one when the state refuses to take appropriate action to control the negative impacts of development.
In Memory Of
In Memoriam:
Josh Frost 1981-2006
Josh Frost lived in Bonaire,
Georgia, where he enjoyed the
outdoors, hunting, and fishing. We
were saddened to hear of his death from
his mother Beth Collins, who has
honored Altamaha Riverkeeper by
requesting donations in his memory be
made to ARK.
As a child Josh was an ardent nature lover and could
identify almost every plant in the family’s wooded yard.
While he complained about his mother’s avid bird
watching, especially while the two were golfing, he was
known to stop mid-sentence to point out and identify a
bird flying nearby.
Josh attended Houston County High School followed
by Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. For several
years, he collected water samples for River Watch, a
water-monitoring program sponsored by Mercer
University.
Josh loved the Ocmulgee River and Oaky Woods
Swamp, spending many happy times there.
Gifts made in Josh’s memory:
Lindsay and Marie Holliday, Robert and Carolyn
Hargrove, Chet Strunk, Donald and Jeanne Farquhar,
Charles and Dee Neal, Jessie Moinuddin, Robert and Elise
Gray, Robert and Earline Cole, The Wonderful Women of
Macon Book Group: Elise Gray, Gena Courtney, Vicky
Traylor, Betsy Lerner, Harriet Jardine, Diane Lewis,
Bonnie Pope, Joan Harris, Jane Donahue, June Bryant
13
William W. Bryan, Jr. (Bill) by John, Mary Lane & Bryan Sullivan
Winton C. Harris by Emily and Jonathan Harris
J.C. Hadden, Sr. by Mary and JC Hadden, Jr.
Walter E. Borden III by Margaret Borden
Dr. Peter O. Holliday, Jr. by Jack and Barbara Jenkins
Rosalyn Wells by Polly Porter
Hugh E. Cromartie, Jr. by Polly Porter
Hugh E. Cromartie, Jr. by Mr. and Mrs. E. Kay Stafford, Jr.
Dr. C. E. Patton by Robert Fudge
Dr. C. E. Patton by Mrs. Hazel Patton
In Honor Of
Wendell Berryhill by Pierre Howard
Deborah Sheppard and Children by Cate Morrill & Harvey Meisner
Deborah Sheppard by Peter Paluch and Judy Holley
Bud and Niki Queen by Eva Persons
Alan, Ann and Campbell Singer by Kelly Cowley
Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard by Dr. and Mrs. N. Tyrus Ivey
All ARK Workers and Volunteers by Greg and Sally Mathis
Mr. and Mrs. George U. Strosnider, Mr. and Mrs. Merle A. Bessey,
Mr. and Mrs. Al Bilotti, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Peterson, Mr.
and Mrs. Josh Chamberlain, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nance, Mr. and
Mrs. Blake Henry, Ms. Laura Lamattina and Mr. Sam Vollen
by Janice & Larry Lamattina
Debbie and Kevin McIntyre, Cindy and Mike Robinson
by Daniel Hankins and Ashley Winkler
Gift Memberships
Clifton E. Fanning from Honey Fanning
Ann Singer from Charlotte Eason
Elbern and Jeff Lowery from Hazel Lowery
Amy and Andy Broderick from Helen Meadors
Bruce Sparrow from Ernest and Nellie Sparrow
Paul Griffin and Linda Lamb from Michael and Pamela Browning
Ricky and Stephnie Hargrove, Mitch and Peggy Clem, Charlie and
Brenda Parr,Kalby Weston, Jack and Sherry Jones,Al and Dale
Gilbert from Eddie and Jo Hargrove
Altamaha
Janice and Larry Lamattina
Janis and Cesar Rodriguez
Jay St. Vincent
JD and Linda Daniels
Jean and John Wilsterman
Jeannine and Rundle Cook
Jeff and Carolyn Rader
Jennifer Reisch and Jim
Chapman
Jenny Mathis
Jerry Kicklighter
Jim Gilbert, Jr.
Jim Reichard
Jimmy Buttimer
Jimmy Harrell
Joan Lardin
Joanne Sharpe
Joe and Jane Fulcher
Joe and Jane Mangum
Joe Durrett
Joel and Vicki Breman
John and Judi Cecil
John and Lane Mitchell
John Baker
John Berryhill
John Branch
John Hudson
John Kraus
John Link
John Wegner
Joni Woolf
Joe and Nita Malbasa
Joshua Kight
Joyce Murlless
Joycelyn Young
Julie Mayfield
Karen and Don Stewart
Karen Bernheimer
Katharine Mountcastle
Kelly Cowley
Kelly Jordan
Ken Bush
Ken Neuhart
Ken Suttles
Keta Davenport
Kevin and Deborah McIntyre
Kitty Kellogg and Ed Law
Kurt Ebersbach
Larry and Rita Kohse
Laura Chenault
Laurens County Sportsman Club
Laurie Hawks
Lee Minor
Lewis and Pam Shropshire
Thanks to our supporters
Lillian Jenkins
Linda Lamb and Paul Griffin
Lindsay and Marie Holliday
Lisa Perrin
Lucy and Edgar Shaw
Lucy Mercuri
Lynne Bayens
Mac and Brenda Rawson
Maggie Chesnutt
Manjunath Gokare, Esq.
Marilyn Kemp
Marion Moore, Jr.
Mark Turpen and Oh Soon
Shropshire
Martin Smith
Mary Ellen and Dick Wilson
Mary Jane Dixon
Mary Lou Forsyth
Mary Lynn and Edmund Dukes
Melaver, Inc.
Melissa Pope Scott
Michael and Benita Muth
Michael and Pamela Browning
Michael and Rose Ozaki
Mick Allen
Milton Hopkins
Molly Martin
Mr. and Mrs. David Berryhill, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bull
Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Carlton, Jr.
Nancy Thomason
Nathan Potts
Neal Priest
Neill and Mac Herring
Nellie Sparrow
Nick and Peg Shorey
Ogden Doremus
Johnny and Sheila Parker
Patricia Kelly
Patrick Cramer
Paul and Brenda Kordzikowski
Paul and Jane Christian
Paul and Rene Kane
Paul Cowley
Paul Cushing
Paul Sykes
Payson and Sara Sullivan
Phil and Jan Fortune
Philip and Judy Bates
R. Don Lewis
Ralph and Ann Hemphill
Randal Walker
Randy Hall
Rebecca Bell
Thanks to ARK volunteers Walt and Becky
Woods pictured here collecting water samples
from a tributary to
Tobesofkee Creek in
Monroe County. Walt
and Becky attend and participate in Houston County
public meetings to advocate for protection of water
resources. Working closely with Altamaha Riverkeeper
James Holland, the Woods keep ARK abreast of important developments in their area and support our work
with time and donations. Please join them in becoming
involved where you live to protect our watershed.
15
REM/Sarah Petit
Richard and Carol Hatcher
Richard George
Richard Madray
Richard Sasser
Robert and Jane Cook
Roger and Susan Mathews
Ron and Jennifer Kneib
Ron and Willene Frost
Rose Brantley
Roy and Sarah Malone
Ruskin Cheek
Russell and Jane Jacobs
Russell Toal
Rusty Quarterman
Ruthanna and Bill Bost
Sam Way
Sara Taylor and Skip Slocum
Sarah and Wilson Barmeyer
Saundra and Cliff Altekruse
Scott Cunningham
Sheryl Rentz
Skip and Harriotte McDannald
Southeast Adventure Outfitters
Stack & Associates
Stan and Maryann Smith
Stanley and Melba Daniel
Stephen D Ezelle
Stephen Hoyt
Steven Battle
Sue and Ed Speir
Susan Kidd
Susan Majette Murphy
Suzanne Williams
Sybil’s Family Restaurant
Taylor and Marie Schoettle
Ted and Monnie Odom
The McReynolds Family
Foundation
Thomas and Kim Tyler
Thomas Black
Thomas Fassuliotis and Ginger
Lowery
Thomas Lowndes, Jr.
Timothy Parker
Tom and Paula Hoyt
Tommy Thompson
Tommy Wallace
Toni and Jimmy McCook
Train Foundation
Troy and Paula Winebarger
Venetia Butler
Virginia and Harold Hicks
W. Douglas Skelton, M.D.
W. Glenn Thomas, Jr.
Walt and Bertha Davis
Walt Davis
Walter Ogden
Walton and Tina Harris
Walton and Becky Wood
Ward and Chris Milner
Wayne McDaniel
Wendell and Jeannie Meadows
David and Helen Wenner
Whit Perrin Wright and Russell
Wright
Wiiliam A. Parker, Jr.
William Eisenhauer
William Harden
William M. Lester, Jr.
Zeke Gilmore and Diane Sayers
Thanks
TO OUR SUPPORTING
FOUNDATIONS
Gilbert and Idalko Butler
Foundation
Malcolm Fraser Foundation
Sapelo Foundation
Savannah Presbytery—
MK Pentecost Ecology Fund
Trinity Presbytery
The Turner Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Patagonia Atlanta
DNR Non-game Wildlife
Education/Watchable Wildlife
Program
The Norcross Wildlife Fundation
We are saddened to note the
passing of ARK members
John Kraus, Bron
Cleveland, Walter Borden
and Milton Hopkins and
offer our sympathies to
their families and friends.
Allen Dubose, pictured here documenting pollution at
Brunswick's Academy Creek waste water plant,
provides technical assistance with computers,
photography, and documentation to ARK.
Altamaha
Janice and Larry Lamattina
Janis and Cesar Rodriguez
Jay St. Vincent
JD and Linda Daniels
Jean and John Wilsterman
Jeannine and Rundle Cook
Jeff and Carolyn Rader
Jennifer Reisch and Jim
Chapman
Jenny Mathis
Jerry Kicklighter
Jim Gilbert, Jr.
Jim Reichard
Jimmy Buttimer
Jimmy Harrell
Joan Lardin
Joanne Sharpe
Joe and Jane Fulcher
Joe and Jane Mangum
Joe Durrett
Joel and Vicki Breman
John and Judi Cecil
John and Lane Mitchell
John Baker
John Berryhill
John Branch
John Hudson
John Kraus
John Link
John Wegner
Joni Woolf
Joe and Nita Malbasa
Joshua Kight
Joyce Murlless
Joycelyn Young
Julie Mayfield
Karen and Don Stewart
Karen Bernheimer
Katharine Mountcastle
Kelly Cowley
Kelly Jordan
Ken Bush
Ken Neuhart
Ken Suttles
Keta Davenport
Kevin and Deborah McIntyre
Kitty Kellogg and Ed Law
Kurt Ebersbach
Larry and Rita Kohse
Laura Chenault
Laurens County Sportsman Club
Laurie Hawks
Lee Minor
Lewis and Pam Shropshire
Thanks to our supporters
Lillian Jenkins
Linda Lamb and Paul Griffin
Lindsay and Marie Holliday
Lisa Perrin
Lucy and Edgar Shaw
Lucy Mercuri
Lynne Bayens
Mac and Brenda Rawson
Maggie Chesnutt
Manjunath Gokare, Esq.
Marilyn Kemp
Marion Moore, Jr.
Mark Turpen and Oh Soon
Shropshire
Martin Smith
Mary Ellen and Dick Wilson
Mary Jane Dixon
Mary Lou Forsyth
Mary Lynn and Edmund Dukes
Melaver, Inc.
Melissa Pope Scott
Michael and Benita Muth
Michael and Pamela Browning
Michael and Rose Ozaki
Mick Allen
Milton Hopkins
Molly Martin
Mr. and Mrs. David Berryhill, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bull
Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Carlton, Jr.
Nancy Thomason
Nathan Potts
Neal Priest
Neill and Mac Herring
Nellie Sparrow
Nick and Peg Shorey
Ogden Doremus
Johnny and Sheila Parker
Patricia Kelly
Patrick Cramer
Paul and Brenda Kordzikowski
Paul and Jane Christian
Paul and Rene Kane
Paul Cowley
Paul Cushing
Paul Sykes
Payson and Sara Sullivan
Phil and Jan Fortune
Philip and Judy Bates
R. Don Lewis
Ralph and Ann Hemphill
Randal Walker
Randy Hall
Rebecca Bell
Thanks to ARK volunteers Walt and Becky
Woods pictured here collecting water samples
from a tributary to
Tobesofkee Creek in
Monroe County. Walt
and Becky attend and participate in Houston County
public meetings to advocate for protection of water
resources. Working closely with Altamaha Riverkeeper
James Holland, the Woods keep ARK abreast of important developments in their area and support our work
with time and donations. Please join them in becoming
involved where you live to protect our watershed.
15
REM/Sarah Petit
Richard and Carol Hatcher
Richard George
Richard Madray
Richard Sasser
Robert and Jane Cook
Roger and Susan Mathews
Ron and Jennifer Kneib
Ron and Willene Frost
Rose Brantley
Roy and Sarah Malone
Ruskin Cheek
Russell and Jane Jacobs
Russell Toal
Rusty Quarterman
Ruthanna and Bill Bost
Sam Way
Sara Taylor and Skip Slocum
Sarah and Wilson Barmeyer
Saundra and Cliff Altekruse
Scott Cunningham
Sheryl Rentz
Skip and Harriotte McDannald
Southeast Adventure Outfitters
Stack & Associates
Stan and Maryann Smith
Stanley and Melba Daniel
Stephen D Ezelle
Stephen Hoyt
Steven Battle
Sue and Ed Speir
Susan Kidd
Susan Majette Murphy
Suzanne Williams
Sybil’s Family Restaurant
Taylor and Marie Schoettle
Ted and Monnie Odom
The McReynolds Family
Foundation
Thomas and Kim Tyler
Thomas Black
Thomas Fassuliotis and Ginger
Lowery
Thomas Lowndes, Jr.
Timothy Parker
Tom and Paula Hoyt
Tommy Thompson
Tommy Wallace
Toni and Jimmy McCook
Train Foundation
Troy and Paula Winebarger
Venetia Butler
Virginia and Harold Hicks
W. Douglas Skelton, M.D.
W. Glenn Thomas, Jr.
Walt and Bertha Davis
Walt Davis
Walter Ogden
Walton and Tina Harris
Walton and Becky Wood
Ward and Chris Milner
Wayne McDaniel
Wendell and Jeannie Meadows
David and Helen Wenner
Whit Perrin Wright and Russell
Wright
Wiiliam A. Parker, Jr.
William Eisenhauer
William Harden
William M. Lester, Jr.
Zeke Gilmore and Diane Sayers
Thanks
TO OUR SUPPORTING
FOUNDATIONS
Gilbert and Idalko Butler
Foundation
Malcolm Fraser Foundation
Sapelo Foundation
Savannah Presbytery—
MK Pentecost Ecology Fund
Trinity Presbytery
The Turner Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Patagonia Atlanta
DNR Non-game Wildlife
Education/Watchable Wildlife
Program
The Norcross Wildlife Fundation
We are saddened to note the
passing of ARK members
John Kraus, Bron
Cleveland, Walter Borden
and Milton Hopkins and
offer our sympathies to
their families and friends.
Allen Dubose, pictured here documenting pollution at
Brunswick's Academy Creek waste water plant,
provides technical assistance with computers,
photography, and documentation to ARK.
Altamaha
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
Altamaha
PAID
P.O. Box 2642
Darien, Georgia 31305
(912) 437-8164
www.altamahariverkeeper.org
PERMIT #15
DARIEN, GA
RETURN ADDRESS REQUESTED
Board of Directors
Staff
Tracey Adams, Vidalia
Bruce Berryhill, Cochran
Robert DeWitt, Darien
Wright Gres, Baxley
Kyla Hastie, Athens
Len Hauss, Reidsville
Neill Herring, Jesup
James Holland, Brunswick
Christi Lambert, Darien
Marilyn Lanier, Cobbtown
Richard Madray, Jesup
John Pasto, Cochran
Carl Poppell, Darien
Ann Trapnell, Metter
Mary Ellen Wilson, Eastman
Debbi Davis
Administrative Tech
James Holland
Altamaha Riverkeeper
Billie Jo Parker
Altamaha Coastkeeper
Constance Riggins
Development Director
Deborah Sheppard
Executive Director
Your membership contributions allow us to keep working for our watershed. Your membership
expiration date is listed on your mailing label. Please send your tax deductible donation today.
Where is the Watershed
and why is it important?
In Memory of Milton Newton Hopkins, October 4, 1926 - March 5, 2007.
Naturalist, birdwatcher, farmer and ecologist, Hopkins loved the Altamaha and the Great Blue Heron.
Support for Watershed...
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
This Great Blue Heron was photographed in the Darien River, a tributary of the
lower Altamaha River near Darien. Found throughout the Altamaha Watershed,
North America’s largest heron inspires us with an elegant vivid reminder of the vital
importance of protecting Georgia’s largest watershed. This beautiful creature and
thousands of others like him depend on us to protect river swamps, bottom lands,
and estuaries from careless destruction. Working together, we can protect these
resources for current and future generations.
The Altamaha River Watershed
is Georgia’s largest, covering 14,000
square miles. Beginning near Atlanta
and Athens, in the foothills of the
Appalachian Mountains, the water
system sends one hundred thousand
gallons of fresh water a second to the
Atlantic Ocean. Once it reaches the
coast, the watershed creates one of
the most productive estuaries in the
country.
Georgia’s coast is less than a
hundred miles long, but it contains
one third of the salt marsh on the
United States’ Eastern coast. The
watershed’s rivers, small creeks, and
streams feed the bountiful estuarine
ecosystem that provides the nursery
grounds for commercially and
recreationally valuable fish and food
for thousands of migratory birds.
More than 120 species of rare or
endangered plants and animals live
in the Altamaha River Watershed the largest documented cluster of
globally imperiled plants and
animals of any watershed in Georgia.
Thousands of residents depend
on the Altamaha River Watershed for
recreation, food, and drinking water.