panoramaGEORGIA CONSERVANCY • SPRING 2014

And so the journey ends. I will step down as president of the Georgia Conservancy on June 30, 2014, and a new president will take the reins.

The rhythm of life dictates that the old give way to the new, and so it is with organizations. It is an important moment of transition for the Georgia Conservancy, and the future will depend squarely on leadership.

When I became president in May 2009, I knew that the Georgia Conservancy had some work to do to re-establish itself as a leader in conservation and environmental protection. We had no land conservation program and no advocacy program in the General Assembly. Because of my political background and my passion for land conservation, I made sure that we planted our fl ag in both places. But fi rst, I had to put my

team in place. I was hired, along with Senior Vice President Allie Kelly, formerly of Georgia Watch, to work as a

team, and we made changes. Allie has worked hard and has been an excellent partner. To start our advocacy program, I called on Will Wingate, a Georgia Tech graduate from Lax,

Georgia who ran my legislative aff airs at the Capitol. Will did a masterful job of establishing the Georgia Conservancy as a trusted and eff ective voice for the environment under the Gold Dome.

Ask anyone in the General Assembly today, and you will fi nd that our reputation is strong on both sides of the aisle. We have made a real diff erence, working with our partners, to keep bad things from happening to the environment and to make good things happen in land conservation and the protection of our natural resources.

In land conservation, I asked Shannon Mayfi eld - a UGA law graduate with a successful career in real estate behind him, who joined me in 1989 for my fi rst campaign and later ran my offi ce at the Capitol - to help me construct a land conservation program that would give the Georgia Conservancy a unique role in preserving land.

Our program of working with individual landowners to preserve their land in perpetuity hit a responsive chord all across Georgia, generating over 1,600 inquiries to our offi ce. To date, we have conserved over 20,000 acres of high biodiversity land in 19 Georgia counties.

To bolster fundraising, my friend Robert Ramsay came to us from The Nature Conservancy, and he has made an enormous diff erence in our development eff orts. He was recently elected to the board of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership.

Katherine Moore, assisted by Johanna McCrehan, has led our Sustainable Growth Program to a position of national prominence in school siting and sea level rise work.

Bryan Schroeder has moved the needle on our trips program, taking over 1,500 people a year onto our rivers and barrier islands, instilling in many of them a connection to the natural world.

Clay Mobley has grown the coastal offi ce, with excellent results on the Oyster Roast, working to stop a landfi ll in a fragile wetland and conserving important wetland tracts.

Fuller Callaway has worked directly with landowners to make our land conservation program successful, and Leah Barnett has come into her own as a valued and experienced advocate in the General Assembly.

Mike Vinciquerra has done a great job of increasing our funding from foundations through his excellent grant writing, and Brian Foster eff ectively communicates our message to the world.

In just over a year, Melinda Corbett has become indispensable as our fi nancial manager and bookkeeper, and Lisa Patrick, in her four-plus decades of service to the Conservancy, continues to keep the offi ce running and in tune.

As I prepare to leave the Georgia Conservancy, I am proud that our team is handing it over to the new leader better than we found it in 2009. I know that whatever success I have had has been due to having a great team behind me.

In the words of Robert Frost, the Georgia Conservancy has “promises to keep.” Promises to our founders, promises to our members, promises to the natural world. Our promise is to be worthy, as people and as an organization, of the trust that is placed in us to defend, with all of our energy, the natural world of Georgia. It is the creation by God, but it is given a voice only through those who step forward to defend it.

Let us prove worthy of our task, for as the sea rises, as the pollution fl ows, as the development pressure builds, the future awaits.

FROM:THE PRESIDENTBoard Chair

George N. Mori*, AtlantaSolAmerica Energy

Dameron Black IV, AtlantaBen Franklin Academy

Gregory Blount, AtlantaTroutman Sanders

Roger Bowman, SavannahGulfstream

Charlie Covert, MiltonUPS

C. Edward Dobbs*, AtlantaParker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs

Greg Euston, MariettaMcGraw Euston

Chris Hagler*, AtlantaErnst & Young

Jim Hartzfeld*, MariettaConsultant

Curtis Hertwig, Sandy SpringsRetired, U.S. Court of Appeals

Chet Hurwitz*, AtlantaRetired, Attorney

Joann Jones, AtlantaMcKenna Long & Aldridge

Jim Kibler*, AtlantaAGL Resources

Harriet Anderson Langford, LaGrangeRay C. Anderson Foundation

J. Lacey Lewis*, AtlantaCox Enterprises

Kirk Malmberg*, MariettaFederal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

Leslie Mattingly*, St. Simons IslandPrivate Counsel Attorney

Charles McMillan, RoswellAEC, Inc.

Lane Moore, AtlantaRubicon Global

Ira Pearl*, AtlantaMansfield Energy Partners

Geoff Pope, AtlantaPope & Howard P.C.

Ron Shipman*, ThomsonGeorgia Power Company

Floyd W. Smith,* NewnanSouthwire Company

Markham Smith, AtlantaSmith Dalia Architects

Blake Sullivan, MaconSullivan Forestry Consultants

Chet Tisdale, AtlantaRetired Partner at King & Spalding

William E. Underwood III, AtlantaIronwood Insurance Services

Brent Beatty**, AtlantaMountain View Group

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

*Executive Committee Member

** Ex Offi cio Member

Thank you,

Pierre Howard

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring 2014 | 3

4-5 IN BRIEF New Trustees, Tire-Round Up

6-7 SUSTAINABLE GROWTH Sea Level Rise Studios

8-9 COASTAL GEORGIA Jekyll Island Management Plan

10-11 ecoBenefête Honoring Ben Slade

12-13 ADVOCACY

2014 Legislative Recap

14-15 LAND CONSERVATION

Properties Conserved in 2013

16-17 STEWARDSHIP TRIPS

2014 Trips Schedule

18 GENERATION GREEN

Board President Brent Beatty

CONTENTS

Pierre Howard

President

Allie KellySenior Vice President

Robert RamsayVice President, Development

Leah BarnettAdvocacy Outreach Director

Fuller CallawayLand Conservation Specialist

Melinda CorbettFinance Manager

Brian FosterCommunications Director

Shannon Mayfi eldLand Conservation Outreach Director

Johanna McCrehanUrban Designer

Clay MobleyCoastal Director

Katherine MooreSustainable Growth Program Manager

Lisa PatrickExecutive Assistant

Bryan SchroederStewardship & Outreach Director

Alexis TorresMembership Director

Michael VinciquerraAssociate Director of Development

GEORGIA CONSERVANCY STAFF

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IN BRIEF News from aroundthe Conservancy

The Conservancy Welcomes New TrusteesGreg Blount is a partner in the Environmental and Natural Resources Practice Group at Troutman Sanders in Atlanta, where he has practiced since 1997. Greg has been a member of the Governor’s Environmental Advisory Council since 2005, is a member of the EarthShare of Georgia advisory board and the Georgia Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee.

Roger Bowman is the sustainability manager at Gulfstream, where he is creating the global sustainability strategy for the jet manufacturer. He is the founder of the Savannah Sustainability Alliance and is on the boards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Savannah Branch and Georgia Chapter, the Captain Planet Foundation, and the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL).

Charlie Covert is vice president, customer solutions at UPS. He is responsible for supply chain design, sustainability and consulting for the government, professional services, industrial manufacturing and automotive sectors. Charlie participates in various pro bono logistics projects for Salvation Army, Atlanta Food Bank and Medshare. He also serves as a mentor to American military veterans.

Greg Euston is the founder of McGraw Euston Associates, an Atlanta-area fi rm that helps companies with corporate communications advice. Greg joined the Conservancy three years ago and helped organize our inaugural Tight Lines: A celebration of fl y fi shing in May 2013. He actively works to connect youth to the environment through the Boy Scouts of America and PTA.

Curtis Hertwig has worked in the fi eld of computer programming for more than 25 years. Curtis is a “second generation” Conservancy member whose family has supported the Conservancy’s Blueprints planning program for decades.

Joann Jones is the managing partner of McKenna Long & Aldridge’s Atlanta offi ce. She serves on the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s board of advisors, chairs the board of Holy Spirit Preparatory School and was in Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2013.

Jim Kibler is senior vice president of external affairs and public policy at AGL Resources. He currently serves as chair of the American Gas Association’s legislative committee and is a past member of the Trust for Public Land’s advisory council.

Harriet Langford has served as a trustee of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation since its inception and was elected president in 2011. Feeling an inherited entrepreneurial spirit, Harriet formed and successfully ran a printing business in LaGrange. She is currently a member of the First Baptist Church of LaGrange and is involved in the Explorer’s Bible Study Leadership Committee of LaGrange.

Kirk Malmberg is executive vice president and chief fi nancial offi cer of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. In Atlanta, he previously worked with SunTrust Capital Markets and Lehman Brothers. He has held key banking positions in Chicago, Dallas and San Antonio.

Leslie Mattingly has practiced law for more than 28 years and has been admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. For the past 10 years, she has been a member of the Marsh and Shoreline Protection committees of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Her tenure on the committee ended in December.

Charles McMillan is founder of AEC, Inc., a civil and environmental engineering fi rm. He is a board member of the City of Roswell Development Authority and recently chaired the board of Georgia Engineering Alliance. Charles is former chair of our Blueprints Partners Committee.

New Faces: Membership Director Alexis Torres Alexis comes to the Georgia Conservancy after fi nishing a development fellowship with Southface, a national leader in sustainable building consulting and advocacy.

Alexis holds a BA in Anthropology from Georgia State University and an MA in International Development from the University of Denver, where she also received a concentration in nonprofi t management. When she’s not busy, Alexis enjoys listening to samba music, eating international foods and showing her fi ancé from

Minnesota around her home state. “I am in the fortunate position to connect

people in a meaningful way with their passion”, says Alexis. “I look forward to getting to know the Georgia Conservancy community across the state.”

If you are interested in joining the Georgia

Conservancy as a member, Alexis can help! She

can be reached at atorres@gaconservancy.org

IN BRIEFNews from aroundthe Conservancy

Last summer, the Georgia Conservancy boldly went where no environmental organization had gone before ... to Dragon Con, the largest multi-media and pop-culture celebration and convention in the Universe.

The Georgia Conservancy was selected by Dragon Con organizers to compete in a fan voting contest to become one of only three offi cial charities of the 2013 convention. Conservancy staff went all-out, attending an Atlanta Braves game in full Chewbacca regalia and developing a sci-fi and fantasy inspired social media campaign.

Hard work disguised as creative fun landed the Conservancy in second place, and the organization received a generous $26,000 donation from Dragon Con.

The Georgia Conservancy was also invited to participate in the galaxy-famous Dragon Con parade during the Labor Day weekend. You may have seen zombie campers dragging themselves down Peachtree Street. That was us!

The partnership with Dragon Con has continued into 2014. The Georgia Conservancy recently organized the inaugural service project for Dragon Con Superheroes, a program that gives ‘Con fans an opportunity to give back to the Atlanta community throughout the year.

More than 75 Superheroes turned out for the service project at Sweetwater Creek State Park for 225 combined service hours, installing trail map kiosks, clearing 15 miles of trails and riverside, and cleaning the visitors center.

INTERGALATIC FORCES UNITE

Over 1,000 scrap tires have been removed from roadsides, woods and wetlands in and around the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area.

In February, volunteers from the Georgia Conservancy and the Arabia Mountain Heritage Alliance, which includes the City of Lithonia, Panola Mountain State Park, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Flat Rock Archives and the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, fanned out across parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties to clean-up scrap tire dumps. For over 4 hours, truck load after truck load deposited tires at drop-off points at the Nature Preserve and Panola Mountain State Park. Local citizens heeded the call as well, bringing in tires that littered their properties or placing them along designated roadside pick-up areas.

Liberty Tire Recycling generously retrieved the tires free-of-charge and plans to transform them into rubber mulch used in landscaping and activity trails.

In addition to shining a light on the vast amount of scrap tires that pollute our environment, the project also brought to attention two bills that were under consideration at the State Capitol that focused on providing adequate funding for the removal of tire dumps.

Tire Round-Up at Arabia Mtn. National Heritage Area

Led by Georgia Tech graduate student R. Dawn Riley, Bantam Towns in the Deep South is an ongoing research project that looks at the hundreds of tiny, rural towns scattered across the Deep South – once largely sustained by agriculture or industry, now fl oundering and close to extinction – for answers on how they may be transformed to have a new life and a new economic purpose in the larger American landscape.

The ongoing goal of this project, through the help of the Georgia Conservancy, is to look more deeply at small towns in Georgia and identify what revitalization eff orts have been successful in small towns, why they have been successful, and how they can be applied more broadly to aid other struggling rural communities.

Small towns are the heart of the South. In all of our program areas, the Georgia Conservancy strives to see that they remain so. The Bantam Towns project amplifi es the Conservancy’s understanding of the importance that private land conservation, sustainable growth planning and eco-tourism play in small communities.

The research presented in this initial report was performed as an independent study project by Riley, and advised by professors from Georgia Tech’s schools of Architecture and City and Regional Planning, and by city planning and regional history experts. Information presented in the case studies was mainly gained through fi eld research performed by Riley and through interviews with public offi cials, citizens and business owners in various towns located in the Deep South. The aim of the report is to connect broader global issues, rural fl ight and urban overpopulation to more regionally specifi c problems and to fi nd solutions through the analysis of successes.

The Georgia Conservancy & Dragon Con

www.georgiaconservancy.org/bantamtowns

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH Helping build more successfulcommunities

Planning for the Future of Georgia’s CoastThe Georgia Conservancy has been a regional leader in advancing sustainable growth since launching our Blueprints for Successful Communities program in 1995. The Blueprints technical assistance program, along with our Good Urbanism and School Siting programs, help Georgia communities make informed development decisions through more robust and comprehensive planning. Combining the expertise of our staff planning professionals with that of academic leaders from the state’s premier colleges and universities, including the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and the Savannah College of Art and Design, drives more thoughtful planning that enables communities to thrive economically with fewer resources, lower costs and more effi cient land use.

In 2011, the Georgia Conservancy launched a mapping and outreach project to tackle the issue of Sea Level Rise (SLR). Working with the University of Georgia’s River Basin Center and the state’s Department of Natural Resources, we produced interactive mapping tools demonstrating land mass changes projected to occur on the Georgia coast as a result of rising sea levels.

Coastal cities are vulnerable to many natural hazards - hurricanes, fl ooding, beach erosion, subsidence and sea level rise. There are many negative social and economic effects that may result from natural hazards on the coast such as loss of historic structures and communities, devastation of infrastructure, contamination of ground wa ter by saltwater intrusion, and loss of important coastal wetlands and habitats. With over half of the world’s population living less than 100 miles from the ocean, and with coastal cities having a population density that is three times higher than the global city average, these hazards pose a major threat to human civilization. Climate change will only exacerbate this.

Sea level rise is one of the biggest challenges facing coastal communities. Though sea level rise is a slow process, communities must plan well in advance in order to develop adequate adaptation strategies that will help mitigate future social, economic and environmental losses.

A more recent SLR study on Georgia’s coast utilized tidal gauge data measured since 1935 at Ft. Pulaski (now operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and analysis indicates that by 2110, the water level along Georgia’s coast will be one meter above today’s levels. The percentage of undeveloped dry land on the coast is projected to be reduced by eight percent, while open water could increase by 10 percent. Much of what we now see along the coast and in coastal marsh

may be permanently inundated. With even modest sea level rise, the impacts on the state’s coastal population, industries, transportation infrastructure and historic communities will be signifi cant.

Simplifi ed models indicate this rise will meaningfully impact up to 30 percent of the Conservancy’s initial three-county study area (Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties). While our data analysis tells us where the greatest impacts will likely occur, the data itself is not suffi cient to direct communities (individuals, companies, government offi cials and others) as to how they should best manage for the expected changes. This is the next step.

Our primary goal with this multi-year Blueprints is to aid Georgia’s coastal communities in planning for a projected one meter rise in sea levels by 2110. Comprehensive and informed planning and design will enable communities to adapt, respond and invest in future development and redevelopment in a sustainable and fi scally responsible manner.

6 | panorama spring 2014 | georgiaconservancy.org

Current Sea Levels in Chatham County

Helping build more successfulcommunities SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Assessing Projected SLR and Impact on Vulnerable

Communities

Our initial work focused on understanding the projected SLR levels and the physical impacts to vulnerable communities and their infrastructure. The Conservancy worked with students and experts at Georgia Tech to project SLR levels in Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties. Findings include:

Overall, nearly one-third (54.91 square miles) of all globally imperiled habitats in Georgia (G1-G3) will be impacted by the projected rise in sea level, and 70 percent of this inundation is of G3-ranked habitats, which are expected to lose nearly half of their existing areas.

Next Steps for 2014

Georgia’s coastal population, economic activity and culture will continue to be drawn to, and benefi t from, a relationship with the water, but what shape will the built environment of communities take in the future? Across the country, communities are considering the implications of sea level rise and the options of defending the shoreline, retreating from the shoreline or adapting. We believe there is a way for Georgia’s coastal communities to continue to thrive through adaptation.

The fi rst phase of our work with Georgia Tech’s School of City and Regional Planning (Studio I) identifi ed the communities that are vulnerable to sea level rise in Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties. Per design, Studio I did not generate an economic impact assessment or an action plan to help those communities adjust to expected changes.

Studio II will generate the economic impact assessment by analyzing both the impact on, and resilience of, industries (shrimping, fi shing, tourism, shipping, etc.) that are central to Georgia’s working ports, in light of projected SLR. Concurrently, Studio III will provide preliminary recommendations for the most suitable locations for future public and private development given projected SLR levels, and for managing existing infrastructure.

The concepts developed for each community will offer several alternatives for communities to remain on the coast while addressing the challenges of sea level rise. Final reports from Studios II and III will be published in Spring 2014.

“Changing sea levels will impact Georgia’s entire coast in the coming years,” said Katherine Moore, Georgia Conservancy Sustainable Growth Program Manager. “Because of this approaching challenge, local leaders need to understand now the variety of scenarios that sea level rise will likely create for planning, preparation and response. It is critical that we not overlook the specifi c impacts that will occur, and that we consider both our human populations and our natural environments in response to such change.”

The Conservancy’s sea level rise work would not be possible without the generous support of Gulfstream, The Home Depot Foundation and The Ray C. Anderson Foundation, as well as the indispensable data supplied by Dr. Clark Alexander at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah.

More info: www.georgiaconservancy.org/sealevelrise

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring 2014 | 7

• McIntosh County is likely to experience the highest percentage of impacted residential land - 20%

• Chatham County is projected to have the greatest loss of buildings – 8,900

• Tybee Island is projected to suff er signifi cant impacts: loss of 50% of residential land, 48% of transportation-utilized land, and 30% of commercially-occupied land

• Impacts to environmentally sensitive facilities include four hazardous material sites, one landfi ll and three wastewater treatment plants

• Thirteen miles of I-95 and US 80 are projected to be impacted; 11 miles of CSX Norfolk Southern rail also impacted

Projected Inundation in Chatham County by 2110

COASTAL GEORGIA Protecting our coastalwildlife and habitats

Over 10 years ago, a company called Linger Longer wanted to develop the south end of Jekyll Island with hotels and condominiums. The Georgia Conservancy, under the leadership of John Sibley, stepped forward to oppose the bad idea.

The south beach of the island is important habitat for several threatened birds including Wilson’s Plover (threatened), Piping Plover (endangered) and Least Tern. After State Senator Jeff Chapman (R-Glynn) introduced legislation to protect the south end of Jekyll Island from development, the conservation community rallied to his support. In the end, the bill was passed and is now law.

Today, the nesting habitat of Wilson’s Plover in the dune area behind the beach is protected and marked off with a rope and signs. Local bird expert Lydia Thompson, who works for the Jekyll Island Authority, has organized regular local volunteer patrols during the summer nesting season to keep dogs and people away from the nests. In 2013, several Wilson’s Plovers fl edged there and migrated south last fall.

After the recent Georgia Conservancy board meeting, Conservancy President Pierre Howard and Vice President for Development Robert Ramsay found the fi rst returning pair of Wilson’s Plovers on south beach, getting ready to set up housekeeping (see above photo of the male).

The story of the protection of South Beach Jekyll Island reminds us of the importance of the legislation that passed the General Assembly during the 2014 session that will restrict new development on the island to 78 additional acres, with all but

20 of those acres set aside for public safety, public health and campground expansion.

At the present time, there are no plans for new construction on the 20 acres over which the Jekyll Island Authority has some latitude. Future construction will be in the footprints of existing buildings.

Jekyll Island is a special place, and the Georgia Conservancy is proud that we were a vital part of writing the new law that will protect it for many years to come. We salute the efforts of our partners, especially Stephanie Stuckey Benfi eld and Steve Caley of GreenLaw, who worked so hard over many months to help craft and support the bill.

We are also grateful to Richard Royal, Chair of the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board, the JIA board members, and Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority Jones Hooks for their essential role in negotiating a strong bill and in helping rally support from our state leaders.

We also salute David and Mindy Egan who have led protection efforts on Jekyll Island for a decade. Any omission of expressing appreciation of other partners is inadvertent.

“The new Master Plan for Jekyll Island and the newly passed Jekyll Island legislation are both the product of compromise, but by working together, I believe that we have assured a great future for a Georgia treasure,” said Pierre Howard.

Success in the General Assembly is a team effort! Our members make our advocacy at the General Assembly possible.

Jekyll Island: Protecting a Jewel

COMMITTED TO CUMBERLAND: Conservancy’s Julia Moore Leads Island’s Alternative Spring BreakThis spring, Cumberland Island National Seashore welcomed

over 250 college spring breakers to its remote beaches and

backcountry wilderness – not your typical college spring break

destination. Cumberland Island spring break volunteers hiked

and serviced trails in need of maintenance and worked with the

National Park Service to repair facilities, allowing the Park to

provide a safe environment for visitors throughout the year.

The Cumberland Island spring break volunteer program has

existed for a number of years, but due to budget constraints,

the 2014 season was in jeopardy. In stepped the Georgia

Conservancy. Led by Conservancy stewardship leader and 2014

Cumberland Island Service Weekend veteran Julia Moore, the

Cumberland Island spring break volunteer program continues the

Conservancy’s storied history of stewardship and conservation

on the island.

“We were having to limit the number of volunteer projects

we could support and that was limiting the numbers of school

we could invoice in the college spring break program,” says

Cumberland Island Chief of Interpretation and Education Maggie

Tyler. “College spring break is, by far, the time of the year when the

most volunteer work is completed, and the Georgia Conservancy

is providing the National Park Service with a staff position to help

us continue to host this program.”

Read Julia’s blog at georgiaconservancy.org/cumberlandsb

Photos by Pierre Howard

COASTAL GEORGIAProtecting our coastalwildlife and habitats

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring / summer 2014 | 9

Conservation on Ebenezer Creek

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring / summer 2014 | 9

Oysters, clams and 70 degree weather? We’ll take it!

On March 1, the Georgia Conservancy hosted its most

successful Oyster Roast to date under sunny skies and spring-

like temperatures. More than 400 guests gathered on the

bluff of Richardson Creek at Captain Butler’s Retreat on

Whitemarsh Island in Savannah to celebrate the Georgia coast

and to support the Georgia Conservancy’s eff orts to protect

this fragile, unique ecosystem.

Oyster Roast shuckers feasted on Sapelo Sea Farm oysters

and clams, as well as a low-country boil prepared by the

Conservancy’s Bryan Schroeder. Savannah’s Benton Hill Band

churned out hit after hit for the crowd to enjoy. And what

event is complete without beer from SweetWater Brewing

Company in Atlanta?

The 2014 Oyster Roast, presented by Georgia Power, saw

Conservancy members, staff and trustees welcome new

friends from across Georgia as they converged on Savannah

and Tybee Island for the day of celebration.

The Oyster Roast could not have been a success without

the generous support of this year’s sponsors, which included

Georgia Power, SweetWater Brewing Company, Mitsubishi

Power Systems, Waste Management and Mermaid Cottages of

Tybee Island.

“Contributions from our sponsors and volunteers helped

make this event a success,” said Georgia Conservancy Coastal

Director Clay Mobley. “It was rewarding to see attendees

celebrating our coast while enjoying delicious Georgia oysters

on the island where I grew up. Our hope is that recycling

leftover shells from oyster roasts will become the status quo.

That way, new oyster reefs will be built and future generations

will be able to enjoy this longtime coastal tradition.”

2014 OYSTER ROAST ON WHITEMARSH ISLAND

Photos by Pierre Howard and Fuller Callaway

Photos by William Brawley

An island of bottomland habitat on Ebenezer Creek has been preserved for generations to come.

Last fall, through the support of members and friends, the Georgia Conservancy permanently protected Thompson Island

on Ebenezer Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River. The island, covered with old-growth cypress and gum tupelo, is a gem of biological diversity and representative of the waterway’s designation as a Georgia Wild and Scenic River.

Thompson Island was fi rst donated to the Georgia Conservancy by the Thompson Family, and the Conservancy immediately conveyed the land to the City of Springfi eld to be included in the city’s greenway project. Before donating the property, the Thompson family restricted the deed so that neither the use of motorized vehicles nor timber harvesting on the

island would ever be allowed. The protected tract will provide signifi cant habitat for rare species, such as silky camellia, sweet pitcher plant, Rafi nesque’ s big-eared bat, swallow-tailed kite and painted bunting.

“We view Thompson Island as the seed tract that will spur future conservation along beautiful Ebenezer Creek,” said Springfi eld Mayor Barton Alderman.

The vision for Thompson Island and the Springfi eld-Ebenezer Greenway is a multi-use trail extending from the City of Springfi eld to Ebenezer at the Savannah River.

“Marilyn and Scott Thompson are to be commended,” said Georgia Conservancy Coastal Director Clay Mobley. “Not a lot of people would give up ownership of such property without clear-cutting it.”

On October 4, 2013 at the Mason Murer Fine Art Gallery in Atlanta, the Georgia Conservancy honored Ben Slade III, executive director of the St. Simons Land Trust, at its annual gala, ecoBenefête. Slade was the 20th recipient of the Conservancy’s Distinguished Conservationist award honoring the remarkable achievements of a great Georgian who improves our lives through the protection of our environment. Past recipients of the award include Will Harris III, Cody Laird, Jim Kennedy and Congressman John Lewis (D-Atlanta).

Over 300 people joined the Conservancy in recognizing Slade for his dedication to the conservation of the natural and cultural treasures of St. Simons Island and its surrounding salt marsh.

For Ben Slade, the conservation of St. Simons Island’s most scenic and ecologically-important sanctuaries has been a lifelong goal. Born and raised on Georgia’s coast, the marsh, hammocks and tidal creeks that defi ne the low country were Ben’s playground – a place for recreation and inspiration. Throughout his career as businessman, banker and community leader in Glynn County, Ben remained an advocate for the coastal county’s natural environment.

In 2000, seeing the need to fi ght sprawl and overdevelopment on St. Simons Island, Ben helped found the St. Simons Land Trust. He served as the board’s fi rst chairman and currently serves as the land trust’s executive director. Through his leadership, Ben has helped guide the St. Simons Land Trust from a small, homegrown organization to one that boasts a membership of more than 1,200 households.

“Under Ben’s instigation, four of us started meeting together about once a month and we would talk about how a land trust would work and how it was vital to do something for St. Simons,” said Francis McCrary, one of the founders of the land trust.

“We sensed that the island’s natural and historic areas were under pressure of losing their identity and we founded the St. Simons Land Trust. That fi rst year the land trust was recognized as being one of the most successful new land trusts in the country by membership and our initiatives. It was a dynamic force in the area.”

One of the St. Simons Land Trust’s most recent victories came with the purchase of 604-acre Cannon’s Point. Championed from start to fi nish by Ben, the acquisition quadrupled the area of protected land on St. Simons.

Located at the northern tip of the island, Cannon’s Point has more than six miles of salt marsh, tidal creek and river shore line and is the last intact maritime forest on the island. The property, which will open later this year, will be managed as a public preserve that will include trails for hiking and biking, launch points for canoes and kayaks, and educational opportunities for visitors.

As a land trust, the organization works with property owners to preserve critical habitat through conservation easements, donations and purchases. Since its founding, the St. Simons Land Trust has protected 776 acres on the island. Much of the land that the St. Simons Land Trust has preserved is open, or will soon be open, to the public and its use is outlined in the Greenprint, the organization’s guide for future activities.

“Much of the maritime forest along the Georgia Coast is not easily accessible to most people - Sapelo, Cumberland, Ossabaw islands, for example,” said Ben Slade. “With Cannon’s Point on St. Simons, an island that is easy to get to, we think it will be a living laboratory for residents and visitors who want to experience a true maritime forest.”

“Ben talked about raising his children on St. Simons and the hope that they would experience the wild aspect of the island and the natural beauty,” said Susan Shipman, Board Chair of the St. Simons Land Trust. “I know he certainly had that as a vision early on when he and the others founded the Land Trust, and he’s maintained and remained true to that vision since day one.”

Slade has made the preservation of Georgia’s most visited barrier island one of the foremost goals of his life. His vision is of an island whose natural and cultural heritage can be enjoyed by its residents and visitors. The Georgia Conservancy applauds his successful career as a conservationist with the St. Simons Land Trust and is honored to have awarded him the Distinguished Conservationist award at ecoBenefête.

10 | panorama spring 2014 | georgiaconservancy.orgBen Slade and Family (photo by William Brawley)

Honoring Ben Slade IIIExecutive Director of the St. Simons Land Trust

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama summer 2012 | 11

ADVOCACY Advancing the protection of Georgia’s natural resources

For a statewide nonprofi t organization, there are more barriers than incentives to including an Advocacy Program in its mission and work.

Increasingly, lobbying activities invite scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service and the media. Advocacy work is also diffi cult to resource. It takes a special disposition to balance various relationships with elected offi cials and between partners, and an interest not only in policy, but also in politics, process and strategy.

The 2014 Georgia General Assembly demonstrated again why the investment in an effective and engaged Advocacy Program at the Georgia Conservancy is so important - it’s necessary. Our staff and lobbyists tracked over 50 pieces of legislation this year, in addition to the governor’s budget, and spent signifi cant time, effort and infl uence working more than 20 of those bills.

Three specifi c areas of concern included updates to the Flint River Drought Protection Act, the developable area of Jekyll Island, and the Georgia Legacy land conservation initiative.

Flint River Drought Protection ActSenate Bill 213 was passed by the state Senate in 2013, and was a top priority for the Conservancy going into this year’s legislative session because of widespread concern over the potential impact to water quality and citizens’ reasonable access to water, or “riparian rights.”

In its original form, the bill was a far-reaching revision of an existing law called the “Flint River Drought Protection Act” and attempted to allocate, at the discretion of the director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), water resources that will be generated by the state’s underground wells in aquifers along the Flint River and its tributaries.

The technology is called “aquifer storage and recovery” (ASR). The state’s $5 million pilot well in Baker County will pump water from the Floridan aquifer, which is very close to the Flint’s surface waters, into two deep, sand aquifers during wet seasons. In times of drought, the state could pull water from these aquifers and send it down the Flint, augmenting the river’s fl ow.

Chief among the Conservancy’s concerns with SB 213 was the risk of polluting the near-pristine water quality of our deep aquifers, and the bill’s provisions to deny water access to permitted users who live and work downstream of an ASR well. Building the systems and infrastructure for ASR is extremely costly to taxpayers, as well.

The Conservancy worked diligently with members of the state House and with our conservation partners to achieve a compromise that would protect the natural resources and the communities in the Flint River basin. Under a compromise reached in the fi nal weeks of the legislative session, stream augmentation projects are only authorized to help maintain the minimum fl ow necessary to preserve vulnerable aquatic life in the Flint River basin during extreme weather conditions. The EPD director is only authorized to limit or suspend permitted water withdrawals in the specifi c areas of an augmentation project to maintain those minimum stream fl ows.

Jekyll Island Master PlanSince 2009, the Georgia Conservancy has participated on a steering committee of environmental groups and state agencies that developed a plan to guide the conservation of Jekyll for the next 50 years. When agreement could not be reached on how to interpret state law mandating the preservation of 35 percent of the island, members of the Jekyll Island Authority staff and board worked with the Georgia Conservancy, GreenLaw, coastal legislators and other partners to craft a compromise limiting new development to 78 acres. Detailed maps produced by the Coastal Georgia Land Conservation Initiative were central to the process.

Senate Bill 269 and House Bill 715 sets the number of acres currently developed on Jekyll at 1,609 acres, limits development to 1,675 acres, and repeals the 1971 law establishing the so-called 65-35 rule. This change will end any argument as to what is “land” and what is “marsh,” which was the subject of a controversial ruling in 2013 by Attorney General Sam Olens. Both bills passed the legislature with little opposition. (For more information on Jekyll Island, see page 8.)

Georgia LegacyThe Georgia Conservancy, with many of the state’s premier public and private environmental organizations, has for decades advocated for a sustainable source of funding for land conservation.

Senate Bill 210, which passed the state Senate in 2013, would have created a new program, called the Georgia Legacy Fund, to manage longer-term state investment in land conservation, parks, and hunting and recreation areas. Instead, both chambers agreed to form a joint committee to study the Georgia Legacy program, its fi ve initiatives and possible funding mechanisms. (For more information on Georgia Legacy, see page 15.)

U N D E R T H E G O L D D O M EInvesting in Relationships

To read our 2014 Legislative Recap in its entirety, or to sign up for our weekly Legislative Update for 2015, please visit www.georgiaconservancy.org/advocacy/2014

It is pretty clear that the current out-of-state owners of Sea Island are using the tactic of Admiral Farragut who famously said, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” as they push their plan to cram eight mega-mansions on the south end of the island, known as “The Spit.”

It is a fragile wisp of land that should have never been zoned for development.

On its beaches, loggerhead sea turtles nest and endangered birds feed and rest in migration. Thousands of Georgians have marveled at its beauty from a spot on the north end of St. Simons Island called Gould’s Inlet.

Now, all that beauty is at risk.If it happens, it will be a sad day for Sea Island, a place whose national reputation for excellence and good taste has been guarded by the long ownership of the Jones family.

Our presidents, from Calvin Coolidge on down, have visited Sea Island and marveled at its beauty.

In those days, the buildings were unobtrusive, blending with the natural surroundings. By all accounts, the Jones family was a good steward of the island, because they realized that what drew visitors were not the buildings but the beauty of the place.

Sadly, those days may be behind us.In the Book of Joshua, the commander of the Lord’s army

said to Joshua, “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy.”

In Georgia, we understand the protection of hallowed ground. Our battlefi elds, our cemeteries, our campuses and our coast are given a higher degree of protection than other places.

Our lawmakers have put in place strong laws to protect our

marshes and our shoreline, and we get high marks nationally for protecting our priceless barrier islands.

Now, that legacy of protection is being challenged.For all of the legal arguments that can be made in favor of

putting mega-mansions on “The Spit,” common sense dictates that it should not happen. Chances are that they will be under water by the time the grandchildren come along.

It’s a bad idea with a lot of money behind it that will begin the inexorable process of allowing crass and gaudy development to become the hallmark of the venerable island.

There is still time to turn back. “The Spit” can be preserved in perpetuity through a conservation effort that would allow the owners to be paid and the land to be protected.Now is the time to raise your voice. It is not too late.

- Pierre Howard

ADVOCACYAdvancing the protection of Georgia’s natural resources

LOOSE THY SHOEThe Fight for “ The Spit ” on S ea Is land

Photo By James Holland

For more information on the campaign to save “The Spit”, please visit: www.greenlaw.org/savethespit

The wrong route is no more! In 2013, the Federal Highway Administration formally rejected a proposed route for the long-sought US 411 Connector, the by-pass that would link Rome directly to Interstate 75. The Georgia Conservancy applauds this decision.

The route, known as D-VE, was the preferred option of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and it brought with it many issues that the Georgia Conservancy, along other local, state and national groups, found to be troubling. Other proposed routes, particularly Route G, a less costly option, off er Rome a direct connection to I-75 with less detriment to the surrounding environment than Route D-VE.

GDOT’s preferred route, D-VE, would have wrought havoc on the waters, geology, historic sites, and fl ora and fauna in its path. Nowhere along this route would this destruction have

been as visible and as strongly felt than at Dobbins Mountain. The mountain itself would have been destroyed and the critical waters that fl ow from its heights into the Etowah River would have been polluted, causing irreparable damage to a watershed that is home to federally-endangered darters.

For the last four years, the Georgia Conservancy has been steadfast in its advocacy for Dobbins Mountain and the preservation of its surrounding landscapes. Conservancy President Pierre Howard has made three trips to our nation’s capital to fi ght route D-VE.

The Georgia Conservancy is not opposed to the highway, just this chosen route. We understand the need to invest in transportation infrastructure to ease traffi c congestion in Bartow and better serve the Rome area.

Conser vancy Fights to Save Bar tow County’s Dobbins Mountain

Preserving open spaces forfuture generationsLAND CONSERVATION

14 | panorama spring 2014 | georgiaconservancy.org

Protected through a federal easement program, 953 acres on Notchaway Creek, a tributary of the Flint River, in Calhoun

County will help to restore wetlands.

In Putnam County, 17.7 acres donated to a land trust with a deed restriction will protect natural open space on Lake Oconee as a passive public area.

An addition of 2,500 acres of longleaf pine and hardwood forest to Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) property in Paulding County provides connectivity to previously protected areas.

A donated conservation easement of 202 acres in Sumter County protects the headwaters of Chokee Creek, a tributary of the Flint River.

A 120–acre conservation easement in Pulaski County protects important farm soils and hardwood bottom creeks.

A 275-acre donated conservation easement in Bartow County protects Pumpkinvine Creek, a tributary of the Etowah River.

In Sumter County, 1,900 acres protected by DNR adds connectivity to Broxton Rocks Preserve and protects the Ocmulgee River.

A 641-acre conservation easement in Chatham County protects coastal river habitat along the Ogeechee River.

An 18-acre island protected by a deed restriction and donated to the City of Springfi eld in Effi ngham County protects Ebenezer Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River.

In 2013, the Conservancy helped to conserve more than 6,000 acres of land

in Georgia, adding to our three-year total of 20,000-plus acres protected

S t a t e - w i d e L a n d Co n s e r v a t i o n Vi c t o r i e s i n 2 0 1 3 :

A recovering economy is stabilizing real estate prices all across Georgia, which creates enormous opportunities for land conservation.

Here’s why: the conservation value of a tract of land provides the basis for the amount of money available to the landowner who opts to protect it. These values are based on comparable sales in the immediate area. As sales begin to occur, conservation values will rise.

The Georgia Conservancy is poised to capitalize on growing demand for conservation solutions for landowners. Anticipating the likelihood that land prices will adjust upwards most quickly in high demand, recreational areas in the coastal and mountain counties, the Conservancy’s Land Conservation Initiative has launched intensive and very targeted efforts to reach landowners in these areas who might benefi t.

“A limited window of opportunity exists for landowners in places where prices are on the move,” said Land Conservation Outreach Director Shannon Mayfi eld. “Though it still might be years before an owner could sell her land, she can take advantage of rising prices right now to get the most fi nancial benefi t out of protecting her land.”

While always interested in preserving large tracts, the program is currently focusing on smaller tracts in high demand areas. These smaller parcels are often the fi rst to be converted into development in a recovering economy. Protecting habitats which would otherwise be fractured in the near term is an effi cient deployment of the Georgia Conservancy’s land conservation resources.

“The reason this program has always punched above its weight is because we try to tailor our focus to the immediate market reality,” said Mayfi eld. “The current reality is that small scale, high biodiversity tracts are trending toward development and away from conservation. Our mission is to beat the bulldozer to these treasures.”

A couple of the Conservancy’s recent conservation victories illustrate the principle that big things come in small packages:

In 2013, the Georgia Conservancy successfully conveyed a protected 18-acre island on Ebenezer Creek to the City of Springfi eld (see page 9). In addition to providing sanctuary to a diverse range of fl ora and fauna, Thompson Island also provides connectivity to other ecologically-valuable tracts.

In 2012, with the help of the Conservancy, a 58-acre property in Rabun County was permanently protected. The tract borders the Chattahoochee National Forest and is adjacent to a fi fth-order trout stream in the headwaters of the Tallulah River.

BEATING THE BULLDOZERConservancy focuses on biodiverse properties for protection

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring 2014 | 15

LAND CONSERVATIONPreserving open spaces forfuture generations

In the 10 years since the last state land conservation fund was created, Georgia has seen recession, severe drought and new questions regarding how to best conserve our land and water as populations continue to grow. The Georgia Conservancy, along with the Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Georgia Wildlife Federation, the Conservation Fund, Park Pride and other entities joined forces in 2010 as a coalition called Georgia Legacy. The goal? To conserve Georgia’s precious natural resources – its people, jobs, land and water – through a sustainable source of funding for land and water conservation.

After extensively researching Georgia’s land conservation history, studying models from other states and creating a stakeholder group, the Georgia Legacy coalition joined with State Senator Ross Tolleson of Perry to introduce legislation in the 2013 session of Georgia’s General Assembly that would act as the fi rst step in achieving the funding goals of Georgia Legacy.

Senate Bill 210 would create an umbrella program branded as Georgia Legacy as a vehicle for which to build upon the state’s current land conservation program for the administration of state funding for land and water conservation from the new Georgia Legacy Trust Fund and Georgia Legacy Revolving Loan Fund. These funds would amend two funds

currently in existence – the Land Conservation Trust Fund and the Land Conservation Revolving Loan Fund. The Legacy funds would be administered by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.

In the legislative process, SB 210 passed the state Senate overwhelmingly, but upon reaching the state House in 2014, the bill encountered questions as to the funding and structure of Georgia Legacy. During the 2014 legislative session, Sen. Tolleson introduced Senate Resolution 896 to create a Joint Study Committee of the House and Senate, which includes key legislators, agency heads and Governor’s offi ce representation, to further study the restructuring of the land conservation program and potential funding sources. The Conservancy supported the resolution, which passed nearly unopposed, and intends to participate in and support the study committee’s work over the fall. A report and legislative recommendations from the committee will be

made public by December 1.As stewards of this state’s natural resources, and for future

generations, we believe that we have a moral imperative and an economic incentive to conserve our land and water for generations of Georgians to come – our Georgia Legacy.

W O R K I N G TO E S TA B L I S H A L E G AC Y

Recently, Congress passed legislation to provide hundreds of millions of dollars for landowners who agree to certain conservation measures for their land, and every county in Georgia has land which may be eligible for these programs. In many years, money appropriated by Congress has gone unused because landowners are unaware that their land qualifi es.

That’s where the Georgia Conservancy’s Land Conservation Program comes in. We work annually with hundreds of Georgia citizens, assisting them in protecting their properties by fi nding the best conservation solutions for their land and fi nancial circumstances.

Federal programs which pay landowners to agree to conserve their land often apply to a broad variety of land types. Swamps, bogs and marshes may be eligible for programs protecting wetlands. Working farms and ranches may be eligible for programs which protect prime soils or pristine grasslands. While subdivision may be restricted as a condition of cash payment,

almost all other uses are not. Owners continue to hunt, fi sh, hike and farm their land.

Since the Land Conservation Program was established in 2011, the Georgia Conservancy has helped landowners secure

millions of dollars under these programs. One recipient from South Georgia was recently paid to protect nearly 1,500 acres of wetlands on a family farm.

“I just couldn’t believe it when they told me I might be eligible,” said the landowner. “I had never even heard of these programs. It sounded a little too good to be true, but the Conservancy was right. My land qualifi ed, I

received payment for it and I able hold on to this farm my great-grandfather started.”

If you are interested in learning more about our Land

Conservation Program, please contact Fuller Callaway at

fcallaway@gaconservancy.org.

CONGRESS APPROVES CASH FOR LAND CONSERVATION

16 | panorama spring 2014 | georgiaconservancy.org

Your backstage pass to Georgia’s most beautiful and exciting placesSTEWARDSHIP TRIPS

MAY

16 - 18 // Ogeechee River Paddle / Ossabaw Tour31 // #THISISMYGA Day at Nantahala Outdoor Center31 - 01 // Little St. Simons Cambium Fly Fishing Weekend

JUNE

06 - 08 // Cohutta Camping and Conasauga Snorkel21 // Historic Augusta Canal Paddle21 // Frick’s Cave Cambium Hike with SCCi

JULY

11 - 13 // Len Foote Hike Inn Service Weekend19 // Chattahoochee Paddle at Riverview Landing

AUGUST

09 // The Grand Columbus Whitewater Paddle15 - 16 // Cloudland Canyon Adventure30 // Dragon Con Zombie Hike

SEPTEMBER

05 - 07 // Little St. Simons Birding Weekend06 - 07 // Upper Flint River Family Adventure19 - 21 // Ossabaw Island Service Weekend

OCTOBER

10 - 12 // Sapelo Island Service Weekend17 - 19 // Chattahoochee Bend State Park Paddle

NOVEMBER

07 - 09 // Ocmulgee Water Trails Camping Weekend14 - 16 // Okefenokee Adventure

DECEMBER

06 // Columbus Polar Bear Paddle12 - 14 // Cumberland Island Sea Camp Weekend

2014 STEWARDSHIP TRIPS CALENDARwww.georgiaconservancy.org/trips

Paddle any of Georgia’s heartland rivers and the local folks are quick to cast a friendly wave from atop the river bank or from the bow of a boat. So it was no surprise on a recent Georgia Conservancy paddle trip when a group of landowners gathered by the river to watch as our group passed by.

By the time the “sweep boat” passed the bluff overlooking the river, a large group had settled in. A Conservancy staff member paddled over to greet the onlookers, but before he could say anything, someone from the group yelled out, “Y’all are the fi rst paddlers we have seen here in two years! Are you here to help us take back our river?”

Only on the Ogeechee, where a massive fi sh kill still casts a shadow.

Last May, on the second anniversary of the fi sh kill, the Georgia Conservancy, in partnership with the Georgia Canoeing Association and the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, led a group of 35 members down the lower Ogeechee River from Morgan’s Bridge to Kings Ferry as part of our Heartland Rivers of Georgia Paddle Series sponsored by Patagonia and REI. Located just outside of Savannah, this beautiful, black water stretch of coastal river is fl anked by lush vegetation and wetlands. It is the natural corridor through some of the most biodiverse, yet critically threatened, acreage in the nation.

The Conservancy was joined by Ogeechee Riverkeeper board member Gerry Cowart who is directing the Riverkeeper’s expanded trips program in 2013. “It was great to see so many people getting out and exploring the Ogeechee River,” said Cowart. “It’s a very accessible paddle. If you live in Savannah and have a kayak, you should make plans to visit soon.”

This was the fi rst trip that the Georgia Conservancy has led on the Ogeechee and it was one of the fi rst large paddles that the river has seen on its waters since May 2011, when pollution from the King America Finishing Co. plant led to the death of 38,000 fi sh in the state’s largest recorded fi sh kill.

“There is no doubt in my mind that if more people experienced this amazing river, the dumping of pollutants would cease forever,” said Bryan Schroeder, Georgia Conservancy Stewardship and Trips Program Director. “And this paddle allowed for many to see the beauty of the Ogeechee, fi rst hand.”

Though paddling has returned to the Ogeechee, the fi sh kill is not news of the past. The Ogeechee Riverkeeper and its counsel, Don Stack of Stack & Associates and Hutton Brown of Green Law, have fought for stricter limits on the pollutants that can legally be discharged into the river by King America, and in

Reclaiming the OgeecheeSince 1967, the Georgia Conservancy has off ered

exciting and aff ordable stewardship trips across

the state that showcase Georgia’s imperiled natural

resources and provide the public with the opportunity

to advocate for their protection. We use our network of

partners and peers to provide public access to barrier

islands, river systems and nature preserves that are

otherwise inaccessible or off -limits to the public.

2014 Partners & Sponsors:

AT&T • REI • Keeping It Wild • Georgia Canoeing Association Sweetwater Brewing Co. • Georgia State Parks • Sweet Grass Dairy Columbia • Patagonia • White Oak Pastures • T-SYS • Butler, Wooten, Fryhofer • PieShopATL • Cafe Campesino • Jones Day

georgiaconservancy.org | panorama spring 2014 | 17

Your backstage pass to Georgia’s most beautiful and exciting places STEWARDSHIP TRIPS

On October 25th, the Georgia Conservancy presented its fi rst annual Firelight, a celebration of the Stewardship Trips program.

Hosted at the SweetWater Brewing Company’s Reel Room and sponsored by AT&T, Firelight welcomed over 375 guests for a night of great beer, music, food and fun! Thank you to our amazing house band Sailing to Denver and our fantastic caterer Salted Honey.

“This was one of the most unique, entertaining and uplifting events we’ve seen at the brewery,” says SweetWater Brewing Company Director of Events and Enjoyment Carrington Moore.

Firelight was bolstered by generous donations of food and drink that included an amazing table of cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy, an ice cream cart from Jake’s Ice Cream, a Whynatte “marshmallow” shot bar, and a deluxe S’more roasting table hosted by Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).

The Stewardship Trips Program would not be a success without the support of our partners, especially REI, which joined in the celebration with a raffl e donation of camping gear.

“REI is a proud sponsor of Georgia Conservancy’s Stewardship Trips Program,” said Jason Lane, Outdoor Programs and Outreach Market Manager for REI. “From the very beginning, it was an incredible way for Georgians to both give back to and explore our state’s natural treasures. While no surprise to REI, it’s been great to see how in the three years since its inception the program has grown exponentially and has made a lasting impact for thousands of volunteers and hundreds of miles of trail, coastline, and wilderness in Georgia. Congratulations to Georgia Conservancy staff , members, volunteers and trip participants! At REI, we’re excited about what lies ahead down the trail.”

Why a fundraiser for the trips program? In 2014, the Conservancy will host over 30 service and adventure trips across the state, the Cumberland Island College Spring Break Program and lead over 2,5000 people outdoors! The revenue from Firelight will help to underwrite those expenses and help us add capacity to the trips program.

We are happy to announce that Firelight will be back at the SweetWater Reel Room in 2014 and will be hosted by our co-chairs Casey and Garrett Bradford.

Thank you to our committed sponsors, dedicated host committee and incredible vendors who made 2013 Firelight was a wonderful success!

Learn more at: www.georgiaconservancy.org/

November 2013, the lengthy legal battle between King America and the Ogeechee Riverkeeper fi nally reached a conclusion.

The settlement puts in place stringent environmental protections and programs which will aid in the future health of the river. Under the terms, King America must make $2.5 million in additional upgrades to its facility to ensure the protection of the Ogeechee River, as well provide the Riverkeeper with $2.5 million in compensation. These funds will allow for the Ogeechee Riverkeeper to expand its river monitoring and advocacy for the Ogeechee.

“King America has stepped up to the plate and agreed to the most comprehensive water testing regiment that I’ve encountered in my nearly 30 years of advocating to protect the natural resources in the State of Georgia,” said Don Stack. “I am glad that the company and the Riverkeeper worked cooperatively to develop these programs, and we expect that King America will live up to their commitment to operate in an environmentally responsible manner.”

Any lingering concerns regarding the health of the river will not keep the Conservancy or the Riverkeepers from introducing the river to those who have never seen it.

“Only a handful of folks who joined us had paddled the Ogeechee before,” said Schroeder. “It was our absolute pleasure to lead so many fi rst-time

paddlers down this incredible stretch of river. The trip was made even more meaningful through the discussion of the 2011 fi sh kill and the actions that the Georgia Conservancy and Ogeechee Riverkeeper have taken to stop King America Finishing from causing further harm to this river.”

If you own a canoe, kayak or paddle board and live anywhere near Savannah, we encourage you to explore the Ogeechee and see for yourself one of the most beautiful sections of river in Georgia. If you don’t want to paddle on your own, please join the Georgia Conservancy on our May 16-18 paddle on the Ogeechee or on one of the many paddles that the Ogeechee Riverkeeper will host this year.

“People have cherished the river’s pristine quality for thousands of years,” said Ogeechee Riverkeeper Emily Markesteyn. “A paddle trip is the perfect way to understand and appreciate the value of our natural resources and waterways. A big thanks to the Georgia Conservancy for highlighting our beloved Ogeechee River.”

Help us to Reclaim the Ogeechee!

Photo by Bryan Schroeder

Cultivating the next generationof environmental leadersGENERATION GREEN

Board ChairBrent BeattyMountain View Group

Chelsea ArkinEnergyAce

Brooke BeadleNovelis

Meredith BrownCox Enterprises

Ben CarswellJekyll Island Authority

Emily Cumbie-DrakeEmory University

Matt ElderPrimary Capital Advisors

Nell FrySodexo

David GayoneCox Enterprises

Wesley HolmesSoutheast Energy Effi cancyAlliance

Jon PhilipsbornURS Corporation

Jessica Lee ReeceHedgepeth, Heredia, Crumrine and Morrison

Anne RogersGeorgia Tech

Emily RoseGeorgia Organics

Samantha SayerImagine Atlanta

Ben StowersGeorgia Natural Resources Foundation

Joe ThomasStudent - Southern PolytechnicState University

2014 Generation Green

Board Members

Q & A with

Generation Green Board President

B R E N T B E AT T YGC: In your fi rst year as Board President, what excites you about Generation Green’s future and the opportunity to inspire a new generation of environmental advocates?

BB: There’s a lot that excites me. This is my fourth year serving on the Board and each year we’ve evolved and developed to improve the organization. This year will be no exception; we’ve got some ambitious goals and a dedicated rock star team.

As much as Gen Green has fostered a great brand within certain networks in Atlanta, there’s a lot of opportunity to take our programming and outreach to the next level. This year we’re reaching new audiences with some fresh ideas. Stay tuned.

GC: What events and programming will Generation Green be off ering in the next few months?

BB: We literally always have something happening or in planning stages covering adventure, education and networking events. Coming up in the next couple months are Save Water, Drink Beer, always a great time and turnout; Green Eggs & Ham, our morning education and networking series; the annual Liam Rattray Service Project at Truly Living Well farm; and Verde, our signature summer soiree, is coming up in June.

GC: What “green” issues are you most personally attached to and why?

BB: I’m a huge proponent of land conservation and sustainable growth, both of which are particularly necessary in Georgia where sprawl has virtually limitless geographic boundaries. A study just named Atlanta the most sprawled city in the US, which is evident in our congestion and pollution problems. Smarter regionalism and an evolved focus on urban design will go a long way in Atlanta and the surrounding areas - I’m proud to support the Conservancy in the roles they play in these eff orts.

GC: Atlanta is beginning to come into its own as a sustainability leader, in not only the South, but nationwide. What are some of the projects going on or some of the ideas that are fl oating around town that really excite you?

BB: We’ve defi nitely turned a corner in Atlanta and around the country as ideas around smart urban design and conservation are more accepted as intelligent solutions to problems. Green has become synonymous with smart. It’s a fun time to live in the city with the Beltline, Streetcar project, improved biking infrastructure and a downtown renaissance in the works; there’s great energy and momentum right now.

A program of the Georgia Conservancy, Generation Green creates an exciting and inclusive opportunity for the next generation of environmental leaders to protect and enjoy Georgia’s environment through educational opportunities, social events, adventure trips and service projects.

Founded in 1993 by Betsy Verner and Louise Tanner Gracey, the Green Peaches (the original name of Generation Green) was created to help sustain the Georgia Conservancy, provide members with adventure and social opportunities, and cultivate the blossoming fi eld of young environmentalists with an opportunity for executive leadership.

Throughout the years, Generation Green has supported the Georgia Conservancy by hosting unique service opportunities, exciting social events and meaningful lectures. Generation Green is led by a volunteer board of men and women poised to become the next generation of environmental and business leaders in Atlanta and beyond.

Learn more at georgiaconservancy.org/gengreen

www.georgiaconservancy.org/membership

Headquarters

817 West Peachtree Street, Suite 200

Atlanta, GA 30308

404.876.2900

mail@gaconservancy.org

georgiaconservancy.org

Coastal Offi ce

428 Bull Street, Suite 210

Savannah, GA 31401

912.447.5910

coast@gaconservancy.org

COVER PHOTO BY GEORGIA CONSERVANCY MEMBER PHUC DAO

PRINTING PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF ATLANTA

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