From alligators and wood storks in the Okefenokee National Wildlife (NWR) to mussels, Gulf sturgeon, and alligator snapping turtles in the Lower Suwannee NWR, plus Banks Lake NWR and Cedar Key NWR, Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, ONWR, gave a WWALS Webinar on Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 4 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.

Water, Wildlife, & Wilderness: 4 NWRs of the Suwannee –Larry Woodward, Okefenokee, Banks Lake, Lower Suwannee, Cedar Key, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21

After a brief introduction by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, Larry Woodward spoke for about 45 minutes, followed by questions and answers, all by zoom, from noon to 1PM, Thursday, November 11, 2024.

Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/ya5b8V6woOE

Fictional inhabitants of the Okefenokee Swamp include not only Pogo the Possum but also Kermit the Frog.

Inhabitants of Okefenokee

The Florida urban legend is false that when Georgia has big rains it opens the gates of the Suwannee River Sill and floods Florida. Nope, those gates are already open, for decades now, and there are also deliberate breaches of the sill.

Larry Woodward continues his career with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the Deputy Manager of the Okefenokee NWR Complex with previous work at three other refuges including Santee NWR (SC), John Heinz NWR (PA), and Lower Suwannee / Cedar Keys NWRs (FL). He has had the pleasure to manage extraordinary natural resource communities for wildlife conservation, protect cultural resources, and provide outstanding recreational opportunities for the American public. Larry has been married for 31 years to his wife Nancy Lee and they are the parents of 3 children in their 20’s. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family outdoors, Florida Gators football, fishing, and photography.

Here’s more about Larry Woodward and the Okefenokee Swamp in his own words and pictures, Larry Woodward’s Okefenokee Swamp: A Pristine Sanctuary.

For other WWALS Webinars, see:
https://wwals.net/about/wwals-webinars/

They are usually on the second or third Thursday of the month, from noon to 1PM. After a brief introduction, the speaker has about 45 minutes, with the remaining time for questions and answers and discussion.

They are recorded, so if you miss one, you can see it later on YouTube. Here’s a WWALS video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QxWRGrV9iExlyXQIVnzOtPX&si=0Atnjwrm_ikyV-sh

These WWALS Webinars are free, but we encourage you to join WWALS or otherwise donate to assist our advocacy and educational mission.
https://wwals.net/donations/

WWALS Webinars are organized by the WWALS Events Committee; maybe you’d like to join that committee and help.

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer, which is the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman
Suwannee Riverkeeper
wwalswatershed@gmail.com
850-290-2350

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Welcome

LW

Larry Woodward, Deputy Director Okefenokee Nwr

Maps

Maps Suwannee River and Basin

ONWR

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Pogo

Inhabitants of Okefenokee

ONWRMap

Okefenokee Trail Map and Signs

BL

Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

LS

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge

CK

Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge

QA

Questions

Short Link: