Category Archives: WSFF

The #Trashtag Challenge: Cleanups are good, but throwaway plastic needs to be stopped

It’s great the #Trashtag Challenge is getting people to clean up litter, but remember the straw and the sea turtle. Let’s also get on with fixing the problem, which is throwaway plastic and other discardable containers and wrappers.

[A new challenge.]
A new challenge.

It’s fun and useful to clean up a creek, like we did Sunday on Onemile Branch at Azalea Festival in Valdosta.

[Scotti downstream]
Scotti downstream

WWALS does this on every outing, which is also a cleanup, plus some specific cleanups, such as two at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River and one at Sheboggy on the Alapaha River last year. We find the amount of trash tends to go down, as more people catch on that we need to take care of our waters.

Yet more needs to be done. Remember last year at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, the sea turtle and the straw? Continue reading →

Protected A Wild & Scenic River Portrait, tonight 2018-05-31

7PM tonight at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta, come see that Oregon has the most official Wild & Scenic Rivers, but we’ve got some just as good here in south Georgia and north Florida.

Follow river paddler, author, and conservationist, Tim Palmer, through the enchanting waters of Oregon’s Wild Rivers Coast, which has the highest concentration of National Wild & Scenic Rivers in the US. With just a canoe, a camera, and an old van, Tim finds his bliss and his calling on these rivers, and has found a way to share their beauty… while reminding us all about the significance of national Wild & Scenic Rivers program that protects beautiful rivers all across the country. Produced in Partnership with the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Photographing, Stills

This film seems to be showing the most places: PROTECTED: A Wild & Scenic River Portrait, by Jeremy Monroe, David Herasimtschuk, Freshwaters Illustrated. You can see it tonight with a dozen others.

Here’s a trailer for this short film: Continue reading →

Video: Gretchen Quarterman on Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA 2018-05-29

Coming up tomorrow, Thursday, May 31st: it’s the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta. WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman noted you can still buy tickets online or at the door.

Radio host Steve Nichols yesterday first wanted to know about the the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest at the Salty Snapper in Valdosta, GA, June 23, 2018.

They also talked about Continue reading →

Watershed Coalition to hold film festival –VDT 2018-05-29

Today in the newspaper of record for the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin, Amanda M. Usher, Valdosta Daily Times, May 29, 2018, Watershed Coalition to hold film festival

VALDOSTA — The WWALS Watershed Coalition will host the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, 7 p.m. Thursday, May 31, at the Mathis City Auditorium.

The festival will feature 13 films from national filmmakers, one of which will focus on coral reef restoration and another on the Chattooga River.

Gretchen Quarterman, executive director, said one of the purposes of the festival is to observe the 50th anniversary of rivers reaching the designation status by Congress in 1968.

“We’re trying to raise awareness of the rivers in the Suwannee Basin, which is our area, so that people will appreciate them more,” Quarterman said….

Gretchen, Before

There will be Continue reading →

WWALS Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Steve Nichols drive-time radio 105.9FM WVGA 2018-05-29

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 29, 2018) morning at 8:30 AM WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman will be on the air with Steve Nichols talking about:

Banner, Gretchen, Stills

Plus WWALS advocacy, and upcoming paddle outings: Continue reading →

Gretchen inviting Lowndes County Commission to Wild & Scenic Film Festival

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman said “I’m here this evening to invite y’all and everybody present to come to a Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Thursday, May 31.”

Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter wanted to know time and place: 7PM at Mathis Auditorium. Gretchen added, “And we’re going to have a silent auction, and a raffle, and fun stuff. Please come.”

After, Still

Here’s the video:


Gretchen inviting Lowndes County Commission to Wild & Scenic Film Festival
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)
May 22, 2018 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission<,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Tickets: Eventbrite Continue reading →

Coral Reef Rescue at Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2018-05-31

This one surprised me: there is a way to regenerate coral reefs. You can see it at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, 7PM, Thursday, May 31, 2018, in Valdosta, GA.

An upbeat look at a downbeat topic, coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine species and protect the coastlines of more than 100 countries and provide 500 million people with jobs. They are also taking a huge hit from climate change, ocean acidification, and other pressures. The Mote Tropical Research Lab and the Coral Restoration Foundation’s ground breaking work with accelerating coral growth in the lab, creating nurseries in the ocean, and replanting back to the reefs is nothing less than fantastic. Their efforts creates hope for the future of sustainable coral reefs around the globe.

Coral-Reef-Rescue,

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Tickets: Eventbrite Continue reading →

Straws: we will have good ones at Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2018-05-31

You will remember the sea turtle, in this short film by Linda Booker that shows why we need to get rid of plastic straws, at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, this Thursday, May 31, at Mathis Auditorium, Valdosta, GA.

Used once and tossed, billions of plastic straws wind up in landfills and streets, finding their way to oceans. Actor/Director Tim Robbins narrates the history and story of STRAWS, and marine researchers, citizen activists, and business owners discuss how it’s possible to make a sea of change, one straw at a time.

Turtle, Stills

Gretchen has found good non-plastic straws at the event. We’ll have them at the event, and she can tell you where to get them.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Tickets: Eventbrite Continue reading →

Valdosta Wake Compound donates tickets to Wild & Scenic Film Festival

You could learn to wakeboard next to I-75. Thanks to Luke Tilt at Valdosta Wake Compound for two wakeboard lesson tickets for the silent auction at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, 7PM Thursday, May 31, 2018:

They are valued at $65 apiece. The passes include all gear needed to participate as well as a one-on-one instructor. Open to any level of rider. This lesson is the easiest and safest way to learn how to ride a wakeboard on the water.

Terry Bailey, Wakeworld, January 2017, VWC
Photo: Wakeworld, January 2017, of Terry Bailey
VWC: Instagram @valdostawakecompound, website http://valdostawakecompound.com/,
off of I-75 Exit 13, at 2314 Old Clyattville Road, Valdosta, 229-375-3060.

VWC was recently featured in a video by the Valdosta-Lowndes Tourism Authority, and VWC is on Georgia Tourism. That’s about 3 and 1/2 hours South of Atlanta, 3 hours North of Orlando, and 3 hours NorthEast of Tampa.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is also on Georgia Tourism.

Tickets: Eventbrite

Date and Time: Thu, May 31, 2018 Continue reading →

Film Festival and Wild & Scenic Rivers

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival WWALS is holding 7PM Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta, GA is about:

Celebrating fifty years of Wild and Scenic River designations by Congress, this film festival showcases frontline issues and activism with stunning cinematography. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that individuals propel the groundswell of the environmental movement. Collectively, we CAN make a difference!

There aren’t any Wild & Scenic rivers in the Suwannee River Basin, although maybe after seeing this film festival, people will be motivated to fix that.

We have river gems unknown even to most of the people who live here: the Alapaha, the Little, the Withlacoochee, and the Suwannee River.

Alapaha River

Some Atlantans paddled the Alapaha River Water Trail last month, and confirmed its A+ rating for scenery. Even portaging around a deadfall didn’t dampen their spirits.

Consensus: we love the Alapaha!

First Camp: a beach on a point, Pictures
Photo: Robert Marshall of First Camp: a beach on a point

Little River

When retired outfitter Continue reading →