Tag Archives: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Alligator hunting in Banks Lake NWR 2020-07-16

Yes, alligator hunting is happening in Banks Lake NWR.

Well, actually, already happened. According to GA-DNR, “The 2024 season opens at SUNSET on Friday, August 16, 2024, and closes at SUNRISE on Monday, October 7, 2024.”
https://georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/Alligator

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: “Alligator: All State of Georgia Regulations will apply and the season will be limited to two three-day units within the state season. Hunters will access the lake using the refuge boat ramp…. Alligator hunting on the Refuge will be the first two weekends in accordance with the state season.”

So that was August 16-18 and 23-25, 2024.

[Alligator Hunting in Banks Lake NWR 2024, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources]
Alligator Hunting in Banks Lake NWR 2024, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Excerpts from Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunt Plan, July 2020, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/221089

Avg total nightly count = 56 Avg known legal nightly count = 24

Due to increased information from alligator surveys and monitoring from Georgia DNR, the process to allow alligator hunting on Banks Lake NWR was initiated in 2019. The alligator population in Georgia is one of many renewable natural resources that can sustain limited harvest in concert with biological monitoring and periodic evaluations. Allowing an alligator hunt on Banks Lake NWR will provide hunters additional opportunities where other public lands hunting opportunities are limited. Opening this hunt also supports the refuge’s compliance with Secretarial Order 3356, “to support and expand hunting and fishing, enhance conservation stewardship, improve wildlife management, and increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans”.

II. Statement of Objectives

Continue reading →

Video: Bats of Georgia, including Banks Lake and Douglas –Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR, A WWALS Webinar 2024-08-15

Thanks to Emily Ferrall for the overview of the bats of Georgia. She including species likely to occur at Banks Lake, and footage of the Douglas warehouse bats. She mentioned the Anabat Acoustic Survey Volunteer Project. There was discussion of the Okefenokee Swamp, in a lively question and answer period.

Here’s the zoom video:
https://youtu.be/vLrNyShslSI

[Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, A WWALS Webinar, Banks Lake, Douglas, GA, Okefenokee Swamp]
Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, A WWALS Webinar, Banks Lake, Douglas, GA, Okefenokee Swamp

Emily Ferrall is a Wildlife Biologist, in the Wildlife Resources Division of the Wildlife Conservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR).

She specializes in research and monitoring for nongame mammals in Georgia and spends much of her time working with bats. Emily has been with GA DNR since 2016. Emily earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Georgia with an emphasis in wildlife science.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said a few words about what WWALS does, and WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones gave a brief introduction, before Emily Ferrall spoke for about 45 minutes, followed by the Q&A period. 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

Continue reading →

WWALS Webinar: Bats of Georgia, including Banks Lake and Douglas –Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15

Update 2024-08-17: Video: Bats of Georgia, including Banks Lake and Douglas –Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR, A WWALS Webinar 2024-08-15.

Emily Ferrall will give an overview of the bats of Georgia, including species likely to occur at Banks Lake, and she has footage of the Douglas warehouse bats to show. She will mention the acoustic volunteer program.

[WWALS Webinar: Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, including Banks Lake and Douglas warehouse]
WWALS Webinar: Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, including Banks Lake and Douglas warehouse

She is a Wildlife Biologist, in the Wildlife Resources Division of the Wildlife Conservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR).

She specializes in research and monitoring for nongame mammals in Georgia and spends much of her time working with bats. Emily has been with GA DNR since 2016. Emily earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Georgia with an emphasis in wildlife science.

Register in advance with zoom for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtc-urrD8uE9eK5isu8MaaDuonsv0L3tXe

WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Emily Ferrall will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers. Continue reading →

If you can’t beat the mines, buy the land –Dwight Davis 2024-04-23

Update 2024-10-18: Proposed Okefenokee NWR expansion to include TiO2 miners’ land and more 2024-10-18.

There is one slight catch: buying the land will be very expensive. There is probably only one organization that can afford it.

Although the lawsuits likely to ensue as soon as the permits are issued may reduce the price.

Nonetheless, merely buying the land would encourage more mining permit applications. There needs to be legislation to prohibit such mines anywhere near the Okefenokee Swamp.

Also, I don’t know what questioning he is referring to.

Dwight Davis, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 23, 2024, If you can’t beat the mines, buy the land,

The mining permit for Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has evolved into a contentious debate. Though initially a civil discourse on ecological preservation, recent opposition has taken a harsh tone, unfairly questioning the integrity of state officials involved in the decision-making process. Amid this, crucial facts have been overlooked.

[If you can't beat the mines, buy the land --Dwight Davis, Okefenokee Swamp, GA-EPD, GA-DNR]
If you can’t beat the mines, buy the land –Dwight Davis, Okefenokee Swamp, GA-EPD, GA-DNR

Having served on the board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for 14 years, including as its past chairman, I’ve engaged with various stakeholders, including environmental groups, local elected officials and the mining company, Twin Pines, that is seeking permits to mine for minerals near the treasured Okefenokee swamp. Despite the board having no direct influence over the permit decision, we closely monitored the process.

Opponents of mining proudly claim they want to save the Okefenokee, but so does the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which is Continue reading →

Fishing Access in Georgia: House Committee Report 2023-12-01

Update 2024-02-28: Navigability in HB 1397 in GA House Natural Resources & Environment Quality Subcommittee 2024-02-26.

Here is the Final Report with Recommendations after four public input meetings and a decision meeting of the Georgia House Study Committee on Fishing Access to Freshwater Resources.

[Chair Rep. James Burchett and GA House Fishing Access Study Committee 2023-11-30, plus fishing, fish, boating, and trash]
Chair Rep. James Burchett and GA House Fishing Access Study Committee 2023-11-30, plus fishing, fish, boating, and trash

Basically, they want to preserve both fishing rights (and private property rights) while preserving boating right of passage. The Study Committee found right of passage tied to navigability, so its key recommendations are to determine and delineate which parts of which rivers and streams are navigable.

If you know Committee Chair Rep. James Burchett or any of the committee members, please contact them asking for maximum navigability while preserving private property rights. Or contact your Georgia state house member.
http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ Continue reading →

Fishing, boating passage, and navigability in Georgia waters 2023-10-12

Update 2023-12-31: Fishing Access in Georgia: House Committee Report 2023-12-01.

What waterways are navigable? How does navigability apply to fishing rights and private ownership of waterways? What about right of passage? How does the Georgia state constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish apply? And what about GA-DNR boat ramps?

[Access, Navigable, Boat Ramps]
Access, Navigable, Boat Ramps

This controversy started with a lawsuit about the Flint River, but it has already spread to other rivers and creeks, and sooner or later will affect the Suwannee River Basin.

The Chair of the Georgia House Study Committee on the subject is Rep. James Burchett, District 176, which includes southwest Coffee, Atkinson, Lanier, and northeast Lowndes Counties, all in the Suwannee River Basin. Plus he is the County Attorney for Brooks County.

If you know him, maybe you’d like to talk to him about the importance of river passage and public fishing rights. As he is reported to have said, “The intention is to find clarity. The property owners and fishermen all want to know, where can we fish and where can we not?”

Continue reading →

Hurricane Idalia: State Parks Closed, Georgia and Florida 2023-09-02

Stir crazy from staying in due to Hurricane Idalia and want to go to a state park?

Many of them are open, but some remain closed, in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida.

Or come to the WWALS Banks Lake Morning Paddle 2023-09-04.

[Georgia and Florida State Parks Closed 2023-09-02]
Georgia and Florida State Parks Closed 2023-09-02

According to Georgia State Parks Weather Alerts – Hurricane Idalia:

Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup, Outings, Boat Ramps, Okefenokee Swamp –Suwannee Riverkeeper @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07

Update 2023-09-12: Clinch County Resolution against strip mine, for Okefenokee Swamp 2023-09-11.

In addition to its usual business of roads and taxes, the Clinch County Commission discussed with Suwannee Riverkeeper outings, boat ramps, and a proposed resolution against the strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp.

[Collage @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07]
Collage @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07

For the boat ramp, Clinch County can apply to the GA-DNR Recreational Trails Program, Nonmotorized. Andrew Schock, writing for the landowner, The Conservation Fund, sent a letter saying that among the half a dozen possibilities he favors Drawdy Mill Landing on Drawdy Mill Road, which is about half way between Griffis Fish Camp and Fargo Boat Ramp.

For the resolution supporting the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River against the proposed strip mine, the Commissioners chose to take another month to read it thoroughly, with a vote next month, which should be 6PM, Monday, September 4, 2023. The resolutions already passed by other cities and counties, including the one passed last week by Echols County, are on the WWALS website. For more about that mine, see
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining

Thanks to Chairman Henry Moylan and the Commissioners for their hospitality, to Clinch County Administrator Jaclyn James for ongoing communications, and to WWALS member Etta Lee for talking to Commissioners and for being at the meeting; also for dinner.

Below are pictures, videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange of the relevant agenda item, and links to documents.

Here is a WWALS video playlist of the relevant LAKE videos.

For the entire meeting, see the LAKE blog post, Videos: Boat Ramps, Okefenokee Swamp, LMIG, Taxes @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07.

Continue reading →

Water trail sign fixing, Franklinville Road, Withlacoochee River 2023-06-25

Update 2023-06-25: Water quality sampling, Franklinville Road, Withlacoochee River 2023-06-25.

Somebody stole one of the water trail signs, and pushed the signpost off from vertical. So we fixed it.

[Before, fixing, after: WLRWT signs, Franklinville Landing, Withlacoochee River 2023-06-25]
Before, fixing, after: WLRWT signs, Franklinville Landing, Withlacoochee River 2023-06-25

This is at Franklinville Landing, on the Withlacoochee River at Franklinville Road, near the location of the old Lowndes County seat of Franklinville. It looked like somebody backed into the signpost, after somebody stole the bottom sign. That’s the one about this location, Franklinville Landing: what you can see upstream and downstream, how far, etc.

Back in 2019, when the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR) provided WWALS a generous educational grant through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), we ordered duplicates of some signs. Franklinville happened to be one of them, so the duplicate now replaces the stolen sign. Continue reading →