review and approvals okefenokee national …
TRANSCRIPT
REVIEW AND APPROVALS
OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
FOLKSTON, GEORGIA
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calendar Year 1997
^-~~)
8/14/98Date
District Manager, Refuge/& Wildlife (RF-3) Date
Regional Office Review
ARD, Refuges and Wildlife Date
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION fii
HIGHLIGHTS iv
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS v
MONITORING AND STUDIES 11 .a. Surveys and Censuses , 11 .b. Studies and Investigation 13
HABITAT RESTORATION 202.a. Wetland Restoration: On-refuge 202.b. Upland Restoration: On-refuge 202.c. Wetland Restoration: Off-refuge 202.d. Upland Restoration: Off-refuge 20
HABITAT MANAGEMENT • 213.a. Water Level Management 223.b. Moist Soil Management 263.c. Graze/Mow/Hay 273.d. Farming 273.e. Forest Management 273.f. Fire Management 413.g. Control Pest Plants 50
FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 514.a. Bird Banding 514.b. Disease Monitoring and Treatment 514.c. Reintroductions 514.d. Nest Structures 514.e. Pest, Predator and Exotic Animal Control 51
COORDINATION ACTIVITIES 525.a. Interagency Coordination 525.b. Tribal Coordination .' 525.c. Private Land Activities (excluding restoration) 52.5.d. Oil and Gas Activities 565.e. Cooperative/Friends Organizations 56
dkefenokee National wMlfe Re/iyi\t -i-
RESOURCE PROTECTION 576.a. Law Enforcement 576.b. Wildfire Preparedness 626.c. Permits & Economic Use Management 626.d. Contaminant Investigation and Cleanup 626.e. Water Rights Management 646.f. Cultural Resource Management 646.g. Federal Facility Compliancy Act 646.h. Land Acquisition 646.i. Wilderness and Natural Areas 646.j. Threats and Conflicts 64
ALASKA ONLY 65
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RECREATION 668.a. Provide Visitor Services 668.b. Outreach 77
PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION 869.a. Comprehensive Conservation Planning 869.b. General Administration 86
FEEDBACK 102
feffflofee National WiMffe Re/K/je -It-
INTRODUCTION
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is situated in the southeastern Georgia counties ofWare, Charlton and Clinch and northeastern Florida's Baker County. The refuge was establishedby Executive Order in 1937 and consists presently of 395,080 acres. The primary purpose of therefuge is to protect the ecological system of the 438,000-acre Okefenokee Swamp.Approximately 371,000 acres of the Okefenokee Swamp wetlands are incorporated into therefuge, and 353,981 acres within the swamp were designated as wilderness by the OkefenokeeWilderness Act of 1974. In 1986, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was designated bythe Wetlands Convention as a Wetland of International Importance.
Okefenokee's natural beauty was first threatened in the 1890's, when attempts were made to drainthe swamp to facilitate logging operations. The Suwannee Canal was dug 11.5 miles into theswamp from Camp Cornelia. After the failure of this project, known as "Jackson's Folly," otherinterests acquired the swamp and began removing timber in 1909, using a network of tram roadsextending deep into the major timbered areas. When logging operations were halted in 1927,over 423 million board feet of timber, mostly cypress, had been removed from the swamp.
The establishment of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on March 30, 1937 marked theculmination of a movement that had beeri initiated at least 25 years earlier by a group ofscientists from Cornell University who recognized the education, scientific and recreationalvalues of this unique area. The Okefenokee Preservation Society, formed in 1918, promotednationwide interest in the swamp. With the support of state and local interests and numerousconservation and scientific organizations, the Federal Government acquired most of the swampfor refuge purposes in 1936.
The Okefenokee Swamp is actually a vast peat bog filling a huge saucer-shaped sandy depressionthat was perhaps once part of the ocean floor. The upper margin of the swamp, or the "swampline," ranges in elevation from 128 feet above sea level on the northeast side to 103 feet on thesouthwest side. The shallow, dark-stained waters of Okefenokee flow slowly but continuouslyacross the swamp toward the two outlets—the famed Suwannee River on the southwest side andthe historic St. Marys River on the southeast. The eight predominant habitat types on the refugeinclude swamp islands, prairies (freshwater marsh), shrub swamp, mixed cypress forests,blackgum forests, bay forests, pure cypress forests and managed upland pine forests.
Three primary entrances and two secondary entrances exist on the refuge. With access via theSuwannee Canal, the east entrance which is the location of the refuge headquarters is located 11miles southwest of Folkston, Georgia, and is managed solely by the Fish and Wildlife Service.The Stephen C. Foster State Park is located at the refuge's west entrance which is located 18miles northeast of Fargo, Georgia. This state park is operated on refuge lands under theprovisions of a long-term agreement with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Therefuge's north entrance is via the Okefenokee Swamp Park which is located about 13 miles southof Way cross, Georgia. This park is administered by a non-profit organization on refuge and stateforestlands. Kingfisher Landing located between Folkston and Waycross and the Sill area on thewest side are considered the secondary entrances into the refuge.
okefmokee National wMife Refuge -Hi-
HIGHLIGHTS
A National Atomspheric Deposition Program site and a Mercury Deposition Program sitewere established at Okefenokee NWR to monitor air quality. (Section 1 .b.)
An Environmental Assessment on the Future Management of the Suwannee Paver Sill wasinitated with a completion date of July 1, 1998. (Section 3.a.)
First draft of the Habitat Management Plan is completed. (Section 3.e.)
DuPont continues with plans to develop a heavy minerals mine adjacent to the east boundaryof the refuge despite the Secretary of the Interior's public opposition and request to DuPontto withdraw their mining proposal. (Section 5.c.)
Three refuge law enforcement operations involved the following: cannabis gardens, illegaldrug use, and illegal bear poaching. (Section 6.s.)
Interpretive Media Concept Plan developed to renovate environmental education exhibits atthe refuge's east entrance. (Section 8.a.)
The Okefenokee Festival was taken to Zoo Atlanta. (Section 8.b.)
The refuge hosted what is believed to be the largest congressional delegation ever to visit aNational Wildlfie Refuge. (Section 8.b.)
USFWS Direction Jamie Clark spent three days visiting the refuge. (Section 8.b.)
Deputy Project Leader Larry Mallard transfers to White River NWR and Shaw Davis comeson board as the new Deputy Project Leader. (Section 9.b.)
ee National wMife R.cjfige. -iv-
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Climatic conditions are recorded at several locations surrounding the swamp and also within itsinterior. The records of longest duration dating back to 1945 are from a manual National 'Weather Service station located at Camp Cornelia at the refuge's east entrance. Another manualNational Weather Service station is located at Stephen Foster State Park. The data from thisstation has not been consistently taken for the past several years and may be eliminated asautomatic weather monitoring systems are proven to be comparable. Forestry TechnologySystem (FTS) weather stations have recently been installed at three locations around the swamp.They can be accessed by computer for current weather conditions making them useful for therefuge's fire program. FTS weather station locations include Camp Cornelia, Stephen FosterState Park, and Eddy Fire Tower. There is also an FTS station at Braganza, northeast of theswamp, that Georgia Forestry Commission maintains. In addition to these weather stations,precipitation and/or water levels are monitored at 20 water recorders throughout the swamp. Allthe above climate monitoring stations give just a glimpse of the dynamic forces that act upon theswamp.
Precipitation during 1997 resulted in a total of 49.90 inches falling at Camp Cornelia on the eastside of the swamp and 50.08 inches at Stephen Foster State Park on the west side of the swamp.This amount of rain is slightly lower than the 52-year average of 52.69 inches. Monthlyprecipitation fluctuated greatly from the monthly averages. April, August, October, andDecember were wet months while March, June, July, and September received below normalamounts of precipitation (Table 1).
Temperatures ranged from 20°F to a high of 101°F. Temperatures were near normal throughoutthe year with March and September slightly warmer than average (Table 2).
No significant weather event occurred during the year. Predictions for El Nino's effects are awetter than normal winter. December certainly started this pattern with 7.13 inches of rain andmilder temperatures than the average.
Water levels within the swamp are described in section 3.a.
tikefaukee National wMife Refuge -v-
Table 1. Monthly precipitation (inches) for 1997 comparedwith the 52-year monthly average.
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
TOTAL
1997
3.39
2.45
1.12
6.01
4.92
1.75
3.98
7.97
1.91
6.15
3.12
7.13
49.90
Average1945-1996
3.46
3.40
4.28
3.29
3.91
5.87
7.66
7.18
5.32
3.31
2.20
2.81
52.69
okefenokee National Wildlife Rc/jye -vf-
Table 2. .Mean and absolute minimum and maximum monthly temperatures (°F) recorded|atCamp Cornelia. ^
Year
January.;- - •••February,:? .-March . •AprilMayJuneJuly •AugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
.AverageMinimum97 ' 87-96
:43
47: 56
,.52,.60 .
66716977.57-48-43
434549-53
.. 6167707067584843
AverageMaximum96 87-96
6973.82-.-81,..87m,
. - 959390
:82 ... 73 .
,^67 , .
. 66.7076 ,
-828892949389.31...
-75- . , ..67 , . - . - , ,
AbsoluteMinimum9*6 " 87-96
. 20.33 ...
.. 313945
. 5;863
- 61654032
•.30 .,.
25 .-,. ..23 . ' - . ' . . . .31 .-.- , "r.'.
-38. ,475 9 . . .66 .65 .- -., ....58 - ;
4131
...2S-:V-v -
Absolute"Maximum
96 87-96*
84.,8688,
r.88 /^-9297
. ,4A'l99,989.1 .8382
788287939699101999690 .8.681
-vii-
Figure 1. Concerns for injuries occurring with insert installation led to this safety drill. HereHoward McCullough climbs up a portable fire escape ladder to the tree stand. The "rescuer"then lowers the tree stand to the ground, aiding a "wounded victim".
okefmokce Nrttio/wl wfMIf/e m 3
DO NOT OPTHIS EQUllWltMOUr CYt n
Figure 2. Volunteer Babe Roddenberry in front of completed inserts.
Two insert trees in cluster 3E appear to have succumbed to beetles; these were either IPS orblack turpentine beetles (Figure 3). So far there haven't been any southern pine beetleinfestations on the refuge. Tree #60 was found dead in February; tree #61 was still alive inNovember but with a completely brown canopy. The two inserts were installed in March of1995. Two other insert trees in this same cluster (one of which is active) are still healthy.
okefenokee Miami wMife Rtfye 4
Figure 3. Forester Ron Phernetton examines beetle damage to RCW tree.
The refuge now has a total of fifty-three inserts; none of these have been significantly damagedby other species. No inserts have been placed on any interior islands. Of the thirty-six newinserts installed in 1997, only four showed evidence of use by other species. One containednesting material composed of Spanish moss, and three were being used by flying squirrels. Theinserts containing the squirrels were all located in one recruitment stand (2B) with a higherhardwood component than is generally seen in our RCW areas. A growing season prescribedburn was conducted in this area; we expect this hardwood component to decrease as theprescribed burn cycle continues.
Recruitment Stands and Artificial Clusters
Eight forest compartments have been examined with an additional nineteen inserts installed tocreate six artificial clusters (Table 6). No activity has been noted in any of these new recruitmentstands; five are located within three miles of active clusters.
tikejMee Motional Wildlife Ref
Foraging Habitat
In perimeter forest compartments, ten clusters and two recruitment stands were prescribed burnedduring the dormant season. Four of the clusters were active. Five clusters and three recruitmentstands were prescribed burned during the growing season. One of the clusters burned during thegrowing season was active. Despite efforts taken to protect all cavity trees, this cluster (3C) hadone RCW tree (13) suffer damage as a result of the prescribed burn. The fuel loads around thetree were low. Fire was set around the base of the tree and extinguished before the mainprescribed fire was lit. However, unbumed fuels were ignited below the top layer of duff andwere carried to the trunk of the tree by sap. Firefighters patrolling the area reached the tree andextinguished the fire, but it had reached cavity height. Approximately two-thirds of the interiorof the cavity was scorched. The tree, which had been active, was monitored for several weeksafter the prescribed burn and, as of this report, is still being used by the bird. This bird,incidentally, is the male which had been banded as a nestling on the Osceola National Forest in1994. Two inserts are available for alternative roost sites should the bird abandon this tree. Thistree had been the nest tree in 1996; however, the birds had selected another tree for-this year'snesting season and were finished nesting by the time the prescribed burn was conducted.
Two interior islands, Honey and Bugaboo were burned during the growing season this year.RCW trees on Bugaboo and the north end of Honey were not damaged. Due to schedulingdifficulties with the helicopter, the south end of Honey was not checked after the burn.
Most of the work this past year has focused on the perimeter clusters due to their proximity toprivate land with resulting fragmentation and ensuing threats from off-refuge activities.However, with some immediate concerns met, most notably the provision of enough suitablecavities in active and inactive clusters, more visits will be scheduled to island RCW clusters inthe coming year. An extended helicopter contract will increase helicopter availability in 1998and facilitate our access to the interior islands.
okejaukcc National wiWife Refuge.
Table 3. Red-cockaded woodpecker clusters in upland forestcompartments on Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Compartment
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
12
13
15
Active
none
C3E3F,G,H,I
none
A •
none
none
none
none
none
none
A, C,D
Inactive
A
A,B,D
A
B,C,D
A,B, C
A,B,
A
A
A
A
B
Total Clusters
1
9
1
4
3
2
1
1
1
2
4Total active perimeter clusters: 10Total inactive perimeter clusters: 19
Table 4. Red-cockaded woodpecker clusters on interior islandsof Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Interior Island*
Billy's Island -
Blackjack
Bugaboo
Honey
Mitchell
Number One
Active
8
5
4
1
3
0
Inactive
6
2
2
?
1
2Total active island clusters: 21Total inactive island clusters: 13
* These are rough approximations based on distances between active trees; trees are scattered andcluster boundaries are not discernible with the current data.
okefaiokee Jutland WiMffe Re/kje
Table 5. 1997 Nesting and reproduction.
Cluster
3C
3E
3F
3G
3H
31
5A
ISA
15C
15D
Clutch size*
2 (heard)
no nesting
2
no nesting
3
2 (heard)
2
—
2
no nesting
No. Banded
0
NA
2
NA
0
0
0
—
1
NA
No. Fledged
none seen
NA
none seen
NA
none seen
1
2
—
1
'NA
Sex
unknown
NA
unknown
NA
unknown
1 female
2 females
—
undetermined
NA
Adults
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
I **
2
2?* Clutch size was determined by weekly checks up to banding age.** Cluster was not yet active during 1997 breeding season.
Table 6. Insert installation for January through April 1997*.
Cluster Type
active
inactive
artificial (<3 mi.from active cluster)
artificial (>3 mi.from active cluster)
Clusters provisioned
3C, 3F, 3G, 31
5C, 7A, 13B, ISA
4B, SB, 13C, 14A
11A
Totalclusters
4
4
5
1
Total inserts
5
12
17
2
Total inserts installed: 36
*Inserts installed in November 1996 are not counted here, but have been listed in Okefenokee's1997 Red-cockaded Woodpecker Annual Report.
ofe/otcfe National wMife
Table 7. Prescribed burns in red-cockaded woodpecker areas.
Burn Category
growing season
dormant season
Active Clusters
3CHoney Island,Bugaboo Island
5 A, 15 A, 15C, 15D
Inactive Clusters
2A, 8 A, 8B, 13 A,13B
5B, 5C, 5D, 12A,12B, 15B
Recruitment Stands
2A, 4B, 13C • .
5E, 14A
American Alligator
The alligator survey on the west side from Big Water to Billy's Lake and along the sill was theonly one conducted this year. Water levels in the swamp had risen over a foot just prior to thewest side survey and the remaining surveys were suspended. We believe numbers of alligatorsseen during surveys are more influenced by water levels than by the timing of the survey itself.Past surveys were scheduled by refuge personnel for a specific two-week period in July followingthe post-breeding dispersal of adult alligators. Annual counts taken during extreme waterconditions have made comparisons between years unreliable, or even impossible. For thisreason, it was decided we would try to conduct future alligator surveys during somewhat lowwater levels, from May to early September when access is still possible and alligators are moreconcentrated along the deeper boat trails. In addition, extending the time period for alligatorsurveys will make it easier to schedule around intense thunderstorm activity common during thesummer months.
Wood Storks
The year's highest count of wood storks occurred in October with a total of 167. This is slightlyhigher than recent years' counts of peak months and comes at an unusual time of year. Generallywood storks are on the refuge in greatest numbers during summer months. The greatestconcentration of storks were found east of the main boat trail in Chesser Prairie and north ofCooter Lake.
Table 8. Numbers of Wood Storks counted during 1997 Suwannee Canal Recreation Areamonthly surveys.
Jan.
1
Feb.
0
Mar.
0
Apr.
0
May
8
June
12
Jul.
25
Aug.
10
Sep.
1
Oct.
167
Nov.
2
Dec.
NA
Table 9. Annual peak values of wood storks counted during Suwannee Canal Recreation Areamonthly surveys.
1985
1070
1986
800
1987
910
1988
800
1989
200
1990
100
1991
50
1992
110 '
1993
200
1994
48
1995
47
1996
141
1997
167
okefaiofae tiaiional wiWife 'R.ejugi 9
Other Wildlife
Waterfowl
Numbers of wood ducks seen during monthly air boat surveys were comparable to previousyears. Values stated below are actual counts. No large waterfowl concentrations have been seenduring air boat or aerial surveys this year. Sixty-seven wood ducks, six scaup, and 18unidentified ducks were seen during the 1997 mid-winter fowl survey conducted January 13 byhelicopter.
Table 10. Numbers of wood ducks counted during 1997 Suwannee Canal Recreation Areamonthly surveys. No survey was conducted in December due to rain.
Jan.
7
Feb.
7
Mar.
12
Apr.
14
May
8
June
13
Jul.
10
Aug.
7
Sep.
26
Oct.
25
Nov.
33
Dec.
—
Marsh and Water Birds
The most visible and easily surveyed species are sandhill cranes, white ibis, great egrets, greatblue herons, and little blue herons. Numbers of migrating greater sandhill cranes were unusuallylow during the winter of 1996-1997; withNovember and December counts of only about 150birds. January and February counts were nowhere near the 400 to 500 birds generally seen.Officials with Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission said numbers of cranes in AlachuaCounty during this same period were normal to slightly higher than normal.
Table 11. Numbers of sandhill cranes counted during 1997 Suwannee Canal Recreation Areamonthly surveys. No survey was conducted in December due to rain.
Jan.
84
Feb.
9
Mar.
2
Apr.
0
May
0
June
4
Jul
2
Aug.
2
Sep.
3
Oct.
4
Nov.
143
Dec.
—
White ibis flocks were also smaller than usual with summer counts averaging 100 to 150 birds;however, small numbers were seen with more frequency during other months of the year. Theyear's peak count of ibis was in October with 180 birds, the majority found in Chesser and GrandPrairies. This coincides with the large number of wood storks seen at the same time.
The colonial waterbird nest survey was flown May 20. There was no nesting activity or anyconcentration of wading birds at any of the historical rookery sites. During December'sbiological retreat it was decided an additional rookery survey should be done earlier in the year incase we have early nesting: mid-March would probably be the best choice. With an expandedhelicopter contract in 1998, we should be able to accomplish this.
okefaiokee National wildlife Refuge 10
Raptors
The annual osprey nesting survey was flown May 20 in conjunction with the colonial nest survey.Twenty nests were found. Seven of these were active, all within the vicinity of the Pocket.- Twonests in this area were empty, but contained fresh nesting material. Three of the active nestscontained young.
Other Migrant Birds
Of the 657 canoe permits sent out in 1997, 30 voluntary canoeist bird surveys were returned. Nounusual sightings were reported.
As a start to obtaining information on neotropical migrants, breeding bird point counts wereinitiated in three habitat types - scrub/shrub, longleaf/slash pines, and prairie. Nineteen countswere conducted between May 22 through May 30. Data collection and procedures followed thestandard recording methods for the southeast and Georgia.
The annual Christinas .Bird Count was held on December 30. For the entire count, 71 specieswere seen with a total of 1860 individuals. For the refuge, 48 species were seen with a total of473 individuals. Three unusual sightings were reported. One of these, a yellow-throated vireo,was spotted near the Chesser Island Homestead. This bird is generally not seen here during thewinter months. The other sightings occurred off the refuge. One was the first documentedEurasian collared-dove for the Folkston area, and one was the white-breasted nuthatch, a rarewinter resident not seen in this part of Georgia.
Mammals
No deer surveys were conducted in 1997. It was decided the small amount of data acquired fromour current surveys, in combination with the constant movement of deer between refuge andprivate lands does not allow us to make any determinations on population trends. General healthand physical conditions of deer will continue to be evaluated during the refuge hunt.
The Swamp Wildlife Drive at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area was open to hunting October 31and November 1. A total of 29 hunters spent 212 hours and took six bucks and three does.Average live weight was 86 Ibs. Ages ranged from 5 months to greater than 6 years.
Surveys of black bears visiting sardine bait stations were conducted July 14-29. Sixty-threestations were set out. Eight showed evidence of visitation by bears. Bear hits were morescattered throughout the sampling area than in past years with several visits to stations in theswamp prairies and near Floyd's Prairie/Minnie's Lake Run.
The study on the population ecology of black bears in the Okefenokee Swamp-Osceolaecosystem continued through its third year (section l.b.).
Besides raccoons being a nuisance around public facilities, a bear was visiting garbage
dkrfenohe National YfMife Re/iye n
receptacles at Stephen Foster State Park at the end of the year. This female bear was relocated toPine Island only to return and den just off of Jones Island. The state park will be looking intobear proof garbage containers when their current contract is up next year.
Fisheries
The Okefenokee Swamp is the headwaters of the well known and utilized Suwannee River andthe St. Mary's River. The swamp contributes to the fisheries in these two rivers.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources attempted to survey Billy's Lake and the river channeltowards Big Water in December, but did not get a good sample due to high water levels.However, they did return and complete the surveys in January 1998, since Panama City FisheriesAssistance Office surveyed Chesser and Grand Prairies, and the Suwannee Canal at this time.Water levels were still high. The results from the surveys are summarized in Table 12.
In December, the state did collect enough fish for mercury analysis to determine whether a healthadvisory on the consumption offish from the swamp is warranted.
Table 12. Fish electroshocked in December 1997 compared to previous years. (Only four out ofsix transects were surveyed on the east side and two out of six were surveyed on the west side in1995.)
East Side West Side
Species
Warmouth
Chain Pickerel
Redfin Pickerel
Blue Spotted Sunfish
Flier
Bowfin
Bullhead
Other
TOTAL
01/98
4
8
0
0
60
123
2
11
208
12/96
5
13
2
0
98
85
• 1
3
207
12/95
6
42
1
0
387
67
0
13
516
12/94
21
45
12
1
634
169
3
2
887
01/94
7
14
5
2
427
308
4
0
767
01/98
27
12
0
0
35
68
10
1
153
12/96
15
19
6
1
77
142
52
16
328
12/95
9
40
7
0
137
41
0
14
248
01/95
5
14
1
0
29
66
9
. 0
124
12/93
20
37
0
3
157
135
39
0
391
Invertebrates
The annual butterfly count was conducted on August 23 with three observers. Activity was lowprobably due to low morning temperatures.
ofeferofee National VfMife Re/iye 12
After a spring collection trip by students at the University of Georgia, a nice collection ofmounted specimens was submitted to the refuge. This is the start of the refuge's invertebratecollection to be used for educational purposes.
Funding through the MMS process was made available for the start of an invertebrate study atOkefenokee NWR. Through this investigation, it will be determined whether aquaticinvertebrate population dynamics within this acidic system is a limiting factor for other wildlife.Field work will begin in 1998.
l.b. Studies & Investigations
Ecological
Effects of Hydrologic Alterations on the Ecology of Okefenokee Swamp - University of FloridaCooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Cyndy Loftin, Ph.D. candidate, continued working on this study initiated in 1991. The studyprecipitated from the need to address the future of the deteriorated Suwannee River sill watercontrol structures.
Field work officially ended in June 1995. GIS map layers have been received along with severalchapters of her dissertation. The hydrology model has been the major focus this year besideswriting. Cyndy has given many presentations during the year to Fish and Wildlife Serviceemployees, partners, and the general public on the results of her study. She expectsto be completed with the project sometime during the first half of 1998.
The Role of Bacterial Processes in the Biogeochemistrv of Humic Substances in the OkefenokeeSwamp Ecosystem - Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Dr. R. E. Hodson, N. Bano and Dr. M.A. Moran are the principal investigators for this study.This study is supported by the National Science Foundation and is a continuation of Hodson'sprevious study "Microbial Mediation of Organic Carbon Transformations in an EmergentMacrophyte-Dominated Habitat of the Okefenokee Swamp Ecosystem". Its focus was onmeasuring rates of biological and photochemical degradation of dissolved humic substances inthe Okefenokee Swamp. Through photochemistry, humic substances are converted toassimilable nitrogen. This alters current understanding of the sources of biologically activenitrogen in aquatic ecosystems and suggests more expanded roles for humic substances in carbonand nitrogen biogeochemistry. Documentation will be completed in 1998.
Influence of soil fertility on microbial activity, organic matter decomposition and nutrient cyclingin blackwater and redwater wetlands - College of Agriculture, Auburn University
James Entry planned to conduct this study on the flood plain of the Suwannee River below the
okfencfe NatioiwI wMf/e Re/iye 13
south water structure of the Sill and the flood plain of the St. Marys River. No request for aspecial use permit was received in 1997.
Emissions of air pollutants from biomass fuels in the United States and Fuel loading and firebehavior photo series for major natural fuel types of the United States - USFS, Intermountain andPacific Northwest Research Stations
Darold Ward and Roger Ottmar collaborated with the refuge's forestry staff to collect fuel datafrom Mims Island pre- and post- prescribed burning procedures. Pine stands were burned underrelatively moist, winter conditions with fuel moisture contents of the 10-hour timelag fuelsrelatively high and ranged between 39 and 51 percent. Less than 50 percent of the total fuelsWere consumed. A sunphotometer was installed at Camp Cornelia from January to April 1996.Results have not been received.
Fire-adapted vegetation of the Southeastern Coastal Plain: A Template for restoration of thelongleaf pine ecosystem - University of North Carolina
Through descriptions of composition and structure within upland, fire-maintained vegetation,Robert Peet will develop a gradient model for predicting the composition of the original uplandhabitat. Dr. Peet has classified the upland pine forests throughout most of the southeast. Inexamining the Okefenokee region, there is some indication that it has characteristics of both theGulf and Atlantic classification. The low species diversity in most of the sites, ranging up to 69species, sets Okefenokee apart from other locations that average 80-90 species per plot. Workoff the refuge continues on this study; therefore a final report has not been received.
Predicting Potential Future Losses of Forested Wetland Resources in Georgia's Coastal Plain -University of Ge_orgia
Sydney Bacchus, a Ph.D. candidate, began work at Okefenokee in 1995. In August, a reporttitled Early signs of stress in -wetland vegetation as an indicator of unsustainable groundwateruse in the southeastern coastal plain was published. Premature decline and death of pondcypressin wetlands hi west-central Florida have been attributed to hydroperiod perturbations due tounsustainable withdrawals of ground water from the Floridan aquifer. Detecting biochemicalchanges in indicator species associated with groundwater withdrawal areas is the focus ofcontinued studies. Additional papers have been submitted for publication.
Comparative stand development and stand histories in even-and uneven-aged longleaf pinestands in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Restoration of longleaf pine communities) -Tall Timbers Research, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida
Keith Moser began in April 1996 characterizing past, present, and future longleaf pinecommunities. The research goals are:
tiktjaiokee National wMife Refuge 14
1. Determine stand dynamics of longleaf pine stands on selected sites throughout the refuge.2. Explore impact(s) of past land management practices on current stand structure.3. Develop methodology for creating uneven-aged longleaf pine stands on current even-ageduplands.
Field work was completed during the second year of this study. Two presentations were givenduring the year. Models to predict crown volume were generated. Diameter at breast height is agood predictor of crown volume, while the addition of live crown length as an independentvariable greatly increases the accuracy of the model. Basal area was not significant to the modelin this study. The final report is expected in mid-1998.
Scrub-shrub habitat structure and fuel loading - Tall Timbers Research, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida
Sharon Hermann began sampling for this study in April and November of 1996. A house(island) located in the "Triangle" area of the southwest corner of Mizell Prairie was used as thetrial site for sampling fuel loads in the scrub-shrub habitat. High water levels prohibited anysampling during the year.
Feasibility of Implementing Fire Monitoring Handbook of the National Park Service - WesternRegion in a Complex Eastern Ecosystem - Tall Timbers Research, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida
Much of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's fire management activities occur in the southeasternUnited States. It appears the Western fire monitoring handbook (FMH) has potential inecosystems as complex as in the southeast. Procedures within the handbook, their ability tomonitor fire effects and the cost of implementing the monitoring program were examined bySharon Hermann in 1994 and 1995. Final results have not been received.
Wildlife
Population Ecology of Black Bears in the Okefenokee Swamp-Osceola Ecosystem - Universityof Tennessee, National Biological Service and the University of Florida
Co-investigators of this study are Dr. J. Clark, National Biological Survey, University ofTennessee-Cooperative Park Studies Unit; Dr. M. Pelton, Department of Forestry, Wildlife andFisheries, University of Tennessee; and Dr. M. Sunquist, Department of Wildlife Ecology andConservation, University of Florida. David Brandenburg, a Ph.D. candidate continued to lead thefield crew through the third year of this five-year study. Researchers are looking at populationcharacteristics and habitat needs of the Okefenokee-Osceola black bear population. The impactsof land management practices and the effect of natural, legal, and illegal mortality on thepopulation are also being examined. Investigators will determine population growth, sustainableyield, and factors influencing population dynamics of the species. A long-term monitoringmethod and a database on captured bears, telemetry locations, den sites, etc. will be developed.
ofefemfe Natio/wl wMife Refuge is
Brian Scheick, a M.S. candidate from the University of Florida, continued through his secondyear of investigating habitat preferences and movements of female black bears in theOkefenokee-Osceola ecosystem. Daron Barnes, a M.S. candidate from the University ofTennessee, continued evaluating bee yard depredation problems and possible solutions. Bothstudents have completed their field work and are now writing their theses. Two more M.S.candidates will begin working in 1998.
Currently 32 females are radio-collared, 16 on each of the two study areas. Bears have become"trapwise" making it increasingly difficult to capture them. By the end of the year, 37 of the 41radio-collared bears have denned. Black gum and palmetto fruit are important foods determiningwhere bears will be and then" health going into the winter months. Abundant black gum cropattracts the bears to the swamp making them less vulnerable to harvest. There was a moderatecrop of black gum during 1997. Corn appeared to be an important food also in FL bear diets.
Ethology and Natural History of the American Alligators, Alligator mississippiensis - ZooAtlanta
Howard Hunt, Curator of Herpetology for Zoo Atlanta, continued his research on the Americanalligator in the Okefenokee Swamp. This study focuses on factors impacting reproductivesuccess, by observing parental behavior around nest sites and predation of nests. Four nests werelocated from 20 June to 20 July and monitored with surveillance cameras. All were invaded bypredators; however, 17 neonates hatched. Eggs were taken from two nests and tested forpesticide and heavy metal residue. DDE concentration was 0.66 ppm; mercury concentrationwas 32.25 ppb. Elevated levels of DDE affects alligator reproduction by interfering with sexhormone production. More sampling is needed.
Taxonomy of Black Bears in the Southeastern United States - Virginia Cooperative Fish andWildlife Research Unit, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Three black bear subspecies have been recognized in the southeastern United States. Acomprehensive study was initiated in 1992 to examine possible differences between populations.The black bear population using the Okefenokee NWR and the surrounding area was selected asone of 31 sample populations to be studied. The final report has not been received.
okefaiokec National wMlfe Rifyt 16
Contaminants
Pesticide and Fertilizer Loading in the Okefenokee Swamp. Georgia and .Florida - EcologicalServices, Brunswick, Georgia
Contaminants Specialist Greg Masson and Ecologist John Kasbohm obtained funding (FY97 andFY98) to determine the extent of nutrient, insecticide, and herbicide loading into the OkefenokeeSwamp. Water and sediment samples will be collected monthly and quarterly, respectively, fromSuwannee Creek, Cane Creek, Gum Slough, and the Suwannee River Sill at the refuge boundarybeginning in March 1998. A Cooperative Agreement was executed with the Suwannee RiverWater Management District (SRWMD) to conduct all field work and analysis as part of theirSurface Water Management and Improvement (SWIM) Program. Based on the results ofsampling in 1998, further inventive investigations in 1999, including sampling of biota, areplanned. Results from the study will be included in an effort to evaluate water quality throughoutthe Suwannee River Basin by the SRWMD and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.This project supports the activities of the Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance and demonstratesthe refuge's commitment to the cooperative organization.
Air Quality Monitoring - USFWS Air Quality Division, Denver, Colorado
Okefenokee Wilderness is classified as a Class I Airshed requiring the highest level of protection.To monitor air quality conditions, an Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments(IMPROVE)' site is located at the refuge. The nephelometer sited with the IMPROVE stationwas removed with the possibility that it would be reinstalled in 5 years. The USFWS Air QualityBranch sponsored the installations of National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) andMercury Deposition Program (MDP) sites to monitor the chemical characteristics ofprecipitation, especially pH and mercury concentration. Anne Kasbohm (GS 3, Biological Aid)was hired for one day a week to set up the NADP and MDP sites and maintain all air qualityequipment.
Bioaccumulation of Mercury and Lead in Selected Food Chains and Trophic Levels of theOkefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Possible Impacts on the Biota - National FisheriesResearch Center, Athens, Georgia
Beverly Arnold-Hill, a Ph.D. candidate, completed sampling the biota for metal analysis in 1994.This included bladderwort, crayfish, frogs, chain pickerel and alligators. Analysis of the sampleswere completed in 1996. Although a final report has not been received, results have appeared innewspapers across the country as a result of conference presentations given. With the exceptionof alligators, the data demonstrate a general increase in mercury through food webs in theOkefenokee Swamp. Results have not been received for this study.
ofefenofee National VfMife Re/k/je 17
Fate of Airborne Contaminants in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge - Athens Field ResearchStation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Okefenokee NWR has been designated a Class I Air Quality Area, affording it the greatest-degreeof protection from air borne contaminants. The number of facilities in the airshed that emitairborne pollutants poses the potential for adverse impacts. Recent studies have shown elevatedconcentrations of mercury and lead in fish fillets taken, from the refuge.
Parley Winger examined concentrations of mercury and lead in rainfall, surface water, sedimentand the floe layer at four locations. Precipitation is a major contributor of minerals and nutrientsto the Okefenokee Swamp. Although mercury concentrations in rainwater are similar to thosereported elsewhere, they are sufficiently high to account for the elevated concentrations measuredin the water and sediment matrices of the swamp and the biota. It is recommended thatdevelopments within the airshed that have the potential to increase atmospheric contaminationwith lead or mercury should be avoided. The final report was received in 1997.
The Health of Amphibian and Reptile Populations at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge -Southeast Georgia - Ecological Services,. Brunswick, Georgia
Contaminant Specialist Greg Masson collected amphibians and reptiles from the swamp todetermine whether contaminants are affecting the refuge's populations. Field sampling has beencompleted. Analysis will provide baseline data on the contaminant loading and determine ifthere is reduced reproductive competence due to environmental contaminants. Results have notbeen received.
Other Researchers
The following researchers obtained special use permits from the refuge to collect data for variousstudies:
Golder Associates, the consulting firm that DuPont is using for environmental issues associatedwith their proposed mine plan along Trail Ridge, was issued a special use permit for monitoringwells and staff gages on the refuge. Steven Johnson from the University of Florida wasinadvertently issued a permit to dip net and collect a specimen of striped newt after not followingthe protocol explained to him. He was working under contract with Golder Associates.
Don Davis from Perm State University and under contract with the USFWS Air Quality Divisionwas issued a special use permit for surveying plant degradation associated with ozone injury. Heexamined plants on Floyds Island, Chesser Island, Jones Island, and Billys Island and foundbasically no ozone injury on the indicators he normally uses. There was an unknown shrub atStephen Foster State Park that was very sensitive.
Fredrick Rich from the Georgia Southern University was issued a permit for Dr. Volker Wildefrom the University of Bonn in Germany to collect flowers and leaves/petioles of the genus
dkefmokee National WiWife Refuge. 18
Nymphaea in Chesser Prairie. Samples would be used for detailed analysis of the systematicsand evolution of the genus Nymphaea. Results have not been received.
Noel Cost, from the USFS-Southeast Experiment Station, was issued a special use permit tosurvey random vegetation plots and establish witness trees for a long term land use study inGeorgia. Raw data on the plots were submitted to the refuge. A tabular report has not beenreceived.
Todd Schneider from the GA Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was issued a permit tocollect information on breeding birds for Georgia's Breeding Bird Atlas. Volunteers worked onthis project a couple of times during the breeding season. Surveying will continue into 1998.
Susannah Kitchens was issued a permit to conduct hydrogeological and geochemicalinvestigations of potential leakage from the Okefenokee Swamp to underlying bedrock aquifers.No results have been received.
Melissa Roan from Perm State University Fuel Science Program was issued a special use permitto collect peat cores to measure long time changes in the decomposition of plant matter into peat.Samples were to be taken in Chesser, Grand, and Floyds Prairies and around Billys Island andBillys Lakes. No results have been received.
Phoenix Environmental Group, Inc. in Tallahassee was issued a permit for on-going water leveland quality monitoring for comparison with PCS phosphate mining reclamation-projects in NorthFlorida. A staff gage and groundwater well downstream from the north Suwannee River sillwater control structure is their sampling site.
James Hurley was issued a special use permit to collect humic substances from the SuwanneeRiver to compare with Lake Superior tributaries and sites in the Florida Everglades to study thebehavior of trace metals in the environment. A report and presentation will be completed in1998.
Huizhong Ma from the University of Deleware was issued a permit to collect dissolved organicmaterial from the south structure of the Suwannee River sill for the study of "Aquatic Toxicity ofCopper Effects of Chemical Speciation." No results or publications have been received.
ofefemfe National wMife Re/k^e 19
2.HABITAT RESTORATION
2. a. Wetland Restoration: On-refuge
Nothing to Report
2. b. Upland Restoration: On-refuge
Status of Longleaf Pine Community Restoration
During the past 25 years, over one thousand acres of longleaf pine plantations have beenestablished on Okefenokee Refuge, most of it on poorly drained, difficult to plant sites. Theforestry staff has experimented with several methods of planting, including direct seeding, bareroot and containerized seedlings. Site preparation has varied from clearing and harrowing toplanting on suitable microsites with no preparation at all. Local seed stock from refuge standshas been collected to compare seedlings grown from local stock with those supplied by vendors.
Refuge goals are best accomplished by establishing natural regeneration. Where this is notpossible, best survival is obtained by hand planting containerized seedlings. New direct seedingtechniques may hold some promise. Native stock should be genetically preferable. Minimal sitepreparation is now used in hopes of saving remnants of the fire dependant understorycommunities that once existed here. Shrub understories are chopped and burned. Heavy shrubsites are burned several times, then strip harrowed or mounded to provide planting beds withouttotally destroying native ground cover. Prescribed fire is now used within two years afterplanting to reduce understory competition, stimulate native ground cover, and to kill unwantedslash pine volunteers.
2.c. Wetland Restoration: Off-refuge
Nothing to Report
2.d. Upland Restoration: Off-refuge
Nothing to Report
okejenokee National VfMife ftejugt. 10
3.HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (395,080 acres) includes most of the 438,000 acreOkefenokee Swamp. The University of Florida-Cooperative Research Unit who is studying theeffects of the Suwannee River Sill on Okefenokee Swamp's vegetation and hydrology hassubmitted an updated detailed vegetation classification fox 22, 17, 13, 11, and 6 communityclasses. The 17-class designation works well with studies that identify vegetation changes,although accuracy of simply identifying a community type at a given location does improve withthe 13 and 11-class designations. The 6-class designation was requested to use as a general guidein management plans. Area of the classes in the 13-class designation are listed in Table 13.
The refuge objectives pertaining to habitat management are:
1) To provide protection to the unique environmental qualities of the Okefenokee Swamp (toperpetuate the health and integrity of the swamp considering the natural processes of fire andhydrology).
2) To provide optimum habitat and protection for endangered and threatened species, includingthe American alligator, red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake [and black bear].
3) To provide optimum habitat for a wide diversity of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, andamphibians.
To meet these objectives, habitat management techniques include prescribed burning, wildfire,timber stand thinning, commercial timber harvest, planting, herbicide application, and trailcutting. The vastness, inaccessibility to most of the swamp, and wilderness designation putsadditional restraints on management practices.
The most intensive management occurs on our 31,000 acres of upland pine stands. These uplandpine forests are managed primarily for the red-cockaded woodpecker and the re-establishment ofthe native long-leaf pine/wiregrass community. Our habitat management plan has focused onthis portion of the refuge. Forester Ron Phernetton continues to re-write the HabitatManagement Plan to encompass all habitats and management, making it a comprehensive,integrated plan.
Proposed E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company, Inc. Titanium Mining Project: A proposedsand mine along the Refuge's eastern boundary is being considered the largest threat to theOkefenokee Swamp since the attempts to drain it at the turn of the century. DuPont proposes to
ofe/eHofee NfltfoHfll WiMi/e Re/jye 21
mine zircon, staurolite, and titanium minerals, ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene from Trail Ridge, arelic sand dune that assisted in the formation of the swamp and currently stretches the entire 30miles of the refuge's eastern boundary. Although DuPont still hopes to mine this ridge, the focusof this issue switched from submitting permits to establishing a collaborative process. The- year'sevents are presented in section 5.c.
Table 13. Area (ha) associated with vegetation communities from the University of Florida'sstudy on the effects of the Suwannee River Sill.
Class
Bare Ground-Urban
Agriculture-Lawn
Clearcut-Sparse Pine
100% Upland Pine
Wetland Pine
Mature Cypress-Shrub
Gum-Maple-B ays
Mature Loblolly Bay
Smilax-Shrub
Carex-Nymphaea
Nuphar-Nymphaea
Lacnanthes-Andropogon-Panicum
Open Water
Total
13-ClassHectares
306.7
7.2
18.4
1728.3
6349.9
42418.0
25904.3
53029.2
17467.6
11650.8
1500.0
105.2
77.7
160563.3
Percentage
0.19
0.00
0.01
1.08
3.95
26.42
16.13
33.03
10.88
7.26
0.93
0.07
0.05
100.00
3.a. Water Level Management
Acres classified as wetlands total 371,000. Although fire plays an important role in thelandscape, we do not currently conduct prescribed burns in swamp vegetation communities nordo we have a let burn policy for wildfires in the swamp. Because of the difficulty in fighting afire within the swamp, fire fighting efforts are generally concentrated on the periphery to protectprivate property.
Water levels are critical in the management of Okefenokee. We cannot control the level, but it
Okefenokee National YfMife Refuge 22
influences our prescribed burning of islands, our travel and access into areas, and the distributionof wildlife species.
The year began with higher than normal water levels (Table 14 and Figure 5). Levels on the eastside of the refuge began 0.82 ft above the 10-year average. Water levels dropped to belowaverage in April but maintained normal to above elevations the rest of the year. Levels on thewest side of the refuge began 0.19 ft above the average but soon dropped to below average levelsin February. Levels remained low through the spring but again reached average to above levelsat the end of May. Between mid-September and November 1, levels again dropped to as much as1.01 ft below the average. By year's end, water levels on both sides of the swamp were morethan a foot above the average and the highest they have been all year.
okffawkee National wMife Re/H^e 23
Table 14. Water levels at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area (SCRA) and Stephen Foster StatePark (SFSP) for 1997. Subscripts indicate number of years included in the average due tomissing data.
SCRADate
Jan 115
Febl15
Marl15
Aprl15
May 115
Junl .15
Ml15
Aug 115
Sep 115
Octl15
Novl15
Decl15
Dec 31
1997
122.06122.14122.16122.16122.14122.00121.82121.62121.80121.84121.87121.71121.66121.59121.86122.14121.92121.66121.50121.22121.92122.00122.02122.32122.40
Avs 87-96
121.24121.42121.68121.69121.80-121.83121.91121.78121.56121.36121.09121.09 .121.21121.27121.30121.29121.28121.28121.23121.50121.34121.29121.23121.20121.24
SFSP1997
114.70114.95115.00114.90115.05114.90114.80114.40114.50114.40114.40114.44114.60114.50114.60115.10114.45114.10114.00113.70114.90115.30115.10115.60115.80
Ave 87-96
114.51114.81115.24115.42115.60115.53115.539
115.159
114.73114.40114.08114.25114.22114.21114.27114.39114.399
114.528
114.339
114.719
114.37114.30114.339
114.269
114.47
rttio/wl WiMife Re/ii/je 24
<C
-9>HI
1/1 1/15 2/1 2/15 3/1 3/15 4/1 4/15 5/1 5/15 6/1 6/15 7/1 7/15 8/1 8/15 9/1 9/1510/110/1511/111/1512/112/15
1st and 15th of each Month
-•-SCRA 1997 + SCRAAvg 1987-96 >K SFSP 1997 -•- SFSP Avg 1987-96
Figure 4. Water levels at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area (SCRA) and Stephen Foster StatePark (SFSP) during 1997 compared to the 10-year averages.
Suwannee River Sill
Through the years, the wetlands have been manipulated by man from the early attempt to drainthe swamp, to extensive timber harvesting, to the construction of the Suwannee River Sillinhibiting a portion of the swamp's outflow. The influence of the sill structure to the overallhydrology of the swamp has been highlighted in recent years, initiating an intensive study(Section 1 .b). A proposal to begin an Environmental Impact Statement was submitted to theRegional Office in 1994. Immediate funding to initiate the EIS process was denied in 1995.After Representative Saxby Chambliss visited the refuge, he sent a letter of concern toWashington requesting that an environmental assessment be conducted immediately. Fiftythousand dollars was appropriated for the EA process with an expected completion date of July1, 1998. An in-house meeting was held in June. Two public workshops were held in Septemberto scope out the concerns of the public (Figure 5). Over 100 individuals attended the meetingson the east and west sides of the swamp. University of Florida researcher Cyndy Loftinpresented the results of her study of the past six years. Comments were written down at the
okefenokee Miami Wilisjc Rtfyc 25
meetings. Comment Packets were also distributed. Approximately 45 letters and questionnaireswere returned. Maintaining recreation opportunities (fishing and canoeing) were of great interestto the public. However, half of the responses indicated a desire to have the structure repaired andwater levels managed and the other half wanted the structure to be removed or breached. At theend of the year, biologist Sara Aicher and Jon Andrew from the regional office were writing thedraft EA.
Figure 5. Cyndy Loftin presents the results of her Suwannee river Sill study at two publicworkshops. The workshops were to scope out the concerns related to the future management ofthe Suwannee River Sill. SBA 7/97
In August, a Safety Evaluation of Existing Dam (SEED) Inspection Report for the SuwanneeRiver Sill Dam was conducted. A rating of unsatisfactory, with a rating factor of 70, was givento this low level dam. The extent of deterioration was not evaluated fully due to high waterlevels the rest of the year.
3.b. Manage Moist Soil Units
Nothing to Report
okefenokee National wildlife Refuge 26
3.c. Graze/Mow/Hay
Nothing to Report
3.d. Farming
Nothing to Report
3.e. Forest Management
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge contains 347,131 acres of forest lands, including 315,308acres of wetland hardwoods, cypress and brush lands. The remaining 33,602 acres are uplandforest stands of longleaf, loblolly, slash and pond pine, and scattered upland hardwoods. Theuplands also contain many bog filled ponds containing mixed stands of pine, cypress, andhardwoods. Approximately half of the upland forest area (17,444 acres) is located on islandswithin the National Wilderness Area. The remaining 16,158 acres of upland forest, 4.1% of thetotal refuge area, are in areas designated as forest management compartments. Commercialharvesting is permitted in the compartments as a tool to accomplish habitat management goals.
Habitat management activities for upland and wetland forests support the overall missionstatement for the refuge: "To manage the Okefenokee NWR as an integral component of thegreater Okefenokee ecosystem by restoring and maintaining native fauna and flora and associatednatural processes, and by providing educational and compatible recreational opportunities."
Upland Forests
Goals for upland forests on Okefenokee include the restoration of the longleaf pine communitiesonce covering most of the refuge uplands, and maintenance of these habitats through replicationof the natural processes that shaped these communities. These habitats deteriorated throughoutthe Southeast due to "turn of the century" logging and disruption of the natural, frequent fireregime. These open stands hosted a diverse understory of warm season grasses, many lowshrubs, and forbs maintained by frequent, low intensity fire. The old growth longleaf pinecommunities were replaced by dense stands of more prolific, less fire dependent overstory andunderstory species normally restricted to lower areas. Over most of its range, only remnantstands of longleaf pine remain, representing less than five percent of its former range. Manywildlife species associated with longleaf communities, including the red-cockaded woodpecker,are either endangered or threatened.
By the time Okefenokee NWR was established, longleaf pine stand communities consisted of afew pure stands of longleaf pine on sandy ridges, a few predominately longleaf stands and manymixed pine stands with a few relict longleaf stems left after logging in the 1920's. Because of thedifficulty of re-establishing longleaf pine, and continued exclusion of fire, refuge longleaf pinecommunities continued to decline in quality and quantity for many years. Understory conditionsdepreciated during this period, allowing dense hardwood shrubs to replace grasses, herbs and low
okefmohc National wMlfe Refuge 27
shrubs common to the longleaf pine communities. Table 15 lists the present distribution oflongleaf pine and other species throughout the refuge uplands. Figure 6 shows the locations ofthe 16 forest management compartments and the wilderness islands.
okrfmokee National wMifc Re/jye 28
Figure 6. Forest Management Compartments
OKEFEINOKEE N A T I O N A L WILDLIFE REFUGE<;KOH<;U UNITED STATES
• Compartments
Interior Islands
T - I—; !X— "-'^fll-' ' '•— i • r- rr^i>'i«:]t't~7
O K £ F- £ -N ©
- i - I M.y\ ir.'.P;i-^.?i-/i:^ft
R 20 ETALLAHASSEE MERIDIAN
okefmokee Mional wMifc Refuge 29
Table 15. Upland Forest Stands on Okefenokee NWR.
Species Class
Mature Pine (> 9 " DBH)• Pure Longleaf Pine (>70%)• Longleaf Dominant (>40%)• Scattered Longleaf (<40%)• Other Pine Species
Young Pine (< 9 "DBH)• Pure Longleaf Pine (>70%)• Longleaf Dominant (>40%)• Scattered Longleaf (<40%)• Other Pine Species
Upland Hardwoods
Bottomland Hardwoods
Bog Filled, Forested Ponds
Open and Administrative. Areas
TOTALS
ACRES
Forest MgtCompartments
1,7311,3032,0853,471
1,016182410
3,431
248
335
1,894
52
16,158
WildernessIslands
1,4291,305'2,5228,976
0*0*
70*1,730
509
22
820
61
17,444
Total
3,1602,6084,607
12,447
1,016182480
5,161
757
357
2,714
113
33,602
• While there are very few young longleafpine stands on the wilderness islands, small patches oflongleaf regeneration, not constituting a stand, are scattered on some wilderness islands andsome compartments. As more of these patches accumulate, they -will form multi-aged stands.
Habitat management tools utilized to restore traditional longleaf communities include:
• Maintenance of multi-aged pine stands (including old growth trees of up to 350 years).• Selective thinning on a 10-year cycle to favor longleafpine.• Removal of undesired mid-story stems.• Dormant and growing season fire.• Several methods of stand conversion (patch regeneration, shelterwood regeneration, direct
seeding, and planting of bare root or containerized seedlings).
Restoration activities for the community understory component has been limited to dormant andgrowing season fire.
Existing hardwood stands, openings and wetland areas within or adjacent to the longleafcommunity are maintained. These provide a variety of habitats to meet the needs of nativewildlife to provide an aesthetically pleasing variety of forest lands.
ofofmohe. National VfMife Refuge 30
Fire is the most effective tool available for management of longleaf pine communities onwilderness uplands. Fire may be used to thin young forest stands, remove midstory pines andhardwoods, kill invading hardwood understory species, prepare seed beds for longleaf pinestands, and kill slash and other unwanted pine seedlings. If used skillfully, fire can accomplishmost of these tasks without damage to the fire resistant longleaf seedlings. Blackjack, Billys,Number One, Mitchell, Bugaboo, Honey, Floyds, Strange, Pine, Rowells, and BoatlandingIslands receive periodic dormant or growing season burns. Other management activitiesconducted on the upland wilderness islands include red-cockaded woodpecker habitat surveys.Habitat inventory cruises are planned for wilderness uplands, beginning with Billys Island in1998.
Forest management activities conducted on upland forests during CY 1997 include:
Habitat Management Planning
Okefenokee's forestry and biological staff are working on a new management plan, combiningmanagement of forest uplands, wetlands, hydrology, wildlife and other disciplines into onecomprehensive plan. The first draft of the plan is complete. Various units of the plan areundergoing staff review and rewrite.
Forest Management Prescriptions
No new forest management prescriptions were completed this year. Prescribed habitatmanagement activities are being completed in Compartments 7 and 13. Work proposed forCompartment 14 has not yet begun. The approved Compartment 14 prescription proposesselective thinning over most of the compartment to increase the percentage of longleaf pine basalarea, to improve habitat diversity, and to maintain the desired basal area for red-cockadedwoodpecker cluster and foraging areas.
As in all upland compartments, fire will play a major role in meeting prescription goals.Proposed management activities are expected to yield 765 cords of forest products valued atapproximately $35,000.
Forest Habitat Inventory
A proposal is being developed to inventory upland islands throughout the refuge. The inventorywill provide type, age and species of the over story, and ground cover information such asspecies and coverage. Billys Island is scheduled for 1998.
Timber Marking
Timber marking was completed in Compartment 7. The sale was advertised in December of1996, and awarded in January of 1998. An estimated 1,800 cords were marked, valued at about$100,000.
Timber marking is complete in Compartment 13. Selective Ihinning over most of the
National VfMlfe Rejii/je 31
compartment favors longleaf pine. Two slash pine plantations will be clear-cut and converted tolongleaf pine. Patch regeneration areas were marked to gradually convert of other slash pineplantations. The sale will be advertised in 1998.
Timber Harvesting
Timber harvesting has been difficult during the past four years due to wet weather and fluctuatingmarket conditions. One harvesting operation began in January. Chanticleer Farms, fromColumbus Grove, Ohio, was awarded Special Use Permit No. 97-010 to harvest timber markedin Compartment 4. The permittee is using horses to remove timber from a public use area(Figure 7). The operation is conducted during the winter season between red-cockadedwoodpecker nesting seasons. It is expected that at least one more winter will be required tocomplete the operation.
Figure 7. The past meets present, January 1997, on Chesser Island. Chesser Island is anextensively used public use area, and for this reason an old style of horse logging was selected toconduct harvesting operations. In addition to causing less impact on the environment, theoperation was of great interest to local residents and visitors. FEW 5/97
dkifenokee National wildlife 32
Figure 8. After the 1954 fire destroyed longleaf pine stands on Chesser Island, the landownerplanted very dense stands of slash pine. In order to provide foraging habitat for nearby red-cockaded woodpeckers, the stand was thinned from 600 trees to 110 trees per acre. Increasedgrowth rate will soon bring the remaining trees to foraging size. Long range goals are togradually restore longleaf pine. FEW 1/97
Selective thinning is taking place in several slash pine stands on the island to improve foraginghabitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker and create patch regeneration areas for longleaf pine(Figure 8). Proposed management activities are expected to yield 1,000 cords of forest productsvalued at approximately $10,000.
Table 16 shows a breakdown of forest products harvested during CY 1997, and Table 17 is a 10-year summary of forest products removal.
okefmokee National wildlife Refuge 33
Table 16. Forest products receipts for CY 1997.
SPECIALUSE
PERMIT #
97-010
PERMITTEE
ChanticleerFarms
PERMITPERIOD
10/30/9604/30/98
PRODUCT
Pulpwood
VALUEPERUNIT
$3.57/ton
TOTAL SALEVOLUME
2,750tons
TOTALVALUE
$9,918
VOLUMEHARVESTED
1997
778 tons(283 CDs)
1997RECEIPTS
$2,509.56
* Sale actually sold on weight basis by ton. Converted to cords for reference (2.75 tons = 1 cd.).
Table 17. Ten-year forest product^ removal summary.
CY
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
SAWTIMBERfMRR
_
_
PULPWOODir.nx}
5,399
2,807
5,228.
4,394
1,343
539
66
1,486
448
283
POSTSrFA"i
90,090
14,420
2,508
_
_
TOTAL VALUEnni I APR
$205,947
$105,672
$192,372
$165,731
$ 53,732
$ 23,336
$ 3,199
$ 77,559
$23,489
$2,778
Reforestation
Twenty-five thousand containerized seedlings were obtained from Southern Seed in East Dublin,Georgia. The seedlings were grown from cones collected from longleaf pine stands throughoutthe refuge to provide native stock for the 1997 planting season. Most of the 25,000 seedlingswere planted by volunteers (Figure 9). Longleaf pine seedlings were planted in 21 sites. Exactlocations are shown in the compartment atlases.
okfenokee Naiionti wMife Refuge 34
Table 18. Longleaf pine planting sites, CY 1997.
COMPARTMENT(Or Island)
Comp 3Comp 3
Comp 4Comp 4Comp 4
Comp 6Comp 6Comp 6Comp 6Comp 6
Comp?
Comp 8Comp 8Comp 8Comp 8Comp 8Comp 8Comp 8
Comp 10Comp 10
Billys Island
MGTUNIT
33
122
12333
5
2235555
22
-
NUMBER OFSEEDLINGS
300200
2501,250250
250250250250500
500
125500
2,2503,0001,7504,2502,000
500200
2,000
AREA(Acres)
0.50.5
1.02.00.25
0.250.250.250.255.0
10.0
0.31.08.09.05.0
'10.03.0
120.5
50.0
REMARKS
Replant old site. Poor survival.Patch regeneration area
Opening caused by Rx burn.Replant field. 1996 planting destroyed by grazing horses.Patch regeneration area.
Patch regeneration areaPatch regeneration area.Patch regeneration area.Patch regeneration area.Patch regeneration area.
Additional seedlings planted in plantation. Part of areamounded.
Patch regeneration area.Replant wildfire area. Poor survival after original planting.Additional seedlings planted in 1990 regeneration area.Replant wildfire area. Poor survival after original planting.Replant wildfire area. Poor survival after original planting.Replant wildfire area. Poor survival after original planting.Replant wildfire area. Poor survival after original planting.
ilandom planting to replace seedlings lost due to grazing.r'atch regeneration area (log landing in above site).
Scattered planting in open area.
okefmokee National wMife at 35
Figure 9. Americorp of Atlanta assisted refuge staff in the planting of longleaf pine on BillysIsland. Most of Okefenokee's tree planting was accomplished by volunteers this year.
RJ 12/97
Significant results of dormant and growing season fire, and longleaf pine management arebeginning to show. Patches of natural longleaf pine regeneration are appearing throughout theforest management compartments. Many native longleaf pine community components arebeginning to appear where growing season fire has occurred. It is apparent that through the useof selective thinning, and prescribed fire, longleaf pine communities can be restored onOkefenokee's forest management compartments without massive clearcutting and plantingoperations (Figures 10, 11, and 12).
okefenohe Nalioml wMife Refye 36
Figure 10. Many years of selective thinning, dormant and growing season prescribed fire areresulting in new age classes in Okefenokee's longleaf pine stands. Wherever suitable openingsoccur, natural longleaf pine regeneration is beginning to appear. Prescribed fire prevents theestablishment of competing species, while fire resistant longleaf pine seedlings survive.
RAP 10/97.
okefenckee National wMlfe W 37
Figure 11. The best longleaf pine seed crop in over 20 years occurred in the fall of 1996. Everybare spot of ground within longleaf pine communities is now covered with a dense stand ofseedlings. " HEM 1/98
okefenokee National wiltttife Refuge 38
-'. • ' rfc^jptpfc?^ '",.-. -JPT1.'
Wse Foxglove (Agalifm. ' * • .,
•c. \* *
isss '(Aristiila beyrichiuita)U- \-« •« » i - f l . ^ r «H / f f f « / f f t « / n / /« _J ^
fli - Sv-t:
Figure 12. The results of growing season prescribed fire on Okefenokee NWR are beginning toshow. Two consecutive growing season fires have stimulated the growth of fire dependentlongleaf pine community species. Some of these species are shown on this page.
RAP 10/97
tikefenohe National wildlife Refye 39
In the fall of 1996, a bumper seed fall occurred which boosted the stocking levels in most areas.On Okefenokee's wilderness islands, seed fall and response to fire has not been as successful.Mitchell and Blackjack Islands show a significant amount of natural longleaf pine regeneration,but there is very little on Honey and Billys Islands.
Timber Stand Improvement
No timber stand improvement (TSI) was accomplished in 1997. A 26 acre direct seeded longleafpine stand in Compartment 1 is scheduled for TSI work when funding and personnel areavailable. Much of the TSI work completed in forest stands, particularly mid-story hardwoodremoval hi red-cockaded woodpecker foraging stands, is now achieved by growing season fire.
Wildlife Openings
Several wildlife openings, also serving as emergency helispots have been developed withinupland forests. Many openings within forest management compartments contain helicopter dipsites thus providing open water and adding to habitat diversity. Many of the openings provideseveral edge habitats: Pine forests, upland hardwoods, swamp forest, grassland, and open water.
Swamp Forest
Swamp forest areas include all refuge wetland forest areas inside the swamp's edge and outsidethe perimeter of the interior islands.
Table 19. Forest types within the swamp.
Forest Type
Broad Leaved Hardwoods
Cypress
Scrub Pine
Mixed (Bay, Cypress, Pine)
Scrub Shrub
Total Swamp Forest
Acres
15,824
11,911
728
55,659
231,187
315,309
The basic goal of wetland management is to "maintain the dynamic mosaic of wetland habitattypes". Because most of the wetland area is located within national wilderness boundaries,habitat management activities are limited to natural and prescribed fire. Other management
okefawhe National VfMife ~R£Juge 40
activities include osprey and other water and shorebird surveys, habitat surveys, prescribed andwildfire management. Vegetative sampling plots were established in the Dragline Ditch area tomeasure vegetative response to fire in the wetlands.
3.f. Fire Management
Almost every acre of upland on the refuge is fire dependent, particularly the longleaf pinecommunities. This habitat, including understory fuels, have been drastically altered by majorchanges in the fire regime. Existing upland habitats are limited and cannot be indiscriminatelydestroyed, even to develop future improved habitat. Understory fuels are extremely heavy andrecover rapidly after fuel reduction fires. Until upland fuel types are restored to presettlementconditions, most dry cycle wildfires may destroy valuable habitat.
Figure 13. An example of unburned habitat has been preserved on Okefenokee Refuge. Thisarea has not been burned since the 1954 fire. This example shows deterioration of habitatrequired by native longleaf pine community wildlife species. A fire through this area at this timewould burn extremely hot, destroying the entire forest stand. RAP 10/97
okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 41
Within the swamp, fire management is even more complex. Intense fire is desirable within theswamp; however, under conditions when fire is the most beneficial, control is impossible,endangering adjacent life and property. The completion of the Swamps Edge Break in 1993marked the establishment of a cooperative venture to manage fuels around the swamp perimeter.The growing cooperative ventures among the Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners(GOAL) such as the construction of 30 out of the planned 34 dip sites, will reduce the risk ofswamp fires destroying private property. Dip-sites, completed and planned, are shown in Figure14.
tikefenoke National YfMife Refuge 42
Figure 14. Dip-site locations.
OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGEUNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFLORIDA AND GEORGIA
»2'20'
UNITED STATESFISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
30VO'
HELICOPTER DIP SITES
- COMPLETED
- PLANNED
R 18 E «2'30
COMPILED IN THE DIVISION OF REALTYFROM SURVEYS BY F.iW.S.. G.L.O. ANDU.S. ARMY
ATLANTA. GEORGIA JUNE. 1963
R 19 E 12'20' R ;TALLAHASSEE MERIDIAN
O 6OOQ 12OOO 24OOO 3 60 DP 48ODO FEET
9 -i g 4 6 8 MILES
Qkefwokee N^IOM! wMf/e R^ye 43
Prescribed Burning
During the past 30 years, dormant season fire has been used to reduce existing fuels. Asunderstory woody shrub fuels are reduced, growing season fire has been introduced to alter thefuel types from woody shrubs to warm season grasses and other ground covers associated withlongleaf pine communities. When these conditions are achieved, natural wildfires will benefitrather than destroy the habitat. During 1997, 6,035 acres were burned during the growing season.
Figure 15. Over a thousand acres of pine land was burned in Compartment 8, (The Pocket) onAugust 28. The task was accomplished with a helicopter mounted aerial ignition device andground crews. FW 1997
Other benefits of prescribed fire when properly applied are:
• Control of diseases, insects, and parasites.• Increase of available wildlife habitat.• Seed bed preparation for natural forest regeneration.• Improvement of access for forest and wildlife management.• Enhancement of aesthetic qualities.
okefenokee National wMife Refuge 44
During fiscal year 1997, 12,142 acres of 16,693 acres prescribed were burned. Total burningcosts for FY 1997 were $91,560 averaging $7.54 per acre. Table 20 is a summary and evaluationof Okefenokee's FY 1997 prescribed burning activities. Prescribed Burn locations are shown onFigure 16.
dkefmokee National WilMife Refuge 45
Figure 16. CY 1997 Prescribed and wildfires.
OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGEUNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
82*30'
FLORIDA AND GEORGIA UNITED STATESFISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
30V
- Prescribed Fire
- Wildfire
R 18 ECOMPILED IN THE DIVISION OF REALTYFROM SURVEYS BY F.&W.S , 3 L.O ANDU.S. ARMY
R 19 E t2'20' R 20 ETALLAHASSEE MERIDIAN
q eqpo 12OOO 36000 48OOO FEET
8 MILESATLANTA, GEORGIA JUNE, 1963
dkefenokee National wiMfe/e Refuge 46
Figure 20. FY 1997 Prescribed Burning Summary for Okefenokee National Wildlife RefugeAREABURNUNIT .
Cl-1Cl-2
C2-1C2-2C2-3
C3-1C3-4C3-5C3-6C3-MISC
C4-2C4-3C4-4
C5-1C5-2C5-3C5-4C5-5
C6-2C6-3
C7-1C7-3C7-5
C8-1C8-2C8-3C8-4C8-5C8-6
C10-2
Cll-1
C12-1
C13-2C13-4
C14-1
FIRE NO.(DI 1202)
48524852
413848194825
45364058411948064189
41894055
4714471447144714
4850
4845
4708
4851/48964679/42254692/4225
422540954843
4677
4678/4117
4702
41184701 •
4703
ACRESPLANNED
630600
15411670
20912017478
<100
2859814
379438248188114
285430
240103290
32827241732746090
12
295
332
580225
338
ACRESBURNED
630600
15411670
012017478511
285880
3794382481880
0430
2400
290
32827241732746018
12
295
332
580225
338
DATEBURNED
02/11/9702/11/97
06/09/9701/21/9701/28/97
07/24/9705/07/9705/22/9701/17/9703/07/97
07/18/9705/05/97
12/16/9612/16/9612/16/9612/16/96
02/06/97
02/06/97
12/11/96
03/03/9708/28/9708/28/9708/28/9705/15/9702/04/97
11/12/97
05/21/97
12/04/96
05/21/9712/04/96
12/04/96
IGNITIONMETHOD
AA
AA
GAAGG
AG
AAAA
• A
A
A
G&AG&AG&A
AAG
G
G&A
A
AA
A
BURNEVAL
3A3A
3B3C3B
3B3B3A3A3A
3A3B
3B3B3A3A
2A
3D
3B
3A4C4D4D3D3B
3A
3B
3B
3B1A
2A
TOTALCOST
2,8202,710
2,3581,127217
1,3595,2521,735431207
3,720324
1,2791,492853640
1,744
3,270
2,174
3,2633,6684,7862,9119,559
60
378
2,963
1,991
5,3391,246
2,199
COSTPER
ACRE
4.484.52
15.319.713.10
12.4630.1822.2486.0019.00
13.053.68
3.373.413.443.40
4.06
13.62
7.50
9.9513.4911.488.90
20.783.33
31.46
10.04
5.99
9.205.54
6.51
REMARKS
Excellent burn.Excellent burn.
Good burn overall.First aerial ignition. Fuels heavy on north and west edge.South third wet: patchy bum. Good burn over rest of island.
Rescheduled due to excellent longleaf pine seed fallModerate to severe scorch along hardwood drains. Good burn.Overall good burn. Fire burned 4 acre finger into swamp.Low intensity fire but good burn overall.Small burn to secure bone yard & pumphouses for large burn.Burn demonstration area and adjacent area.
Burn slow to start. Low fuel levels in area due to horse logging.Excellent burn on Clay Point and Ridleys Island.Could not schedule.
Excellent bum.Excellent burn.Good burn.Good burn.Unable to schedule.
Unable to schedule.High water levels; spotty burn.
Heavy rough, some mortality, good hazard reduction burn.Unable to schedule.Good overall burn.
Unit burned on two separate days. Good Burn.Drought following burn caused problems with reburn.Scattered mortality due to drought and reburn following burn.Scattered mortality due to drought and reburn following burn.Wind direction shift caused some mortality in small plantations.Cooperative burn with Ga. For. Comm & U.S.F.S. personnel.
Site prep burn prior to planting longleaf pine seedlings.
Two separate burns; one for site prep and one for hazard red.
Excellent burn.
Excellent burn.High water levels, poor burn
High water, very patchy burn.
AREABURNUNIT
C15-2C15-3
C16-1C16-2
SEE-EASTSEB-NW
Billys Island
BugabooIsland
HoneyIsland
Banks Lake
TOTALS
FIRE NO.(DI 1202)
48184818
48494709
-
-
4141/4188
4139
,
ACRESPLANNED
387363
295211
200200
3,330
352
2,080
15
16,472
ACRESBURNED
387363
200211
-
--
352
2,480
15
12,156
DATEBURNED
01/02/9701/02/97
02/05/9712/11/97
0•0
0
07/11/97
06/13/97
0
IGNITIONMETHOD
AA
AA
—-
A
A
-
BURNEVAL
3B3B
B3B
-
-
3A
3B
-
TOTALCOST
1,9691,817
4,4382,555
—
-
2,683
2,833
-
$88,370
COSTPER
ACRE
5.085.01
22.1912.11
—-
'7.62
1.36
-
$7,27
REMARKS
Excellent burn.Excellent burn.
Good burn. USFS Rx burn team assisted.Heavy fuels, some scorch but good hazard reduction burn.
Unable to schedule.Unable to schedule
Swamp water levels too low. Unable to schedule.
Patchy burn on first day. Next attempt removed remaining fuel.
Fire left island and burned approx. 400 acres of swamp..
Higher priorities. Unable to schedule.
IGNITION METHOD BURN EVALUATION
Fire and Resource Management Objectives
G - Ignition by ground crews 1 - Prescribed fire failed to accomplish objectives.A - Aerial ignition 2 - Prescribed fire accomplished objectives in part but not within prescription
limits.3 - Prescribed fire accomplished objectives within prescription limits.4 - Prescribed fire accomplished objectives beyond prescription limits.
Allowable Resource Damage Objectives (Crown Scorch, Mortality')
A - Little or no crown scorch.B - Crown scorch within prescription limits.C - Crown scorch exceeds prescription limits.D - Excessive crown scorch - some mortality probable.
£
Wildfire
There was very little wildfire activity during 1997, although the year started out dry and droughtindexes were very high for several periods during the year. Two factors contributed to the •inactive fire season. The swamp water remained above average throughout the year, limiting anylightning starts in the swamp. Secondly, an aggressive prescribed fire program has vastlyreduced fuels throughout the refuge uplands. Only one lightning caused fire was reported for theyear. The other two fires were escaped prescribed burns. The lack of natural fire activity maycause some concern from the habitat management standpoint. Refuge uplands may have reachedan interim state where hardwood shrub fuels have been reduced, at least for the first two yearsafter burning, but the warm season grasses, herbs and low shrubs that would be expected to carrylow intensity fire have not yet developed. The following wildfires occurred during 1997 (Figure16):
Fire 4059 - Ugly Duckling Fire This fire occurred when a prescribed fire between the SwampIsland drive and the swamp's edge spread into scrub-shrub fuels in the swamp. Predicted windshifts endangered the Suwannee Canal visitors center and other public use facilities. Theoverburn area was declared a wildfire and suppression action was taken. A helicopter wasdispatched and bucket drops began. The'helicopter knocked out the head of the fire and thenattacked the flanks. All visible flames were out and the fire was watched closely for the next fewdays. The fire consumed sixty acres of scrub-shrub. Normally, if there is no danger of loss ofcontrol, or injury or damage to facilities or private property, small overburn areas into the swampare considered to be part of the prescribed fire.
Fire 4203 - Natural Out 1 This fire was discovered by routine flight of the refuge helicopter onMy 29, 1997. The lightning caused fire was located just south of Chesser Island and onlyburned a tenth of an acre. No suppression action was taken.
Fire 4248 - Vulture Fire A growing season prescribed fire in Burning Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 on"The Pocket" (Compartment 8) continued to smolder in duff layers for several weeks.Continuing dry conditions allowed the smoldering fire to reburn. The prescribed fire was startedon August 28, 1997, and was declared a wildfire on September 19, 1997. Fire was declared outon October 15,1997. The fire reburned a total of 80 acres, but never left the original prescribedfire boundaries.
There were no off-refuge or interagency fire assignments in 1997.
ohfmokee National wMife Re/iye 49
Other Facilities - Swamps Edge Break
The Okefenokee Swamp, upland islands and surrounding uplands depend upon fire to preservethe conditions and habitats supporting the wildlife species native to Okefenokee Refuge. Thedifficulty of keeping prescribed and wildfires within the swamp and refuge boundaries, whenconditions are sufficiently dry to accomplish desired objectives, presents a difficult and costlyfire management challenge.
The Swamps Edge Break (SEE) was completed during 1993. The continuous fuels managementzone it supports is being developed slowly but surely, around the swamp. This zone will allowindirect suppression actions during wildfires and allow greater use of prescribed fire toaccomplish objectives. The construction and maintenance of the fuels management zone is acooperative venture between the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Florida Division of Forestry,the Fish and Wildlife Service, and private landowners.
The Clinch County Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission reworked the entire Clinch Countysection of the Swamps Edge Break and installed some signs. The Charlton County Unitcompleted 95% of Charlton County section of the break. GPS data was recorded on Charltonand Clinch County sections of the Swamps Edge Break.
Fire Management Planning
Staff review and first rewrite of the new Fire Management Plan is complete. When complete, theFire Management Plan will be one unit of a more comprehensive Habitat Management Plan.
3.g. Control Pest Plants
Growth of shrubs and greenbrier along boat and canoe trails is a continuous problem. Volunteerscontinued to trim the vegetation back from the Orange Trail and worked on the trails leading toFloyds Island and Cravens Hammock. The trail cutter was able to cut all the trails early in theyear removing the concentration of submergent vegetation.
Pesticide Use Proposals were submitted for Rodeo, Garlon 3A, Bait'em, Bushwhacker Fire AntControl, Amdro, Sulfur, Garlic Barrier, Rabon, D-Con, Pest Strip, Malathion, Orthene, andSuspend. Rodeo is used on mats of maidencane, emergent vegetation, and shrub species adjacentto canoe and boat trails; however, no Rodeo was used in this manner during 1997. Rodeo wasonly used around refuge and public facilities to eliminate weeds within graveled areas and aroundbuildings. Garlon 3A is only used when it is desirable to kill larger trees to create snags andreduce competition for the establishment of more desirable trees. None was used in 1997. Theother pesticides are insecticides that are used around public facilities and within refuge buildings.
okefenohe National Wildlife Refuge 50
4.FISH AN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
4.a. Bird Banding
For the fifth year, no wood duck banding occurred on the refuge due to staff shortages and otherhigher priority projects.
Refer to section l.a. for red-cockaded woodpecker banding information.
4.b. Disease Monitoring and Treatment
Nothing to Report
4.c. Reintroductions
Nothing to Report
4.d. Nest Structures
Wood duck boxes were not checked this year due to equipment difficulties.Refer to section l.a. for installation of red-cockaded woodpecker inserts.
4.e. Pest, Predator and Exotic Animal Control
See Section 3.g.
olejaiola Nafa'oHal WiMZzfe Re^e 51
5.COORDINATION ACTIVITIES
5.a. Interagency Coordination
Over the past year, interagency ecosystem coordination continued through the Suwannee BasinInteragency Alliance. In this forum, representatives of federal (Natural Resources ConservationService, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U. S. Geological Survey), Florida (Suwannee RiverWater Management District, Department of Environmental Protection, Game and Fresh WaterFish Commission, Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Division of Forestry), andGeorgia (Environmental Protection Division, Division of Wildlife Resources, Dept. ofAgriculture, and Forestry Commission) agencies are working together to promote effectivecommunication and coordination, and develop a comprehensive natural resource managementplan for the basin utilizing the planning process adopted by the State of Georgia. The Allianceholds regular meetings and publishes a newsletter. Articles regarding the Okefenokee black bearstudy, the Suwannee River Sill, and the joint USFWS/Suwannee River Water ManagementDistrict pesticide and fertilizer contaminant study appeared in the Suwannee River Network.
5.b. Tribal Coordination
Nothing to Report
5.c. Private Land Activities
Proposed E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company Titanium Mining Project
DuPont continued with plans to develop a heavy minerals mine on 38,000 acres directly adjacent tothe east boundary of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge andWilderness Area. This operation would remove zircon, staurolite, and the titanium minerals,ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene. The mining operation would include: 1) clearing of vegetationin approximately 1-mile square sections, 2) dredging the cleared area down to 50 feet belowground level with a sand dredge and extracting the minerals, and 3) back-filling and reclaiming(i.e., re-vegetating) the mined area. At any time, about three square miles will be cleared: onefor active mining, one for reclamation, and one hi preparation for mining.
ofeferofee National Wi'Mi/e Re%e 52
Potentially significant, long-term alterations to the hydrology and water quality of theOkefenokee Swamp and St Mary's River are likely. Impacts could include the destruction ofthousands of acres of wetlands, alterations to surface water inflow, and permanent changes to thehydrological relationships among the swamp, the underlying aquifer, and the surficial groundwater in the adjacent mined area. The mining process also may mobilize contaminants, thus,degrading surface and ground water quality. Air quality in the Class I Wilderness Area may bedegraded by dust, smoke, soot, and exhaust emissions generated at the mine. Endangered speciesand their habitats which may be directly affected include red-cockaded woodpeckers, indigosnakes, and wood storks. In addition to environmental effects, the mine operation couldsignificantly degrade the unique wilderness experience available to the annual 400,000 refugevisitors through a variety of visual impacts and noise pollution. A U.S. Army Corps ofEngineer's Section 404 wetland dredge and fill permit, and surface mining, National PollutantDischarge Elimination System (NPDES), ground water withdrawal, and water qualitycertification permits from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will be required.
Representative Saxby Chambliss, a staff aide to Senator Paul Coverdell, and the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources Board of Commissioners were briefed on the issue duringvisits to the refuge. Senator Max Cleland issued a letter in opposition to the mine. The GeorgiaDNR Board of Commissioners passed a resolution opposing the concept of mining adjacent tothe swamp pending clear and convincing proof that it would not harm the ecosystem.
The proposal continues to receive national attention. The Sierra Club, Audubon Society,Wilderness Society, National Wildlife Refuge Association, Southeastern Fisheries Council,Georgia Wildlife Federation, Satilla River Soil and Water Conservation District and others havetaken positions in opposition to mining. Numerous newspaper and magazine articles werepublished in 1997, most critical about the proposal. A Wilderness Society sponsored pollindicated that 78% of Americans are opposed to the mine.
In April, the Secretary of the Interior visited the refuge and took an overflight of a similar mine inFlorida. During his visit, he publicly stated his opposition to the project and asked DuPont towithdraw the mining proposal (Figure 17). As a result, DuPont temporarily halted necessaryenvironmental studies and the permitting process. In June, 1997, DuPont hired an independentfacilitator (Resolve Inc.) to begin a "collaborative process" in order to determine and addressconcerns about the mining proposal. The collaborative process includes representatives fromlocal and county governments, environmental groups, DuPont, and other local and regionalinterests. Participants have met monthly since August 1997. DuPont continues to seek publicsupport for the mining proposal-with the intent to mine adjacent to the Okefenokee Swamp in thefuture.
tike/moke National wMife Refuge 53
Figure 17. Secretary Bruce Babbitt visits the refuge and publicly states his opposition toDuPont's proposal to mine heavy minerals adjacent to the refuge. TG 4/97
All federal and state agencies, including the Department of Interior and the Service, chose not toparticipate in DuPont's collaborative process. Although the collaborative process may helpdetermine the extent of environmental impacts associated with the proposal, the Service believedthe process ultimately could not alleviate our concerns associated with the negative impacts ofthe project, especially regarding degradation of the aesthetic character and quality of theOkefenokee NWR and Wilderness Area.
okefenokee National wildlife Re/i^e 54
Location of the ProposedDu Pont Titanium Mine.
Miles
Okefenokee NWR Proposed mine Trail Ridge
Okefenokee National WiWife Refye 55
5.d. Oil and Gas Activities
Nothing to Report
5. e. Cooperative/Friends Organizations
Cooperating Association
With last year's designation as a 501(c)(3) organization, the Okefenokee Wildlife League (OWL)has been instrumental as a means through which to apply for grants. Again this year, OWL isadministering a $30,000 grant from the Turner Foundation for black bear research. OWL also iskeeping an account of money donated for the Educational Exhibit Renovation project.
As in most years, OWL volunteers were instrumental in conducting special events and programson and off the refuge. With all the VIP visits during the year, it was essential to have theirsupport for food, small articles to take home, and other miscellaneous items. They were asponsoring organization for the Earth Day/National Wildlife Week Art Festival.
OWL earned $22,873 in book sales during the year and donated over $7,000 to the refuge in theform of equipment, projects, and special event assistance.
ob/mokee Motional Wildlife Refuge 56
6.RESOURCE PROTECTION
6.a. Law Enforcement
The year ended with one fall time officer, Jim Shelton, and three collateral officers, DeputyProject Leader Shaw Davis, Forestry Technicians Greg Blanks and Stacey Welch. This is thehighest number of refuge officers in five years.
Table 21. Federal and State/County cases for 1997.
Refuge Violations
Possession of a firearm on a NWR
Trespassing on a NWR
Possession of a controlled substance
Operating a motor vehicle in excess of speedlimit
Operating a motor vehicle with an opencontainer of alcohol
Hunting or attempt to hunt on a NWR
Boating in a closed area
Distribution of bait on a NWR (hunting)
Use of an oversize outboard engine
Operation of a boat with no PFD
Violation of an overnight canoe permit
Total
Number ofCases
13
7
4
4
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
38
okejaukee National VflWije Refuge 57
Table 22. Violations written by Georgia Department of Natural Resources Officers and CountySheriff Department Officers.
Violations
Possession of a controlled substanceCannabis less than 1 oz. (12 arrest)
Fishing without a valid fishing license
Possession of illegal narcotic paraphernalia
No PFD on board
Invalid boat registration
Stealing US government property (4 arrest)
Trespassing and damaging refuge property
Possession of a controlled substance (felony)(1 arrest) over 1 oz. Cannabis(1 arrest) over 1 oz. Cannabis and LSD
DUI (Alcohol) 2 arrest
DUI (Illegal drugs) 1 arrest
Total
Number ofCases
• 12
12
8
8
6
4
4.
11
2
1
59
Thirty-nine written warnings were issued this year by refuge officers. Warnings are issued byofficers for minor violations that do not warrant a notice of violation. The majority of thesewarnings were for after hours trespassing and fishing without a fishing license. Eight incidentreports were written by refuge officers, they ranged from port-a-john arson to illegal hunting onthe refuge. The refuge suffered a break-in at the East Side entrance fee kiosk and the ChesserIsland Homestead. The refuge had approximately $130 stolen in entrance fee money and the tubecanister was destroyed. The same subjects then broke into the homestead and stole an antiqueshotgun and tools. Two weeks later, four young men were caught with the stolen property andconfessed to the break-ins and destruction of government property. They were later connectedwith over 40 break-ins and thefts in the county. They were found guilty and sentenced to 1 yearin a boot camp, three years probation, and ordered to pay the refuge $1400 in restitution. Therefuge also had an arson, when person or persons unknown burnt the port-a-john down at theCoffee Bay Day Use Shelter.
One active cannabis garden was found this year, and three abandoned sites were located on therefuge. Refuge Officers were involved in three refuge operations this year. Each operation was
58
designed to address three growing problems on the refuge, Cannabis gardens, illegal drug use,and illegal bear poaching. The results of each operation is below.
OPERATION SWAMP BUST "97"
Operation Swamp Bust "97" was developed to see if the Refuge was having an illegal narcoticproblem on its overnight canoe program. Full time Refuge Officer Shelton developed a planusing the region's certified drug dog to assist in checking overnight canoeists entering and exitingthe refuge. The operation lasted from 8:00 a.m., April 24, 1997, to 3:00 p.m. on April 26, 1997.A total of seven overnight canoe groups were contacted and checked. Out of the seven groups,three of them had possession of illegal narcotics. There were additional cases made to non-overnight canoeists, fishermen, and visitors that were contacted in the field while checking theovernight canoeists. Cases made in the operation are as follow:
Table 23. Wilderness Overnight Canoe Violations - State and County Charges.
Violation
Possession of Cannabis less than 1 oz.
Possession of Cannabis more than 1 oz.(Felony)
Possession of a dangerous drug (LSD)(Felony)
Possession of a drug related object
Number ofCounts
6
2
1
5
Amount ofFines
4,110.00
10,000.00
5,000.00
700.00
Table 24. Wilderness Overnight Canoe Violations - Federal Charges.
Violation
Possession of Cannabis less than 1 oz.
Number ofCounts
2
Amount ofFines
1,000.00
tikefaiofac National Wildlife Refuge 59
Table 25. Other Refuge Visitors - State and County Charges.
Violation
Operation of a motor vehicle while under theinfluence of illegal narcotics
Possession of Cannabis less than 1 oz.
Possession of a drug related object
Number ofCounts
1
3
3
Amount ofFines
4,650.00
720.00
420.00
Table 26. Other Refuge Visitors - Federal Charges.
Violation
Possession of Cannabis less than 1 oz.
Possession of a loaded firearm
Operation of a motor vehicle with an opencontainer of alcohol
Number ofCounts
1
1
1
Amount ofFines
500.00
100.00
50.00
Operation Swamp Bust "97" resulted in the apprehension of fourteen individuals in violation ofstate and federal laws. A majority of the violations were turned over to the Charlton CountySheriffs Office for prosecution. Three cases are note worthy because of the type and quantity ofdrugs found. One individual was found with over loz. of cannabis and three hits of LSD. Thisperson had just returned from spending a night in the wilderness area with a group of five otheryoung men. Three out of the six on this group had drugs. Officer Shelton feels the Region'sdrug dog was the key to this operation being a success.
Refuge Officers involved in Operation Swamp Bust "97":
Officer Jim Shelton, Okefenokee NWROfficer Greg Blanks, Okefenokee NWROfficer and K9 Handler Edgar Brannon, Tensaw NWR
OPERATION BIG SWAMP
Bear hunting pressure has steadily increased on hunting lands along the Okefenokee Refugeboundary. During routine patrols, before, during, and after bear season, Refuge Officer Jim
ofofmokee National wildlife Rzjuge. 60
Shelton has noticed an increase in baiting, trespassing, vandalism of refuge signs and gates, andother activity near the refuge. The refuge staff was concerned with this illegal activity anddecided to increase law enforcement presence in what they considered one of the most activeclubs. The Big Swamp Hunting Club, northwest of the refuge, is one of the largest hunting clubsalong the refuge boundary, and possibly the largest bear hunting club in Georgia. This club usestrained bear dogs to pursue the bears till they are shot in the open, or treed and then shot. Therefuge decided to try a concentrated law enforcement effort in this area to determine the extent ofthe violations. Operation Big Swamp began at midnight on September 25, 1997, and ended atmidnight September 28, 1997. A total of eight Refuge Officers, both full time and collateralduty, were used to perform surveillance on key refuge entry points. A total of six violations werewritten during the operation (Table 27). One hunter was observed trying to remove a refuge sign,but apparently could not get it off the tree.
Table 27. Violations During Operation Big Swamp.
Violations
Trespassing with a firearm on a NWR .
Hunting on a NWR
Distribution of bait on a NWR
Possession of Cannabis on a NWR
Number ofCounts
3
1
1
1
The operation was a complete success in that it provided valuable information, much of whichcan be used at a later date, to aid in the apprehension of violators on the refuge. More caseswould have been made if the bears had entered the refuge during the pursuit, as they had done inthe past. However, they turned away from the refuge and were killed off-refuge.
Refuge Officers involved in Operation Big Swamp:
Officer Jim Shelton. Okefenokee NWROfficer Shaw Davis, Okefenokee NWROfficer Greg Blanks, Okefenokee NWROfficer Stacey Welch, Okefenokee NWROfficer Walter Tillman, Piedmont NWROfficer B obby Joe Gentry, Noxubee NWROfficer Steve Rees, Chassahowitzka NWROfficer Kelly Smith, Wheeler NWR
dkffatokee National wiHIife Re/iye 61
OPERATION SWAMP WISE "97"
In past years, the refuge has been a hot bed of illegal cannabis gardens. Officer time and fundingwere always lacking to do an extensive ground search to locate cannabis sites on the refuge.Additional funding was available from the regional office to equip and pay for officers this year.The Operation began on August 4,1997, and ended on October 31 1997. The ground search wasconducted starting from the Pocket on the west side to the St. Marys bridge in Florida. Therefuge boundary and swamps edge break were checked by foot and marsh master patrol. A totalof 75 miles were checked. Remote areas in the northwest side were also checked. A garden waslocated off the refuge in the northwest side of the refuge. The Ware County drug task force wascalled in and they pulled the plants. Over 318 plants some 12 feet tall were pulled by the officerswith an estimated street value of $638,000. Two abandoned cannabis gardens were located onthe refuge this year. One active garden was located and is still being monitored by refugeofficers for activity.
6.b. Wildfire Preparedness
Preparedness efforts were directed toward repair or maintenance of equipment and facitlities thatwill make fire suppression efforts safe and more effective during the next dry cycle. Thefollowing projects were continued in 1997:
• Fire access roads were mowed and graded where necessary.• Signs were installed to identify the Swamp Perimeter Road and the many confusing fire
access roads around the refuge.• Swamps Edge Break signs were placed along 80 miles of the break.• A great deal of time was spent on heavy equipment maintenance and rehabilitation.
6.c. Permits and Economic Uses Management
See Sections l.a. and 8.a.
6.d. Contaminant Investigation and Cleanup
Trail Cutter Hydraulic Fluid Spill
On February 8, 1997, 15 to 25 gallons of biodegradable hydraulic fluid were spilled north ofSapling Prairie, approximately 1 mile south of Swamp Park, when a hydraulic motor failed onthe trail cutter. An emergency spill kit was immediately deployed to contain the spill; a boomwas used to surround the fluid and pigs were placed to absorb the spill. Over the next several
National wMijt fujugt 62
days, the spill was cleaned up to the extent possible (Figure 19). Little to no environmentaldamage was believed to have occurred because of the benign nature of the hydraulic fluid. Thisspill would have been considerably more damaging had the refuge not converted tobiodegradable fluid. The spill was reported to the National Spill Response Center and referred toEPA, Region 4. No further action was required.
Figure 19. Failure of a hydraulic motor on the trailcutter released biodegradable hydraulic fluidinto the swamp. Cleanup continued over several days. SB A 2/97
Underground Storage Tank Removal and Cleanup
During the week of June 30, 1997, the excavation of the Camp Cornelia underground storagetank (UST) facility was completed. Four UST's were removed from the area during 1996. Thesoil in the area had been contaminated by a leak in the pipe system. The area excavated wasapproximately 82 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 10 feet deep. An estimated total of 1800 cubicyards were removed from the UST area. During the process, the old fuel/oil storage building hadto be destroyed to remove contaminated soil beneath the building. The excavated area was thencapped with clay from a nearby source. The excavated soils were transported to the Camp
okfenokee National Wilt&ife Refuge 63
Cornelia helicopter pad located approximately 2000 feet west of the UST area. The excavatedsoil was distributed approximately 1.5 feet thick. The soil is tilled/disced weekly hi order toevaporate fuel contents.
6.e. Water Rights Management
Nothing to Report
6.f. Cultural Resources Management
Regional Archeologist, Kanaski visited the Refuge hi January. He and Ranger Burkhartdiscussed the needed revisions to the Floyds Island Cabin nomination. Ranger Burkhart thensupplied Kanaski with needed photos to complete the nomination. Kanaski is to finish thenomination and submit it for approval to Washington D.C. Although the nomination wassuppose to be completed during the fiscal year, numerous calls and a visit to Kanaski's stationyielded no progress on the nomination. Negotiations will continue.
6.g. Federal Facility Compliance Act
Nothing to Report
6.h. Land Acquisition
Nothing to Report
6.i. Wilderness and Natural Areas
Nothing to Report
6.j. Threats and Conflicts
Nothing to Report
okefenokee National wMife Refuge 64
7.ALASKA ONLY
okefmohe National WiWifc Refuge 65
8.PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RECREATION
8.a. Provide Visitor Services
Visitor Use Statistics
Visitors come to Okefenokee NWR from all 50 states and over 15 foreign countries. Okefenokeeparticipated in the USFWS customer service survey during the months of May, June, and July(which was assigned to the refuge by the Washington Office and does not reflect our peakseason). Although the survey response was low, it showed that most visitors had a satisfactoryexperience at Okefenokee. Additional information collected during the summer, to determine theGeorgia congressional districts from which our visitors come, found that during those monthsmost visitors spent at least 6 hours at the refuge, which is greater than older statistics indicated.An extensive visitor use and demographic survey is greatly needed.
Table 28. Visitation by entrance.
Year
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
East
134,784
'136,106
133,345
152,138
155,255
West
91,881*
130,137
125,694
123,231
162,203
North
82,593
81,428
89,428
84,863
84,854
TOTAL
309,258
347,671
348,468
360,232
402,312
*Due to water levels and trail conditions, both the Brown and Orange Trails were closed during aportion of the busy spring, resulting in fewer visitors to the West Entrance.
ohfaiohc National WiWife Refuge 66
Table 29. Federal Recreation Fee Collection - Entrance Permits (FY97).
Type of Permit
Single Visits
Group/Commercial
Golden Eagle
Golden Age
Golden Access
Refuge Passes
Duck Stamp
Okefenokee Swamp Park
Total
Number
17,462
27
31
230
50
30
30
90,494
Receipts
$71,436
$1,050
$1,200
$2,300
0
$360
$450
$88,851.61
Okefenokee began participation in the Recreation Fee Demonstration program during 1997.Prices for single visit passes increased from $4.00 per day to $5.00 per day. Canoe permitsincreased from $6.00 per person per night to $10.00 per person per night (the last increase was inthe 1980s). Of the money that is collected, 80% is now staying on the station - meaning the feeprogram now pays for itself and some additional money is collected. In CY 1997, this moneywas used to pay salaries for fee collection staff, purchase a computer for the Visitor Center, andis also used for other public use projects.
Table 30. Recreation User Permits (FY97).
Type of Permit
Special Use (canoeing)
Commercial (canoeing)
Hunt
Total
Number
650
7
27
684
Receipts
$35,718.00
$350.00
$337.50
$36,405.50
okcfaiok cc WiWlfe Refuge 67
Table 31. Day-use.
Trail
Homestead Trail
Deerstand Trail
Boardwalk ("Swamp Walk")
Upland Discovery Trail
Canal Diggers Trail
Swamp Island Drive (auto tour)
Number ofVisits
1,302
2,690
26,996
4,499
3,598
89,984
Table 32. Visits to Interpretive Exhibits.
Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center
Chesser Island Homestead
1997
35,147
26,996
1996
34,822
25,992
Facility Improvements
A toe rail was completed on the 3/4 mile Boardwalk during the first part of the year - bringingthe trail more in line with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The corn crib, barn, and some fencing at the Chesser Island Homestead was replaced during avolunteer work week in September.
New protocols were developed for volunteers and other work groups that trim trails, repair canoeshelters and do other work in the swamp. Guidelines were set down on the number of hours perday volunteers should work, how the trails should be trimmed, and behavioral expectations.While volunteers are essential to maintaining the canoe trail system, past problems necessitatedcloser scrutiny. Files were developed for each trail and shelter to help keep track of maintenanceand needs.
Major maintenance was performed on the East Side Quarters during the year. Plumbing wasrearranged, new kitchen counters were installed, new flooring installed, and sections werepainted, making the area more functional. This is the only site on the National Historic Registerin the county.
okefenokee National VfMife Refuge 68
Planning
After Congressman Chambliss visited the refuge in March, his staff suggested that perhaps aprivate/public partnership could be developed to raise funds to renovate visitor center exhibits.In response to this possibility, the staff gathered visitor information and hired consultants toproduce an Interpretive Media Concept Plan. Dr. Mike Gross and Ron Zimmerman from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point spent six days on the refuge gathering information,facilitating a nominal group process with the management team, and talking to visitors and staffabout needs. With drawings from Wilderness Graphics, they produced both the concept plan andan additional Interpretive Services Review.
Environmental Education
In conjunction with Eileen Tramontana of the Suwannee River Water Management District, therefuge offered a Project WET workshop in January. Over 25 teachers attended and RefugeRanger O'Connell was certified as a facilitator of the program. Project WET was unavailable inGeorgia until this year.
Supervisory Refuge Ranger Jim Burkhart presented a total of four programs over the GeorgiaStatewide Academic and Medical System (GSAMS).
Table 33. Environmental Education for 1997.
Students
Teacher
Visits
1,043
150
Activity Hours
4,172
600
On-site Special Events
Sandhill Crane
The fifth annual Sandhill Crane Awareness Weekend was held the second weekend in Februaryand was attended by 286 people. Activities included a live bird presentation, guided bird walk,slide presentation on plants, folk music, swamp seining demonstrations, and special guidedbirding boat tour and owl prowl. Doris Mager presented a program on live raptors whichfeatured hawks, an eagle, a crested cara cara and two owls.
National Wildlife Week/Earth Day
Refuge Ranger Joanna Taylor and Wildlife Biologist Sara Aicher worked with local artists to
ofefemfee Nflfioiwl wMife Re/itje 69
include an Art Festival as part of the annual festivities ( Figure 20). In addition to the usualenvironmental programs, there were artists' booths, a youth art contest, and youth art activities(Figure 21). All of the artists sold at least one piece of work. This was a time-consuming andlabor intensive event and refuge staff and the local artists decided to seek more support from thecommunity to pull it off next year. Meetings were held throughout the year and more people arewilling to help with the next event. With a local banker, staff drafted a proposal to White OakConservation Center for funding - they agreed to match community money up to $3,465 for the1998 event.
Figure 20. An Art Festival was added to the events of National Wildlife Weekend in hopes thatit would grow to be a successful annual event.
Environmental programs during National Wildlife Weekend in April included a guided birdwalk, special guided boat tours, live snake presentations, a swamp seining demonstration, slidepresentations on black bears, conservation history of the refuge, alligators, the proposed DuPontmining project, and bluebirds.
National Fishing Week
Staff and volunteers held a fishing derby for 40 youth for National Fishing Week and GeorgiaFree Fishing Days. Participants first went through six learning stations in the "Pathways to
okefenokee National wildlife Refye 70
Fishing" program, learning about baits, lines, lures, and ethics. They then were allowed to fishnear the visitor center for the fishing derby. The award for biggest fish went to three-year oldNoah Wetzel, using his Snoopy pole.
Figure 21. Youth fashioned "bug eyes" at the youth art activity area during National WildlifeWeekend.
Okefenokee Festival/National Wildlife Refuge Week
National Wildlife Refuge Week and the Okefenokee Festival once again occurred during thesame week in October, providing a ready forum for the refuge to distribute materials andinformation on National Wildlife Refuges. The Chesser Island Homestead was packed full withover 1,500 visitors enjoying swamp pioneer crafts, woodstove cooking, games, folk music,singing, and storytelling (Figure 22 and 23). In conjunction with the Charlton CountyOkefenokee Festival, the refuge also hosted a morning "Tour de Swamp" fun bike ride along thescenic Wildlife Drive. The refuge continues to receive volunteer support for this event from theJacksonville Ecological Services field office.
Special displays and materials were available at the Visitor Center and Homestead for NationalWildlife Refuge week.
Okefenokee Mional Wildlife Refuge 71
Figure 22. Brenda Williams demonstrated the art of pine needle basket making at theOkefenokee Festival.
okefenokee National wildlife Refuse 72
Figure 23. Ben Fields boiled peanuts for the visitors during the Okefenokee Festival activities atthe Chesser Island Homestead.
Spooky Swamp Night
The second annual Halloween Program was held at the refuge a week later than planned, due toheavy rains. Even though it was a week after Halloween, about 200 people, both local and fromas far away as Jacksonville, enjoyed spooky boat tours, nature walks, hay rides, and games(Figure 25). The refuge was fortunate to have a master of ceremonies from a local radio station.This has become an important community event and is also a lot of fun for staff and volunteers.
Okefenokee National wMlfe W 73
Figure 24. The costume winners for the 2nd annual Halloween Program.
Yule Log Festival
Weather problems continued into December (blame it on El Nino) and caused cancellation of theannual Yule Log Festival. However, since the local Girl Scout troop had already arranged tobake cookies on the wood-burning stove, they still came and the cookies were donated to thelocal nursing home.
dkejenoku National wilMife Rcfye 74
Figure 25. Nell Snowden assists local Girl Scouts in the art of baking cookies in the wood-burning stove at the Chesser Island Homestead.
Hunting
The annual deer hunt was held on October 31 and November 1, from dawn until noon. Twentyseven people participated in the hunt and eight deer were taken (Section I.E.).
okefenokee National wMlfe Rejuff. 75
Fishing
Opening the Suwannee River Sill dramatically increased angling on the West Side, which raisednumbers for overall fishing. However, fishing continues to decline at other entrances.
Table 34. On-refuge fishermen.
East Entrance
West Entrance
Kingfisher Landing .
Suwannee River Sill
Total
1997
550
4,747
633
3,620
9,550
1996
•573
5,795
480
1,763
8,611
1995
1,074
5,703
703
1,962
9,442
Camping
Tent and RV camping areas are available at the West Entrance (Stephen Foster State Park).
Table 35. Campers at Stephen Foster State Park.
West Entrance
Tent Campers
Cabin Users
Number ofVisits
8,590
6,148
ActivityHours
68,720
49,184
Concessions
Each main entrance provides a number of services through a concessionaire, including tours;boat, motor, and canoe rentals; souvenirs; and other services. Only the East Entranceconcessioner pays a percentage of gross profits (6%) in lieu of rental fees. The East Entranceconcession contract will expire in August, 1999.
In preparation for the Olympics in 1996, the refuge worked on a number of cosmetic andstructural changes to the concession buildings and grounds. In 1997, efforts were made toimprove the quality of interpretive programs, professionalism, and perception of the concessionin the community. Steps were taken to encourage the concessioner to be more active in thecommunity, work with other local business on partnerships and opportunities, and improve the
ofefotofee National WiWife Refuge 76
image of his operation. Staff have new uniforms, new covers are being sought for tour boats,improvements have been made.in cleanliness, and all operations are being evaluated.
Table 36. Concession Net Receipts.
Net Receipts
1997
$333,293
1996
$308,243
1995
$320,938
8.b. Outreach
Partnerships
Zoo Atlanta
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has had a cooperative agreement with Zoo Atlanta since1994. Since the Zoo is currently working on an Action Resource Center that will, in part, featurethe Okefenokee Swamp, refuge staff believed it was an excellent opportunity to distribute therefuge message to a radically different audience. Staff brainstormed a list of possible projectswhich were proposed to Regional Director Clough in January. She and Zoo Director Dr. TerryMaple agreed to a list of projects the refuge carried out during 1997:
• Zoo KioskRefuge staff designed a three-sided interpretive kiosk that interprets the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and Okefenokee National WildlifeRefuge. The kiosk was installed in October (with a few minor problems that are still beingresolved with the fabricator).
• Zoom MagazineSince Spring of 1997, refuge staff have contributed articles to the Zoo's membershipmagazine, which reaches 40,000 households annually. The Blue Goose Corner has featuredarticles on sandhill cranes, alligators, and the cultural history of the swamp.
• Okefenokee Festival at Zoo AtlantaOn October 24 and 25, forty-three refuge staff and volunteers held a two day OkefenokeeFestival at Zoo Atlanta. Almost 6,000 people visited the Zoo during that time and learnedabout the natural and cultural history of Okefenokee (Figure 26). Volunteers and staffpainted faces; made palmetto brooms, soap, and pine cone crafts; looked throughmicroscopes; distributed longleaf pine seedlings; sang and told stories; played old-fashionedgames; and taught urban visitors about wetlands (Figure 27 and 28). One of the highlightswas a quilt designed and pieced by Refuge Biologist Sara Aicher (Figure 29). Volunteersand staff quilted with the help of visitors. The end product will hang in the new ActionResource Center.
dkefawkee National WiWife Refye 77
Figure 26. Pogo greeted visitors at the 2-day Okefenokee Festival at Zoo Atlanta.
Okefenokee Miami Wil&ife Refuse 78
Figure 27. Visitors to Zoo Atlanta during the Okefenokee Festival made palmetto brooms.
cUtefawkee National wMife Rtfye 79
Figure 28. Volunteer, staff, and visitors quilted a wall hanging that will be hung in the NewResource Center at Zoo Atlanta.
okfmokee National wMife Refuge 80
Figure 29. Visitors were able to view swamp life up close during the Okefenokee Festival at ZooAtlanta.
• Zoo CampRefuge staff had developed a week-long camp program designed for a group of studentsvisiting the refuge. Problems on the Zoo Atlanta end prevented the program from happeningin 1997 - a teacher's trip is planned for 1998.
GSAMS ProgramsRefuge staff cooperated with Zoo Atlanta to produce and distribute environmental educationprograms over this state-wide, interactive television network. It allows one person tointeract with up to eight classrooms at a time. Programs in 1997 were centered around woodstorks.
Waycross College
The refuge staff has been also working with Waycross College and their GSAMS studio topresent programs on a number of subjects.
Okefenokee National wMifc Re%r 81
Off-refuge Special Events/Community Events
Okefenokee Festival
In addition to usual events at the Chesser Island Homestead, the refuge also provided the site forthe "Tour de Swamp" bike race and fun ride. Due to an overwhelming number of other activitiestaking place on the same day, the refuge was unable to construct a float this year; howeverEquipment Operator Doug Nuss did represent the refuge in the Okefenokee Festival Parade witha piece of heavy equipment. No prizes this year.
Okefenokee Fair
For the second consecutive year, all three Okefenokee Swamp entrances cooperated to staff abooth at the Okefenokee Fair in Waycross. Okefenokee Swamp Park did the majority of thework this year, which resulted in a first place booth.
Relay for Life
Refuge Ranger Gracie Gooch captained a team for the first annual "Relay for Life," a communityevent to raise money for cancer research. The event requires teams to field at least nine people towalk for 14 hours (one person must be on the track at all times). The refuge team raised over$900, even though the event was planned on the same day as the Art Festival. The 1998 eventwill be planned around the Art Festival.
Kiwanis Family Festival
Refuge volunteers staffed a "touch table" and distributed free materials during the first annualfamily festival. Over 200 Charlton County residents attended the event.
Chamber of Commerce Activities
Throughout the year, the refuge provided volunteers to help with mailings, staffing booths atinterstate rest stops, and other activities. Staff also provided tours for dignitaries and travelagency staffs.
Briefings
Refuge staff held two special briefings and updates for Charlton County elected officials and theCharlton County Chamber of Commerce. Both briefings focused on the DuPont issue and on theeconomic impact that the refuge has on the local economy.
North Florida Ecosystem Outreach/National Wildlife Refuge Week
Okefenokee Naiiond YfMife Re/kje 82
Refuge Ranger Maggie O'Connell and Coop Student Melinda White attended a meeting ofpublic use specialists in Florida to discuss National Wildlife Week and other outreach issues. Across ecosystem group of staff, from fisheries and refuges are working together hi Florida toensure that consistent messages are going out, develop educational materials, and share ideas onoutreach. While Ecological Services and LE staff have not been present at these meetings at thispoint, both programs are included in products and services.
The Okefenokee Wildlife League now carries blue goose items, including hats, pins and patchesthat were developed both by this team and by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.
Media Contacts/Events
News releases and public service announcements were sent out prior to all special events.
The media scrutiny around the DuPont issue resulted in staff being interviewed on CNN, PeachState Public Radio, the Jacksonville/Georgia Times Union, and other media outlets.
The refuge maintains an excellent relationship with both the Charlton County Herald and theGeorgia Times Union. Staff provided a day-long tour for Times Union reporters, a photographer,and an editor in anticipation of a series of articles on Okefenokee. While the series has notmaterialized, it was an excellent introduction to the swamp for some people who had notpreviously visited.
The refuge held two press conferences during 1997 - one during Secretary Babbitt's visit andanother during the Congressional Delegation visit. Television, radio, and print outlets wereinvited to both events.
Congressional Outreach
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has managed to keep Legislative Affairs Liaison AnnFeltner busy during 1997. During the spring, the refuge hosted a member of Senator Cleland'sstaff, Saxby Chambliss and his staff, and others.
As a result of Chambliss' visit, refuge staff developed an Interpretive Concept Plan, for whichRepresentative Chambliss indicated he would initiate a public/private partnership to raise funds.Refuge staff briefed five members of Congress, their staffs, and members of the CAREorganization during a visit to Washington, DC in September.
During the Okefenokee Festival/ National Wildlife Refuge Week, the refuge hosted what isbelieved to be the largest congressional delegation ever to visit a National Wildlife Refuge.Representatives Chambliss, Linder, Deal, and Collins and Senator Paul Coverdell announcedtheir support for the Exhibit Enhancement project (Figure 30). They arrived in a blackhawkhelicopter, were provided with aerial tours of the refuge in the DNR helicopter, held a press
okfenokee National wMife l&fiifie 83
conference, were treated to a luncheon, went on a boat tour, and visited the Chesser IslandHomestead. The entire day was a success only because of the dedication and talent of all therefuge staff and volunteers - from coordinating helicopter landings to cooking lunch toorganizing a press conference.
Figure 30. Representatives Chambliss, Linder, Collins, Deal, Senator Coverdell, and JimWaltman of the Wilderness Society, announcing their support for the Exhibit EnhancementProject for the Richard Bolt Visitor Center.
VIP Visits
Other special visitors during 1997 were former USFWS Director John Turner, Regional DirectorNoreen Clough, Acting Regional Director Marvin Moriarity, Regional Director Sam Hamilton,Director Jamie Clark, and Secretary Bruce Babbitt.
okefenckee National Wildlife R.ejiifle 84
Director Clark and RD Hamilton spent three days on the refuge (Figure 31) - their trip included ameeting with most of the refuge partners to discuss their many projects, a canoe trip to FloydsIsland, a briefing and aerial tour on the Suwannee River Sill, the proposed DuPont mining site, avisit to the Chesser Island Homestead (and potluck supper with staff and volunteers), andbriefing on the proposed educational exhibits project.
Figure 31. USFWS Director Jamie Clark experienced the Okefenokee NWR for three days -visiting with staff and refuge partners and learning about the current issues facing the refuge.
Okefenokee National WiWife Re ae 85
9.PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION
9.a. Comprehensive Management Planning
Nothing to Report
9.b. General Administration
A five-year comparison of Okefenokee's approved staffing pattern is shown below:
Table 37. A five-year comparison of Okefenokee's approved staffing pattern.
FY 1997
FY 1996
FY 1995
FY 1994
FY1993
Full-time
25
25
23
19
22
Part-time
5(3.55FTE)
5 (3.55 FTE)
5(3.55FTE)
0
2 (1.56 FTE)
Temporary
0
2 (1.0 FTE)
2 (1.0 FTE)
1
0
Firefighters
6
2(1040APP)
7(1040APP)
14
15
okefenokee National WiWife Re/age 86
Personnel
Permanent Staff1. M. Skippy Reeves (EOD 02/21/93) Refuge Manager (GS 14, PFT)2. Larry Mallard (EOD 04/10/88) Deputy Project Leader (GS 13, PFT)
Transferred to White River NWR (07721/97)3. W. Shaw Davis (EOD 04/13/98)4. Sara Brown Aicher (EOD 03/10/91)5. Ronald Phernetton (EOD 01/09/74)6. Fred E. Wetzel (EOD 05/03/92)7. Howard McCullough (EOD 01/05/87)8. James A. Burkhart (EOD 06/11/78)9. Margaret S. O'Connell (EOD 05/14/95)
10. James N. Shelton (EOD 07/05/87)11. DarthaP. Campbell (EOD 12/006/76)12. Beverly A. Stevens (EOD 03/05/95)13. Judy L. Drury (EOD 08/17/92)14. John Gibson (EOD 10/29/9515. Cynthia Thompson (EOD 06/13/94)16. John Kasbohm (EOD 11/26/95)17. Richard B. Boatright (EOD 01/05/97)18. Gracie A. Gooch (EOD 05/29/84)19. Nell D. Snowden (EOD 07/14/77)20. Joanna A. Taylor (EOD 12/26/96)21. Douglas E. Nuss (EOD 01/16/77)22. Tony R. Gooch (EOD 08/18/80)23. Rockwell Chesser (EOD 06/23/96)24. Gregory S. Blanks (EOD 04/02/95)25. Robert T. Huling (EOD 05/08/89)26. Stiner Jones (EOD 09/19/83)27. Everette Sikes (EOD 03/15/87)28. Charles Johnson (EOD 07/23/95)
Deputy Project Leader (GS 13, PFT)Biologist (GS 11, PFT)Forester/FMO (GS 12, PFT)Supervisory Forester (GS 11, PFT)Forestry Technician (GS 8, PFT)Supervisory Refuge Ranger (GS 12, PFT)Refuge Ranger (GS 9, PFT)Law Enforcement Officer (GS 7, PFT)Office Assistant (GS 7, PFT)Office Automation Assistant (GS 5, PFT)Office Automation Clerk (GS 4, PFT)Computer Specialist (GS 9, PFT)Wildlife Biologist (GS 9, PFT)Ecologist(GS 11, PFT)Office Auto. Clerk/Dispatcher (GS 3, PFT)Park Guide (GS 5, PFT)Laborer (WG 2, PFT)Park Ranger (GS 5, PFT)Engineering Equipment Operator (WG 8, PFT)Engineering Equipment Operator (WG 8, PFT)Engineering Equipment Operator (WG 8, PFT)Engineering Equipment Operator (WG 8, PFT)Automotive Worker (WG 8, PFT)Maintenance Worker (WG 6, PFT)Motor Vehicle Operator (WG 7, PFT)Engineering Equipment Operator (WG 8, PFT)
Transferred to Savannah Coastal NWR (05/23/97)29. Reggie Porcine (EOD 07/23/95)30. Stacey Welch (EOD 07/23/95)'31. Warren McLendon (EOD 07/23/95)32. Fed Privett (EOD 07/06/97)33. Richard Hannans(EOD 02/02/97)
Resigned 08/29/9734. Holly Zak (Resigned 02/28/97)35. Carolyn Belcher (01/15/97)
Temporary Fire Crews
Lead Forestry Technician (GS 5, PFT)Forestry Technician (GS 4, PPT)Forestry Technician (GS 4, PPT)Forestry Technician (GS 4, PPT)Forestry Technician (GS 4, PPT)
Biological Science Tech. (GS 5, TFT)Biological Science Tech. (GS 5, TFT)
1. Lydia G. Daniels (Resigned 06/08/97) Forestry Technician (GS 4)
tikefawkee Miami wMife Re/K/je 87
Figure 32. Refuge StaffFront Row: S. Jones, J. Gibson, M. O'Connell, T. Huling, F. Privett, F. Wetzel, S. Aicher.Second Row: D. Campbell, E. Sikes, B. Stevens, R. Chesser, S. Davis, S. Reeves, C.
Thompson, J. Taylor, G. Gooch, J. Drury, B. Boatright.Back Row: J. Kasbohm, H. McCullough, T. Gooch, W. McLendon, R. Phernetton, J.
Burkhart, D. Nuss, S. Welch, R. Porcine, J. Shelton.Not Pictured: G. Blanks.
88
Deputy Project Leader Larry E. Mallard transferred to White River NWR, DeWitt, Arkansas,effective date My 21, 1997. ' .
Weston Shaw Davis, Manager of the Carribean Islands NWR transferred to Okefenokee NWR,April 13, 1997, to become the new Deputy Project Leader.
Fed Privett, 1040 appointment Forestry Aid was hired as a GS-4 Forestry Technician effectiveJuly 6, 1997.
Richard Boatright became a GS-3 Office Automation Clerk/Dispatcher for the Forestry/Fire staffeffective January 5, 1997.
Richard Hannans was hired on February 2, 1997, as a GS-4 Forestry Technician and resignedAugust 29, 1997.
Charles F. Johnson, Engineering Equipment Operator, transferred to Savannah Coastal Refugeson May 23, 1997.
Holly Zak, Biological Technician, resigned February 28, 1997.
Carolyn Belcher, Biological Technician, resigned January 15, 1997.
Ty Adams from Bozeman, Montana, was hired on as a 30-day emergency hire May 27, 1997, as aBiological Aid. His appointment was extended for another 30 days June 26, 1997.
Melrnda White came on board, May 25, 1997, as a Coop Student from Baton Rouge, Louisana,attending LSU.
Coty Williams from Ferrum, Virginia, was on an internship as a Forestry Technician fromFerrum College, Ferrum, Virginia, from May 1997 to August 8, 1997.
Lynette Echevarria from Puerto Rico, joined our staff on June 22, 1997, to August 1, 1997, fromPuerto Rico as a Career Institute Student doing an internship as a Biological Aid.
Howard E. McCullough, Jr. was hired as the Forestry Technician GS-8, November 23, 1997.
Gregory S. Blanks was hired as the Engineering Equipment Operator behind Charles F. Johnson,September 28, 1997.
ofe/erofcre National WiWife Re/iye 89
Training
Summaries of training and other travel are shown below:
Training - Permanent Personnel
Reggie PorcineRockwell Chesser
Richard BoatrightJudy DruryBeverly Stevens
John Gibson
Douglas Nuss
Gregory BlanksJames Shelton
Stacey Welch
Richard BoatrightJoanna Taylor
New Employee OrientationAtlanta, GA
D-l 10, Dispatch RecorderTallahassee FL
Swan Expansion WorkshopDenver, CO
Fire Planning & ImplementationGautier, MS
Annual LE RefresherTallahassee, FL
Basic Law EnforcementFLETC, Glynco, GA
S-130 and S-190 BasicTitusville, FL
Jan27-29
Feb 10 - 14
Febl8-21
Feb 24 - 28
March 9-15
March 31 -June 20
April 28 - May 2
John Kasbohm
Sara AicherCindy ThompsonJoanna Taylor
Jim Shelton
Anne Kasbohm
HydrogeomorphicApproach to AssessingCharleston, SC
Mid Career PlanningAtlanta, GA
Radar TrainingSavannah, GA
Wet DepositionChampagn, IL
May 4 - 9
May 13 - 14
May 19-21
May 20 - 22
okefenokec National wMife Re/Me 90
Rockwell ChesserDouglas Nuss
Margaret O'Cornell
Sara Aicher
Shaw Davis
Howard McCulloughFed Privett
Dartha CampbellBeverly StevensJudy Drury
Dartha CampbellShaw Davis
Stiner JonesEverette SikesGregory BlanksStacey WelchReggie Porcine
Skippy Reeves
Hazardous Material Incident Operations June 1 - 6Niceville, FL
S-203 Fire Information Officer June 1-7Leadville, CO
GIS Workshop June 7-16Hagerstown, WV
RCRA Management Regulation July 22 - 24Titusville, FL
Aviation Safety July 28 - 30Titusville, FL
Administrative Workshop Aug 10-15Atlanta, GA
Custodial Property Workshop Aug 26 - 27Atlanta, GA
Motorboat Operators Certification Course Sept 8-12Titusville FL
IMPACT TrainingShepherdstown, WV
Sept 7-19
Gracie Gooch
Richard BoatrightStacey WelchGregory Blanks
Dartha CampbellJudy Drury
Jim Shelton
Volunteer Recruitment ManagementOrlando FL
Basic Air OperationsTallahassee, FL
Basic Computer Support for Field OfficesShepherdstown, WV
Rueger ArmourMt Sunapee, NH
Sept 15 - 19
Oct 22 - 24
Oct 26 - Nov 8
Oct 26-31
dkejMee National wMifc Refuge 91
Tony GoochFred Wetzel
Gregory Blanks
Fred WetzelHoward McCullough
Rockwell Chesser
Jim Shelton
Richard BoatrightGregory Blanks
OAS TrainingKissimmee, FL
S-290 Intermediate Fire BehaviorHartsville, SC
Smoke ManagementJacksonville, FL
Tractor PlowKinston, NC
Remington TrainingTavares, AL
S-217 Interagency HelicopterLake City, FL ,
Oct27-31
Novl7-21
Nov 17 -20
Nov 17 - 21
Dec 7 - 10
Dec 8 - 12
Travel - Permanent Personnel
Skippy ReevesJim Burkhart
John Gibson
Larry Mallard
Ecosystem Team Meetingand Zoo Atlanta BriefingAtlanta, GA
Computer AssistMoss Point, MS
Detail, White River NWRDeWirt, AR
Jan 13 - 15
Jan 14 - 17
Jan 19-April 19
Fred Wetzel
Sara AicherJohn KasbohmSkippy Reeves
John Kasbohm
Larry Mallard
Southern Interagency ManagementTeam MeetingJackson, MS
Dr. Hodson MeetingUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA
DuPont BriefingAtlanta, GA
Fixed Cost MeetingCrossett, AR
Jan 26 - Feb 1
Jan28-30
Feb 3 - 4
Feb 9-11
tikejaiokee National wMife Re/iye 92
Dartha CampbellRockwell ChesserHoward McCullough
Larry MallardMagaret O'Connell
Larry Mallard
Fred Wetzel
Skippy ReevesJohn Kasbohm
Cindy ThompsonJohn Kasbohm
Skippy ReevesLarry Mallard
Dartha Campbell
John Gibson
Douglas Nuss
Charles Johnson
Rockwell Chesser
Skippy ReevesJohn Kasbohm
John Kasbohm
Larry Mallard
Strategic Planning Committee MeetingAtlanta, GA
Refuge ManagementCharleston, SC
Meeting with Regional DirectorMemphis, TN
Florida Interagency Coordination MeetingTallahassee, FL
DuPont MeetingAtlanta, GA
Georgia Water ConferenceAthens, GA
1997 Project Leader's MeetingBioloxi, MS.
Administrative WorkshopCommittee MeetingAtlanta, GA
Computer AssistAtlanta, GA
Equipment TransportCharleston, SC
Trail Cutter WorkCharleston, SC
Equipment TransportCharleston, SC
Ecosystem Team MeetingCedar Key, FL
Eastern Black BearVicksburg, MS
Detail White River NWRDeWitt, AR
' Feb 13 - 14
Feb 25-27
Feb 27 - 28
March 11 -13
March 12 - 13
March 19-21
March 31 -April 3
April 2 - 3
April 7-11
April 7 - 8
April 7- 18
April 7-18
April 8 -10
April 13 - 16
April 20 - July 19
ofe/e/wfee National WiWife Refuge 93
Tony Gooch
Skippy Reeves
John Gibson
Charles Johnson
Beverly Stevens
John Kasbohm
Ron Phernetton
Charles JohnsonDouglas Nuss
Melinda White
Margaret O'ConnellMelinda White
James Burkhart
Margaret O'Connell
Dartha Campbell
Margaret O'Connell
Shaw Davis
Eastern Fire AssistMcClellanville, SC
Ecosystem Team MeetingTirusville, FL
Computer AssistWindsor and Manteo, NC
Trail Cutter WorkCharleston, SC
Detail Personnel ROAtlanta, GA
Bear Study MeetingCrystal River, FL
Forestry/Fire Review Ace BasinCharleston, SC
Trail Cutter TransportCharleston, SC
Temporary DutyOkefenokeeNWRCoop Student
Public Use MeetingSanibel, FL
Outdoor Writers Assoc. of AmericaHaines City, FL
Public Use MeetingFort Meyers, FL
Administrative WorkshopCommittee MeetingAtlanta, GA
Zoo Atlanta MeetingAtlanta, GA
Regional Director MeetingAtlanta, GA
April 21 -May 11
April 25 - 26
April28-May 2
May 5 - 15
May 11-16
May 13 -14
May 19 - 23
May 19-22
May 24 - 25
June 23 - 24
June 23 - 24
June 24 - 26
June 25 - 27
June 30 - July 1
June 30-July 1
ational Wildlife Refuse 94
John Kasbohm
John Gibson
Stacey WelchReggie Porcine
John Gibson
John Kasbohm
Margaret O'Connell
Reggie Porcine
John Gibson
James Shelton
DuPont MeetingAtlanta, GA
Computer AssistBoynton Beach, PL
Assist Bon Secour with HurricaneDanny Clean-upGulf Shores, AL
Computer AssistDuck, NC
Lower Suwannee RiverRiver Basin MeetingNiceville, PL
.Western Fire AssistSanta Maria, CA
Instructor S-211 Pumps and Water UseStatesboro, GA
Administrative WorkshopAtlanta, GA
LE Role PlayerFLETC, Glynco, GA
June 30 - July 1
July 21-25
July 25 - 29
Aug4-8 '
Aug 7 - 8
Aug8-18
Aug 10-13
Aug 12-16
Aug 18-22
dkefenohe National wiWift Refage 95
Rockwell Chesser
John Kasbohm
James Shelton
Margaret O'ConnellSkippy Reeves
John Gibson
Douglas Nuss
John Gibson
John Gibson
Gregory BlanksStacey Welch
Sara AicherJames BurkhartRichard BoatrightRockwell ChesserShaw DavisJudy DruryGracie GoochJohn KasbohmMargaret O'ConnellRonald PhernettonFed PrivettSkippy ReevesNell SnowdenBeverly StevensCindy ThompsonFred Wetzel29 Volunteers
Welaka Fish HatcheryWelaka, FL
Black Bear ConservationCommittee MeetingSt. Francisville, LA
Drug Task AssistTitusville, FL
Georgia Delegation PresentationWashington, DC
Computer AssistAtlanta, GA
Fire Cache TransportApalachicola, FL
Computer AssistRefuges, "IN-
Computer AssistRefuges, AR
LE Assist Lake WoodruffDeLeon Springs, FL
Zoo AtlantaAtlanta, GA
Augl8-29
Aug 26 - 29
Aug29-31
Sept 22 - 25
Sept 23 - 26
Oct 1 - 5
Oct6-10
Oct 13 - 18
Oct 17 - 20
Oct 17 - 20
okejaukee National wMife Refuge 96
John Gibson
Douglas Nuss
Margaret O'Connell
John Gibson
John Gibson
John KasbohmMargaret O'Connell
Tony Gooch
Douglas Nuss
John Gibson
John Kasbohm
Energy
Computer AssistTallahassee, FL
Fire Cache TransportLondon, KY
Watchable Wildlife ConferenceRoanoke, VA
Computer AssistCharleston, SC
Computer AssistAtlanta, GA
North Florida Ecosystem MeetingTitusville, FL
Assist Carolina SandhillMcBee, SC
Fire Cache TransportLondon, KY
NASA MeetingTitusville, FL
Bear MeetingMobile, AL
Oct21 -24
Oct 22 - 24
NovlO-15
NovlO-14
Novl8-21
Dec 4 - 5
Dec 8 -13
Dec 8 - 10
Dec 9- 10
Dec 17-18
Fuel usage has increased this year due to funds from other sources besides our normal budget,therefore, more projects were completed. Electricity decreased from CY 1996 because of adecrease in volunteers and researchers using the travel trailers.
Table 38. Energy Usage
Electricity (kwh)
Gasoline (gal)
Diesel (gal)
CY 1997
174,098
13,682
12,126
CY 1996
184,685
9,549
5,852
CY 1995
161,388
17,490
11,704
ofe/enofee National VfMife Re^ye 97
Funding
Table 39. Comparison of 5-year funding.
ACTIVITY
1260
6860
9251/9110
9252/9120
1130
2821
Total
1997*
898.2
60.0
681.9
93.5
.0
.0
1733.6
1996**
741.7
60.0
745.1
55.0
.0
.0
1601.8
1995#
725.4
60.0
750.4
49.0
.0
26.8
1611.6
1994+
684.6
60.0
78.4
477.4
50.0
409.4
1759.8
1993+
748.9
60.0
99.9
584.2
.0
586.5
2073.5
* Includes MMS projects (75.0), contaminant (65.6), research (56.8), and helicopter contract(148.0).
** Includes MMS projects (108.5), helicopter contract (173.6), and move costs (27.5).
# Includes contaminant studies and helicopter contract.
+ Includes all funds coded to activities listed. May include the following: Challenge, UST,MMS, YCC, and Contaminants.
Safety
Safety meetings were held during the year. Work hazard forms were completed and tailgatesessions were held before the beginning of each work project. First Aid and CPR training wereprovided to the refuge staff and firefighters. Numerous topics including airboat andhelicopter/aircraft safety, compliance with mandatory safety requirements, i.e., seat belts, hardhats, life jackets, the importance of Material Safety Data Sheets, procedures for hazmat spills,and office and shop machine safety were discussed.
The following accidents occurred during the year:
Permanent Employees
Tony R. Gooch - Employee was moving furniture from new office to the shop area and injuredback.
okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 98
James N. Shelton - Employee was bitten by a spider on the face below his left eye while working.
Gregory S. Blanks - Employee lacerated his finger while assisting physically challenged hunterduring refuge hunt.
Firefighters
Nothing to report.
Volunteers
Savannah Wetzel stepped on a protruding nail head, covered by leaves. First Aid wasadministered.
Stanley Shultz stepped off of a stationary boat to the boardwalk, the boat moved back andStanley fell onto the boardwalk. Stanley was not seriously injured.
Visitors
Wilderness canoeist ducked to go under brush on the trail. In his attempt to avoid the brush, astick poked him in the ear. When fellow companions tried to remove the stick, it broke off insidehis ear. Canoeist was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. He damaged his ear drumand several bones causing some permanent loss of hearing.
Volunteers
Approximately 250 volunteers donated 11,567 hours to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refugeduring 1997. Volunteers staffed the Visitor Center and Chesser Island Homestead; maintainedcanoe and hiking trails; repaired overnight canoe shelters, boardwalks, and buildings; maintainedand repaired signs; assisted with RCW monitoring; and worked with administrative staff. Itwould be very difficult to manage the refuge without their considerable help!
Volunteers continue to help with the refuge's annual special events, including Sandhill CraneAwareness Day, the Okefenokee Festival, Yule Log Ceremony (which unfortunately wascanceled this year - but the volunteers still showed up!), Halloween Festival and NationalWildlife Weekend. Volunteer Bernice Rodenberry was given the special privilege of introducingSecretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt during his visit to Okefenokee. Ms. Bernice was born inthe swamp and has donated over 2,000 hours to the refuge.
Volunteer Clayton "Babe" Rodenberry was recognized for his considerable work building RCWinserts. He has saved the Service thousands of dollars by repairing signs, building displays,
ofefewfee Natwml wMifi Refuge 99
constructing interpretive materials, and leading other woodworking projects.
A Volunteer Work Week was held at the Chesser Island Homestead September 9-13. Despite theheat and bugs, thirty-five people replaced the roof on the corn crib, replaced and repaired fences,raked and hoed the yard, scrubbed the floor, polished the furniture, and trimmed hiking trails.
The refuge received 20,000 longleaf pine seedlings and volunteers were essential to getting themall in the ground. Several school groups, forestry students, science clubs, military volunteers,and scouts helped restore the rare longleaf pine communities on the refuge.
After four years of coordinating volunteers on the refuge, Coordinator Gracie Gooch finallyattended the Service's Volunteer Recruitment and Management Training Course. She reports itwas an excellent training course and she learned a lot about Service policy, new ideas, andopportunities to share with other coordinators.
Figure 33. Volunteers received awards at the Annual Volunteer Meeting in May 1997.
dkefewkec National Wildlife Refuse 100
Figure 34. Volunteers just before heading out for a evening on the swamp (Night Boat Tour)with Volunteer Coordinator Gracie Gooch.
Computers
At the end of the year, the Refuge had one 25-user Novell 4.1 Network and a Lotus CCMail PostOffice with router. Two notebook computers, with docking stations, and sixteen desktopcomputers located within the confines of the administrative building. We have three remote siteswith the ability to dial into the mail router and receive their email messages. Two desktopcomputers are located in the maintenance shop, one in the auto shop, two in the visitors centerand one at the west entrance to the refuge. These computers currently serve 30 FTE's withemail, access to the Internet and numerous programs utilized to accomplish the missions of thevarious management programs.
Due to the large number of staff depending on the network and ccmail, three administrative staffare being trained to serve as network/ccmail administrators.
okfetwkee National wMife Refye 101
Feedback
This year will be known as "Let Us Entertain You at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge!"As you look at this narrative, you will see we had politicians, the Director, past directors,international officials, the Secretary of Interior, ranking officials in major companies, and others.We presented briefings at the refuge, in the Regional Office, in the Washington Office, to theGeorgia Congressional Delegation in Washington, to the CARE group and to manyenvironmental groups. Media contacts have been at an all time high including national andinternational coverage.
What has caused all of this attention and uproar? Simply, the proposal of the DuPont Companyto mine 26 miles along our eastern boundary! The many years of consistent and professionaloutreach with the media, our visiting public, our friends, and our critics have paid off! Thesesupporters rallied immediately and without encouragement from us. Why? Because previousmanagers had the foresight to realize the valuable interpretive tool of the Okefenokee and toemploy dedicated, professionals to tell the story. Because the groundwork was already laid, wedid not have to waste time describing what the Okefenokee is, relating its national andinternational importance, or explaining the role of the Service. Our supporters were able toconcentrate on the mining issue and begin work immediately. I want to say thanks to themanagers before me. I especially want to recognize the Public Use Staff at Okefenokee andacross our agency for setting the stage for this year.
The DuPont story is far from being over. We are still looking for that "slick river rock to slay thegiant." However, many positive things have surfaced because of this battle. Team work at therefuge, even though good in the past, is at an all time high! Regional and Washington Officesupport, often criticized, was outstanding! Most important was the new image and recognitionthat the Service has received as a result of the national and international visibility of Okefenokee.We hope our work with the politicians, the CARE group, and others have helped other refugesaround the country in some small way.
okefmohe National Wildlife Rtjugt 102