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February

Georgia Water Trails News Clearinghouse Corner Trails in the News Upcoming Events Useful Resources Flotsam and Jetsam How Can Others Sign Up for This List Clearinghouse Corner Greetings fellow river rats! We are so excited to have all of this wonderful rain and hope that it recharges the ground water enough to keep Georgia rivers up for paddling this year! Fingers crossed… If you haven’t already signed up for our 2013 Georgia River Challenge – then what are you waiting for?  It’s a great opportunity to share the experience of paddling with folks who would otherwise not go on their own!   Also make sure that the 4 Seasons Hidden Gems Paddling trips are on your calendar. This will be an awesome opportunity to explore a hidden gem in 4 different watersheds which you’ve more than likey never seen before! As always, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or come by for a visit if you have any questions, concerns, need resources, or just want to chat about rivers. Keep on rollin’ on the river, Gwyneth Moody Trail Developments and Trails in the News!  1. Dub Denman Canoe Trail Soon to be Officially on the Map The 23.8 mile Dub Denman Canoe Trail located on the Tallapoosa River is soon to be officially on the map after years of planning. Five sites along the Tallapoosa River are being considered for trail access, including two on county property and three on private property. Two of the three access point require stream buffer variances which are awaiting approval. Tallapoosa Planning Coordinator, Patrick Clarey, explained that the city has been moving forward with two of the original five proposed kayak and canoe launch sites with the help of a $51,150 Georgia Department of Natural Resources grant awarded to the county. The launch sites will include concrete staircases and wooden canoe launches, where needed, as well as gravel parking lots, trash receptacles and signage. Read more about the Dub Denman Canoe Trail in the Times-Georgian and on our Water Trails website. If you have any questions contact Patrick Clarey at tigerroooo@aol.com 770-574-3108 2. Visit the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and Sit with Otis Redding! Legendary musician Otis Redding is memorialized in a life size statue at beautiful Gateway Park, trailhead of the Ocmulgee River Heritage Trail. Sit with him on the dock, hum your favorite Otis tune, picnic on the grassy hillside overlooking the river or drop a line for the catch of the day.Check out the Macon website for more information about the Ocmulgee Heritage trail as well as on our Water Trails Website. 3. Have You Signed Up for Our 2013 Georgia River Challenge? What are You Waiting for? ~ Take 13 People Paddling in 2013 ~ Share the joy of paddling Georgia’s rivers with friends and family who otherwise would not go on their own! Georgia River Network is encouraging river lovers to celebrate Georgia’s rivers – from wild places to urban waterways – by taking 13 people, who might not otherwise go on their own, paddling in 2013. The goal of this year’s ‘Take 13 People Paddling in 2013’ challenge is to promote Georgia’s growing water trail movement and send more people to the Georgia Water Trails Website to identify water trails to paddle, locate outfitters, find organized paddling trips or plan their own trip with friends and family who have little to no paddling experience. To join the list of paddlers participating, just send an email to gwyneth@garivers.org with your name and address to sign up. Upcoming Events Organized Paddling Trips There are lots of upcoming paddling trips all over Georgia. To learn more about these events see our calendar. To have your water trail events added to the calendar, just send the details with a note to info@garivers.org. 1. Have you Gotten Wild and Scenic yet? Well Get Ready for March 3! Get your tickets NOW for our 6th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival. They are selling FAST- in fact, we’ve already sold nearly all of our available tickets, so get your ASAP. The festival takes place at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema in Midtown Atlanta. Attendees will enjoy complimentary SweetWater beer (for patrons 21-plus with a valid ID). PURCHASE TICKETS HERE. Get inspired by the following film trailers and well see y’all there! Carbon for Water, about a practical solution in providing clean water in Kenya’s Western Province; Julio Solis: A MoveShake Story, about a dedicated sea turtle preservationist in Mexico; and How the Kids Saved the Parks, about a grassroots effort to keep all of California’s state parks open. 2. Weekend For Rivers Registration NOW OPEN- Learn about The Value of Water! In 2013, Weekend for Rivers is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act by focusing on “The Value of Water.” Weekend for Rivers will take place on April 6-7, 2013 at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, Georgia. Click here to Register and learn more and remember early bird registration ends March 1st! 3. Mark your Calendar for the 4 Seasons Hidden Gems Paddling Events: Each paddling trip will include lunch and presentations along the way ranging from natural history and water quality testing to river cleanup training and kayak fishing. The location of these hidden gems within the following watersheds will be unveiled soon! Stay tuned for more detail. *Chattahoochee Watershed Hidden Gem Paddle– May 18 (GRN, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Keeping it Wild & Chattahoochee Riverkeeper) *Etowah River Hidden Gem Paddle and Book Launch– Aug 4 (GRN, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Upper Etowah River Alliance and Cherokee Historical Society)*Central Savannah Watershed Hidden Gem Paddle– Sept 7 (GRN, Georgia Kayak Fishing-Paddle4Tomorrow & Savannah Riverkeeper)*Altamaha River Watershed Hidden Gem Paddle– Nov 16 (GRN, Off Grid Expeditions, Rivers Alive & Altamaha Riverkeeper) 4. Etowah River Guide Book- Available May, 2013 Announcing the Georgia River Network Guidebooks series! The Etowah River User’s Guide is the first in a series of books to be published by Georgia River Network and the UGA Press in May 2013. Click here to learn more. Useful Resources 1. Who Wants an Interactive Water Trail Map for their Water Trail? The Georgia Environmental Protection Division Outreach Unit and Georgia River Network are working in partnership to develop web-based interactive maps for Georgia‘s water trails. Our goal is to create an interactive map for all water trails throughout the State.Water trails that satisfy the GRN Clearinghouse Criteria will be included on the map as established water trails.  We will have separate map layers for those water trails that are still in the conceptual and developing stages. If you represent a Water Trail that has been established or is in the developing stage please email gwyneth@garivers.org so we can collaborate on data collection and verification. 2.  Find out How to have a National Water Trail Designated in your Community! You can now experience the new National Water Trails System through an interactive website that connects users to rivers and waterways through stories and tools. Water trail managers can apply for designation through an easy online application, and visitors can learn more about designated trails through a photo gallery, dynamic stories, and videos. An interactive map and new search functions make it easy for users to find national water trails throughout the country. Visit the new site at www.nps.gov/watertrails. 3.  You May Know ‘Trails don’t just happen’ but Public Users May Not-Use Signs! The message that “trails don’t just happen” is vital in nurturing public support for the funding sources behind trails. The source of funds for land acquisition as well as facilities is also important. Some programs are specific to a locality, such as sales tax support. Other projects are funded by state sources, such as lotteries. Many trails are partly funded by grants from federal funds, such as the Recreational Trails Program and the Land & Water Conservation Fund. Check out our Water Trail Website for Signage ideas and see a gallery of photos of funding signs from the National Trails Training Partnership. Flotsam and Jetsam 1. Get Fit on a Stand-Up Paddle Board – Whether You are Looking for a Calm Relaxing Experience or a Hard-core Workout! Stand-up paddling exercise has been described as everything from great, fun and exciting to calming and intense. Stand-up paddle boarding is an ancient form of surfing, yet it is most widely enjoyed on relatively flat water. Most cities are founded on waterways, so most people have access to a stretch of water where they can get out for a “stroll on the water.” Paddle boarding can be very easy and gentle gliding or it can be flat-out sprinting – depending on whether you are looking for a calm relaxing experience or a hard-core workout. Read full article HERE… 2. Ever Tried Emptying a Swamped Canoe When You are in Deep Water? Try the “Capistrano Flip”… Check out this short video and learn new techniques that you can add to your list of groovy paddling skills. http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?674 3. Have You Entered a Photo for GRN’s Monthly Photo Showcase and Staff Pick? Each month we will have a different theme and invite you to send us a photo that you think best represents the theme. We will showcase everyone’s photos on our website and social media and one photo per month will receive the illustrious title of ‘GRN Staff Pick of the Month’ and the chosen photo’s author will receive a surprise token of gratitude. Watch January’s Photo Showcase HERE. Email your photo to gwyneth@garivers.org and Click here to learn more. How can others can sign up for this water trails list?  Visit http://garivers.org/make-a-difference/sign-up-for-info.html and fill out the sign up form. Please send news and developments on your trail, contributions to be included in the newsletter, and any suggestions to gwyneth@garivers.org

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Coastal Wetlands are being lost at twice the rate they are being restored – What can YOU do to HELP?

Despite their environmental and economic importance, coastal wetlands (wetlands located in coastal watersheds) in the eastern United States are being lost at twice the rate they are being restored. More focused protection strategies are required to reverse this trend.

What can YOU do to help Protect Wetlands?

We can make decisions in our everyday lives which help preserve coastal wetland area and maintain their ecological integrity:

1. Participate in programs that help protect and restore wetlands. Contact local, state, or federal agencies, community groups, environmental organizations, and other non-government organizations. See American Wetlands Month events.
2. Report illegal actions such as unauthorized wetland fill or dredging activities to government authorities, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
3. Pick up litter and dispose in appropriate trash containers. Keep surface areas that wash into storm drains clean from pet waste, toxic chemicals, fertilizers, and motor oil, which can eventually reach and impair our wetlands.
4. Use native species when planting trees, shrubs, and flowers to preserve the ecological balance of local wetlands.
5. Use “living shoreline” techniques that make use of plant roots to stabilize soil if you own waterfront property and your shoreline or river bank needs to be stabilized.
6. Avoid wetlands if you are expanding your house or installing a shed.
7. Use phosphate-free laundry and dishwasher detergents. Phosphates encourage algae growth, which can suffocate aquatic life.
8. Use paper and recycled products made from unbleached paper. Bleached paper contains toxic chemicals that can contaminate water.
9. Use non-toxic products for household cleaning and lawn and garden care. Never spray lawn and garden chemicals outside on a windy day or on a day that it might rain and wash the chemicals into waterways.
10. Enjoy the scenic and recreational opportunities coastal wetlands offer, while preserving their integrity for future generations by minimizing the use of heavy equipment and staying in designated visitor areas where available.

http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/cwt.cfm.#2

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