Wee KenD - - Get a Free Blog Here

Y e a r s & C o u n t i n gF e b r u a r Y 8 - 9 , 2 0 1 3

WeeKenD For

WiLDLiFea t s e a i s L a n D

Georgia Department of Natural Resources2070 Highway 278 S.E., Social Circle, GA 30025

706.557.3337www.weekendforwildlife.com

Photo Credits: Bald Eagle, Curtis Compton/The Atlanta Journal andConstitution; Participants at the First Weekend for Wildlife

twenty-five years ago, a small group of conservationists and state wildlife

agency staff gathered on Georgia’s coast for the first Weekend for Wildlife.

Organizers said the sole purpose of the event, based at The Cloister on Sea Island,

was to “help fund the rescue of this priceless resource, our wildlife.”

That purpose and passion remain today.

On Feb. 8-9, you can be part of a like-minded but much larger group at the silver

anniversary of Weekend for Wildlife, now one the nation’s most successful fundraisers

for conservation.

Make plans today to join Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal for a celebration

of Wild Success Stories, and help conserve the priceless resource of Georgia’s rare

animals, plants and wild places for generations to come!

since 1989…Weekend for Wildlife has raised more than $8 million to conserve nongame wildlife

– native species not legally hunted, fished for, trapped or collected.

The Nongame Conservation Section, part of the Georgia Department of Natural

Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, is charged with conserving nongame,

including more than 1,000 plants and animals considered species of special

conservation concern.

Yet, the Nongame Conservation Section receives

no state appropriations.

The financial support provided by Weekend for

Wildlife has helped the DNR and its Nongame

Conservation Section make significant advances

in restoring habitat and rare species.

Those silver-anniversary Wild Success Stories include...

Twen

Ty-f

ive

yea

rs a

go

t

More loggerhead sea turtles are nesting on Georgia’s coast than at any time in at least the past 25 years. Management led by the Nongame Conservation Section and powered by the multi-organization Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative documented more than 2,200 loggerhead nests last summer. That’s the most since comprehensive surveys began along our coast in 1989 with 675 nests!

Caretta caretta, federally listed as threatened and found off Georgia year-round, is the state’s main nesting sea turtle. Loggerheads had been declining for decades when they were listed in 1978. But an upswing in nesting in recent years suggests a rebound – one made possible by targeted conservation efforts that vary from protecting and monitoring nests to enforcing commercial fishing regulations that reduce sea turtle deaths.

Nesting territories for bald eagles in Georgia have soared from nine in 1990 to more than 160 in 2012.The number of eagle nests is steadily climbing, underscoring our national bird’s comeback from near-extinction through much of its range 40 years ago. Nests numbered in the single digits in Georgia when survey leader Jim Ozier, a Nongame Conservation Section program manager, started

searching for them more than two decades ago.

But in 2012, Jim’s surveys recorded 163 nesting territories and 198 young fledged, the most ever documented in the state! The turnaround is tied to a U.S. ban on DDT, habitat improvements, legal protections and greater public awareness. Nongame biologists continue to monitor nesting and work with landowners to manage nest sites.

Thousands of acres of important wildlife habitat have been acquired, including some 37,000 acres along the Altamaha River, Georgia’s “Little Amazon.”Weekend for Wildlife has played a role in acquiring conservation lands statewide. Yet nowhere is the impact as clear as in the Altamaha River basin, home to bottomland hardwood forests, cypress swamps, longleaf pine forests and more than 120 species of rare or endangered animals and plants, from the Altamaha spinymussel to the Georgia plume.

The 37,000 acres now open to hunting and other recreation along the Altamaha include Townsend WMA. Here you’ll find some of the state’s largest bald cypress trees, rich habitat for wood storks and swallow-tailed kites, and vast riverine sandhills with dense populations of gopher tortoises and rare indigo snakes. These lands are conserved for all Georgians!

Trip Tip: Want to learn more? DNr Sea Turtle

program Coordinator Mark Dodd will lead the Jekyll

Sea Turtle Celebration trip for an insider’s look at

the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, plus a turtle talk and

beach walk!

Trip Tip: The Stellar

Shorebirding trip will also visit

Altamaha WMA, a prime place

to spot bald eagles in winter.

Trip Tip: Adventurers can

sample that wildness with

The Nature Conservancy’s

Christi Lambert and Nongame

program Manager Jason Lee on

the Explore the Altamaha boat

tour of the lower Altamaha!

Photo Credit: Nesting Eagles, Curtis Compton/The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

DNR education centers are teaming with schools and others to teach more than 50,000 people each year, young and old, about wildlife and natural resources.The Wildlife Resources Division operates seven regional centers in partnership with local school systems, regional education agencies, and other state and federal agencies. At Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, the Go Fish Education Center (Perry), Smithgall Woods (Helen), McDuffie (Dearing), Arrowhead (Rome), Grand Bay (Valdosta) and Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, children, adults and families learn about conservation and wise use of natural and cultural resources through hands-on activities.

The teaching is high-impact, far-reaching – Charlie Elliott is now the Southeast training center for Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow – and led by professionals such as DNR’s Sheila Humphrey, Georgia Project WILD Facilitator of the Year for 2012.

Nongame Conservation Section efforts have protected waterbird nesting areas and provided key insights to better manage our coast for migrating species.DNR protects and manages five sand islands for beach-nesting and migratory birds. One area, Little Egg Island Bar, has one of the largest colonies of nesting seabirds on the south Atlantic Coast, including more than 1,000 brown pelican nests in 2011! A dredge-spoil island near Brunswick supports nearly 4,000 royal tern nests.

Nongame biologists have also documented the Altamaha delta’s importance for migrating red knots, tracked hundreds of American oystercatchers to study this iconic species, and partnered in a project that revealed the exhausting migration route of whimbrels. One whimbrel flew 4,300 miles nonstop this summer from the Canadian Arctic to South America.

Research and stockings have increased populations of the robust redhorse, keeping this imperiled fish off the endangered species list.Before DNR fisheries biologists found it below Lake Sinclair in 1991, this thick-bodied, red-finned sucker had not been collected for more than 100 years. State, federal and industry biologists have worked since to recover the robust redhorse in Georgia and the Carolinas.

The team has captured and spawned wild fish, stocked 170,000 fingerlings in rivers in the species’ historic range, and improved some spawning sites. Researchers have documented healthy growth and survival rates for fingerlings, and even spawning by adult fish. All underscore progress toward the goal of establishing more self-sustaining populations of a fish that was once swimming toward extinction.

Trip Tip: Live animals and

wildlife-based fun and games

will delight your children at the

Weekend’s special Just for Kids

banquet on Friday night!

Trip Tip: The Stellar Shorebirding

trip offers a great opportunity to

see these amazing birds and learn

from Nongame Conservation Section

ornithologists Tim Keyes and

Todd Schneider!

State lands have their first red-cockaded woodpeckers – at Silver Lake WMA – while programs like Safe Harbor have boosted the rare bird’s numbers on private lands.DNR laid a foundation for recovery in 1999 with America’s first statewide Habitat Conservation Plan for red-cockaded woodpeckers. Part of the plan known as Safe Harbor centered on south Georgia quail plantations where the species – decimated by habitat loss elsewhere – still had a foothold. Today, Safe Harbor agreements cover 157,000 acres and protect nearly 140 woodpecker groups.

Populations of this imperiled bird are also growing on private lands such as Joseph Jones Ecological Research Center, military bases – Fort Stewart announced this year its count exceeded 350 potential breeding groups – and Silver Lake WMA. Red-cockaded family groups at Silver Lake have increased from 19 to 25 as Nongame Conservation and Game Management Section staff added nest cavities and birds, and restored habitats.

Nongame scientists have worked with other agencies for more than two decades to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales, which calve along the Georgia coast.Each winter, Nongame, Law Enforcement and Coastal Resources Division staff team with federal, state and private organizations to protect one of the rarest whales in the world. Aerial surveys document calf production and relay whale sightings to ships. Nongame researchers collect genetic samples, investigate whale deaths and help disentangle right whales caught in commercial fishing gear – 10 since 2004.

The population of these massive animals once hunted nearly to extinction is increasing at about 2 percent a year. But with only about 400 North Atlantic right whales left and fewer than 100 breeding females, the need for continued work is evident.

DNR has restored imperiled habitats statewide, from mountain bogs in the Blue Ridge to sandhills ecosystems south of the Fall Line.The Nongame Conservation Section has made strides in stemming habitat loss, the greatest threat to most wildlife. Two multistate sandhills grants have been used to treat 15,200 acres with prescribed fire, plant 3,500 acres of longleaf pines and remove sand pines on hundreds of acres. Who wins? Gopher tortoises, Bachman’s sparrows and other rare species of concern.

Mountain bogs and Coastal Plain pitcherplant bogs, both endangered habitats, are being restored. DNR is also researching restoration techniques, coordinating prescribed burns to enhance

fire-adapted habitats, and planting native trees and grasses on thousands of acres. Partnerships with private landowners are widening the scope of restoration statewide.

Trip Tip: in the Magnificent Marine Mammals trip,

lead DNr right whale scientist Clay George will

provide a detailed look at what winters are like

working with right whales!

Trip Tip: Friday’s Search for rare Sparrows

trip will visit paulk’s pasture WMA, where

prescribed fires conducted with the help of

property owner plum Creek have improved

habitat for the birds.

Photo Credit: DNR Disentangling a Right Whale, EcoHealthAlliance/NOAA Permit No. 9321489

Nongame Conservation Section botanists have documented scores of rare plant species and populations, such as purple coneflower and Georgia rockcress, sparking further conservation and helping ensure sustainable development.The diversity of Georgia’s flora has become more apparent as a result of targeted field surveys by DNR botanists and collaborators. Whether wild petunias not seen here since the 1970s or purple milkweed found at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, botanical discoveries often lead into conservation. For example, Nongame staff and fellow Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance members

are restoring Piedmont oak/pine mafic woodlands that support the endangered smooth coneflower and other rare plants.

In 11 coast-area counties, a habitat assessment done as part of the Coastal Georgia Land Conservation Initiative documented seven new natural communities and the first record of bottomland post oak in Georgia. The

initiative is helping local governments and conservation organizations conserve wildlife habitat while promoting sustainable development.

There’s MoRe …Nest totals for endangered wood storks are regularly topping 2,000. Surveys are confirming Georgia as a leader in aquatic biodiversity. Habitat work and research are helping bird species of concern such as cerulean warblers, golden-winged warblers and Southeastern American kestrels. (Read more Wild Success Stories at www.weekendforwildlife.com.)

It is clear that the DNR Nongame Conservation Section is fulfilling its mission to preserve Georgia’s vibrant diversity of native animals, plants and natural environments.

It’s also clear that mission is vital to Georgians’ quality of life and the state’s economy.

The latest U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey found that in 2011:*

• More than $1.8 billion was spent on wildlife-watching in Georgia.

• Thirty percent of Georgia residents 16 or older – 2.2 million people – took part in wildlife-watching activities such as feeding birds or photographing animals.

• Watching wildlife rang up nearly $55 billion in expenditures nationwide.

Trip Tip: Ever walked in the woods

with a botanist? What you’ll learn is eye-

opening! Treat yourself to the Cannon’s

point Botanical Adventure Friday led by

Nongame botanist Jacob Thompson.

*2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-associated Recreation

Wildlife = WeekendWildlife watching is recreation focused largely on nongame wildlife, from warblers to whales.

And in Georgia, Weekend for Wildlife is vital to conserving nongame.

This annual event provides a fifth of the funds raised each year for the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund, benefiting DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section. The section depends on grants, contributions and fundraisers.

But the Weekend also offers rich returns for participants.

Trips led by experts highlight rare resources and unforgettable experiences, including some for the whole family. Explore Sapelo culture. Band Henslow’s sparrows. Excavate Georgia history. Tour the Altamaha. Bass fish at Frederica. Sample oyster research. Shoot clays and coins. Dive into whale research.

The Weekend is centered on the legendary Cloister at exclusive Sea Island.

Friday night at this five-star resort features a cocktail reception and silent auction packed with weekend getaways, wildlife memorabilia and stunning artwork.

After your Saturday adventure, join Gov. Nathan Deal and DNR Commissioner Mark Williams for a black tie-optional, Cloister-cuisine banquet and an electrifying verbal auction.

a Word from our governor

gov. Deal and his wife Sandra have attended Weekend for Wildlife since the former U.S. Congressman was sworn in as governor in 2011.

Raised in rural south Georgia, Gov. Deal understands the importance of conserving native wildlife.

“Weekend for Wildlife has been championing nongame wildlife conservation in Georgia for 25 years,” he said. “Continuing this legacy is important for preserving our natural heritage, now and for future Georgians.”

First Lady Sandra Deal will again serve as the honorary chairwoman of Weekend for Wildlife.

Mrs. Deal is also a Georgia native, and a former school teacher who brought home to her students lessons including respect for the natural world around them.

“Weekend for Wildlife is an exciting event that has at its heart conserving the animals and plants that help make our state special,” she said. “Please join us for the Weekend’s silver anniversary this February.”

Photo Credit: Cerulean Warbler, Giff Beaton

W

g

• To help you decide, we have marked trips that

include more than an hour on the water or road, as

well as ones that are indoors or best for children.

• Excursions marked as child-friendly are more suitable

for younger children. When you register, we can help

you determine which adventure will be a good fit for

your family.

• Our staff can also advise you on which trips require

extensive walking or strenuous activity.

• If the trip is outdoors, please dress for winter weather

– particularly the potential for cold and wet!

• Bring sunscreen and sunglasses. Binoculars

can come in handy, too. So can bug repellent

(depending on temperatures – which vary widely in

February – and the trip).

• Please arrive about 15 minutes before the trip

start time.Cho

osin

g an

d P

repa

ring

for

Your

tri

ps

Weekend for Wildlife tripsThe following pages describe the Friday and Saturday trips.

Please pick your favorites and sign up soon. Reservations are

first come, first served.

Extended time on the water

Child-friendly

Extended time on the road

Indoors

20132013

GEORGIA’S AMAZING MARSHES

10 a.m.-noon

Poet Sidney Lanier called them a league of grass “broad in the blade” and laced at high tide “with a million veins.” Yet salt marshes are also a complex ecosystem brimming with wildlife and almost unbelievably rich in plant

production – nearly 20 tons per acre! Board a DNR boat with Nongame Conservation Section scientists for a glimpse of the creatures and ecological importance of one of the coast’s most important natural resources.

Available spaces: 36

Notes: Please ask staff about appropriate dress. This trip is weather-dependent.

TRAIN AT FLETC

10:45 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center helps officers from more than 90 federal agencies, as well as state, international and local governments, prepare for the challenges they face daily on the job. DNR Col. Eddie Henderson and Capt. Doug Lewis will be your hosts for a behind-the-gates tour of FLETC’s 1,600-acre headquarters near Brunswick. (The center is actually a town in itself – Glynco!) Test your judgment shooting, driving and boating skills as you sample the training our finest receive. Lunch is provided.


Note: Guests visiting FLETC must have a photo ID with them.

BUSTING CLOISTER CLAYS

1-3 p.m.

The Sea Island Shooting School is considered one of the best in the nation. And with good reason. Instructors are helpful and certified. There are two skeet stands, a trap field and a competitive five-stand sporting clay field – all made available for this afternoon session. For the first time, Instinct Shooting and Quick Kill pro James Rutland will also work with Weekend for Wildlife guests Friday. Whether sharpshooter or novice, all can hone their skills here!


Notes: Shooting glasses or sunglasses, plus a hat, are recommended. Novices are welcomed.

SANDS ALIVE!

1-3 p.m.

The strand of sand between surf and dunes may seem insignificant. But it’s not. Walk a barrier island beach with Nongame Conservation Section biologists and naturalist Georgia Graves to uncover a diversity of life you might have never noticed – yet one that influences coastal residents and economies. Dig deep to learn about amphipods and lugworms, shrimp and clams. Then climb the food chain to discover the critical role that beaches play in the lives of other animals, from sea turtles to shorebirds.


Friday adventuresFEBRUARY 8, 2013

SEARCH FOR RARE SPARROWS

1-4 p.m.

Lend a hand as ornithologists Todd Schneider and Tim Keyes flush and – hopefully! – catch Henslow’s sparrows at Paulks Pasture Wildlife Management Area near Brunswick. The Nongame Conservation Section is studying these rare sparrows, which winter in parts of Georgia and are declining across their range. This trip offers the best opportunity to learn about the species, the research and the techniques. Help flush, net, band and release birds!


Note: Sign up soon. This trip filled fast in 2012!

BOTANICAL ADVENTURE AT CANNON’S POINT

1-4 p.m.

Botanical gems abound on the coast, with at-risk plants like climbing buckthorn and globally rare natural communities. Explore that world by joining Nongame Conservation Section botanists Jacob Thompson, Eamonn Leonard and other experts at Cannon’s Point. This former plantation preserved by the St. Simons Land Trust and covering more than 600 acres features unique plant lineups at prehistoric shell rings and ancient live oaks in moss-wreathed maritime forests. Learn how Native Americans used plants – including yaupon holly for caffeine! – and how invaders such as Tree of Heaven threaten native habitats.


JUST FOR THE KIDS

6-10 p.m., Ages 3-12

Your children will have a wild (but safe!) time at this Friday night banquet designed just for them. The fun-filled evening is packed with an entertaining movie, a scrumptious Cloister meal, and a live animals program led by a DNR wildlife interpretive specialist and focused on conservation successes Weekend for Wildlife has helped achieve! A $50 registration fee is required for each child. Children must be potty trained.


Note: Children must be checked in and picked up by a parent or guardian.

neWneW

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

Photo Credits: Todd Schneider and Son Surveying for Henslow’s Sparrows, Roy Brown; Couper Plantation House Ruins, St. Simons Land Trust Conservation Task Force

saturday adventuresFEBRUARY 9, 2013

SAPELO ISLAND CULTURE

8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Return to where the first Weekend for Wildlife guests went – Sapelo Island! – and go even deeper as you meet with Cornelia Bailey and other members of the island’s Hog Hammock community to learn about their cultural history and interaction with wildlife. Sapelo residents have a close connection to the natural environment. They also have strong traditions of using the abundant natural resources to live. This special trip explores those ties, and includes a delicious Sapelo-styled lunch! You’ll also hear about the 1989 trip that kicked off Weekend for Wildlife’s conservation legacy.


Note: Sapelo culture and Weekend for Wildlife roots: It’s an anniversary trip you don’t want to miss!

EXPLORE THE ALTAMAHA

7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Ready to cruise one of Georgia’s most amazing rivers? Altamaha River veteran Christi Lambert of The Nature Conservancy and coastal Nongame Conservation Section Program Manager Jason Lee will lead this boat-based tour of the lower Altamaha, home to rare species and rare

habitats. See bald eagles and migrating waterbirds. Cruise creeks flanked by ancient cypress. Walk some of the 37,000 acres of conservation lands that stretch for 42 miles along this river corridor, property that DNR and key partners like The Nature Conservancy

helped protect. Then settle in for a down-home lunch on the river at Mudcat Charlie’s!


Note: Not for guests 12 or younger.

TROPHY BASS AT FREDERICA

8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Fish for trophy largemouths at one of the most exciting and exclusive lakes in Georgia. As part of beautiful Frederica Golf Club on St. Simons Island, 400-acre Lake Frederica has been managed for trophy bass since 2005. The strain of largemouths stocked here – all females until this year – is fast-growing and super aggressive! We’ll provide the equipment and guides, including Frederica Water Recreation and Wildlife Manager Teddy Elrod. All you’ll need is a camera!

Available spaces: 8

Notes: Fishing is catch and release. Not for guests 12 and younger. Equipment provided, or bring your own. No fishing license required.

OYSTER REEF EXPERIENCE

8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Join Coastal Resources Division staff for a hands-on tour of the Jointer Creek Public Shellfish Harvest Area, which is also the site of DNR’s largest oyster reef restoration project! Harvest oysters. Learn about the important role that oyster reefs play in Georgia’s estuaries. Expect to see pelicans, other birds and marine life during the boat ride. Cap your trip with a roasted oyster and shrimp stew lunch with all the trimmings dockside at the DNR Coastal Regional Headquarters in Brunswick!


Notes: For guests 10 and older. Boots, gloves and all necessary tools will be provided.

neW island insights!neW island insights! neWneW

neWneW

a Weekend for

Wildlife Favoritea Weekend for

Wildlife Favorite

FEBRUARY 9, 2013

TOUR CUMBERLAND ISLAND

7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

This may be your best opportunity to visit one of the world’s finest barrier islands. Wander rich natural communities such as maritime forests and beach habitats with National Park Service and DNR staff. Glean insights into the island’s fascinating history from Carnegie family descendent Gogo Ferguson as you tour Plum Orchard Mansion, built by Lucy Carnegie, and the Dungeness ruins that rise from grounds once frequented by Revolutionary War hero Nathaniel Green and later Thomas Carnegie. Lunch at historic Greyfield Inn will add to the memories!


CLOISTER WINE SCHOOL

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Explore the world of fine wines with Cloister sommeliers as your guides! Take part in a blind tasting. Learn how to read, smell and taste wine like a professional. Discuss regional wine varietals. Visit the exclusive wine cellars of this legendary five-star hotel. Round out the unique experience with another treat for your senses: a Cloister lunch on us!


INSIDE KINGS BAY SUBMARINE BASE

7:45 a.m.-4 p.m.

Go where few get to: inside a nuclear-powered Trident submarine. And that is only one of the highlights of this close-up tour of Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, East Coast homeport for the Trident submarine, D5 missile system and the largest peacetime construction project in naval history. Guests will also receive a briefing on strategic weapons such as missiles, tour a Coast Guard vessel, lunch where sailors eat, and learn about the Navy’s efforts to protect

and conserve wildlife in and around Kings Bay.


Notes: Guests must provide their Social Security number and a picture ID for security clearance. Submarine availability is not guaranteed.

EXCLUSIVE LITTLE ST. SIMONS

9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

This private, 10,000-acre barrier island accessible only by boat is an Audubon Important Bird Area and a member of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. More than 280 species of birds, including songbirds, shorebirds, wading birds and raptors, make their home on Little St. Simons. Staff will lead you on an interpretive tour through the maritime forest and beaches. Then feast on a Lowcountry lunch in the hunting lodge, followed by an afternoon enjoying the solitude of the island’s seven miles of pristine beach.


Notes: Minimum age is 12.

STELLAR SHOREBIRDING

7:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

In winter, Georgia attracts some of the most diverse and rare shorebirds on the Eastern Seaboard. Veteran and first-time birders can take advantage of that seasonal shift by signing up for this trip with experts Tim Keyes and Todd Schneider! Expand your life list as you visit hotspots like Gould’s Inlet, Andrews Island and Altamaha Wildlife Management Area. Learn birding ID tips. Hear the latest on shorebird conservation. Discuss the day’s sights – from American oystercatchers and greater yellow legs to least sandpipers and even raptors like ospreys and bald eagles – over a waterfront lunch at Skippers Fish Camp!


Notes: Binoculars and spotting scopes welcomed, but staff will have extras. New to birding? No problem!

Photo Credit: DNR’s Tim Keyes on Sapelo Island, Diane Kirkland

neWneW

a Weekend for

Wildlife Favoritea Weekend for

Wildlife Favorite now opento Moreguests

now opento Moreguests

neW FocusneW Focus

RICHMOND HILL ARCHAEOLOGY

7:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Humans have lived in North America for 12,000 years or more, but written records only cover about the last 4 percent of that span. To understand our history before 1492, we turn to archaeology, which applies scientific methods from geology, physics, chemistry, biology, and other disciplines to the study of humans and our ancestors. That science and history will come to life on this trip as you help DNR Historic Preservation Division Director Dr. Dave Crass, State Archaeologist Dr. Bryan Tucker and others investigate Oak Level Mound, a prehistoric Indian mound at Richmond Hill Wildlife Management Area. Dig into the past with some of Georgia’s top archaeologists!


Note: Youth 12 and older who enjoy science or history will like this trip!

JEKYLL SEA TURTLE CELEBRATION

9:15-3:30 p.m.

More loggerhead sea turtles nested on our coast in summer 2012 than at any time since comprehensive surveys began in 1989! This Weekend for Wildlife adventure led by DNR Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd gives you the backstory on this significant conservation success. See behind-the-scenes how the Georgia Sea Turtle Center rehabilitates these gentle marine giants, talk with leading researchers, and walk Jekyll Island’s

beach with Mark to better understand the importance of our barrier islands and coastal waters to sea turtles.


Note: Guests younger than 10 will be provided an age-appropriate program during the Sea Turtle Center tour.

MAGNIFICENT MARINE MAMMALS

9:15-2 p.m.

Each winter, imperiled North Atlantic right whales calve off the coast of Georgia and Florida. In summer, our coast attracts endangered manatees. Year-round, bottlenose dolphins ply sounds and inshore waters. You’ll better appreciate these amazing marine mammals as Nongame Conservation Section biologist Clay George explains what it takes to monitor right whales, from sampling tissue by crossbow to untangling these 50-foot-long behemoths from fishing gear on the open sea! Cruise Jekyll River and St. Simons Sound to explore manatee habitats and search for dolphins. Then enjoy a satisfying lunch at Jekyll’s Crane Cottage.


1996: The 8th annual Weekend celebrates the bald eagle’s recovery.h

igh

lig

hts

1989: Georgia’s first comprehensive survey of loggerhead sea turtle nesting records 675 nests.

1990: A statewide search for bald eagle nests documents nine nesting territories.

1991: Fisheries biologists re-discover the robust redhorse, a rare fish not reported in 100 years.

1992: TERN, friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section, is formed.

1989: Guests at the first Weekend for Wildlife tour Sapelo Island.

1995: Famed naturalist Roger Tory Peterson and his wife are guests of honor.

GEO

RGIA

WIL

DLI

FEW

EEKE

ND

FO

R

WIL

DLI

FEsaturday adventures

FEBRUARY 9, 2013

neWneW

gain insight into georgia’sLargest animals


SHARPEN YOUR SHOOTING

9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Whatever your skill level, a day at Sea Island Shooting School will improve your shooting mechanics and build your confidence. Enjoy skeet, trap or five-stand sporting clays in the morning. Take on the 10-station sporting clays course on Rainbow Island’s mile-long nature trail in the afternoon. Certified instructors, including Sea Island Director of Outdoor Pursuits Jon Kent, stand ready to help. Also let Instinct Shooting expert James Rutland transform your ability to point into snap-shooting skills. (Ever pop an aspirin in mid-air with a BB gun?) Relax between rounds at the school clubhouse. We’ll even provide lunch!


Notes: Bring a hat, sunscreen and shooting glasses or sunglasses. Novices are welcomed!

A MILLIONAIRE’S LIFE

9:15-3:30 p.m.

Called the “richest, most exclusive Club in the world,” Jekyll Island Club served as a winter retreat for America’s business and industry leaders at the turn of the 20th Century. In this special “all-access” tour of the 240-acre Jekyll Island Club National Historic District, you’ll walk in the footsteps of Rockefellers, Morgans, Pulitzers and Vanderbilts. Director of Historic Resources John Hunter will lead you through restored mansions their builders called “cottages.” You’ll also visit Hollybourne Cottage (which is not restored or regularly open to the public), dine at fabulous Crane Cottage and encounter some historic characters along the way!


Note: This trip might reach even further into Jekyll’s history, to the plantation era!

1997: The state’s first nongame wildlife license plate is introduced.

1999: DNR creates the nation’s first state Habitat Conservation Plan for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers.

2005: DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division completes the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive wildlife conservation strategy.

1996: The Georgia Herp Atlas project is started, leading to the definitive “Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia” (UGA Press, 2008).

1997: First Lady Shirley Miller serves as honorary chairwoman. Govs. Zell Miller, Roy Barnes, “Sonny” Perdue and Nathan Deal have strongly supported the event.

1998: Now 10 years old, Weekend for Wildlife has raised $2 million.

2000: Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter attend.

2001: Saturday trips have grown to 18; sites vary from Blackbeard Island to Ft. Stewart.

FEBRUARY 9, 2013

neWneW



Popular with advanced and noviceshooters

Popular with advanced and noviceshooters

2006: Clayhole Swamp tract is purchased from TNC, a key acquisition on the Altamaha.

2009: The fundraising focus this year: Altamaha River conservation.

2009: DNR and others sedate and free a North Atlantic right whale entangled in fishing gear, a first on the open sea.

2010: UGA Press publishes the “Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia,”

summarizing a statewide breeding bird survey coordinated by the Nongame Conservation Section.

2011: Nongame staff finishes an assessment of natural communities in 11 coastal counties.

2008: The 20th Weekend raises a record $1 million-plus.

2012: With First Lady Sandra Deal as honorary chairwoman, the Weekend highlights North Georgia nongame habitats and wildlife.

2005: Proceeds help purchase 2,400 acres for River Creek WMA.

2012: Loggerhead nests top a record 2,200 in Georgia. Bald eagle nests number 163, another high.

Photo Credit: DNR’s Jim Ozier Surveying for Eagles, Curtis Compton/The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

CONFIRMATION AND CANCELLATION

Once your registration is received, staff will send you a confirmation letter that also will indicate your trip selections. Please remember that trips are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and every effort will be made to schedule you for your first-choice trip. Weekend for Wildlife registration and donation fees are refundable if cancellation is received by Jan. 30, 2013. After this date, only the donation fee is refundable. A Social Security number is required in order to process your cancellation.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsors enjoy many special benefits during the event, including an exclusive opportunity with the Governor and First Lady. Sponsorship levels include: Signature ($50,000), Gold ($25,000), Silver ($15,000), Bronze ($10,000) and Individual ($5,000). For more information on corporate sponsorships, please call Robin Hill at 706.557.3325.

SEA ISLAND ACCOMMODATIONS AND RESERVATIONS

Weekend for Wildlife guests will enjoy luxurious accommodations and fine dining at Sea Island. In addition to the activities and amenities Weekend for Wildlife offers, guests can enjoy five miles of sparkling Sea Island beach, tennis, 36 holes of championship golf,* the Beach Club and the 65,000-square-foot Sea Island Spa

(spa charges additional). Come a day or two early or stay an extra night to explore the beauty of this exclusive barrier island. Boating, biking, fishing, lawn sports, horseback riding and much more await you.

Hotel reservations must be made directly with Sea Island. To make your reservations by phone, call 1.855.845.4883 and ask the Reservations Office for the “Weekend for Wildlife room block.”

The nightly rate for room-only is $386.75 single or double (inclusive of taxes and Resort Access Fee). For suites at The Cloister and The Lodge, please call Cloister reservations for the best available rate, inclusive of taxes and Resort Access Fee.

These rates do not include other amenities, such as food or spa treatments. Most rooms can accommodate a family of up to four guests.

A deposit of one night’s rate is required to secure your reservations. The hotel rate is guaranteed if reserved by Dec. 24, 2012. Incidentals, spa and any other hotel charges are payable upon checkout.

*$60 plus tax and a $20-and-up forecaddie tip per 18 holes on Plantation Courses; $175 plus tax and forecaddie tip per 18 holes on Seaside.

registration

WeeKenD For WiLDLiFe t-sHirtOrder a special 25th-anniversary T-shirt! These long-sleeve tees featuring the Weekend for Wildlife logo are $25 each (see the design at www.weekendforwildlife.com). Please mark the size and number of shirts, and add the cost to your total (on back). Your shirts will be available at the registration desk.

X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large 2X 3X

Number of T-shirts

# T

ear

off

Reg

istr

atio

n P

anel

her

e. #

WeeKenD For WiLDLiFe registrationPlease complete this form and return to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Enter each name as you prefer for it to appear on a nametag. Registration rates (single, double and children) include all Weekend for Wildlife activities. Payment must be received in full to hold your reservation. Registration is refundable if cancellation is received by Jan. 30, 2013.

(Includes subscription to DNR’s monthly nongame e-zine Georgia Wild. Please check here n if you do not want to receive this free newsletter.)

Banquet Seating Preference

1st Person Name 2nd Person Name

Street City/State/ZIP

Telephone (Daytime) Email

(All donations are tax-deductible.)

Friday Morning, February 8 1st Person Choice 2nd Person Choice

Amazing Marshes (10 a.m.-noon) n n

Train at FLETC (10:45 a.m.-3 p.m.) n n

Friday Afternoon, February 8 1st Person Choice 2nd Person Choice

Cloister Shooting (1-3 p.m.) n n

Sands Alive! (1-3 p.m.) n n

Cannon’s Point Botanicals (1-4 p.m.) n n

Search for Rare Sparrows (1-4 p.m.) n n

Children’s Banquet ages 3-12 (6-10 p.m.) n n

Saturday, February 9 1st Person Choice 2nd Person Choice

Sapelo Island Culture n n

Explore the Altamaha n n

Trophy Bass at Frederica n n

Oyster Reef Experience n n

Tour Cumberland Island n n

Cloister Wine School n n

Inside Kings Bay n n

Little St. Simons n n

Stellar Shorebirding n n

Richmond Hill Archaeology n n

Jekyll Sea Turtle Celebration n n

Marine Mammals n n

Cloister Shooting n n

A Millionaire’s Life n n

WeeKenD For WiLDLiFe eXCursionsExcursions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis as registration payments are received. Please indicate your first three choices for each person registered. If your first choice is booked, you will be placed on a waiting list and booked on the next available tour on your list. Please read the excursion descriptions carefully and select trips suited to your mobility. No reservation will be taken prior to Nov. 1, 2012.

PaCKage oPtions (all donations are tax-deductible)Also, part of your Weekend for Wildlife cost is tax-deductible. For the standard guest, $500 of the $800 registration is considered tax-deductible. The amount may vary depending on your level of registration.

Package Registration Donation Banquet Total # of Packages Amount Due

Double (2 people) $600 $1,000 Included $1,600

Single (per person) $300 $500 Included $800

Children ages 11-16* $150 Included $150

Children ages 4-10* $75 Included $75

Banquet only $275 $275

T-shirts (see details) $25 each

TOTAL DUE

*Registration for children ages 4-16. Full Weekend for Wildlife package rates are required for children 17 and older. Note: The children’s banquet on Friday night is an additional $50 per child.

n Check (number) _____________________ made payable to the Wildlife Conservation Fund

n Visa nMastercard nAMEX

Card Number:

Expiration Date:

Please remember to make your room reservation directly with The Cloister by calling 1.855.845.4883.

For answers to Weekend for Wildlife registration questions, please call 706.557.3337.

I cannot attend but please accept my donation of $

tHanK YouFor suPPorting

WiLDLiFe Conservationin georgia!

Please also consider purchasing or renewing a nongame wildlife license plate and contributing through the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs provide critical support for the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund, which benefits DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.

Receive free updates on wildlife conservation with the Wildlife Resources Division’s nongame e-zine Georgia Wild. Click the red envelope at www.georgiawildlife.com to sign up. Also follow us on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube and our new blog at http://georgiawildlife.wordpress.com!

(All donations are tax-deductible.)

Photo Credits : Eastern Indigo Snake, Dirk J. Stevenson; Georgia Rockcress, Michele Elmore/The Nature Conservancy

Wee KenD - - Get a Free Blog Here

Documents