Tag Archives: Gaskins Forest Education Center

Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024 2024-08-21

Hahira, GA, August 21, 2024 — The five finalists will play at the Finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, at the WWALS River Revue, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia. The audience and the three judges will watch and listen. The judges will award prizes, and the winner will sing again.

[Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]
Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024

This is all after dinner and after Dr. Jason Evans of Stetson University in Florida talks about his long detective work to determine water lettuce is indeed native, and Heather Brasell of the Gaskins Forest Education Center in Georgia talks about the effects of forest management on water. There will also be a silent auction in this fundraiser to benefit WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.

One entry, a duo, is from Tennessee and Georgia: Robert Thatcher of Signal Mountain, TN, and Tom Brown of Dalton, GA.

Two are from Georgia: David Rodock of Adel, and Bill Berry of Valdosta.

Two are from Florida: Sweet William Ennis of Palatka, and Rachel Grubb of Lake City.

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Speakers and last call for songs for WWALS River Revue

Last call, songwriters: August 14, 2024 is the last day to send in your excellent song about the Suwannee River Basin. We mean it this time. Here’s the entry form:
https://forms.gle/ett6ne6DxMc8Ln897

The Finals for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest will be at the WWALS River Revue, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia.

Songwriters will perform for the audience and the three judges will decide, after the speakers from Florida and Georgia.

[Logo: WWALS River Revue 2024]
Logo: WWALS River Revue 2024

Dr. Jason Evans will speak about his many-year study of water lettuce, which establishes definitively that it is native to Florida. This may mean that the state should not spray to try to get rid of it.

He is Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Studies, Stetson University, DeLand, Florida. Jason Evans is an interdisciplinary systems and landscape ecologist who works in the fields of climate adaptation, land cover change, and water quality improvement within the built environment.

[Dr. Jason M. Evans, Stetson University, Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, DeLand, Florida, speaking to the Santa Fe Springs Working Group, December 14, 2023]
Dr. Jason M. Evans, Stetson University, Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, DeLand, Florida, speaking to the Santa Fe Springs Working Group, December 14, 2023

Heather Brasell will speak on the impacts of forest management on water quality.

She is the founder of the Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia, where she has won state and national forestry awards. She holds frequent events for adults and children, such as the annual A Day in the Woods, where WWALS always has a booth. She has won state and national forestry awards. She owns several miles of the Alapaha River and has paddled many times with WWALS. She is a former WWALS board member. She is a WWALS water quality tester.

[Heather Brasell, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia]
Heather Brasell, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia

“Musicians, we have some songs, but we also want yours,” said organizing committee chair and WWALS President Sara Jay Jones.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, Continue reading

Students, forestry and water at Gaskins Forest Education Center 2024-06-28

Thanks to Amanda Rollins of Georgia Forestry Foundation for inviting WWALS to talk about forestry and water to elementary school students from Moultrie, Colquitt County, and Albany, Georgia.

[Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, GA, 2024-06-28, 2024-07-10, Forestry and Water, Boys & Girls Club, Georgia Forestry Foundation]
Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, GA, 2024-06-28, 2024-07-10, Forestry and Water, Boys & Girls Club, Georgia Forestry Foundation

At each of two sessions, there were seven groups of students, who cycled by us for 20 minutes each, as one of seven stations.

Thanks to Heather Brasell for hosting this event twice at the Gaskins Forest Education Center.

Thanks to WWALS President Sara Squires Jones and Board member Scotti Jay Jones for staffing the WWALS booth on July 10. Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman did the same on June 28. Continue reading

Okapilco Creek, WWALS River Revue, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest on Bill Osborne talk radio 2024-07-30

Songwriters, please send in your song by August 7, as Bill Osborne and I reminded everyone on his morning drive radio show at 7:30 this morning.

The Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest finals will be Saturday, September 7, 2024, during the WWALS River Revue, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.

[Send songs by August 7, Bill Osborne Radio 2024-07-30, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]
Send songs by August 7, Bill Osborne Radio 2024-07-30, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07

For that and many other topics we discussed, go to:
https://wwals.net

Here is a video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QwPL1huvH5anLwRwLEAWu3S&si=guytfiq-hr-aRjPm

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WWALS @ A Day in the Woods, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, GA 2024-04-20

Come see prescribed fire, basket making, longleaf pine trees, snakes, lizards, frogs, and eat food cooked on the spot.

When: Gather 12 PM, launch 1 PM, end 5 PM, Saturday, April 20, 2024

Put In: Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha, Georgia 31622

GPS: 31.345454, -83.178356

[WWALS Booth at A Day in the Woods 2024-04-20, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia]
WWALS Booth at A Day in the Woods 2024-04-20, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia

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WWALS at Valdosta Tree Fest 2022-12-03

Come to Valdosta Tree Fest and bid on the WWALS tree, which is decorated with seeds of native plants. Want to replant part of your lawn with native plants? Here’s a start. Or if you just want to start some potted plants.

That’s 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1702 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31601. There is no fee to get in.

[Festival, Tree, Ornaments]
Festival, Tree, Ornaments

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/508095037732873/

All proceeds go to WWALS, to support our advocacy and activities.

WWALS volunteers will be there to explain the tree and WWALS. Continue reading

WWALS @ A Day in the Woods, Gaskins Forest Education Center, 2022-04-23

Come to the Gaskins Forest Education Center near Alapaha, Georgia, for an education opportunity about the piney woods and WWALS and the Alapaha River Water Trail.

When: Setup 12 PM, festival starts 1 PM, ends 5 PM, Saturday, April 23, 2022

Put In: Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha, Georgia 31622.

GPS: 31.345454, -83.178356

Free: This event is free.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join

Event: facebook

[Pictures by Gretchen Quarterman from 2018 festival]
Pictures by Gretchen Quarterman from 2018 festival

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Pictures: Alapaha Station Celebration 2018-11-10

Lots of people studied the Suwannee Basin map to see where everything is, last year at the 2018 Alapaha Station Celebration. We’ll be back in a few weeks, at the first local festival WWALS attended.

[with Gretchen]
with Gretchen

The Enviroscape (in front of Gretchen) was popular. Continue reading

Pictures: WWALS at A Day in the Woods 2018-04-21

Here are Gretchen Quarterman and Dave Hetzel at Heather Brasell’s annual A Day in the Woods at the Gaskins Forest Education Center near Alapaha, Berrien County, Georgia.

Gretchen Quarterman, Volunteers

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WWALS at A Day in the Woods 2018-04-21

At Heather Brasell’s annual outdoor event at the Gaskins Forest Education Center, WWALS will have a table as usual, thanks to WWALS Ambassador Dave Hetzel.

When: 1PM-5PM Saturday, April 21, 2018

Where: Gaskins Forest Education Center
3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha

What: A Day in the Woods:
FREE Community Event Activities for all the family

Event: facebook, meetup


Photo: WG Bailey of Dave Hetzel at WWALS table, 2015-04-18.

The GFEC backs up to several miles of the Alapaha River on the Alapaha River Water Trail, and is itself an excellent example of native longleaf and riparian forest.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!