Join us for a cozy Meet & Greet Bonfire with the WWALS Watershed Coalition! This relaxed evening is a chance to connect with fellow members, meet new faces, and warm up around the fire. We’ll chat about upcoming outings, share updates on our advocacy work, and enjoy good food and great company.
When: 6 PM, Friday, December 12, 2025
Put In: Janet Martin, 3892 Hickory Grove Rd N, Valdosta, GA 31606
![[WWALS Social, bonfire at Janet's, near Mud Swamp Creek, above Alapahoochee River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-12-12--social-janet-bonfire/fbmany.jpg)
WWALS Social, bonfire at Janet’s, near Mud Swamp Creek, above Alapahoochee River
Discover all that Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has to offer in our upcoming presentation focused on things to see and do around the 407,000-acre national wildlife refuge. From camping under the stars to paddling scenic water trails, the refuge is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Learn about wildlife watching ethics, areas for hiking and biking, guided boat tours, overnight excursions, hunting and fishing opportunities, and so much more. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure or a peaceful connection with nature, this presentation will showcase how Okefenokee has something for everyone.
When: 12 PM, Thursday, September 11, 2025
Put In:
Register to join with Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tUE8DKI4QJqDpfgYiuiFmw
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end.
Veronica Kelly-Summers is a dedicated Visitor Services Manager with over 15 years of experience in protecting natural resources and connecting people with nature. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University with a focus on forest recreation and wildlife habitat management. Her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken her to eight national wildlife refuges from the woods and swamps of southern Illinois to the Loess Bluffs of Iowa and Missouri, the Florida Everglades, and she’s now stationed at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. She works closely with staff and partners to provide leadership and strategic direction for the Visitor Services program including managing visitor facilities and recreational opportunities for camping, boating, interpretation, environmental education, special events, outreach, hunting, fishing, managing volunteers, and much more. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jacob, and their pets, a yellow lab named Charlie and a spicy tuxedo cat name Tino.
Continue readingHere is video of Emily Bell from the Communications Coordinator of the Florida Wildflower Foundation talking about Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida in a WWALS Webinar, June 26, 2025.
The video:
https://youtu.be/TjSdNFDh_bM
Emily’s slides are on the WWALS website, and images of each slide are appended to this post.
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin gave a brief introduction, and there were questions and answers afterward.
Emily was born and raised in the wilds of Florida. From spring Continue reading
Update 2025-07-25: SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08.
Dennis Price, P.G., of Hamilton County, Florida, asked, “Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville?”
He showed us “the history of surface and ground water in the flatwoods in south Georgia and north Florida in the Suwannee River Basin. Historic water levels and how we have changed these levels. Changes beginning with forestry then farming, and population growth. Ideas for correcting the problems.”
This applies to the Floridan Aquifer proper and the other aquifers above it, all below the Suwannee, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee Rivers, the Okefenokee Swamp, and their tributaries.
Here is the WWALS video of this WWALS Webinar:
https://youtu.be/o4s1jPN0EVI
Some still images are appended.
Thanks to WWALS Board Member Janet Martin for organizing this webinar and for introducing Dennis.
Thanks to everyone who attended.
See
the announcement of this webinar
for Dennis’ resume and other background.
https://wwals.net/?p=67740
See also: Continue reading
Update 2025-10-07: Rescheduled to November 9, 2025. Also Scotti and Sara Jay are hosts.
Join WWALS for a relaxed social outing where members, friends, and newcomers can get to know each other, share ideas, and learn more about our upcoming outings, clean water advocacy efforts, and volunteer opportunities. Music by Scotti Jay. We will set up in the pump house and hang up banners.
*Georgia Beer Company will still be open as usual; we have NOT reserved the entire facility for this event.
*This event it open to members and non-members.
When: 2-4 PM, Sunday, November 9, 2025
Location: Georgia Beer Company, 109 S Briggs St, Valdosta, GA
![[Meet and greet at Georgia Beer Company, 109 S Briggs St, Valdosta GA, Sunday, November 9, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-10-19--meet-greet-ga-beer-co/fbmany.jpg)
Meet and greet at Georgia Beer Company, 109 S Briggs St, Valdosta GA, Sunday, November 9, 2025
This is a dutch treat event. Feel free to grab a bite to eat or sample some local craft beer while you mingle. Whether you’re a long-time paddler, new to watershed protection, or just curious about what we do, this is a great chance to connect.
Let’s raise a glass to clean water and strong community—we hope to see you there!
Continue readingUpdate 2025-08-11: Pictures: Meet and Greet at Banks Lake 2025-08-09.
Join WWALS Watershed Coalition for a casual Meet and Greet at beautiful Banks Lake before our popular Full Moon Paddle! This is a great chance to meet WWALS members, chat about upcoming outings and advocacy work, and enjoy the evening air by the lake.
When: 6 PM to 9:30 PM, Saturday, August 9, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Continue readingThanks to Gee Edwards for leading this one at the last minute, after Janet had some sort of dancing injury.
Janet did not paddle. Nor did I, although I brought Honeybun, Blondie, and Sky to help out. River stayed home.
Janet and Gee are WWALS Board members.
Janet and Kim Tanner (not present) are the co-chairs of the WWALS Outings Committee.
Maybe you’d like to join that committee to help schedule outings.
https://wwals.net/about/committees/#wwals-outings
The next Full Moon paddle is Continue reading
Update 2025-10-14: Documents and Video: Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar 2025-08-21.
A Wildlife Biologist with GA-DNR, Samuel Holst, will talk about the bats of Georgia, including in Banks Lake and the Okefenokee Swamp. Plus some of our rare small mammals that are found around the Okefenokee.
When: 12 PM, Thursday, August 21, 2025
Put In: Register to join with Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/L4lMEWAMRyCE66LTG7CyQg
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end.
![[Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar, Thursday, August 21, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-21--bats-of-georgia-wwals-webinar/fbmany.jpg)
Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar, Thursday, August 21, 2025
Dennis Price, P.G., of Hamilton County, Florida, says, “I plan on going through the history of surface and ground water in the flatwoods in south Georgia and north Florida in the Suwannee River Basin. Historic water levels and how we have changed these levels. Changes beginning with forestry then farming, and population growth. Ideas for correcting the problems.”
This applies to the Floridan Aquifer proper and the other aquifers above it, all below the Suwannee, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee Rivers, the Okefenokee Swamp, and their tributaries.
When: 12-1 PM, Thursday, June 19, 2025
Put In: Register to join with zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FdxNg0QeSB-ngQLGUaIWKw
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end.
![[How Humans Affect the Aquifer, a WWALS Webinar 2025-06-19, in north Florida and south Georgia, by Dennis J. Price P.G.]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-19--aquifer-dennis-price-webinar/fbmany.jpg)
How Humans Affect the Aquifer, a WWALS Webinar 2025-06-19
Janet Martin led the evening paddle Monday, and wrote:
A big thank you to everyone who joined us for last night’s Full Moon Paddle at Bank’s Lake! We had 9 participants in 6 boats, including two wonderful ladies who drove all the way from Tallahassee to join us!
A special shout-out to Kim Tanner for bringing the banner and capturing the moment with a great group picture!
![[Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-05-12, Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River Water Trail]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-12--full-flower-moon-paddle-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-05-12, Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River Water TrailThe weather was absolutely perfect, and the sunset was nothing short of breathtaking. Huge thanks to Janet for leading and Pam for being our fantastic sweep for the night, ensuring everyone stayed safe and together.
And we are excited to welcome Nina as our newest member! Let’s give her a warm WWALS welcome!
Did you know? Continue reading
![[Explore the Okefenokee NWR, Veronica Kelley-Summers, a WWALS Webinar by Zoom, Thursday, September 11, noon-1 PM]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-09-11--okefenokee-swamp-unique-headwaters/many.jpg)
![[Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell, Thursday, June 26, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-26--webinar-emily-bell-wildflowers-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[How Humans Affect the Aquifer, WWALS Webinar by Dennis Price, Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville? 2025-06-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-19--aquifer-dennis-price-webinar-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[Meet and Greet at Banks Lake, 6 PM, Saturday, August 9, 2025, Bring a chair, snacks; drinks; Paddle later or just sit and chat]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-09--meet-greet-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
![[Full Strawberry Moon, Banks Lake NWR 2025-06-12, A small but hardy crowd, not scared of rain predictions]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-11--full-strawberry-moon-banks-lake-pictures/many.jpg)