Tag Archives: wildlife

No mining guarantees, and leave the Okefenokee alone –Local citizens in Charlton County Herald 2019-10-30

Local citizens consider the full page ad by the miners to be fighting words. They see the miners can provide no guarantees, so they should leave the Okefenokee Swamp alone, and the rivers that run from it, too.

You can still comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or write your own letter to the editor.

[River Styx & Okefenokee NWR --Wayne Morgan 2019-10-05]
River Styx & Okefenokee NWR from above Twin Pines Minerals mine site Photo: Wayne Morgan for WWALS on Southwings flight, pilot Allen Nodorft 2019-10-05

Leave it this way and leave it alone

Dear Editor,

As a family with a long history in this area, it is imperative that Continue reading →

Raise no limits, sample more water, publish timely –WWALS to FDEP Triennial Review 2019-05-31

Dear FDEP, please raise no pollutant limits, do more water quality monitoring, and publish all testing results in days, not months.

[More water quality monitoring]
More water quality monitoring

Continue reading →

Sign up for Water Quality Testing Training

Please sign up to volunteer to do Water Quality Testing, in either Florida or Georgia, using this google form.

https://forms.gle/WfNQEnoiv7LDBAsd8

You can help find out what is getting into our rivers, springs, and wells beyond sewage spills: fertilizer nitrates, livestock, wildlife, septic tanks, other. We also want to follow up after sewage spills, because the limited testing required by states doesn’t tell us how far the spill went.

WWALS testing trainer Gretchen Quarterman does trainings as trainees sign up. See the main Water Quality Testing web page for the next scheduled testing trainings.

Be sure to fill out the google form above so we will know how many. Be ready to test regularly after you get trained.

[Kit]
Kit

Anybody can take the training, which is free. But to test for WWALS requires being a WWALS member:

https://wwals.net/donations/

Remember to post your results in Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and we can use them in Swim Guide.

Sign up, get trained, and then test and report. Continue reading →

Water amendments passed 2018-11-06

The obvious water constitutional amendments passed resoundingly in both Florida and Georgia.

FL 9 and GA 1, Water Amendments

By well more than the required 60%, Continue reading →

Georgia and Florida Constitutional Amendments 2018-11-06

Two Georgia state constitutional amendments are relevant to clean water, of those on the ballot tomorrow in the November 6, 2018, General Election. And in Florida, vote Yes on Florida Amendment 9, to ban offshore oil and gas drilling.

In Georgia I recommend:

  • Yes on 1, the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment
  • No on 2, appointing instead of electing some judges

Below is why.

Yes on GA 1, Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment

Yes on GA 1

For the title, summary, and detailed constitutional changes, see Continue reading →

Tickets now available for Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Valdosta

For rivers, oceans, and land, tickets are now available through Eventbrite to the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. You can buy them online and print them. WWALS board members also have physical tickets you can buy.

Date and Time: Thu, May 31, 2018
7:00 PM — 10:00 PM EDT

Location: Mathis Auditorium
2300 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31602

What: 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!

Featured at the tour event in Valdosta, GA will be Continue reading →

Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2018-05-31

Update 2018-04-16: Tickets now available!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, GA, April 5, 2018 — WWALS Watershed Coalition (Suwannee Riverkeeper) announces a Wild & Scenic Film Festival at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta as a natural extension of WWALS’ work to inspire people to act for fishable, swimmable, drinkable waters.

WSFF WWALS Logo, Graphics When: 7PM, Thursday, May 31, 2018

Where: Mathis Auditorium,
2300 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31602

Event: facebook, meetup

WWALS WSFF Poster,
To print this poster, use the PDF.

Tickets: Available at the door, and pre-sale tickets will be available soon are available online and on paper now.

What: Wild & Scenic focuses on films which speak to Continue reading →

Adel passes Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail resolution 2018-01-16

Update 2020-10-01: Signed and executed copy.

Thanks, City of Adel, for passing this resolution last Tuesday! The next BIG Little River Paddle Race at Reed Bingham State Park will be April 28, 2018, pending final approval by GA DNR. Meanwhile, come paddle with WWALS from Hagan Bridge (GA 122) to Franklinville on the Withlacoochee River, February 11, 2018.

[Under the cypress]
Photo: Phil Hubbard, Under Reed Bingham State Park cypress at the 2017 BIG Little River Paddle Race.

Text of the resolution (see also PDF)

Continue reading →

Lola Tract: WMA in Lanier and Lowndes Counties

Update 2019-05-09: fixed URLs and added map.

It has a name and it is listed: Lola Tract; WMA Stockton:

Offus84
Google Streetview, Lanier County CR 123 off of US 84 aka GA 38.

Lola Tract WMA is a 391 acre property near Stockton. Hunting opportunities include deer, bear, turkey and small game.

This property is only open during hunt dates.

Directions:

From Stockton Take Hwy. 84 west for 1.4 miles. WMA kiosk is on the right. WMA is on both sides of the river.

Voluntary Public Access Area

Continue reading →

WMA in Lanier and Lowndes Counties

Yes, it’s a WMA on both sides of the Alapaha River, and it will open for hunting this year. It’s also one of seven or eight, all also Dr. Acree’s land. They will each have names, which are currently unknown, but will pop up in the next few days on the DNR website.

Floating downstream
Photo: John S. Quarterman, 2 April 2017, in Alapaha River, Hotchkiss Road to US 84 2017-04-02

This WMA information is from someone who’s been on site and knows the details, Continue reading →