Tag Archives: WWALS

Last Call for songs: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

We have songs, but we’d like more. No rush; you have until midnight tonight, Friday, June 1, 2018, to send in a song to the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Your song will have a good chance to win the first prize of $300. Or the $50 prize for a finalist from within the Basin, or the $50 prize for a finalist from outside, plus there will be a prize for one finalist in each musical genre or style.

Basins Labeled, Basin

Deadline to send in songs: Friday, June 1, 2018

How to send in a song: 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 →

2017 Annual Progress Report and 2018 Estimates, Hamilton County Mining Ordinance 2018-05-15

Received May 27, 2018 from WWALS member Chris Mericle:

The Hamilton County BOCC finally at its last meeting (May 15) voted on the Nutrien 5 year permit renewal.

The BOCC voted to approve the permit with the modifications recommended by the environmental consultant and attorney.

[2,3,4,5 Draglines]

I consider this a win for us because it requires Nutrien to: 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 →

Florida Folk Festival Saturday 2018-05-26

Rain stayed away, on a fine day, Florida Folk, Saturday. Teri and Eileen were there Friday, I was there Saturday, and Gretchen is there this Sunday morning, at the Florida Folk Festival, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, 11016 Lillian Sanders Dr, White Springs, FL 32096.

Suwannee Riverkeeper, Tent

Children played the froggy toss, bigger children liked the Enviroscape (thanks Nature Coast Biological Station!), and adults talked about everything from the Wild & Scenic Film Festival to outings (next: Suwannee River, weekend after next), to 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 →

Teri and Eileen welcome you to WWALS @ Florida Folk Festival 2018-05-26

Teri and Eileen welcome you to the Suwannee Riverkeeper booth at the Fla. Folk Festival. Come by this weekend for chance to win a kayak or support the Suwannee River!

33527148 10211935785612784 2318969580321505280 N, Photo: Eileen Sims Box for WWALS

Come on down and hear about the Wild & Scenic Film Festival coming up this Thursday, May 31, at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta.

Send in your song for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, deadline Friday June 1, or get a ticket to listen to the contest, Saturday, June 23, at The Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.

We will also have the froggy toss game (can’t believe Gretchen forgot that yesterday), kayak raffle tickets, information about WWALS outings, and of course advocacy.

I’ll also be at the Florida Folk Festival today, Saturday, May 26, 2018, and Gretchen will be there tomorrow.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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