Georgia sound, Vol. 16, no. 1 (Winter 2010

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Winter2010

Vol.16, No.1

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Member states to benefit from regional partnership
South Atlantic Alliance Identifies Priority Issues

The South Atlantic Alliance is a new regional management initiative in which the State of Georgia is participating. The Alliance is a voluntary partnership program whose members include Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, federal agency partners and other stakeholders. The Alliance seeks to significantly increase regional collaboration among South Atlantic states, and to sustain and enhance coastal and marine natural resources and the economic, public safety, social and national defense missions of the respective states and region.

Last year, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue joined Governors from the other South Atlantic
Alliance states in signing a partnership agreement that lays out the goals, organizational II

structure and the template for developing an Alliance Action Plan. The Action Plan will

focus on priority issue areas that all four member states have now identified to be of

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mutual interest and likely to benefit from regional collaboration - healthy ecosystems,

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working waterfronts, clean coastal and ocean waters and disaster resilient communities.

Healthy Ecosystems
Implement regionally-coordinated, compatible, and sustainable ecosystem-based planning and management, including, and not limited to, habitat mapping, characterization, monitoring, and modeling.

Assess the independent and cumulative impacts of development and climate change on coastal habitats, biodiversity, natural community structure/function, and ecosystem services.
Sunrise a[on9 East Beacli, St. Simons Is[and, Georgia.
Develop and employ economic, sciencebased land-use, coastal and ocean planning and management that supports healthy ecosystems. This should include, and not be limited to, the conservation and restoration of key habitats, evaluation of ecosystem carrying capacity, and incorporation of direct and cumulative impacts.

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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"The South At(antic A((ianceyrovides a unique '!,Pyortunity to co((a6orate with neighvoring states on mutua(_priority
issues that are vita( to sustaining our rich coasta( heritage andgrowing economy. " Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue

Determine long term impacts and remediation strategies for existing invasive species while implementing strategies to prevent further introductions.

Working Waterfronts
Improve the capability and viability of ports and working waterfronts through expansion of

Marine Coastal Invaders
Titan Acorn (Pink) Barnacle Green Mussel

infrastructure and modes of access while addressing

cargo/ship-borne invasive species, dredging impacts, and protection of natural resources.

Titan Acorn (Pink) Barnacle (Megabalanus coccopoma), native to

the Pacific coast of the

Ensure sustainable economic viability of working

Americas from

waterfronts while preserving traditional uses, including ..g national defense, by balancing suitable public, commercial, port, residential, and environmental uses with best management practices.

southern California to Ecuador, is now found in waters of the South Atlantic.

Address the viability and effects of energy development on natural and human communities and uses through planning and public education.
Clean Coast and Ocean Waters
Improve watershed management of point and nonpoint source pollution to reduce adverse impacts to water quality.
Enhance understanding of climate change impacts to water quantity and water quality and develop avoidance mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Increase data comparability across region by improving standardization of water quality data collection and reporting and increasing monitoring where needed.

Native to the waters off Sumatra, Phillipines, Borneo and Bali, the Green Mussell, (Perna viridis), has entered the Southeastern US coastal waters after hitchiking on cargo ships from the Pacific region.
The Problem: Invasive species compete with native species for space andfood.
Economic impacts ofinvasive species are estimated to exceed 100 billion U.S.
dollars each year.

Improve marine debris removal programs, especially for abandoned and derelict vessels, traps/equipment, and navigation hazards.

This publication is made possible through the efforts of the Ga DNR/Coastal Resources staff and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grand Award #NA07NOS4190182.

Colonies ofmussels and barnacles attach to hard surfaces and form dense layers that weigh down navigation buoys. GA DNR marine biologists perform routine buoy maintenance on 18 buoys marking Georgia's offshore artificial reefs.

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Disaster Resilient Communities
Conduct regional and state-specific vulnerability assessments of. a) public infrastructure, social assets, and economies to hazards and climate change (including sea level rise) and; b) natural processes and features that support resilience, including economic valuation of these ecosystem services

Develop and implement adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change impacts (including sea level rise), with plans for retreat of natural and human communities.

Create redevelopment (post-disaster) planning for community recovery, including infrastructure and business continuity.

Create and employ incentives for locating and relocating development away from high risk areas, minimize subsidization of development in high risk areas, and reevaluation of building standards (flood, storm, wind).

Consider management and financial options for addressing short and long-term beachfront and estuarine shoreline migration.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

In August 2008, upper level steering currents forced Tropical Storm Fay to stall along the east coast ofFlorida producing heavy rains along coastal Georgia. The estimated economic impact to the State from Tropical Storm Fay - $267 million.

Issue Area Teams, represented by specialists from the four States, will first develop an Action Plan, followed by an Implementation Plan. Support for the Issue Area Teams to conduct their work will come from experts in academia, local government, state and federal agencies and NGO's. The Plans will be action-based, contain clear goals, measurable objectives and integrated strategies for achievement. Public involvement will be encouraged and facilitated during the development of both the Action Plan and the Implementation Plan. The Plans will be published and reviewed annually for progress and updated every five years for content.

TIMETABLE

A Draft Action Plan will be completed by late Spring, 2010. The fast schedule is to keep the process moving, implement a regional focus to address the priority issues, and to take advantage of federal funding opportunities that may emerge soon.

South At(antic A((iance Mission Statement
"Imy(ement science-Gase/yoficies anaso(utions that enhance anayrotect the va(ue efcoasta(anaocean resources ef the
southeastern Unitea States to stgJyort the region's cufrure anaeconomy now anaJorfuture generations."

By Brad Gane, Assistant Director for Ecological Services

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Coastal Incentive Grants Support a Variety of Projects
Twenty-three projects awarded Coastal Incentive Grant funds in October 2009 are now well underway throughout the eleven-county Coastal region. The Coastal Incentive Grant program is funded through an annual grant award to the GA Coastal Management Program provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Final reports for these projects will be available next fall on the DNR-Coastal Resources Division website, www.coastalGADNR.org.

Since its inetytion in 1998, tlie Coasta( Incentive Grant_program lias S1!f_JJOrted 292 yr<jects and d'istri6uted over $12,500,000 to address issues and needs tlirougliout tlie
e(even county coasta( region.
Continuing from last edition, the remaining 11 Coastal Incentive Grant Awards for 2009-2010 include:

Grove Blvd Project - Planning for a Green Community - City of Kingsland - This project will develop a plan for "green" development of a 43-acre parcel of land located within existing neighborhoods and commercial areas of the city. The goal is to preserve natural resources and community character while providing affordable housing options in the city.

Wildlife Resources Education Program - Jekyll Island Authority - Jekyll Island will create new beach signage and a beach/dune guide. They will continue to offer field trips and workshops to educate the public about the role coastal habitat plays in supporting coastal wildlife and plants.

'Birds efJefiy{{Is{and& Coasta{ Georgia ' was
deve{'!J'ed tfrrougfr a Coasta{ Incentive Grant to tfreJefiy{{ Is{andAutfrority.

Riceboro Master Plan - City of Riceboro -Anticipating significant population increases over the next few years, Riceboro will develop a plan for growth that will preserve and highlight its rich heritage and natural resources.

Local Ordinance Development - Brantley County Another community anticipating population growth, Brantley County will update Subdivision Regulations and develop a much needed 'Future Land Use Plan and Ordinances' for storm water management.

Runoff, Shore Birds and Beach Water - City of Tybee The goal of this project is to better understand the sources of beach water contamination, providing a tool for the City to take appropriate actions to minimize impacts.

Kayafiers e19oying a day on Terry Creefi

Blueway Plan - Coastal Regional Commission - This one year project will research and develop a plan and map for a coastal water trail, connecting existing informal paddling trails and highlighting natural and historical points of interest.

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Coasta( Incentive Grants S191_port Grassroot Prqjects

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Coastal Toolbox - Coastal Regional Commission - This project will develop a website to serve as a central repository for information relating to best management practices and planning resources providing local officials with useful tools in the pursuit of sustainable growth and development.

Martha Fisher Frazier Park Educational Signage - City of Screven - Through the efforts of a host of volunteer groups, this project will improve the existing park through educational signage about the existing wildlife and native plant species.

Skidaway Marine Aquarium - University of Georgia Marine Extension Service - This project seeks to increase public awareness of the Marine Aquarium located on Skidaway Island and improve its educational exhibits and outreach.

Sustainability Training for the Environment and People - College of Coastal Georgia - Through the construction of an outdoor classroom, informational panels and trail improvements, this project seeks to provide an outdoor learning space for students and the public with respect to sustainability and coastal natural resources.

The Marine Aquarium on Skiaaway Is(ana houses Geo,:gia 's origina(safrwater aquarium. Through the d"ioramas and" interactive exhibits the aquarium is an important resource for stuaents, teachers anathe genera(_pu6[{c
Coastal Georgia Elevation Project - Coastal Regional Commission - In partnership with state, local and federal agencies, this project will acquire and process LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data for participating coastal counties. The results of this project will provide invaluable information to local governments for a number of uses including community planning, floodplain delineation, and wildfire and coastal hazard planning.

Cycle XIII Update
Cycle 13 Coastal Incentive Grant Program Request for Proposals closed on January 15, 2010.
A total of 27 applications were submitted which will be reviewed by DNR/CRD staff along with an external panel of four experts representing the fields of research, planning and government, the non-profit community plus one individual designated as a citizen-at-large.

Successful applications will be incorporated into CRD's FY 2010 application to NOAA in May.

Each year the Georgia Coastal Management Program distributes some $1 million in Coastal Incentive grants to local governments, regional and state agencies, and state research and educational institutions in support ofgrass roots projects that promote the understanding,
protection or enhancement ofcoastal natural and historic resources.
By Susan Snyder Reeves, Grants Manager for Ecological Services

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Georgia's Marsft P(ants - Look Aflkes Mimic Tfzeir Uy(and Cousins

Georgia's Coastal Marshlands Protection Act (CMPA) recognizes 14 species of marsh plants that are used to determine the Coastal Marshlands Protection Acts Jurisdictional Areas. These plants, along with other tidal indicators, are used to determine what areas constitute marsh. The plants in the law include a variety of types of vegetation, not just grasses as many people assume. Some plants can be difficult to identify and can even resemble upland plants. A few marsh plants are even named because of their resemblance to upland plants. How can you tell the difference?

False Willow

The False Willow was aptly named for its thin leaves and resemblance to a young willow tree. It is an evergreen high marsh plant that can grow into the surrounding upland, even into shady maritime forest areas adjacent to the marsh. You can distinguish this bush from a young willow from the much shorter and greener leaves of the False Willow. The two plants seldom grow near each other because an actual Willow cannot tolerate the salty soil where the False Willow grows. The False Willow can grow to heights of about 6-8 ft tall and has small whitish flowers in the late summer and early fall. Butterflies are attracted to the False Willow when it's in flower which makes it an excellent choice as a native yard planting for coastal Georgia.

Sea-Oxeye was named, like its upland counterpart the Oxeye Daisy, for its round eye-like yellow flower. The Sea-Oxeye blooms in the late spring and early summer. Unlike the upland daisy, Sea-Oxeye has a fairly woody stalk that grows in large mats. The plant can live in higher marsh areas, but can also be found fairly close to tidal waterways. After blooming season, the hard inner core of the sea-oxeye blossom turns into seeds which are dispersed by the wind or plucked up by birds. The leaves of this plant are gray/green and somewhat thick and waxy. Oxeye can be an excellent salt tolerant choice for a landscape border, but be aware that white tailed deer sometimes forage on it.

'Note: Georgia's Marsli P(ants' is Part II efa tlireeyart series on Jurisdictiona( P(ants ef tlie Coa sta( Marsli(ands Protection Act.

The Georgia Sound is produced by the Georgia DNR/Coastal Resources Division, If you would like more information please visit our web site at: www.CoastalGaDNR.org or contact Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218, Editor: Nancy Butler email:nancy,butler@dnr,state,ga,us
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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Salt Grass, is a low growing, (about 6-18") highly adaptable plant that is found in mid to high marsh areas. This grass can sometimes intermingle with landscaped grasses like St. Augustine grass. Both grasses have a spreading, splitbranch looking design, but the Salt Grass is not as thick and fleshy as the St. Augustine. In most cases, if there is enough tide to support a thick stand of Salt Grass, the St. Augustine grass won't tolerate the salt and will yellow and die. Salt grass is more typically found in sandy marsh soils and can thrive in high salt areas. In extreme salt, the grass can be seen in a stunted short form. These plants grow in large, all male, or all female specific mats that are spread by rhizomes. Hearty seeds, which can remain dormant for four years, are also produced.

Annual Glasswort looks very

Salt Grass

succulent or cactus like but can

grow in large clusters which cover salt flat areas too saline for other species.

The stacked segments create branches which differentiates it from the perennial

glasswort version. When seawater is taken in, this wort has an amazing way of

isolating the excess salt in it's cells. The more salt that is present, the more the

plant grows. Annual Glasswort grows so well in salty soils, that it is being

experimentally cultivated as a possible livestock crop in areas where traditional

fodder crops are not able to grow.

Some of the grass species that can be seen in the marsh today are leftovers from

the era of the rice plantations. Big Cordgrass is found in regularly flooded high

marsh where wild and cultivated rice species still exist. Big cordgrass is a tall

Annual Glasswort

upright plant that can easily grow to 10 feet tall. When bunched in next to each

other the cordgrass and rices can all look the same. When seed heads are present, cordgrass an be

distinguished from the other plants by the upside-down, Christmas tree shaped seed head that forms in the

late summer. When seed heads are absent look for the smooth, rounded rib along the leaf blade. Most of

the rice and sawgrass species that grow near by have a rough,

saw-like, middle rib along the center of the leaf blade.

The marsh plants that were written into Georgia law in 1970 are used as a means of determining where a permit is required. The plants establish a boundary, which, in a sense, define and enclose the marsh as an area that the CMPA is meant to protect. Although the plants in the law differ from each other greatly in size and shape, and sometimes even resemble non-marsh plants, their tolerance for saline environments, link them as determining factors in the protection of public trust lands. If you intend to work or build in an area that may have marsh, contact DNR-CRD. Our local office can arrange for staff to show you exactly where the marsh line is and if a permit is required.

Text and Photos: Lisia Kowalczyk Permit Coordinator

Big Cordgrass

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Determining Marsh Jurisdiction
Marking a marsh line, referred to as a jurisdictional determination (JD), helps property owners determine where the upland ends and the marsh begins. The marking of a marsh line is typically done using the 14 marsh plants identified in the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act of 1970.
The Act also references unvegetated tidal areas as marsh. In unvegetated areas, signs that the tide is reaching an area (tidal indicators) are used to help mark the JD line. These "tidal indicators" can include fiddler crab holes, wrack lines, embankments and water lines left on items like tree roots, mud and bank stabilization rocks.

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Marsh
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The jurisdictional marsh line runs from plant to plant unless other indicators are present

Upland

Key:
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Marsh Plants

Upland Plants


Other tidal indicators
i.e., fiddler crab holes

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... GEORGIA'S LARGEST EDUCATIONAL EVENT CELEBRATING THE STATE'S COASTAL NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS FREE FAMILY-ORIENTED FESTIVAL BRINGS TOGETHER ENVIRONMENTAL, EDUCATIONAL AND RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS FROM AROUND THE SOUTHEAST.
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FAMIL'IFRIENDL'I FUN
SHOWS THROUGHOUT
THE DA'I

MAGICIAN ARTHUR ATSMA

BUBBLE-OLOGIST KEITH MICHAEL JOHNSON

CoastFest is sponsorea6y tne GA DNR/Coastaf Resources Division/CoastafZone Management Program and madeyossi6(e tnrougfi a grantyrovidea6y NOAA. For i':formation contact Nancy But[e,; at 912.262.3140 or emai[ nancy.6utfer@dnr.state.ga.us

www.CoastalGaDNR.org