Georgia wild : a newsletter about Georgia's wildlife license plates, Spring 2004

Georgia WILD!

Summer 2004

A Newsletter about Georgia's Wildlife License Plates

Tag Sales Really Heating Up
The numbers are in and the numbers are looking great! Without doubt, Georgians are showing that they care about the conservation of our native wildlife and are helping to protect our natural resources by purchasing a wildlife license plate. Since the wildlife tags went on sale in December 2003, more than 206,000 eagle tags and 116,300 bobwhite quail tags have been sold. At this pace, we will sale more than 500,000 tags, raising millions of dollars for the protection and management of Georgia's natural heritage.
County tag offices in Cobb County and Talbot County were the leaders among all Georgia counties for wildlife tag sales during the first quarter of 2004. Cobb County sold the highest number of plates with more than 11,300 eagle plates and 2,300 quail plates, while Talbot County had the highest percentage with over 18% of all vehicles registered in the county bearing the eagle tag and 16.5% bearing the quail tag.
Cobb County was the leader once again during the second quarter of 2004 for number of plates sold, but Stewart County took over as the county with the highest percentage of sales. Cobb County sold more than 8,500 eagle plates and 2,300 quail plates during the second quarter, while Stewart County had more than 12.5% of all registered vehicles for the quarter carrying the eagle tag and 11.5% bearing the quail tag.
It is encouraging to see the high number of wildlife tags that are being purchased throughout Georgia. With each tag sold, more money is raised to support critical wildlife conservation efforts throughout the state. Efforts, that without tag funds, would have to be abandoned - causing severe consequences on many of Georgia's native species and ecosystems.
Several groups are to be applauded for their support in creating, marketing and promoting both wildlife license plates. First, Georgia's county tag offices are to be commended for all their hard work. The vast majority of drivers are still walking into the county tag office to purchase their tags, causing us to rely on county offices to help spread the word about wildlife tags and how tag funds are used. Simply put, the county tag office is our biggest promoter when it comes to the wildlife tags.
Next, it is important to acknowledge Georgia's

Georgia's Nongame Wildlife License Plate
Georgia's BQI License Plate
news media; who have provided abundant coverage for the wildlife tags and the programs that they support. Whether it's newspaper, radio or TV; Georgia's news reporters have done a tremendous job notifying the public about the wildlife tags.
Finally, WRD wishes to thank every individual out there who has purchased a wildlife license plate for their vehicle. Your purchase helps to restore habitat for bobwhite quail, protect the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, research aquatic species in Georgia's many rivers, and so much more to protect Georgia's natural heritage.
If you currently don't have a wildlife license plate on your car, we encourage you to do so soon. Both wildlife plates are available at any county tag office and can be purchased for a one-time fee of $20 per tag. Tags can be purchased at the office counter or by checking the appropriate wildlife license plate box on your mail-in registration form.
If you would like more information on Georgia's wildlife license plates and the important projects they support, please contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division at 2070 U.S. Highway 278 SE, Social Circle, GA 30025 or by calling (770) 918-6400. You can also visit us on the web at www.georgiawildlife.com.

Georgia WILD!

Page 2

TRACKING TURTLES

WRD teams up with SEATURTLE.ORG

in loggerhead sea turtle conservation

The loggerhead sea turtle, Georgia's resident nest-

ing sea turtle, spends its entire life out at sea. After these

amazing creatures hatch from nests on the beach, they

make a mad dash for the surf and then swim nonstop for

days. Once in the ocean's current, they circle the ocean

for the first 8-12 years of their lives. After an additional

20-25 years foraging in the relatively shallow coastal

waters of the Southeastern U.S., female loggerheads will

return to the area where she was born to deposit her nests

in the sand. She then returns to the sea leaving her young

to follow in the same path. Male loggerheads will never

return to land once they leave the nest.

So where do loggerhead sea turtles spend their

time when they're not on the beach? Biologists with

Georgia's Wildlife Resources Division hope to be able to

answer that question over the next year. Twelve logger-

head sea turtles, equipped with the latest in satellite tech-

nology, will help biologists determine their movements

along Georgia's coastline and across the Atlantic over the

coming year. Twelve female loggerheads were captured

after they nested on Georgia's beaches and fitted with

radio transmitters. Following release, the transmitters

emit a radio signal into space where it is intercepted by a

satellite. The locations of each turtle is then recorded and

transmitted back to Earth, allowing biologists to follow

their daily activities and movements.

Turtle locations will be plotted on nautical charts

and tracking maps and will be available for viewing on

the SEATURTLE.ORG website. Simply log onto

http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking and click on the Georgia

Loggerhead Tracking Project 2004 link to view the move-

ments of your favorite turtle. Schools are certainly

encouraged to visit the site to learn more about the log-

gerhead and follow the movements of these wonderful

creatures as they continue their lifelong journey of nest-

ing and returning to Georgia's coast.

Photo by Mark Dodd, GA DNR

While visiting

the website, be sure to

subscribe to receive

daily e-mails each time

the tracking maps are

updated. Also, consider

adopting one of the tur-

tles at the $25, $50 or

`Bon Jour', equipped with her

$100 level. By adopting transmitter, returns to the Atlantic

The Georgia DNR Turtle Team finish attaching a transmitter and prepare to release the turtle back to the ocean.
a turtle, you can support the conservation efforts of loggerhead sea turtles. Supporters will receive various benefits ranging from having their name on the turtle's home page to receiving a photograph or information sheet on the turtle depending on the contribution level. All proceeds benefit the state's sea turtle research projects and the seaturtle.org website.
Each of the turtles tagged during this project were given a unique name that will allow biologists to identify each specific turtle and also will help Georgians keep up with the movements of their favorite turtle. Eight of the sea turtles involved in this project were named in honor of the eight countries that participated in the G-8 Summit. Children in grades K-5 throughout Georgia were asked to submit names as part of a contest to name the turtles. More than 1,200 Georgia students participated in the contest and the winners were Cherokee Rose (United States), Bon Jour (France), Ormanda (Germany), Oki (Japan), Tea Cake (United Kingdom), Bellissima (Italy), Aurora (Canada), and Cherepakha (Russia).
Employees from Cumberland Island National Seashore, one of the cooperators in the project, named the other four turtles. These turtles were named Tabby, Onyxx, Summer and Stormy.
Several groups are working together in order to make this project possible. This includes the University of Georgia - School of Forest Resources, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Navy- Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, The Environmental Resources Network (T.E.R.N.), National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Project, The Wildlife Conservation Society, and certainly SEATURTLE.ORG.

Georgia WILD!

Page 3

Georgia's Bobwhite Quail Initiative
It's doing good things for the birds
The past several months have been a very busy time for bobwhite quail management in Georgia. The Bobwhite Quail Initiative has faced and overcame several challenges over the past year in their effort to manage and restore the quail population in Georgia to a healthy and viable population.
In a year where all state programs saw significant reductions in budget, private landowner interest in BQI reached an all time high in proposals submitted for financial incentives, with 90 proposals scoring above the minimum required for entry into the program. Unfortunately, due to the cuts in budget, only 29 percent of the applicants and 12 percent of the field proposals could be accepted for enrollment into the BQI program.
The good news is that as the interest in BQI enrollment has grown, the program has become increasingly competitive, resulting in higher quality proposals and an improved cost-benefit ratio for the program. The proposals accepted for incentive funding this year were very high in quality and will result in significant habitat improvements for bobwhites and many other wildlife species, water quality improvements and reduced soil erosion.
BQI biologists were extremely busy throughout the year spreading the "gospel" about the plight of bobwhites, certain songbirds and other early succession wildlife, and promoting habitat management practices that can be used to help wildlife. Specific accomplishments include: 1) conducting five field days with over 500 people in attendance; 2) writing 111 detailed management plans covering a minimum of 54,935 acres; 3) making technical guidance contacts with 92 landowners on
Photo by Reggie Thackston, BQI Coordinator
Hedgerows and field borders, like this one, are critical for providing nesting areas, foraging and shelter for quail.

Photo by Reggie Thackston, BQI Coordinator

WRD Biologist Bobby Bond assists with a BQI field day at RiverBend Wildlife Management Area.
223,000 acres; 4) conducting eight public service interviews, publishing six popular articles and two technical papers. Additionally, biologists provided detailed assistance to Turner South Broadcasting in the development of a 20-minute segment for "The Natural South" about the decline of the bobwhite quail and the ongoing management/research to restore the species. This program covers eight southern states and has about 12 million viewers. Finally, two BQI Newsletters were produced and distributed to over 1,500 subscribers. The BQI Newsletter can be received free of charge by calling (478) 994-7583.
Presently, biologists are conducting compliance checks to verify the establishment and management of over 300 miles of field borders, hedgerows and filterstrips; 2,198 acres of conservation tillage; 1,588 acres of pine stand prescribed burning; 610 acres of pine stand thinning; and a total impact on 16,361 acres across the 15 county BQI area.
The bottom line is that BQI continues to do good things for the birds and other natural resources in Georgia, and the landowner interest is there to do even more!
Article submitted by Reggie Thackston, BQI Coordinator

Bobwhite Quail Initiative Focus Areas

Southwest Georgia: Colquitt, Crisp, Dougherty, Lee,

Mitchell, Sumter and Terrell

Central Georgia:

Bleckley, Dodge, Emanuel and

Laurens

Eastern Georgia:

Burke, Jenkins, Screven and

Bulloch

Georgia WILD!

Page 4

Saving the Spinymussel
The Altamaha River Basin in Southeast Georgia probably contains more endemic mussels than any other river on the Atlantic coast. A total of seven species are endemic to the Altamaha, meaning they do not occur anywhere else in the world. One of these species is the Altamaha spinymussel (Elliptio spinosa), a very rare mussel and is an official candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Since the year 2000, mussel biologists have spent over 370 hours searching for the spinymussel, sampling over 130 sites, including all of the historic localities in the Ohoopee, Ocmulgee, and Altamaha rivers. The results of these surveys confirm the imperiled status of this species - only 31 live spinymussels were collected in all of the surveys combined. In comparison, hundreds of individuals of the more common mussel species can be routinely collected from a single collection site in a few hours time.
While things look grim, there is good news. Biologists were able to locate several sites where the spinymussel is still reproducing. These areas will become the focus for protection efforts and further research. Part of that research is determining the host fish of the spinymussel. The larvae of all native freshwater mussels require a fish host to develop into a juvenile mussel. In some cases, the mussel can transform only on a particular or limited number of fish species. If the host fish is declining, then the mussel cannot successfully reproduce and will also decline. Several live samples were sent to the Tennessee Aquarium Research Institute where research will be conducted to determine the fish host of the spinymussel.
Photo by Brett Albanese, Georgia Natural Heritage Program
Two of the spinymussels collected and sent off for host fish research. Notice the long spines on the shell that gives this mussel its name.

Additionally, The Nature Conservancy is conducting a threat analysis to better understand all of the landscape-level factors that may be causing the decline of the spinymussel. The Nature Conservancy also has led several mussel ecology workshops to engage landowners and other stakeholders in efforts to conserve the spinymussel.
Many agencies, institutions, and volunteers have participated in these mussel surveys, including The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Power, Plum Creek, Rayonier and International Paper, and Georgia College & State University. Together, these groups are working to save the spinymussel.
Article submitted by Brett Albanese Wildlife Biologist, Georgia Natural Heritage Program
Georgia's Wood Stork Colonies
Listed as endangered after dramatic declines in nesting colonies were recorded in Southern Florida, the wood stork began nesting in Georgia in increasing numbers during the mid-1980s. Today, Georgia supports nearly 25% of the U.S. nesting population and plays a major role in the recovery of the species. In Georgia, monitoring nesting colonies to determine reproductive success, identifying potential threats, and protecting nesting habitat are primary tasks completed annually in support of the USFWS recovery plan for wood storks.
Aerial surveys of the known wood stork nesting colonies in Georgia are completed in May and June of every year. This years results indicate that there was a slight shift in nesting effort away from coastal areas of Georgia to more inland freshwater nesting sites, and about 100 fewer pairs nested this year as compared to last. The coast received little rain in the late winter and early spring, limiting the availability of suitable nesting locations for these long-legged birds.
About 1,500 pairs of storks were recorded nesting this year in Georgia, with the largest colonies found in Brooks, Worth, McIntosh, and Camden counties. Most young will have left the nests by late June or early July, with a few late nests still holding young into early August.
Wood storks, and most of the state's other wading birds like herons and egrets depend upon freshwater wetlands for nesting and feeding. They prefer large opencanopied trees that grow in low areas for nesting. The trees need to be standing in low areas that remain flooded during the spring and early summer for the storks to succeed in raising young.
Article submitted by Brad Winn Sr. Wildlife Biologist, WRD Coastal Nongame Office

Georgia WILD!

Page 5

Landowner Incentive Program
Benefiting Endangered Species in Georgia
The Nongame Wildlife & Natural Heritage Section of DNR was the recent recipient of $180,000 in federal funding as part of the Department of the Interior's Landowner Incentive Program (LIP). The program, designed to aid in the conservation and restoration of habitat for endangered and imperiled species, will afford WRD the opportunity to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners that are interested in wildlife conservation.
Wildlife conservation is heavily dependent on private landowners; especially in a state like Georgia, where so little of the land is publicly owned. With more than 92% of the state privately owned, it is extremely important for DNR to work with landowners in protecting and conserving Georgia's wildlife. The Landowner Incentive Program provides WRD another resource to use in accomplishing that goal by enabling WRD to expand incentive programs to address a wider array of wildlife conservation needs and also to assist USDA agencies in implementing FY2002 Farm Bill Programs that benefit wildlife species-at-risk.
To date, the section has used LIP grant funds to upgrade and reprint the Landowner's Guide To Conservation Options - a resource made available to private landowners interested in establishing conservation management plans on their property. Additional planned projects include providing technical assistance to landowners in developing conservation plans and projects for their land in coordination with the Farm Bill and LIP and the development and implementation of incentive payments to encourage the creation of stream buffers in the Conasauga and Upper Etowah River Basins, the restoration of longleaf pine forest on irrigated lands in the watershed of Chickasawhatchee Creek and its tributaries,
PURCHASE A WILDLIFE LICENSE PLATE TODAY!
Tags are available at your local county tag office and have a one-time $20 specialty-tag fee. DMVS annual
registration fee and ad valorem tax fee still apply.

and the conservation of the red-cockaded woodpecker population in the Red Hills region.
The ability to provide assistance, like conservation plans and incentive payments, to private landowners goes a long way in helping WRD to conserve and protect Georgia's at-risk wildlife. Often the Section finds that landowners are willing to protect endangered wildlife on their property but are unable to afford the full cost required for things like habitat restoration and control burning. Programs like LIP are removing this factor from the equation.
The grant will allow WRD biologists to work with qualified private landowners to develop conservation plans, while incentive payments will help to defray the cost of restoring and conserving the habitat. In addition, the publication, Landowner's Guide To Conservation Options, will serve as a useful resource to landowners looking for conservation options for their property regardless as to whether or not they have or want a formal conservation management plan.
The LIP grant program is a federal match program in which state fish and wildlife agencies, landowners or non-profit groups must be able to provide at least 25% of the cost of the projects. Matching funds for the grant awarded to Georgia are being provided from revenues generated through the sale of the nongame wildlife license plate.
For more information on LIP or other landowner incentive projects in Georgia, contact the Georgia Nongame Wildlife & Natural Heritage Section at 2070 U.S. Hwy 278 SE, Social Circle, GA 30025 or call at (770) 761-3035.
Georgia WILD! is a publication of the Public Affairs Office of the Wildlife Resources Division.
For more information, contact the WRD Public Affairs Office at: 2070 U.S. Highway 278, SE Social Circle, Georgia 30025 (770) 918-6400
Noel Holcomb, Commissioner Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Raymond Carnley - Editor