Georgia Department of Natural Resources Winter 1990 Vol. 5, No. I Give Wildlife Chance CHECK YES FOR WILDLIFE For tbe first time, Georgia's state income tax form will bave a clleckolf for nongame wildlife. Thete are over 1,120 species of wildlife in Georgia. Currently 66 plants and 27 species of animals are in daJI&er of becolning extinct. You can llelp. Check yes on your state income tax form and make a contribution to tbe Georgia Nongame W"tldlife Fund. 1be Department of Natural Resoun:es will use your contnbution to expand programs designed to protect nongame wildlife. Included are projects to reintroduce eagles, falcons, and ospreys to Georgia, build bluebird nest boxes; collduct endangered plant surveys; protect valuable babitat; build nongame trails and observations platforms in State parks and wildlife management areas; protect sea turtle nests; and prepare educational materials for school children. Ybur belp is vital to tbe survival of tile natural resoun:es that are a part of tbe quality of life Georgians hope to enjoy for years to come. Support Georgia's Nongame Wildlife Fund Georgia Department of Natural Resources Suite 1258-East Tower 205 Butler Street, S.E. Atlanta, GA 30334 (404)656-0772 ~ DNR Outdoor Report Vol. 5, No. 1 Winter 1990 Contents The tri-color heron is a common summer resident in Georgia. Photo: Karen Lawrence. Features 2 Nongame Wildlife! To all who have contributed to the remarkable success of Georgia's Nongame Wildlife Program, very special thanks 4 Nongame Program Update The Nongame Wildlife Program has made enormous progress on behalf of nongame plants and animals Here's a status report 6 Rare Wetlands Wetlands are natural communities being protected in Georgia through new laws Here, a look at two types of rare wetlands in the state 8 Birding on the Coast Georgia's great birding opportunities are exceptional on the coast. 12 Beautification Projects DNR, with The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc is beautifying State park and historic site grounds with native plants and flowers 14 Georgia's Protected Plants Georgia's Protected Plant Program works to conserve rare and endangered species and promote public awareness about plant protection. 18 Winter Quarters for the Manatee Endangered manatees winter in Georgia with helpfrom Gilman Paper Co. Departments Calendar of Events 21 Creature Feature: The Barn Owl 16 'How To' Page: Help Hummingbirds 20 Wild Page: Tracking Wildlife 11 Georgia ' s DNR Outdoor Report is published quarterly by the Communications Office of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to promote a better understanding of DNR management and conservation programs. The magazine is distributed as a public service to county and municipal governments , public libraries and schools. J Leonard Ledbetter, Commissioner Katherine Thurber, Communications Director Deborah Dewberry Managing Editor Omar Rasheed, Graphic Production Artist. Regular contributors: Lisa Dudley Gib Johnston , Lucy Justus , Kathy Matthews, Thomas Smith, Dottie Sweat. Publishing office , 205 Butler St. S .E. Suite 1258 , Atlanta, Ga. 30334. Joe Frank Harris Governor J. Leonard Ledbetter Commissioner The Board of Natural Resources James (Herb) Butler Chairman, Member-at-Large James Griffin, Jr. Chairman, Member-at-Large Patricia C. Edwards Vice Chairman, Third District C. Tom Griffith Secretary, Tenth District Dolan E. Brown, Jr First District J. Leonard Eubanks Second District Linda S. Billingsley Fourth District E.R. Mitchell, Jr. Fifth District Felker W Ward, Jr Sixth District C.W (Sonny) Jackson Seventh District Curtis Farrar E ighth District Donald J. Carter Ninth District Will D. (B illy) Herrin Coastal District James (Herb) Butler Member-at-Large Glenn E. Taylor Member-at-Large John Lanigan Member-at-Large Will D. (Billy) Herrin Coastal District Nongame Wildlife! By Lonice C Barrett Deputy Commissioner for Programs Department of Natural Resources Nongame wildlife proj ects have benefiued survival of (clockwise, fr om bottom left) ospreys, bluebirds, many endangered plants, peregrine fal cons and bald and golden eagles, and threatened or endangered marine species such as sea turtles. N ongame wildli fe ! It' s a lot to think about mammals , birds , reptiles and amphibians , plants , fish and thou- sands of invertebrate species . Georgia alone has over 2, 100 species of plants and animals, 90 percent of which are non- game- not legally hunted , fi shed or trapped . Of these species, approximate ly 238 are listed by the U.S . Fi sh and Wildlife Service as endangered or threatened . Thanks to the efforts of a lot of generous contributors, dedi- cated vo lunteers, conservationists, government offi cials and talented DNR staff, Georgia is poised to continue making out- standing progress in programs designed to educate the pub- lic and benefit Georgia' s nongame wildlife, through Georgia's Nongame Wildlife Program . As Georgians complete the ir 1989 state income tax returns between now and April 15 , they have a chance to support nongame wildlife by contributing a part of the ir income tax refund for the benefit of these spec ies. By contributing , they will help make sure no more pl ants or animals are added to rare and endangered species lists in the state . One hundred percent of all contributions will support nongame restoration efforts. The Department of Natu ral Resources assumes admin- istrati ve costs for the Nongame Wi ldli fe Program. All finan- cial gifts are tax deductible, and a quarterl y newsletter keeps contributors info rn1ed about the program ' s progress. Some outstanding programs have been initiated , thanks to the contributions of concerned Georgians. These include effo rts to restore bald and gb'lden eagles, peregrine fa lcons, ospreys , bluebirds, sea turtles and manatees; the Natural Her- itage Inventory of plant and ani mal communities; habitat pro- tection; wildlife rehabilitation training workshops; population surveys to determine the status of gopher tortoises , red- cockaded woodpeckers, bats, hummingbirds, and ri ght whales; 2 conserv ation education programs for school children; interpretive fac ilities on state parks and wildlife manage ment areas ; and preparati on of informati ve brochures, slide shows and film s used to inform the publi c about nonga me plants and animals . By any standard , 1 be lieve thi s is an impress ive list of achievements and sincere apprec iation is owed the many vo lunteers and DNR staff who he lped orga ni ze these prog ram s. Heartfe lt thanks should al so be ex pressed to Governor Joe Frank Harris for sponsoring the ori ginal nongame legislation that created the income tax chec koff; to the Georgia General Assembly fo r pass ing the leg islatio n; to State Revenue Commissioner Marcus Collins for ass isting in the preparation of the state income tax forms; to Commissioner J. Leonard Ledbetter whose special interest and support of nonga me wildlife has been evident from the beg inning; to the Nongame Executive Committee which faithfully ass isted in raising fund s th at enabled the program to undertake initial projects; to the Nongame Task Force , which is currentl y he lping to spread the word throughout Georgia about the checkoff and encourag ing contributions; and to the outstanding DNR biological and technical staft" members who have supported the goal s of thi s program . This is a terri fic group of people, and all deserve recognitio n and th anks fo r great work . Every reader is urged to consider supporting the Nongame Wildlife Program. Georgia has one of the fin est manage ment programs in the U. S. for game spec ies. and is endeavo ri ng to develop one o f the best no nga me wildlife programs in America. To do so, your fin ancial support is needed. Please use Line 6 on the short form and Line 26 on the long form when you complete your 1989 state income tax return. If someone prepares your form , please request th at yo ur preparer include a contribution to the Nonga me W ildlife Fun d. Fin all y to all who have already contributed to thi s program , please accept our sincere ex press ion of gratitude for your ge nerosity We hope yo u will te ll others about the program . Top . Walt er C Crawford, who directs the Missouri-based Raptor Rehabilitation and Propagation Project, In c shows children a baby peregrine fa lcon at Georgia Power' s Atlanta hackin g site Th e orga nization jinds and rehabilitates fa lcons and other rap tors for hacking projects such as those carried out by DNR 3 ' ~1 j The Department's raptor restoration projects were highly successful last summer as 13 golden eagles were released from the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA hacking site (above). A total of 60 have been released. Opposite. a golden eagle takes flight ; volunteer wildlife rehabilitators work with a barred owl. Update: Georgia's Nongame Program Takes Flight By Terry W Johnson Director, Nongame Wildlife/Endangered Species Program DNR Game and Fish Division B ouyed by the support of an ever-increasing number of citizens, Georgia 's fledgling Nongame Wildlife Program has soared to new heights during its second year As a result , the cooperative efforts of literally thousands of private citizens, DNR staff members, conservation and civic groups and businesses have helped insure the preservation of the state ' s nongame wildlife resources. Education is the cornerstone of the Nongame Wildlife Program. During the past year the Department of Natural Resources and dedicated volunteers have hailed the 'Give Wildlife a Chance!" message from the mountains of North Georgia to the shores of Sapelo Island . Whether it was a park naturalist leading a group down the sun dapple bower of the Byron Herbert Reese nature trail at Vogel State Park , or a volunteer providing a child with its first glimpse of a bald eagle soaring above the waters at Lake Juliette, or a wildlife biologist add ressing a Kiwanis Club meeting, the message has been the same. We can no longer take our wildlife resources for granted . If wildlife populations are to continue to add to the quality of life we must all make a comm itment to better manage the land and its wild inhabitants . 4 Public Awareness the Key Public awareness of nongame wildlife species and their management is the key to the success of the Nongame Wildlife Program. Each day DNR offices across the state receive hundreds of requests for information on everything from bald eagles and bluebirds to amber darters and manatees. To provide Georgians with the most up-to-date information on nongame plants and animals , DNR published educational materi al on projects funded by the program concerning eagles , purple martins , bat boxes , bluebird boxes , checklists of Georgia reptiles and amphibians, of birds found on Sapelo Island , the Eastern Kingsnake, woodstorks , peregrine falcons and sea turtles . Wildlife interpretive trails , exhibits or viewing platforms were constructed or upgraded at a number of state parks including Panola Mountain , Vogel , Watson Mill Bridge and Seminole. The nature trail at Seminole is unique in that it winds through an active colony of gopher tortoises. Donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund have also been used to upgrade the nature trail at Rum Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and other WMAs such as Lake Burton and the Albany Nursery At G r and Bay WMA wildli fe technicians and biologists are in the process of constructi ng a canoe trail through one of the state's best remaining examples of a Carolina bay The nationally acclaimed Project WILD conservation education program continued to receive widespread use in the state 's classrooms. During the past year in addition to training new Project WILD facilitaJ,ors , a number of workshops were held to aquai nt already certified facilitators with the new Aquatics activity manual. Thi s past summer DNR's Communications Office unveiled a new film entitled ' GIVE WILDLIFE A CHANCE! ' The film featu res such well-known conservationists as Roger Tory Peterson, Dr Eugene Odum and Jim Fowler, and presents a powerful case for the need for all Georgians to support the Nongame tax checkoff The DNR Game and Fish Division 's nongame staff produced a new slide show entitled , ' Bluebirds in Georgia " Thi s program is available to groups on request. Each year thousands of orphaned or injured animals require care before being released to the wild . This care is provided by an extre mely dedicated corps of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators . In an effort to attract new qualified rehabilitators and to provide current rehabilitators with information on the latest techniques, DNR sponsored three workshops this past autumn . Highly popular workshops were conducted by Dr Bran Ritchie of the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine . Successful Hacking Projects Since the Nongame Wildlife Program was begun in 1986, DNR has hacked- raised in captivity and released into the wild- many threatened or endangered raptors, or birds of prey Raptor hacking efforts proved highly successful this past summer A total of 13 golden eagles were released at Pigeon Mountain WMA . To date, 60 golden eagles have been released at this site since the program's inception in 1983 . In addition , nine bald eagles were hacked in 1989 Two of these birds were released from a new facility at Sapelo Island and seven from the hacking tower on the Alla- f Herb Cawthorne toona WMA. Three ospreys were successfull y hacked thi s year from hacking facilities operated by a volunteer near Valdosta and the U.S . Army Corps of Engineers on Lake West Point. Four barn owls were hacked in a cooperative effort between the Dauset Trails Nature Center, High Falls State Park and the Game and Fish Division . Six peregrine falcons were successfully released in Georgia last summer Three birds were released from a hack box on the cliffs of Mt. Yonah. In addition, Georgia's first urban peregrine hacking project proved to be highly successful , with the release of three birds from atop the Georgia Power building in downtown Atlanta . Zoo Atlanta, Georgia Power , the U.S. Forest Service and the Raptor Rehabilitation Center of St. Louis , Mo ., all joined hands with DNR in bringing about these sucessful releases. Research and Survey Projects DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program actually conducted or sponsored a wide variety of research and survey projects during the past year The Heritage Inventory Program continued its efforts to locate , catalogue and map the locations and status of Georgia' s rare natural communities. A total of eight bald eagle nests were located during the course of bald eagle nesting surveys. Hundreds of Georgians reported their eagle sitings as part of Eagle Watch. The important data received provides biologists with valuable insight as to the distribution of the eagle population in Georgia . Status surveys were initiated for the gray bat , gopher tortoise, alligator snapping turtle , brown tail muskrat, woodstork, barn owl, American kestrel, red-cockaded woodpecker and ruby-throated hummingbird . Data collected through these surveys assist biologists in detemtining the management needs of these fascinating nongame species. Research efforts also centered around determining the value of the waterfowl impoundment and food plots for songbirds. In addition , a survey of public attitudes concerning nongame populations was conducted . Wildlife habitat management was encouraged on private lands through the Georgia ACRES FOR WILDLIFE Program. During the past year some 3,814 acres of privately owned wildlife habitat was enrolled in the program. I think all will agree that the accomplishments achieved by the Nongame Wildlife Program to date are impressive. Everyone that participated in the program this year is to be commended. Without the cooperative efforts of each of you, none of this would have been possible. It is satisfying to know we are all doing our share to "GIVE WILDLIFE A CHANCE!' 5 Rare Wetlands By Jon Ambrose I n addition to locating rare plants and animals in Georgia , the Department of Natural Resources ' Freshwater Wetlands and Heritage Inventory Program documents occurrences of rare or otherwise important natural communities. Ecologically speaking, a natural community refers to a group of populations of different species that are found together in a given area, and that interact with each other For the purposes of the program , a natural community is defined as a naturally -occurring group ofspecies sharing the same locality or habitat. Protection of rare or unusual natural communities is an important part of resource conservation , and is part of DNR 's efforts to protect individual rare plant or animal populations. Since species in a community interact with each other and depend on this interaction for survival, a species physical habitat and its community must be conserved. Many natural communities contain species that are genuinely rare , but have no legal or public support for their preservation. These ' neglected' species include many invertebrates , nonvascular plants and fungi . There are also many species with unknown geographic ranges and others that have even yet to be discovered and named. By focusing inventory and conservation efforts on natural communities , protection for these species can be ensured , in addition to those which are common and well-known. Maintaining intact , diverse natural communities is a broad-scale approach to preserving biological diversity in Georgia. Several factors are taken into consideration while determining protection priorities for natural communities. In general , the rarest community types are given highest priority However , a fairly widespread community may contain several rare plants or animals. Obviously , it is important to conserve these communities too . In many cases , undisturbed examples of even common community types are rare , such as old-growth pine hardwood stands in the Piedmont . lt is important to preserve these ' best examples ' when they are found. Finally , a widespread community type may be in more danger of destruction than a more restricted one because of the agricultural , residential or industrial development patterns in a region . In recent years there has been a substantial increase in public and legislative support for the conservation of wetland environments. This support is partly due to the growing realization that wetlands serve many valuable ecological functions , and provide habitat for a great many wildlife species. A wide variety of wetland communities are found in Georgia. Some of these wetlands represent particularly rare natural communities , and their protection is a high priority Two examples of rare wetlands in Georgia are Iredell flatwoods and moun tain bogs. Iredell flatwoods. These communities, sometimes called ' upland swamp glades , are found in widely scattered areas of the Georgia Piedmont , and beneath them lie soils derived from basic igneous rocks. These soils, known as Iredell soils , have a thick layer of sticky plastic clay which is highly impermeable to water Iredell soils are also less acidic""than most Piedmont soils , and higher in calcium and magnesium. Where the topography is gently sloping to flat , Iredell soil sites are characterized by widelyfluctuating hydrologic conditions . In winter and spring , the impermeability of the soil's 6 clay layer produces flooded conditions for extended periods of time. In summer and fall, the dried clay layer has very low moisture availability causing severe drought conditions . These extremes of water availability, combined with the chemical properties of these soils , are thought to be the major factors explaining the unusual vegetation found in these wetlands. Two sites within the Oconee National Forest in Jasper County appear to be outstanding examples of Iredell flatwoods. A 250-acre site near Monticello contains a diverse array of oaks, including one of the most extensive remaining populations of the state-protected Oglethorpe oak (Quercus oglethorpensis). Other species in this unusual wetland community include the dwarf palmetto (Saba/ minor), southern shagbark hickory (Carya carolinae-septentionalis) , supplejack (Berchemia scandens), parsley haw (Crataegus marsha/Iii) , and atamasco lily (Zephyranthes atamasco). This site is currently protected by the U.S. Forest Service as a designated Botanical Area. A similar swamp is located on national forest land near the town of Gladesville in Jasper County A 1987 survey of Iredell soil sites in Jasper Elbert, Wilkes and Oglethorpe counties found that most of these areas have been clearcut and planted in pine; very little of the original hardwood vegetation remains . The few privately-owned sites with mature hardwood vegetation still intact are threatened by timbering , mining and agricultural development . Results of this survey indicate that additional examples of this community type should be preserved in Georgia . Mountain bogs. Georgia 's mountain bogs are very limited in number and total acreage, representing one of the rarest groups of natural communities. These wetlands occur at the heads of streams, along seepage slopes and near springs in the mountains of North Georgia. They are characterized by acidic , peat-rich soil s which are constantly saturated with water The vegetative cover of these bogs varies greatly ; some sites are domi nated by shrubs , others by trees ; still others have a diverse mixture of herbaceous species. Rare species known from mountain bogs include sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia), northern pitcherplant (Sarracenia purpurea), swamp-pink (Helonias hullata) and bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenhergi). Other species typical of mountain bogs include blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum), alder (Alnus serrulata), chokeberries (Aronia spp.), cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), turtlehead (Chelone cuthhertii) and sphagnum mosses (Sphagnum spp.). Only a few mountain bog sites are known. Because of their vulnerability to disturbance from activities such as ditching and drainage , livestock grazing and overcollection of rare plants , the longterrn existence of some of Georgia's mountain bogs is in serious jeopardy There is a need to learn more about the natural processes which maintain these communities , and to protect examples of the various vegetation types comprising this broad wetland category Efforts to inventory and protect these and other rare natural communities are ongoing within DNR 's Freshwater Wetlands and Heritage Inventory Program . Jon Ambrose is Community Ecologist for DNR's Freshwater Wetlands and Heritage In ventory Program , in Social Circle, Ga. The northern pitcherplant is native to Georgia's extremely rare mountain hogs Opposite. this Jasper County site is a good example of Iredell flatwoods, found in scattered areas of the Georgia Piedmont. 7 Birding ~ On Georgia's Coast By Gib Johnston and Dottie Sweat G eorgians who enjoy birding are indeed fortunate. This state's tremendously varied geography offers a wide range of habitats from the near alpine conditions of the higher mountains to the almost subtropical climate of Georgia's coast in the summer Because of this, there are more than 375 species of birds that are resident in the state or are regularly seen here . For instance, it is possible, in a single day , to see ravens around the visitor center of Brasstown Bald in north Georgia and roseate spoonbills on the coast. Without a doubt, the coast is the most fertile birding (it's not called "bird watching' today) area in the state. A trip to the coast is always satisfying, not just for the novice but for the old-timer as well . Here the birds are the most spectacular It is an area where a variety of the larger birdsincluding pelicans, gulls , egrets, ibises , terns, grackles, ducks and ospreys--<:an often be found. Birders in Georgia are doubly fortunate since our coast, unlike the coasts of most other states, is still largely undisturbed. With the exception of Tybee, St. Simons , Jekyll and Sea Islands , Georgia's barrier islands are inhabited only by those who protect them. There are no Hilton Heads, Amelia Islands, or Daytonas with the crowded beaches, golf courses and eight-story con- dominiums. In Georgia, things have remained more natural. In fact, most of Georgia' s islands are very much as they were in pre-Columbian times. Though most of the " natural islands " have seen their share of human disturbance such as farming, logging and ranching , only a small percentage of the whole has been so used. This is what makes Georgia's coast so unique . But Georgia's coastal islands do not have a monopoly on birds . Just inland lie the marshes that were once considered to be useless land. Today , it is realized that these saltmarshes are among the most productive areas on earth . Teeming with wildlife of all sorts , including their own populations of birds , Georgia's saltmarshes play a vital role in the coastal ecosystem. In these marshes , birders can expect to see rails, coots, egrets , grackles and red-winged blackbirds , and no birding excursion in the marshes is complete without a boat trip through the labyrinth of small creeks that drain the marshes on the falling tide. At the edge of the marsh lies the mainland, " the hill" , and here the bird life changes. The abundant food supply that exists in the ocean and the marsh is gone. Yet, there is plentiful food for the smaller species . Warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers, mockingbirds , vireos and other species make their home on the mainland and are often seen feeding in coastal residents' back yard bird feeders. Birds here are as abundant as in the more open coastal habitat, perhaps mare so, but studying them takes more effort. The effort generally pays off, however, as the experienced birder, who has most of the coastal species checked off on his life-list, can attest. Of course, all of these habitats overlap greatly Warblers can be seen not only on the mainland , but also among the trees and shrubs of the barrier islands. Egrets and herons also leave the marshlands to fly along the watercourses of the mainland. The gulls can be seen in all three locations , making the entire coastal region a birders paradise. Georgia's Wildlife Refuges Though it would be impossible to list all of the excellent birding locations of the coastal area, any notable list would have to include the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge . This federally owned area is only a few miles up the Savannah River from the City of Savannah. The refuge lies on both sides of the river, so part of the area is actually located in South Carolina. In colonial times , the area was a large rice plantation . But today, the rice fields with their 39-mile dike system are used not for the production 8 Double crested cormorants (left) inhabit Georgia's coasts and marshlands. This page, brown pelicans on an oyster bar a little blue heron immature egret of rice, but for the benefit of birds and other wildlife . For this reason , the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is an excellent destination for birders. The refuge includes walking trails, canoe trails and a five mile wildlife drive for automobiles. The area is a haven for ducks and other waterfowl in the winter, and during the summer months a large population of herons , egrets, ibises, anhingas and herons can be seen . Bald eagles are also regular visitors to this area. The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge makes a pleasant side trip from Savannah . It can be reached by automobile , via U.S . Hwy 17 Further down the river, the Tybee Island National Wildlife Refuge occupies a small area at the mouth of the Savannah River that serves as a spoil disposal site for channel dredging operations. The highland on this sandbar is covered with dense, low scrub that makes getting about the area difficult , but it is well worth the trouble. Pelicans , gulls, terns, and herons come to this site to rest their wings , and terns often build their nests on the island. Access to this site is by private or charter boat only Located just off Savannah's coast is the Wassaw Island National Wildlife Refuge . Run by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this island is said to be the most pristine of Georgia 's barrier islands. Wassaw's unspoiled beaches and beautiful live oak fo rests provide an ideal habitat for the birds that make their homes here . Gulls, terns and other shorebirds can be seen on the beach throughout the year, and the 20 miles of trails pass inland ponds where herons, egrets and other wading birds nest. During the spring and summer migrations the woods of Wassaw abound with songbirds and the beac hes host huge swarms of migrating shorebirds. Located a pleasant 30 minutes from Savannah, Wassaw Island is accessible only by private or charter boat . WMA Birding Opportunities Between Savannah and Brunswick lies what is considered to be the best birding area on the coast-the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This state owned area encompasses about 22,000 acres and is the second largest waterfowl area east of the Mississippi River Birding here is excellent throughout the year but the very best times are April and October In this area , the birder can add many ducks to his list including teals, buffleheads, gadwall s, ring-necks, canvas-backs, scaup, wigeons , mergansers and geese. The rare fulvous treeduck has often been seen here as well. Like the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, this WMA is also an old rice plantation and includes Lewis Island, an area of virgin cypress forest. Migrating songbirds abound in the area during the spring and fall, and winter is the best season in which to observe the tremendous variety of woodpeckers that make their home on Lewis Island. Since the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area is operated mainly as a waterfow l hunting area , comforts here are few But it is paradise for the birder who enjoys a more natural experience and can igno re certai n inconveniences. The Altamaha WMA is located on U.S. Hwy 17 just across the Altamaha River from 9 Egrets and cormorants on a dock. Egrets and herons leave the coast to fly along mainland watercourses Darie n. Some of the area, including Lewis Island , is accessible on ly by boat. Just across the marsh and a little south li es a pair of islands separated by a thin stretch of marsh and a tidal creek . Blackbeard Island and Sapelo Island arc owned by the U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resou rces, respectively Blackbcard is a Nation al Wildli fe Refuge and boasts a rich cultural and nat ural hi story Named for the famous pirate rep uted to have buried treasure there , Blackbeard is a series of parallel d unes , each marking a shore line of the past. Between the dunes li e grassy areas, some of which have ponds of fresh water that make the island a good birding spot. The freshwater areas are havens for numerou s wading birds. The woods shelter many species of so ngbirds and the island 's beac hes swam1 with shorebirds. Access to Blackbcard is by boat on ly and no motorized vehic les are permitted on th e isl and . Blackbcard ' s companion island , Sapelo , is equ all y rich in cu ltu ra l and natural hi story O n Sapelo . the University of Georgia's Marine Institute occupies the sou th end, whi le the R. J Reynolds Wildlife Refuge is on the northern part of th e island . A portion of the is la nd is part of the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Sanctuary At one time, Sapelo was a working plantation and the old fields , dee p woods , marshes , dunes and beac hes offer a wonderful variety of habitats each with its own gro up of avian fa una. Of parti cu lar interest to Sapelo birders is th e popul ation of the c hac halaca. This turkey- li ke Mexican bird was int roduced here in 1923 as one of a group of experimental ga me bird introductions. The other species fa iled but the chachalaca was able to maintain its numbers on the Island a nd , at one time, on Black bcard Island . The populati o n is small and c hances of seeing thi s secretive bird arc not good , but birders are acc ustomed to th e often s mall odds of success in their hobby Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge is on a small is land abou t 50 miles so uth of Savannah at Exit 12 off I-95. It was the site of an army airfie ld during World War II . Today numero us ponds in th e area attrac t wading and shore birds. Just east of the main road alo ng the o ld runw ay is a s mall po nd on the edge of the marsh , known unofficiall y as 'Pat 's Pond . Pat Young . for whom th e pond is named , is a local bird expert and an o utdoor recreation planne r with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . It is sa id that if she needs to qui ckly find birds to show to a group she always re lics on ' Pat ' s Pond ' A var ie ty of ducks and other waterfow l can generall y be found in the pond area. Harris Neck also boasts a res ide nt tlock of Canada geese . a nd the woodlands aro und the air strip teem with so ngbirds durin g the fall and spri ng mi grat ions. During the spring and summer mon ths, herons and egre ts nest in the refuge and the man y fres hwater ponds attract hundreds of w intering ducks. The area is closed on Saturdays and Sundays but there are frequent bird trips on weekends led by volun teers fro m the O gccchee Audubon Society Contact the Savann ah National Wild li fe Refuge for information. Ncar the Sunbury Historic Site cast of Midway is an island ack nowledged by most birders as one of the bes t sites in the coastal 10 area. It is Colonel's Island , a place menti oned by the early naturalist William Bartram . Wildlife abounds here eve n thou g h the hu ge alligator popul ation , the wolves , bears and ' tygers' recorded by Bartram are no lo nger seen. Of more inte res t to birders, this is o ne of the best spots on the coast to see painted buntings. The area is a private bird sanctuary but fortunately the best birding is from the access road . Here a causeway crosses Youmans Pond , and an hour walking this road is time well spent. Most birders feel that no coastal birding trip IS complete without c hecking to see what is going on at Colonel's Island . A favorite birding site of many me mbers of the Coastal Audubon Soc iety is the south end o f Jekyll Island. This part of the island has no majo r develo pme nt. Access to the area is o n paved roads and the side roads and trail s are ope n to the public . A sandbar on the north end of Sea Island , known as Pelican Spit , is a well kn own place to see shorebirds. Access is by boat only since the adjacent land is private property On the south e nd of the island , on both sides of Gould's Inlet , extensive sand bars tee m with shorebi rds at low tide. The Sea Island side is adjacent to private property but th e St. Simons side is accessible from the beach. The re are hundreds o f other birding sites on Georgia 's Coast. Many are just as producti ve as those me ntio ned he re , but each birder has hi s own favorite just as the fi sherman has a favorite ' ho ney-hole. These pe rso nal bes t spots, more often than not , are se lected throu gh past ex pe ri e nce , and a good day birding is always worth a trip bac k to the same area. Find the Quiet Spots Vi sitors to Georg ia ' s coast o ft e n mi ss some of the most beautiful areas in the region by no t seeing th e natural coast. The ho te ls, shopping, fine res taurants, surfing, sunnin g and ni ghtlife take first priority with most. But there is a slower pace to be di scovered on the coast, one th at is more re lax ing and res tful for vis ito rs. It is not the ni ghtlife , but the wildlife. Many new birde rs try to see it all from the comfort and convenience of thei r automobile , but thi s is impossible . Walking the trail s, side roads , marsh edges and beaches brings the birder to th e qui et places, away from the din of roads an d to the edge of man's activity These are the places for birds. A walk on th e bc'ach just afte r sunri se o r a stroll through th e coastal maritime forest just before dark gives the visi tor insight into the coast as it was prior to man' s intrusion . And for th e birders and other naturalists , this is what makes a trip to Georgia's colonial coast worth th e e ffort. Wild Page Tracking Wildlife 1. - ---. By Ken Riddleberger PROJECT WILD Coordinator S eeing wild animals in their natural habitats can be difficult. Most animals avoid people or are active at night or other times when people are unlikely to see them. However, we can often see signs of animals such as tracks or droppings which tell us much about how animals live . For example, by observing tracks , we can tell where an animal travels , how it moves and detect some of its habits. Some tracks may be found near creeks and swamps while others may occur on high ground , near ditches, in open areas or in other habitats. We may notice that some animals , such as cats and coyotes , walk on their toes. Still others , including deer or cows, walk on the very tips of their toes. You can begin your own collection of wildlife tracks by making plaster casts of the ones you find outdoors. Discover the animals around you by observing the signs and clues they leave behind! You will need: Plaster of paris Spray shellac Vaseline Knives Sandpaper Empty 2-litre plastic bottle or half-gallon milk container Black ink or paint I) Carefully clean the track of twigs , leaves and other debris and spray the track with shellac. 2) Cut the top and bottom out of the container. Cut several "bands" from the remaining part of the container. Use the bottom as a mixing bowl for plaster of paris. 3) Press the band firmly into the ground so that the track is surrounded by it. 4) Mix about two cups of plaster in the bowl made from the container, adding water slowly untiJ it is about as thick as heavy cream. Pour carefully into the mold until it is about half full. Allow plaster to harden for at least 15 minutes before lifting it out of the track. If the soil is moist , drying may take longer. 5) When cast is hardened, lift it out , remove the band and clean the cast by scraping it and washing. Back at home (or in class) , apply a thin coat of vaseline to the surface . Put it on a flat surface and place the band over it as before. 5. - -------- ----- (~/-~-----9~--~ S'!IJ' -;.--- 6) Mix another batch of plaster and pour into the mold (on top of the hardened cast). Let dry for two hours. 7) Carefully remove the band and separate the two layers of casts . Wipe the vaseline from the cast and track. Scrape any rough spots or smooth the surface with sandpaper. Wash the completed cast in running water. 8) When dried , paint the ins.ide of the track with India ink or black poster paint. Label your cast with the name of the track , place the cast was made and the date. PROJECT WILD is a conservation and environmental education program for teachers of young people, ages kindergarten through high school. For information about teacher workshops and materials , write: PROJECT WILD, DNR Game and Fish Division , Rt. 2 Box 119 A, Social Circle, Ga. 30279. For diagrams on tracking, call 404/656-0772. (Excerpted from the activity "Tracks!" in the PROJECT WILD Elementary and Secondary Guide . Copyright, Western Regional Environmental Education Council.) 11 Beautification Projects DNR and The Garden Club of Georgia , Inc. By Lisa Dudley 0 ne of the ongoing goals of DNR's State Parks and Historic Sites Division is to foster pride in Georgia 's outstanding public lands. An outgrowth of the highway wildflower program developed in the mid-1970s between The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. (GCGI) and the Department of Transportation has been an incentive to parks and historic sites, to beautify these lands . This program today, operated by DNR as the Parks Conservation and Beautification Program (PCBP), recognizes state parks and historic sites, and their employees, for their beautification efforts. It encourages the use of native vegetation in landscape design , primarily with decorative plants and wildflowers , and works by giving park and historic site employees awards and recognition for creatively designed beautification projects. For the past three years , DNR and The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. have strived to keep Georgia's 61 ,000 acres of public lands clean and beautiful, through this program. "The conservation and beautification program is a wonderful joint partnership between The Garden Club of Georgia , Inc. and DNR," says Joan Brown , state chairman of Parks and Public Lands Enhancement for GCGI. 'It is an excellent example of how a volunteer organization can work in partnership with the public sector to reward state employees who contribute significantly to the beautification and conservation of Georgia 's thousands of acres of public land . According to Chuck Gregory , chief interpretive naturalist for the Parks, Recreation and lbstoric Sites Division , planting native plants and wildflowers will not only enhance the beauty of a park or historic site, but will also help decrease mowing and landscape maintenance requirements. The program encourages erosion control and conservation in general, Gregory adds . 12 Crimson clover one of spring's first wildflower blooms, can be found throughout state parks in Georgia. Opposite hlackeyed susan. The Garden Club of Georgia Recognized The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.'s major role in the Parks Conservation and Beautification Program has earned the organization national recognition. In April 1988, just one year after the GCGI began the joint venture with DNR, it received the 'Lucille Droege Mauntel' award of the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc . This award, accompanied by a certificate of conservation, recognizes outstanding contributions to state beautification. The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc . has 650 clubs in seven districts , with over 18 ,000 members . More recently , the GCGI has helped state parks and historic sites with the sale of wildflower tee shirts. Through this cooperative effort, the organization has raised $1,500 to purchase specially prepared wildflower seed mix, particularly adapted for growing in Georgia. According to Chuck Gregory, the wildflower mix will be planted on 12 new areas at state parks this year Throughout parks and historic sites, visitors can enjoy beautification projects marked by 'Beautification Project Site" signs. Georgia Parks and Public Lands Awards Annually, the Department of Natural Resources and The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. hold an awards luncheon to recognize state park and historic site personnel who have excelled in the area of parks beautification. Parks and historic sites are judged in the categories of Wildflower Meadows, Beauty Spots and Reclamation and Conservation. The award program encourages employees to identify, design and implement a beautification project geared at enhancing the overall appearance of a facility ,'' says Rick Cothran, director of DNR's Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division. "Over the past few years , the parks and historic sites have been very artistic and innovative in their design of these areas," Cothran adds. The first category Wildflower Meadows , is designed to provide visitors with visual beauty and something of interpretive interest , and help minimize landscape maintenance. The Beauty Spot category uses high-color ornamental plants to create attractive areas at park entrances and offices. Under the category of Reclamation and Conservation, areas which have been neglected or overused, or qualify as new construction sites, receive emphasis. 'The purpose of reclamation and conservation projects is the restoration of eroded or neglected areas, ' Gregory says. In 1989, the awards luncheon was held at the Pete Phillips Lodge at Little Ocmulgee State Park in McRae. Fort Yargo, General Coffee, Florence Marina, Cloudland Canyon, Laura S. Walker, Unicoi, Seminole, Tugaloo, A. H. Stephens, Vogel, and F D. Roosevelt State Parks were nominated to receive beautification program awards. Winners in these categories receive cash prizes, presented by The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. The 1989 winners included Fort Yargo State Park (Wildflower Meadows, first place); Laura S. Walker State Park (Beauty Spot, first place); and Vogel and F. D. Roosevelt State Parks (Conservation, tied for first place). The next awards luncheon will take place at the new Amicalola Falls Lodge and Restaurant at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville in September 1990. A new category added to the Park Conservation and Beautification Program is called Extended Maintenance. For this category, parks personnel are encouraged to maintain older, existing projects. As a result of the joint-venture beautification program , The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. has assisted in promoting the use of State parks and historic sites. " We are constantly encouraging people of all ages to take advantage of the wonderful environmental and cultural experiences provided by the parks, says Joan Brown. 13 Georgia's Protected Plants By Tom Patrick T he Protected Plant Program of the Departme nt of Natura l Resources ' (DN R) Freshwater Wetlands and Heritage Inventory maintains a working li st of all Georgia's rare pl ants. The list conti nuall y changes, as more is discovered abo ut the state's native vegetation . Resu lts of status surveys to determi ne the presence and conditions of plants at certain sites, discoveries of plants never reported in the state and exploration of sites being considered for acquisition all add in- 14 formation to the rare pl ant data base . All this info rmation provides a bas is fo r reevaluat ing rare pl ant lists. Technicall y endangered status is ass igned onl y to spec ies on the brink of extinction. There are many reaso ns why a nati ve plant cou ld be trul y enda ngered. Few populations may be known, no new popul ations di scovered and some of the former ly know n sites destroyed. How much protection is offered the plants is also important. For example , a certain spec ies may be a valuable herbal medici ne and its dried roots may be sold or traded. Its natural populations would be under more pressure than those of pl ants with no known economic value. The same type of 'digging pressure ' threatens nati ve plants used in gardens. Some showy orchids and lilies are partic ularl y affected . A natural catastro phe, such as a disease outbreak, may result in a species becoming endangered. The most obvio us type of endangered pl ant is the one with an extremely limited natural range, such as a species fo und in one ri ver valley As the official government agency tracking Georgia 's rare pl ants, DNR 's protected plant program coordinates effo rts to discover, protect and enhance populations of endangered plants. Some examples of ongoing ac ti vities fo llow The Hairy Rattleweed The hai ry rattleweed (Baptisia arachnifera) is an endangered plant restricted to Brantley and Wayne Counties in southeast Georgia. The yellow fl owers resembl e those of a garden pea or bean . T he ste ms and leaves are covered with di stincti ve cobwe bli ke hairs, g iving plants a blue-gray cast. Hairy rattleweed has never been fo und outside a 125-sq .- mi . area centered between Hortense and Jesup. Topographical fea tu res such as sand ridges (habitat too dry) or a meandering complex of swampy hammocks and drainages (too wet), appear to have restricted the plant. Other limiting fac tors are infes tations of seed-eating weev ils, slow seedling establi shment and human interference with natural processes. For instance, the area no longer has periodic, extensive fi res to maintain the open, park-like or savannah habitat. Dominant vegetatio n has changeckluring the past two centuries, from a mi xture of pines and hard woods to ditched slash pine plantations. These habitat alterations most likely curtail dispersal and restrict natural expansion of the range of the hairy rattleweed . DNR staff established study plots on pri- Hairy rattleweed , shown here, is an endangered plant restricted to Brantley and Wayne Cou!?!ies in southeast Georgia. Opposite. Georgia' s single colony of the green pitcherplant is fou nd in the vicinity of Lake Chatuge vate land to monitor the growth o f hairy rattleweed plants and populations. Most plants occur on forest industry lands and are at the mercy of site preparatio n practi ces used by the large corporations that manage them . By working wi th timber industry staff, some site preparations have been found less harmful and tagged , monitored individual plants persisted and reappeared in newly planted colonies. The species has a gnarled , sweet potatolike underground stem that sends up new shoots when d isturbed and can withstand shallow surface fires . The healthiest pl ants ex ist in planted pine stands. The hairy rattleweed is one endangered spec ies proving to be compatible with certain modern forestry practices. However no one knows how common hairy rattleweed was before the onset of pine monoculture (o ne-crop farming) in Georgia . No one is certain what other components of the pine flatwoods habitat may be impacted by intense forestry practices , either Florida Torreya In Georg ia, no plant is more endange red than Florida torreya (Torreya taxifolia ). Thi s is a medium-sized tree. a cone-bearin g evergreen with stiff, flat needl es. It is found along the Apalachicola River bluffs in Fl orida and in a few ravines along Lake Seminole in south west Georg ia. At last count , 26 stems survive in Georg ia and these are all root sprouts. Mature trees die aboveground from a stem canker di sease . In fact , all Georgia sa plings have initial symptoms of the disease . Luckil y the plant is culti vated at several large woody plant gardens and a few are in pri vate gardens. DNR 's Protected Plant Program, working with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff at the Lake Se minole reservation , began mo ni toring each plant and checking other rarities in the torreya ravines at least once yearl y Other agencies are now in volved in research on propagati on, ge netics and disease prevention. It is remarkab le how a tree that was once locally used for Chri stmas trees now clings to life in a handful of coastal plain 'steephead ' , or steepl y eroding , ravines. The Green Pitcherplant A few Georgians fro m the mountains can remember when pitcherplan ts were so abundant that househo lds would use their insectcatching leaves as fl ytraps by p laci ng a vase of them in the kitche n . The green pitc herplant (Sarracenia oreophila) is found in the north Georgia mountains in the vici nity of Lake Chatuge. Alabama has a few populati ons and North Carolina has three--one protected . two in active pas tures. Georgia's sing le population has dec lined in the past decade but one landowner , who owns most of th e pl ants, has been part icul arl y interested in their welfare and has voluntarily burned off the we t meadow site, controlling the invasion of red maples and alders. Without some sort of manage ment the reduced pitcherpl ant population would disappear The green pitcherplant thrives in areas kept fairly open due to site wetness, periodic fires and other fac tors contro lling competitive woody vegetation. DNR 's Protected Plant Program has contracted with University of Georg ia personnel to prod uce pl ants from the state's stock to re-estab li sh green pitcherplants on public lands in north Georgia. The U.S . Forest Service has assisted by providing and managing establishment sites . Conclusion The protection of endangered plants is just one aspect of Georgia's nonga me wi ldlife efforts to preserve our state's natural heritage. Dozens of other plants deserve equ al attention as those discussed here. The Protected Plant Program hopes to receive additi onal fundin g to ex pand research acti vities, comp lete inve ntories of public lands and maintain current efforts to preserve rare plants and their hab itats which without human he lp , wo uld continue to dimini sh. Tom Patrick is Botanist for DNR' s Freshwater Wetlands and Heritage In ventory Program, based in Social Circle, Ga. 15 Creature Feature: The Barn Owl By Kathy Matthews A lone, ghostlike shape glides low across the darkened field . A nearly undetectable sound brings the silent predator to a stop . Hovering quietly , the creature lowers its head . Talons ready , it suddenly lifts its wings vertically and plunges. Silhouetted in silent darkness, the predator's large head identifies it as an owl in search of food . The barn owl (Tyto alba) has a white, heart-shaped face and dark eyes. Its large wings, up to 33 inches in span are almost unproportionally large on its 14-to-20 inch body The barn owl's diet consists almost exclusively of small , mousesized rodents. Rodents are most abundant in grassy meadows and fields , so that is the primary habitat of the barn owl. The " monkey-faced " raptor is known as the barn owl because of its habit of nesting in barns . The common bam owl is listed in many field guides as occurring throughout the United States , preferring temperate climates. The bird is common in almost all eastern coastal states, except those north of Pennsylvania . It is , however, a candidate for the state endangered species list in Ohio and is already listed as endangered in Illinois , indiana , Iowa , Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin . Population status in Georgia is not certain. "The status of the barn owl in Georgia is probably overestimated,' says Terry Johnson, head of Georgia's Nongame/ Endangered Species Program . 'It is listed in field guides as occurring in every Georgia county, but we do not have any information on nesting records or where the birds are being seen . Helpers Needed in Survey Through a statewide survey, begun earlier this year, DNR biologists hope to evaluate the status of the barn owl in Georgia and to determine areas where these raptors need protection. Georgians interested in helping with the barn owl research project are asked to write to the DNR Nongame/ Endangered Species Program , Rte . 3 , Box 180 , Forsyth , Ga. , 31029, to obtain an information form. Nesting and sighting information is needed from all Georgia counties. Because the American kestrel shares habitat with the barn owl , information on this small falcon is also being collected . Populations of both birds have decreased in Georgia in recent years . ... Population declines may be , in part , due to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT in the 1960s and early 1970s. But since the ban of DDT , nearly 17 years ago, populations in some areas have not recovered . Other reasons for declines may include changing land-use practices and loss of nesting structures. 16 How to Build a Barn Owl Nest Box Courtesy of the Missouri Conservation Commissiou. Copyrighted. If no top needed, you can make two boxes from one sheet of plywood. ALL PARTS FROM A 4' X 8' SHEET OF 1/2" PLYWOOD GLUE AND NAIL TOGETHER OR USE CORNER BRACKETS AND SCREWS The barn owl's appetite for rodents gives it special value as a natural pest controller. An individual owl will usually take two to four mouse-sized prey in a single night. A nesting pair of barn owls will consume nearly 3,000 rodents in a year in one barn owl territory alone. The barn owl is able to capture prey in nearly total darkness. With black, absorbant eyes, the nocturnal raptor needs little light to see. But it is the barn owl's keen sense of hearing which helps it locate food. The ruff lining the bird's heartshaped face aligns with its ear openings. Even very faint sounds are caught by the parabolic dish-like face of the bird and transmitted to the bird's ears. The bam owl is able to recognize both high-pitched and low-pitched sound frequencies. When a squeak or a scratching sound is heard, the bird can detect the exact distance and location of the source. The barn owl flies low over fields in search of prey. When a squeak or a scratch is detected, the raptor will hover quietly over the source and suddenly lift its wings almost vertically and plunge directly on its prey with its talons fully extended. If it misses, it will quietly listen for the rodent's escape and chase it down. If still unsuccessful, the bird will fly again over the field in search of another sound. The bird will miss three out of four times, but even four attempts may last only a few minutes. Bam owls hatch up to three broods in a year of, on the average, five each. Adding in the diets of 15 young in one year, a family of bam owls could consume around 10,000 rodents per year! Attract Owls With Nest Boxes Barn owls are known to nest in a variety of situations, with preference to natural cavities. They sometimes inhabit suburban areas and make their homes in the large hollow trees or abandoned buildings often found in older residential areas. Farms provide suitable habitat because of the presence of old outbuildings and sizeable rat populations. While barns, silos or other buildings are used, barn owls in natural nest sites like trees, caves and cliffs have greater nesting success. In barns and other buildings the young birds are more succeptible to predation and human disturbance. In areas where good habitat exists, but an adequate num- DRILL DRAIN HOLES IN BOTTOM ber of suitable nest sites do not, citizens can help give barn owls a chance by putting up barn owl nest boxes. Barn owl nest boxes are simple to build and inexpensive. The nest box plan here, developed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, is made from a 4' x 8' sheet of halfinch plywood. It is important that the box is roomy and secluded from disturbance. Barn owls are known to cannibilize their young if they are disturbed from one week before to three weeks after the eggs are hatched. If placed in a barn, the box should face into the barn and be installed high to lessen the dangers of predation from snakes, raccoons and cats. Use exterior plywood if the box is to be placed in an outdoor location. Affix a roof and space approximately nine drain holes 1/4 to 112 inch in diameter. Cover the bottom of any barn owl nest box with one or two inches of wood shavings. Barn owls bring no nest materials. Good luck with your barn owl box! 17 By Thomas Smith Winter Quarters for the Manatee T he docile, gray West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), has commonl y inhabited portions of Georgia's North Ri ver for more than two decades and often uses the ri ver as a mating and feedin g refu ge during harsh, cold months. Accordin g to Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildli fe and environmental spec iali sts, a twoto three-mile stretch of the North Ri ver is one of onl y two documented areas in Georg ia where the endangered manatee has been observed year-round . The North American population is found almost exclusively in north Florida swamps and marshes. U .S . Fi sh and Wildlife sc ientists discovered the manatee swam miles through connecting Florida streams into Georgia waters seeking less boat traffic and plenti ful aquatic vegetation in the state ' s southern marshy areas. They also noticed a particul ar phenomenon responsible for the manatee spending winter in the North Ri ver- warn1 , continuous discharges of treated was tewaters from Gilman Paper Company 's pulp and paper mill near St. Marys , Georgia . The manatee population pros pered under these fa vorable conditions. However in earl y 1988, thi s south Georgia manatee refuge became threatened , ironicall y because of a water quality enhancement project and not pollution. Following provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act to upgrade streams and ri vers, DNR ' s Environmental Protection Di vision (EPD) began the North Ri ver Rec lassification Project to upgrade the river Water quality models developed by EPD eng ineers which revealed Gilman' s waste water di scharges would ha ve to be relocated and reduced from co'ftti nuous to intermittent , with the outgoing tide , would also present problems for the manatee refuge. This actio n upgraded the ri ver' s cl assificatio n, fro m that of an industri al water quality stream , to one suitable for the propagation of indigenous fish . But the plan also rendered the stream somewhat too co ld fo r manatee survival during winter months. 18 ..... This Gilman Paper plant area in which manatees swin provides warm water discharges. Opposite. the manatee, which appears on state and federal endangered species lists , mostly because of run-ins with boat propellers, as depicted by the scarred animal, near left. A Warm Water 'Cove' Once the manatee plight was recognized, the U.S. Fish and Wi ldlife Service, EPD, U.S. Env ironmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Gilman Paper Company began discussing a plan to protect the manatee refuge. By law, manatees are protected under the 1972 U.S . Marine Mammal Protection Act, the 1973 U.S. Endangered Species Act and the 1973 Georgia Endangered Species Wi ldlife Act. " The intent of our efforts was to ensure that the manatee received warm water discharges and remained in the area, says Donald Palmer, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist based in Jacksonville, Florida. 'The federal and state agencies and Gilman Paper Company all played important roles in the manatee protection plan, Palmer adds. Palmer suggested that Georgia's manatee population would move back into potentially dangerous waterways in Florida to find similar warm water discharges if Gilman ' s were discontinued. The probable location would be north Florida's Fernandina Beach waterway , an area with much heavier boat traffic than that found in the North River U.S. Fish and Wi ldlife Service records reveal that more than 80 percent of manatee fatalities are directly related to human activities such as boating. Collisions with boats, or damage caused by their propellers, take a heavy toll on manatees each year The state and federal agencies and Gilman Paper Company agreed on the concept of constructing a warm water basin or "cove" for the manatees. But before the basin could be constructed, EPD and the EPA had to modify Gilman's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to allow continuous treated wastewater discharges into the North River , with no detrimental effects on water quality "When we began the study to reclassify and improve the quality of the North River, we were unaware the proposed NPDES permit modifications would endanger the manatee population, says Jack Dozier, chief of EPD's Water Protection Branch . 'Under the modified permit, we can now improve the quality of the river and protect the manatee, as well as other aquatic life in the area.'' Prototype Basin Design Gilman engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed on a prototype design for the basin and established an August 1990 completion date. EPD engineers subsequently reviewed the cove design and approved after considering the project ' s environmental impact. The cove will be excavated on the North River alongside the relocated discharge point of the Gilman plant. The plant will continuously circulate the 1.44 mgd of warm, treated wastewater into the cove and also inject oxygen into the river to maintain dissolved oxygen levels necessary for fish . Gilman Paper Company agreed to cover the entire cost of the project-an estimated additional $100,000, bringing their total project cost for meeting the new requirements on the North River to $4 million. Although the manatee cove increased the cost of the project, the safety of the manatees in waters near our St. Marys plant was our highest concern, said Lawrence Johnson, process control superintendent for Gilman Paper Company in St. Marys. "For nearly eight years, I have seen up to 18 manatees swimming in the swirl from our warm water releases. These peaceful animals deserve to be protected and preserved. ' ' According to Jack Dozier of the Georgia EPD and Donald Palmer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the joint effort in developing the manatee warm water basin marked the first time state and federal agencies collaborated with a private company on such a project. The venture was a timely blessing for Georgia's endangered manatee population. Through the efforts of projects like this, the manatee may one day be taken off the nation's endangered species list. 19 'How To' Page Help Georgia's Hummingbirds By Robin Russell A hummingbird feeds at a bacf.cyard f eeder Photo, Jim Langwell . Th e decal , top right, is given to participants in DNR ' s Hummingbird H elp er Survey H umming, hovering , flitterin g, fli ckering, graceful , gleaming, darting , dashing and dancing about , hummingbirds are a beautiful and spectacul ar sight. These tiny American birds are iridescent with long needle-like bills . The hummingbird never soars. It is one of the few birds with the ability to hover with a wing motion so rapid that the wings seem blurred. Although there are 3 19 species of hummingbirds in the world , only one is thou ght to be native to Georgia- the ruby-throated hummingbird . The male is brilliant in color with a bright green bac k and a jewellike throat. The female is dull in color and lacks the fiery-red throat. They are very small , measuring about three and a half inches in length . 20 Their primary diet is the nectar of flowers but the birds also feed on small insects and spiders. Anyone who wants to attract the ruby-throat to their home can do this by planting the bird' s favorite- bright red flowers-like the turk 's cap, hollyhock or petunia. Single-bloom flowers are preferred . Another way to attract this bird is by putting up a hummingbird feeder Fill it with a sugar solution of four parts water and one part sugar Be cautioned that a mixture containing more sugar can cause kidney or liver damage and may even kill the bird . The Nongame Wildlife Program is now gearing up for the second " Hummingbird Helper Survey, in which all hummingbird enthusiasts are encouraged to participate. The survey was initiated in 1989 to involve the public in the Department of Natural Resources' efforts to collect data about hummingbirds . Questions that biologists hope to answer include when the birds arrive and leave Georgia each year, the time most people put up their feeders , what kind of food is used in feeders , how many hummingbirds use each feeder and what flow ers that they frequent. Another mystery bio logists hope to unravel is how many species of hummingbirds are in Georgia. Although the rubythroat is the only hummingbird believed to be nati ve to the state, there have been at least four sightings of the rufous hummingbird and an occas ional sighting of the broadtailed and blackchinned hummingbirds. Survey A Success The first year of the survey was a tremendous success . Over 2 ,000 Georgians participated and bio logists are currently compiling the information. With informati on collected from the second survey, Georgia will have an excellent data base on the exact status of these beautiful little birds. For more information about the " Hummingbird Helper Survey ," send a selfaddressed stamped envelope to DNR ' s Nongame Wi ldlife Program , Rte. , 3, Box 180 , Forsyth , Ga . 3 1029 or call (912) 994-2439 Robin Russell is public information specialist for DNR ' s Nongame Wildlife Program. Calendar APRIL FDR COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONY April 12 Little White House Historic Site, W'itrm Springs 404/655-3511. SPRING WILDFLOWER DAY April 14, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Panola Mountain State Conservation Park, Stockbridge 404/474-2914. EASTER WILDFLOWER WALK April 14, 10 a.m. - Noon Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park, Lithia Springs 404/944-1700. NATURE WALK AT ETOWAH MOUNDS April 21, 2 - 3:30 p.m. Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site, Cartersville 404/387-3747. SUNBURY, A TOWN AND ITS PEOPLE April 21, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunbury Historic Site, Midway 912/884-5999. GEORGIA FOLKLIFE WEEKEND April21 & 22 George T. Bagby State Park, Ft. Gaines 9121768-2660. SPRING WILDFLOWERS April 22, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. (hikes); 7:30 p.m. (slideshow) Amicalola Falls State Park, Dawsonville 404/265-2885. UNICOI SPRING WILDFLOWER TRAIL April 27 & 28, 8 p.m. (slideshow); 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. (hikes) Unicoi State Park, Helen 404/878-2201. FLOYD'S FLOWERS April 28, 2 p.m. (hike); 3:30 p.m. (slideshow) James H. Floyd State Park, Summerville 404/857-5211. ALONG THE WILDFLOWER TRAIL April 28, 2 p.m. (hike); 8 p.m. (slideshow) Vogel State Park, Blairsville 404/745-2628. SPRINGTIME CANYON HIKE April 28, 1 - 4 p.m. Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin 912/838-6202. SPRING CANYON NATURE April 29, 1 - 4 p.m. Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin 912/838-6202. STEWART COUNTY SPRING WILDFLOWERS AND CRAFTS FAIR April 26- 29 Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin Florence Marina State Park, Omaha 912/838-4244. The purple coneflower adorns a beauty spot at Vogel. ARTS AND CRAFTS OF THE 18TH CENTURY April 28, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fort King George Historic Site, Darien 912/437-4770. MAY WILDFLOWER WEEKEND May 1 - 3, 8 p.m. - Midnight Stephen C. Foster State Park, Fargo 912/637-5274. THE BLOOMIN' WILDFLOWER SHOW May 5, 2 p.m. (hike); 8 p.m. (slideshow) Black Rock Mountain State Park, Mountain City 4041746-2141. WILDFLOWER EXPLORATION May 5, 2 p.m. (hike); 8 p.m. (slideshow) Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn 404/657-4050. FORT MOUNTAIN FLOWERS May 5, 2 p.m. (hike); 8 p.m. (slideshow) Fort Mountain State Park, Chatsworth 404/695-2621. WOODCARVER'S WHITTLE-IN May 5, Noon - 4 p.m. Unicoi State Park, Helen 404/878-2201. SHEEP TO SHAWL May 5, 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Jarrell Plantation Historic Site, Juliette 912/986-5172. CCC REUNION May 6, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. A. H. Stephens Historic Park, Crawfordville 404/456-2602. TROUT FISHING WEEKEND May 11 & May 12, 8 p.m. Unicoi State Park, Helen 404/878-2201. INDIGO: A COLONIAL EXPORT May 12, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunbury Historic Site, Midway 912/884-5999. MOTHER'S DAY WILDFLOWER WALK May 13, 2 p.m. Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park, Lithia Springs 404/944-1700. QUILT SHOW May 13, 2- 5:30p.m.; May 15- 19, 9- 5 p.m. Lapham-Patterson House Historic Site, Thomasville 912/226-0405. DISCOVERING INDIAN CULTURES THROUGH ARCHAEOLOGY May 18 - 19, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fort King George Historic Site, Darien 912/437-4770. APPALACHIAN TRAIL 53rd ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION May 19, Amicalola Falls State Park, Dawsonville 404/265-2885. CRAFTS IN THE CLOUDS May 19 & 20, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn 404/657-4050. HEART TO HART COUNTRY CRAFT SHOW May 26, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hart State Park, Hartwell 404/376-8756. JUNIOR-SENIOR CATFISH RODEO May 26, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Victoria Bryant State Park, Royston 404/245-6270. INDIAN SKILLS DAY May 26, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site, Cartersville 404/387-3747. COUNTRY MUSIC May 26, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Florence Marina State Park, Omaha 912/437-4770. HOMEFOLKS JUBILEE May 26, 6 - 10 p.m. Fort Yargo State Park, Winder 404/867-3489. MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION May 26, 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fort McAllister Historic Park, Richmond Hill 912/727-2339. FACTORY SHOALS ARTS & CRAFTS May 26 & 27, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sweetwater Creek Conservation Park, Lithia Springs 404/944-1700. BATTLE OF PICKETT'S MILL COMMEMORATION May 26, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.; May 27, 2-5:30 p.m. Pickett's Mill Historic Site, Dallas 404/424-6177. GEORGIA VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY May 27, 2- 4 p.m. Georgia Veterans Memorial Park, Cordele 912/273-2190. You Can Help Give Wildlife A Chance! By supporting Georgia's Nongame Wildlife Fund Your donation to the Nongame Wildlife Fund benefits such nongame proJects as restoration of the bald eagle, golden eagle and peregrine falcon in Georgia, as well as species research; surveys of plant and wildlife populations, and habitat protection for more than 4,500 wildlife species throughout the state. Contributions also fund nature trails, canoe trails and other nongame facilities that gtve Georgtans a chance to enjoy wildltfe and nature. The Nongame Wildltfe Fund also makes many tmportant wildlife and conse1vat10n education programs possible. Yes, I wish to contribute $_ _ __ to help Georgia's nongame wildlife. a me Address C1ty j S t a t e j Z1p Please make check payable to Nongame Wildlife Fund and mail to: Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Wildlife Fund, 205 Butler St., Suite 1252, Atlanta, GA 30334. Donations are tax deductible. Contributors of $150 or more will receive a limited edition print of Steve Hein's peregrine falcon painting. Commissioned by The Georgia Power Company for DNR and the Friends of Zoo Atlanta, the print is signed and numbered by the artist. 'The Department of Natural Resources 1s subject to T1tle V1 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ana offers all persons the opportumty to f)artictpate m its public programs regardless of race, color, national ongin, age, sex or handicap. As a reciptent of federal funds from the Department of Intenor, the Depanment's programs must be operated free from diScnminatton. If you believe that you have been discriminated agaiTISt 1n any program or acttvity or if you desire further information regarding the prohtbttton of diScrimmauon , please wnte to: The Office of Equal Opportumty, U.S. Department of the lntenor, Office of the Secretary, M'ashmgton , D.C. 20240. DNR Outdoor Report Georgia Department of Natural Resources 205 Butler St., S.E. Suite 1258 Atlanta, GA 30334 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1043 Atlanta, Ga. 30334 lOM/ $5,137