Category Archives: Chainsaw Cleanup

A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup 2026-08-29

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Gather at Sasser Landing, caravan to private land to put in, paddle down half a mile to Devil Shoal, then upstream towards GA 135 and back.

Help clear passage through deadfalls, leaving habitat. You can pick up trash, photograph, pull sawed limbs aside, or just paddle.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 1 PM, Saturday, August 29, 2026

Put In: Sasser Landing. From Jennings, Hamilton County, FL, travel east on CR 150; cross the Alapaha River; turn left onto NW 72 Court and follow to river, in Hamilton County.

GPS: 30.599562, -83.069828

[A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup, Meet at Sasser Landing, Saturday, August 28, 2026]
A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup, Meet at Sasser Landing, Saturday, August 28, 2026

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Another Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-26

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Join us to clear passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats, leaving plenty of habitat for wildlife.

Using a WWALS canoe if the water is low, and the WWALS jon boat if the water is high.

Everyone is invited to paddle along to pick up trash, photograph, pull aside sawed limbs, or just experience the river. You do not have to saw.

This time we hope to get down past Three Mile Branch to the big log pile at the south border of the park.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 1 PM, Sunday, July 26, 2026

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, I-75 Exit 22, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, turn south on Hyta Mederer Drive, proceed to the river.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Another Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sunday, July 26, 2026]
Another Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sunday, July 26, 2026

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Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-11

We got about half a Withlacoochee River mile downstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp. We cleared passage through six deadfalls or other obstructions.

Plus a Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, and we didn’t get pictures but saw a Great Blue Heron, some hawks, a few buzzards, and other birds we couldn’t identify.

We clear passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats, leaving plenty of habitat for wildlife.

https://wwals.net/?p=69810

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition, and Andrew Reinlieb for helping.

[Pictures: Langdale Park, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, 2026-06-11]
Pictures: Langdale Park, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, 2026-06-11

There will be Public Hearing about a proposed communications tower in Langdale Park, at 5:30 PM, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, after which the Lowndes County Commission will decide.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25896

The Valdosta @ US 41 read 4.12 feet (114.42 feet NAVD88), which is lower than our lowest boatable recommendation of 5.7 feet, 116′ NAVD. We picked a day with the lowest recent water level so we could get deadfalls that other wise would be underwater. Continue reading →

Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-11

Update 2026-07-13: Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-11.

Come help us clear passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats on the Withlacoochee River.

You do not have to saw. You can pick up trash, photograph, pull aside sawed branches, or just paddle along. Bring a rope for the front of your boat, because with the water this low there will probably be dragging.

We hope to at least get as far as the logjam at the south end of the park, which is about 1.32 river miles, and then we paddle back up.

If we’re really lucky, we’ll get as far as Sugar Creek, which is twice as far. If so, we might take out there, or we might paddle back up.

If we get crazy with the heat, we might even go all the way down and up the Little River to Troupville Boat Ramp, which is 6.7 miles. This is unlikely.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 1 PM, Saturday, July 11, 2026

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, At the end of Hyta Mederer Drive, off of 3781 N. Valdosta Road, Valdosta, GA 31602, downstream from the North Valdosta Road (US 41) Bridge, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, July 11, 2026]
Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, July 11, 2026

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Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-06-07

We put in at Troupville Boat Ramp and chainsawed a few big deadfalls and some small ones up past Sugar Creek.

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Up past Sugar Creek 2026-06-07, From Troupville Boat Ramp, And back again]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Up past Sugar Creek 2026-06-07, From Troupville Boat Ramp, And back again

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and doing most of the chainsawing.

Thanks to Daniel Reinlieb for riding along, sawing, bailing, and picking up trash.

Here are some video snippets:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/959705457046263/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZxzra9IFZP/

https://youtu.be/eIwdkvY8t6w Continue reading →

Pictures: Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Downstream from Sugar Creek 2026-03-21

Update 2026-05-15: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-06-07.

The Withlacoochee River water level was too low for our original plan to launch the WWALS jonboat from Troupville Boat Ramp, around the Little River Confluence and up the Withlacoochee River.

So we put a WWALS canoe in at the railroad trestle downstream from Sugar Creek, and paddled downstream.

The goal was the same: to remove deadfalls and debris to permit passage of canoes, kayaks, and jon boats.

See: WWALS Chainsaw Cleanups clear passage, leaving habitat 2026-03-23.

https://wwals.net/?p=69810

[Pictures: Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Downstream from Sugar Creek, 2026-03-21]
Pictures: Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Downstream from Sugar Creek, 2026-03-21

Next: join us tomorrow, 9 AM, Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Langdale Park Boat Ramp. We will paddle upstream and down with chainsaws, and Trails4Valdosta will walk along the riverbank.

https://wwals.net/?p=69784

Here are some video clips from March 21:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/25692852150393984/

https://youtu.be/92fO_L0lRfU

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWckvF_CLWB/ Continue reading →

Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-29

Update 2026-04-26: Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Upstream, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-29.

Update 2026-04-25: Pictures: Downstream chainsawing, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2026-03-29.

Update 2026-03-23: WWALS Chainsaw Cleanups clear passage, leaving habitat 2026-03-23.

With Brianna Schawalder of Trails4Valdosta, meet at Langdale Park Boat Ramp @ 9 AM. We will remove deadfalls and debris to permit passage as far upstream on the Withlacoochee River as we are able within an approximate 6 hour time frame. Volunteers do not have to use a chainsaw if not experienced. Help with debris and trash removal as well as photos and videos assistance are always welcome. Bring your kayak and join this adventure.

You do not have to boat. You can walk along the left (east) bank of the river in Langdale Park. As Brianna Schawalder says, let’s make 2026 the Year of Outdoor Recreation in Lowndes County.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 4 PM, Sunday, March 29, 2026

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, on Hyta Mederer Drive.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, with Trails4Valdosta]
Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, with Trails4Valdosta

Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for support for all this. Continue reading →

Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14

Update 2026-02-16: Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14.

Join us as we chainsaw passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats through hurricane deadfalls.

You do not have to use a saw: you can pull sawed limbs aside, collect trash, photograph, or just paddle along.

The river is very low. This is convenient for sawing through dead trees while standing on the river bottom. But beware there will be much dragging of boats.

We are preparing for the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, which is currently scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026, if the river level rises enough to avoid rescheduling.

When: Gather 11 AM, launch 12 PM, end 5 PM, Saturday, February 14, 2026

Put In: Gather at the bottom of the Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602-2232.
We’ll put in on Sugar Creek if there’s enough water,
otherwise on the Withlacoochee River under the railroad trestle.

GPS: 30.861251, -83.318900

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville, 9 AM, Saturday, February 14, 2026]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville, 9 AM, Saturday, February 14, 2026

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Phil Hubbard fixed the WWALS Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw 2025-12-21

Thanks, Phil.

[Phil Hubbard fixed the Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw 2025-12-21, Thanks for the grant to WWALS from Wild Green Future]
Phil Hubbard fixed the Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw 2025-12-21, Thanks for the grant to WWALS from Wild Green Future

Here’s a video:

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/2205168176559427

https://youtube.com/shorts/KQ_mqQSzUEE?feature=share

What was wrong with it? It ran fine, if you didn’t mind gasoline leaking down your leg, and it running for only a couple of minutes.

Maybe I shouldn’t have set it on top of my running tractor. It fell five feet down onto a concrete floor. Turns out that’s bad for the gas tank.

No kind of glue would fix it. And you can’t just replace the gas tank: it’s integralto the chassis.

So I bought a new crank case. And Phil swapped the guts of the saw into it.

Runs fine now, and does not leak.

Thanks again to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that bought this Husqvarna 460 Rancher 24-inch chainsaw, as well as two outboard motors, a trolling motor, some LIFEPO2 batteries, and related items.

After the holidays, we’ll be back to doing chainsaw cleanups. Continue reading →

Videos: Part 3, Knights Ferry to Nankin Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-22

Here’s Part 3, in which Melissa Stewart retrieves a yellow toy ramp, jsq chainsaws, there was a drizzle, we went through the rapids to get to Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp, and Darrell Stewart planted water trail signs.

The whole thing took about nine hours, with the paddle taking about 6.5 hours.

The 200-or-so pounds of trash collected included Melissa’s RCA TV from the river and another TV found at Nankin Boat Ramp.

Thanks to Will Hart and Scotti Jay for leading this paddle, and to all for participating.

[Part 3, Knights Ferry to Clyattville-Nankin, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-12]
Part 3, Knights Ferry to Clyattville-Nankin, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-12

Here are some video clips:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1255447706414873

https://youtu.be/T_QOEz8Eb7o Continue reading →