Land TrustNewsFall 2005

Master Trail Plan to launch in 2006

Phase 1 will connect Neptune, Gascoigne parks

Picture this: You’re hanging around Neptune Park in the Village, bicycle in tow, when you decide to ride to Gascoigne Bluff and the river. You hop on your bike, pedal onto a concrete trail and head for Kings Way and the walking/biking trail that will take you there.

You wave to a family of cyclists heading toward the Village, passing them comfortably on the eight-foot-wide trail. At the Frederica Road/Kings Way stoplight, a pedestrian signal gets you across the road safely – and you can even stop in the middle at the “pedestrian refuge,” Continued, page 4

Safety improvements to the intersection will include the addition of a red paved crosswalk, a landscaped median for people who require more time to cross both sections of the roadway, and a lighted signal for trail users.

Oyster Roast tickets going fast

Event a ‘friend-raiser,’ says Committee Chair Bess Thompson

The Land Trust celebrates a banner year by throwing an Oyster Roast Saturday, Nov. 19, at Fort Frederica National Monument. The Sixth Annual Oyster Roast will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature locally caught oysters, as well as coastal fare from leading Golden Isles restaurants.

Bess Thompson, chair of the Steering Committee, calls the Oyster Roast a “friend-raiser” rather than a fund-raiser. “It’s a thank-you party – a big community event where everyone comes

together to celebrate the accomplishments the Land Trust has made this year and to get excited about upcoming plans. One of the reasons I said yes when

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The Oyster Roast Steering Committee met recently at the St. Simons Land Trust offices to make plans for the Nov. 19 Oyster Roast and Low Country Boil to be held at Fort Frederica. Pictured from left are Lucy Thomas, Cindy Jacobs, Chairman Bess Thompson, Cindy Angelich, and Paige Peck.

Executive Director’s Message

Fred Freyer Several months ago I received a letter addressed to me care of the Land Trust office. The envelope piqued my interest because the address had been typed on an old-timey typewriter – the kind my dad used to use when he sent me mail. My dad died several years ago at age 93, so I was particularly interested in who might be writing me.

Well, I opened up the envelope and found a letter from Milford H. Miner. The letter was also typed on the old-timey typewriter. I read the letter, got emotional, and tears came to my eyes. I

want to share the letter with you.

I got emotional for several reasons. First, Mr. Miner reminded me of my dad who was married to my mom for 60 years. Then, I was reminded of my mom who lived at Magnolia Manor and died earlier this year at age 93. But the thing that really hit home with me was the fact that the Land Trust had brought real JOY to this man.

Today I called Mr. Miner to ask him for his permission to publish his letter. He said okay. I then asked him how his wife was doing. He said she had died two months ago. I asked Mr. Miner if I could come and visit with him. I just returned from that visit. What a neat guy…87 years old…very sharp and articulate. He again expressed his thanks for the Land Trust’s efforts in preserving the island.

I am proud of what the Land Trust is doing for the community. My hope is that we can continue to bring joy to the community…like we did for Mr. Miner.

Mr. Fred FreyerSt. Simons Land TrustSt. Simons Island, Ga. 31522

Dear Mr. Freyer:

I have lived on St. Simons Island for forty-five years and have witnessed tremendous changes that have taken place during that time. Most of them were good, some were bad, but all in all, the good outweighed the bad.

The greatest improvement of the ambience and overall beauty of the Island was the creation of a small park, which replaced the old Chevron gas station at the corner of Demere Road and Frederica Road.

The Sea Island Company did a beautiful job of landscaping but you, Sir, and your Land Trust, with your vision and determination made it all happen!! I wish to thank you for this beautiful addition to our Island. I pass and admire this little park daily since, although I am now living in Brunswick, I pass it daily as I visit my wife of 65 years who is a resident of Magnolia Manor due to an advanced case of Alzheimer’s disease.

Again, I thank you for your work.

Sincerely,Milford H. Miner

Fred asked me to head up this event is that I believe in what the Land Trust does – it truly is an honor.”

Attendance last year topped 800 but will be held to a maximum of 800 this year. “This has become a great event that people look forward to all year long,” says Jamie Kendall, Land Trust Director of Development and Operations. “We began getting calls in June asking about this year’s date.”

The beautiful, historic Fort Frederica venue is part of the draw. Mike Tennent, superintendent of the park, notes that the Oyster Roast is the only event hosted at the park. “It’s because of our close working relationship with the Land Trust on several projects,” he says. “The objectives of the park – protection of natural resources and historical preservation – are similar to the Land Trust’s.”

Tickets for members are $35; for non-members, $40. After Nov. 4, the price increases to $50, although Kendall says it’s possible the Oyster Roast will be sold out by then. To order tickets, call the Land Trust at 638-9109, Ext. 100.

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Oyster Roast

Eye in the skyVolunteer pilot Hume Davenport recently took Michelle Pugliese on a reconnaissance flight to monitor the Land Trust’s Stillwater Hammocks, located in the marsh just south of the Hampton Club Golf Course. The hammocks must be checked once a year to be sure no one has encroached on them - a tricky job given their virtual inaccessibility by foot. Davenport flies for SouthWings, a non-profit organization that coordinates a network of volunteer pilots to provide free flights to non-profit conservation and research organizations. Pugliese’s flight verified that the hammocks remain untouched.

Continued from page 1

if you like. Your bike ride takes you on down Kings Way (you stop for a quick drink of water at a pocket park along the way), and ultimately across the marsh on a 100-foot boardwalk to an overlook along the Frederica River. You stop to take in the sun-dappled water, the sailboats and the marina, then continue your trail ride under the causeway bridge and into Gascoigne Bluff Park. There, you take the trail loop around the park and perhaps even connect up with Epworth by the Sea.

Sound like a pipe dream? Not really. If all goes as planned, work will start on a new Neptune Park-Gascoigne Bluff Park trail in September 2006. The 2.6-mile trail is Phase 1 of a master trail plan designed for the St. Simons Land Trust last summer.

A 16-mile ‘linear park’The Neptune-Gascoigne link is just the first of eight phases of a Conceptual Master Trail Plan completed in July by planning consultants Merle Grimes, LLC and the Atlanta-based PATH Foundation. The Island Planning and Zoning

Commission approved it at its July meeting, and the County Commission gave its unanimous approval in August.

A plan to kick off the first phase of the multi-use recreational trail system, or what the designers call a “linear park,” is on the fast track. The county has already budgeted 20 percent of the cost of Phase 1 and has applied to the state Department of Transportation for the other 80 percent.

While some of the trail already exists, the current trail is too narrow and lacks safety markings or pedestrian crosswalks. The completed trail will be eight feet wide and will conform to national safety standards.

Three rest areas, or pocket parks, will be incorporated into Phase 1, strategically placed along the trail.

The plan calls for a 16-mile trail system, all on county right-of-way, from the Village at the south end to Hampton Point on the north. The plan will take seven to 10 years and cost a total of $8.1 million to implement.

The total cost of Phase 1

is $993,000. The county applied on Sept. 23 to the Georgia Department of Transportation for $746,400 in federal funds that the state can dispense for off-street transportation projects, including recreational trails that connect public parks. According to Dick Newbern, who filed the application for the county, the county has already budgeted the local match of $186,600.

Says County Commission Chair Cap Fendig: “Any investment that the county has made in behalf of the

citizens of Glynn County has always been bettered, in my observation, when it’s a partnership with concerned citizens who take an active role in participating in the investment.”

Safety first“The planners rode or walked every mile,” says Jamie Kendall, Land Trust Director of Development and Operations. “They said the current trail is full of safety issues.” Kendall says the Land Trust will expand and enhance the entire trail system

to make it a safer environment for pedestrians and

cyclists and to bring it up to national

standards. Proper signage will be added at

intersections and driveways. Colored concrete crosswalks and pedestrian lights will be added at busy intersections.

“One of the things we will address is to be sure pedestrians have safe, clear visibility. This won’t entail cutting down any trees, but we will cut tree branches, as well as trimming bushes. If there are any trees we

need to work around, the path may be narrower at that point,” Kendall says.

Community involvementThe local community has been involved in the planning from the beginning, notes Kendall. The trail plan was part of the Land Trust’s Greenprint Plan, put together with input from an advisory committee last year. “From the Greenprint Plan, one initiative the community wanted us to work on was the multi-use

trail system,” she says. To aid in producing the Master Trail Plan, a focus committee of citizens was formed to review and advise the consultants.

Once each phase of the trail is completed, a Trail Rangers program will go into action. Much like the Adopt-a-Highway program, Trail Ranger volunteers will care for a section of the trail or a pocket park along the way.

The grand plan, says Kendall, is to make the connections that let school kids take a healthy bike ride anywhere on the island and give adults the option of leaving the car parked at home while they exercise or run errands. And, she adds, the trails are another wonderful amenity for tourists to enjoy. “We’re not just creating a trail system,” she says. “We’re creating a linear park.”

‘Showcase’ as fundraiserThe timetable for Phase 1 will be driven by the county’s success in obtaining DOT Transportation Enhancement funds. The county will know by February if its grant application is successful. If so, the project will move into

pre-construction planning before breaking ground in September.

“Initial funding is crucial to the project,” says Jerry Keen, Land Trust board member and public funding chairman. “Phase 1 will be a showcase. We’ll take that success and go after funds from foundations, companies, and private donors to finance the rest of the trail system.”

‘Linear Park’ Links Neptune and Gascoigne Bluff Parks

Eight steps to a first-class trail system

The Master Trail Plan foresees implementing the grand plan in eight phases. In order, they are:

1. Historic Village to Gascoigne Bluff Park2. East Beach Causeway safety improvements, with new boardwalk bridge and marsh overlook3. Ocean Boulevard safety improvements4. Neptune Park and connection to Ocean Boulevard5. Hamilton Road between Gascoigne Bluff Park and Sea Island Road6. Sea Island Road from Hamilton Road to Frederica Road7. Frederica/Lawrence Road intersection to Hampton Point Marina8. North/South Harrington roads loop trail, with Village Creek Landing rest area

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Message from the Chairman

Duane Harris

At a recent meeting of the St. Simons Land Trust Board, it was suggested we address the concerns of some of our members that our mission has changed. In addition to focusing on preserving and protecting land, we have evolved into addressing other quality of life issues.

This is true - to some extent.

Our board recently adopted a new mission statement: “To preserve the island’s natural and scenic character and to enhance the quality of life of our island community for present and future generations.”

With open space rapidly disappearing from our island, the St. Simons Land Trust considers preserving the island’s natural and scenic character the most critical aspect of our mission. However, the board believes we can have a major impact on other quality of life issues as well. The development of a multi-use recreational trail system, protection of the Mid-Island History Corridor, and involvement in the Village Master Plan and community needs assessment are all important quality of life issues identified in our Greenprint

Plan. Developing a public funding formula to help meet these needs is vitally important, as well.

Organizations like the Land Trust must evolve. Some of our members believe our only focus should be preserving and protecting land. And, during the first four years of our history, that was our only focus. But those community experts and members who participated in the development of our Greenprint Plan suggested we expand our mission and address these other quality of life issues.

On behalf of the board, I want to assure our members that we will continue to focus on preserving and protecting land. At the same time, we plan to address those quality of life issues

identified in our Greenprint Plan. In some of these initiatives we will take a lead role. In others, we will be partners with other community and government organizations.

Under most any measure, the St. Simons Land Trust has been successful. This success has been the result of the hard work, generous donations, and dedicated support of our members, our partners, and our excellent staff. The support of our members is critical to our continued success. Please let us know if and when you have concerns about the directions we take. We receive many letters of support and thanks for our accomplishments. For these we are most thankful. Please feel free to write or call me and let me know of your concerns as well.

Board of DirectorsDuane Harris, ChairmanJameson Gregg, Vice ChairmanBill EdenfieldJack HartmanRhonda HicksJohn JohnsonJerry KeenJohn LudwigCatherine MainJeannie ManningJim ManningFrances McCraryJonathan S. RaclinJohn RogersBen SladeGeorge StapletonRoger SteffensJoey StrengthLucy ThomasSusan Corn Wainright

Ex-Officio DirectorsSteve BraswellBill Jones, IIIBuff Leavy

StaffFred FreyerExecutive DirectorJamie KendallDirector of Development & OperationsMichelle PuglieseDirector of Land Protection

Newsletter editing, designLamkin & Lamkin Communications

Land Trust Committees

StewardshipBill Edenfield, ChairmanMichelle Pugliese, StaffVassa CatePeggy Everett

The mission of the St. Simons Land Trust is to preserve the island’s natural and scenic character and to enhance the

quality of life of our island community for present and future generations.

Duane HarrisStacia HendricksRussell Jacobs, IIIJane JohnsonMark MoselyRoger SteffensMichael ThomasDon VarnadoeSusan Corn Wainwright

FinanceJim Manning, ChairmanJamie Kendall, StaffBob AtwoodGreer BrownHeard GalisMitch PooleJohn RogersB.B. ShelanderBen SladeJane Watson

DevelopmentRhonda Hicks, ChairmanJamie Kendall, Staff

MembershipGeorge Stapleton, ChairmanJamie Kendall, StaffJim BartaJim BruceCatherine MainPeggy EverettFrances McCraryLucy ThomasDana Vick

Board DevelopmentJameson Gregg, ChairmanJamie Kendall, StaffJack HartmanSusan Corn Wainright

VolunteersLucy Thomas, ChairmanJamie Kendall, Staff

Silent auction benefits Land Trust

The Anderson Fine Art Gallery in September auctioned off two beautiful works by St. Simons artists: an oil painting of a live oak by Peggy Everett and a shell box by Annette Friederich. The silent auction, held in conjunction with the opening of an Everett show, brought in $3,600. Every penny was donated to the St. Simons Land Trust.

What motivated owner Mary

Anderson and the two artists to make the contribution?

“I think what the Land Trust is doing is just wonderful and like to support it in any way I can,” says Anderson. “This seems to be the best way for me to go.” Anderson and Everett made a similar donation last year, and Anderson says she has plans to contribute a percentage of the proceeds from an exhibit of the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast show in April. “This is not a one-shot or two-shot basis,” she notes.

Everett is a committed supporter of the Land Trust who serves on the Stewardship and Membership committees, as well as serving on the committee to create a master plan for the Village. “I love living here, and I donate my work to thank and give back to this community for giving me so much happiness, beauty, and inspiration,” she says.

Friederich, who moved here from Santa Cruz, Calif., by way of Seattle and Phoenix, is a shell artist who says she

loves what the Land Trust does and what it represents, so she couldn’t pass up the

opportunity to donate her shell box when she learned what Everett was doing.

Volunteer Highlight

Photographer Al Wise donates time – and, oh yes, photos

Al Wise moved to St. Simons Island four years ago, and over time he took note of what he saw and heard about the Land Trust’s greenspace preservation accomplishments. Finally, he picked up the phone. “Since I didn’t have lots of money to donate, I said I’d donate my time,” he says. To Al, “donating time” meant shooting greenspace photos on his Nikon D2-X.

A Macon native, Al taught photography, videography and TV news production for 30 years at his alma mater, the University of Georgia, where he became famous as a Bulldog photographer. He retired in 1997 as associate professor emeritus and took up real estate sales for the Harbor Club on Lake Oconee. But the Golden Isles beckoned, and he sold his Oconee place to move to St. Simons.

A lifelong bachelor, Al started a wedding

photography business and now shoots about 26 weddings a year. Just for fun, he goes game-fishing - and takes along his Nikon D70 6-megapixel camera.

Following his call to the Land Trust, he says he was given a list of properties

owned by the Land Trust and photographed them all. Since then, he’s arranged for an article about the Land Trust that ran in the September issue of Athens-based Southern Distinction magazine. Local freelance writer Fred Griffith wrote the copy, and Al provided the photography. Al also takes photos for Elegant Island Living, which plans to reprint the Southern Distinction article.

(L to R) Annette Friederich, Mary Anderson and Peggy Everett

Land Trust News / 6 Land Trust News / 7Photo by Al Wise

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You and the St. Simons Land TrustWhen you join the St. Simons Land Trust, you become part of the premier organization on St. Simons Island. Your membership enables us to pursue our vision of protecting the natural and scenic character of our island community and its quality of life. As a member, you receive a Land Trust decal, the newsletter, invitations to special events, and the opportunity to volunteer for special projects. Our members play a vital role in supporting our daily operations as well as our outreach and awareness programs. Please join us in protecting the things we all love about St. Simons Island. The Land Trust is a non-profit organization, and all gifts are tax-deductible.

St. Simons Land TrustP.O. Box 24615St. Simons Island, GA 31522912-638-9109