Tag: conservation

Beautiful Solutions to Pesky Problems

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Cliff Gawron, JIA Director of Landscape and Planning

Picture yourself in one of Jekyll Island’s most recognizable spaces, where North Beachview Drive passes the historic mini-golf course near the intersection with Shell Road. This area falls in the middle of a zone of beachfront that provides parking, facilities, and access for Jekyll’s most visited beaches. To the north and south of this point, most of the parking areas and park spaces have been re-designed and beautified with predominantly native plant landscaping over the past 15 years as Jekyll Island has been revitalized.

One glaring exception, however, has been the public parking lot adjacent to Tortuga Jacks restaurant, directly across Beachview Drive from Jekyll Island Mini Golf. The existing parking lot is in full view for passing drivers with no screening vegetation. The existing strip of land that separates the parking lot from Beachview Drive is a relatively flat expanse of scraggly Bahia grass, weeds, and just a few cabbage palms. In addition to being a bit of an eye sore by comparison with the rest of Jekyll’s beachfront landscaping, the site has a functional problem as well. On Jekyll, the old adage “when it rains it pours” is often quite literally the case. And when it’s pouring, the vast majority of stormwater runoff from the south side of the Tortuga Jacks restaurant and the parking lot has no catchment and flows across Beachview Drive right into the mini golf facility where the water itself can cause problems along with the debris it carries with it.

Fortunately, the Jekyll Island Foundation partnering with the Jekyll Island Authority to put donor support to work, is a proven recipe for problem solving. To address this particular problem, a landscape architecture intern from the University of Georgia, worked alongside the Jekyll Island Authority’s Director of Landscape and Planning to create a stormwater detention “bioswale” and planting plan. The design will address the storm water runoff disfunction by re-grading the area to create a swale that will be partially planted with a mix of predominately native tree, shrub, and grass species to aesthetically complement the landscape design of the adjacent Great Dunes Beach Park. Fresh turf will be brought in for the road shoulder to maintain open sight lines for traffic safety and to serve as the aesthetic foreground framing the plantings behind. Once the installation matures, the parking lot will become hidden behind a “green screen” of lush vegetation. A meandering strip of sweetgrass, an iconic native coastal grass, will be a highlight and will make for a dramatic display of misty pink seed heads come late October.

The bioswale will occupy nearly 20% of the total drainage area, large enough to capture all the runoff from the parking lot in all but the most intense downpours. During a rainstorm, the feature will initially fill with storm water, creating a temporary shallow pond which will percolate through the plants, roots, and sandy soils to return to the groundwater table.

This project is set to break ground this Fall after generous support from Foundation donors. Learn more about future Foundation initiatives like this one that you can be a part of supporting: https://jekyllislandfoundation.org/give/initiatives/

Crawling into Nesting Season

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

With May 1st marking the official start of turtle nesting season along the Georgia coast, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) is already busy patrolling Jekyll Island’s causeway for diamondback terrapins and beaches for nesting sea turtles.

DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS

The GSTC and Jekyll Island Foundation (JIF) donors have partnered for nearly 10 years in diamondback terrapin rescue, research, and implementation of various protection methods during nesting season. These efforts focus on decreasing terrapin road mortality rates. The GSTC’s diamondback terrapin patrol team routinely drive the causeway in search of nesting mamas crossing the road and inspecting nest boxes for similar signs. Recently, JIF and ANIMEX, a new partner, donated fencing materials that were installed on either side of the entrance to Jekyll’s causeway, adding one more component used to help decrease terrapin roadway mortality rates.

SEA TURTLES

And along the beaches these ancient reptiles emerge from the ocean to begin nesting as early as May. Fertile turtles crawl slowly to the dunes, enter a trance as their eggs drop into the sand, laying over 100 ping-pong ball-like eggs under the cover of darkness. Then, the GSTC Sea Turtle Patrol Team jumps into action gathering measurements, identification information, and ensuring the nest is protected from predators and human disturbances. The data collected helps inform local, regional, and international conservation efforts.

Jekyll Island visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of this once-in-a-lifetime experience can join GSTC educators under the stars by registering for an Evening Turtle Walk or Ride with Night Patrol on select nights in June and July. There’s no guarantee a nesting turtle will appear, but the evening promises to make the night memorable!

The GSTC hospital and patrol teams continue to work diligently to rescue and rehabilitate these gentler creatures. Investments of any size are welcome and appreciate. GIVE NOW.

Here before you know it!

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Ben Carswell, JIA Director of Conservation and Sustainability

This year, 2022, marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Jekyll Island State Park. And yet, many visitors to Jekyll Island never know that this unique place contains more than just the Island itself. In fact, by the time one slows to make the turn from Highway 17 onto the Downing Musgrove Causeway, they have already crossed into its welcoming boundaries. The six miles of causeway to follow offers expansive views across nearly 7,000 acres of tidal marshlands brimming with biological diversity and dotted with forested marsh hammock isle-lets, all of which lies within the Park’s boundary. This lesser-known side of Jekyll Island, known as the “back-barrier marshes” covers more area than the Island itself and supports over half of the Wildlife Priority Species identified in the Jekyll Island Conservation Plan.

Like its State Park boundary, the work of the Jekyll Island Foundation doesn’t stop at the foot of the bridge onto the Island. The Jekyll Island Conservation Plan sets forth the following management priorities for the Causeway and back-barrier marshes:

  1. Minimize vehicle strike mortality of Wildlife Priority Species
  2. Reduce immigration of exotic-invasive plants and animals
  3. Prevent loss of elevation due to erosion or compaction of soils surrounding the Causeway
  4. Promote habitat diversity
  5. Maintain a safe and enjoyable experience for drivers and cyclists that affords opportunities to appreciate the natural beauty and abundance of wildlife evident upon arriving

The excellent work spearheaded by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to better understand and protect Diamondback Terrapins along the Causeway is a shining example for how Foundation dollars can make a difference towards achieving these goals. Another For the Record piece this month highlights the latest big step in efforts to help terrapins avoid roadway hazards. And coming soon, thanks to generous donor support through the Foundation, the Jekyll Island Authority will be able to add a mile of new native wildflower meadow along the east end of the Causeway, making arrival to the Island even more welcoming, not just for human visitors, but for pollinating bees and butterflies as well.

The Causeway and back-barrier marshes are a truly special part of the Jekyll Island experience that connects the Island with the broader community of Brunswick and the Golden Isles, mutually strengthening the well-being of many. The next time you turn onto the Jekyll Island Causeway, take your time, breath in the fresh air, brake for terrapins, and think about giving to the Jekyll Island Foundation. Your contributions go a long way towards empowering better stewardship of every corner of Jekyll Island State Park.   

It’s Turtle Crawl, Ya’ll!

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Alexa Hawkins, JIA Director of Marketing & Communications

Join other turtle-lovers at the annual Jekyll Island Turtle Crawl! Registration is underway for this fan-favorite event celebrating the start of sea turtle nesting season on the Georgia coast. Registrations from the Turtle Crawl races benefits the life-saving work of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on behalf of the Jekyll Island Foundation.

Returning to the road Saturday, April 30, participants can run the beachside 5K or 10K races and receive a commemorative t-shirt. Those who place at the top of their category will also receive a 2022 race metal. Families looking to participate together can join in the one-kilometer Fun Run and pose for a photo with the Center’s official mascot, Scute C. Turtle, and friends. For those who want to support the Georgia Sea Turtle Center from afar, or simply sleep in and still get a t-shirt, registrants can join the race through a virtual Ghost Crawler option. Following the races, join Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff for Shell-e-brate, the Center’s family-friendly all-day event featuring educational activities and visits with staff and animal ambassadors.

Turtle Crawl was created in 2003 as a fundraiser for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center which, with more than a decade in operation, has provided care for more than 3,000 patients, including a variety of sea turtle species and other coastal wildlife. Turtle Crawl participants have raised more than $100,000 to help save sea turtles, with more than $24,000 raised in 2021!

Become a sea turtle ambassador and race for a cause at this one-of-a-kind event supporting sea turtle conservation. Be sure to register soon as race registrations increase April 10 and online registration closed April 27!

A Year of Progress at Hollybourne Cottage

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Allison Dupuis, JIA Museum Educator

It’s hard to miss Hollybourne Cottage on a trip through the Historic District. The Cottage’s unique structure, enormous side porch, and tabby exterior attract curious visitors every day. These same features speak to the Maurice family’s love for Hollybourne and their devotion to preservation on Jekyll Island. Charles and Charlotte Maurice spearheaded the first rehabilitation of Horton House and the Dubignon cemetery, two other tabby structures on the island, in 1898. Even after Charles’ and Charlotte’s deaths, their children, especially their daughters Marion and Margaret, maintained their devotion to Jekyll Island and spent every winter season at Hollybourne until 1942.

Today, Hollybourne Cottage is a fascinating preservation work in progress. Throughout the past year, Jekyll Island Authority Historic Preservationist Taylor Davis and a host of volunteers have worked to make important improvements to the cottage’s exterior and interior features.

The most visible project from the outside is Hollybourne’s roof—the cottage’s original shingles were made of old growth cypress, and the team recently undertook a major roof preservation project. Hollybourne gained new, high-quality cedar shingles that are fire, rot, and bug resistant, aiding in the future preservation of the cottage.

Several interior features were upgraded as well. A stove hood in the service wing of the house had been removed from the building for eight years for stabilization and paint sampling to retain its original color. Volunteers rehung this stove hood in early 2022, along with the original basement door, which also underwent significant preservation.

In the dining room, the team continues work on the ceiling, including new lath (wooden strips) which will be left exposed. The ceiling project, along with several other projects in the dining room, aim to return the room to an interpretable level while leaving “windows to the past” to highlight construction methods.

Hollybourne Cottage’s story is ongoing. The most recent issue of 31•81, the Magazine of Jekyll Island, highlighted one of the cottage’s remarkable preservation stories. As Preservation Month approaches in May, make sure to visit Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum for opportunities to explore Hollybourne’s unique place in Jekyll Island history or click HERE to participate in the restoration of this beautiful piece of history.

Providing for Wildlife at Horton Pond

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Yank Moore, JIA Natural Resources Manager

Horton Pond has become a destination for many guests and their families while visiting Jekyll. The wildlife viewing area, basking platform, and nature trail funded by the Jekyll Island Foundation allows visitors a chance to experience the American Alligator, Night Herons, Wood Ducks, and various other wildlife in their natural habitat. The JIA Conservation team’s goal for this project has been to provide a space for people to enjoy nature while improving habitat value for wildlife, increase educational opportunities, and encourage guests to become better stewards of the environment.

Beyond what is visible to the public, the JIA’s Conservation Department manages Horton Pond to be as productive and natural as possible without using harsh chemicals or other invasive means of control. Instead, sterile grass carp were introduced to eat the underwater aquatic plants that would normally take herbicide to control, and a recently installed solar aeration system to supply much needed oxygen for fish and other underwater wildlife to flourish.

Recently another upgrade was made to the pond. Funded by generous donors of the Jekyll Island Foundation, a solar aeration system was installed to not only provide oxygen, but enhance water quality, limit excess nutrients, and keep algae from causing issues for wildlife. Horton Pond is man-made and has no natural water input like a stream or river so it must rely on surface runoff and groundwater. Without management this pond could suffer from a stagnation effect and without the aeration system the pond could go through cycles of bad health. The system installed at Horton Pond is powered completely by a solar panel harnessing the power of the sun and is efficient enough with timers and controls to run even on cloudy days.

To see the system in action, visit Horton Pond early in the mornings when aeration system is on and when the pond needs it the most.

The island’s lush tree cover is not all mother nature’s doing

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Erica Glasener, Atlanta Magazine Custom Media
Photos: Brian Lee, JIA Digital Content Manager

Jekyll Island’s magnificent trees, most notably the grand live oaks that line roadways and make up a good part of the native canopy, are a well-known and much-loved element of the look and feel of the island. The beauties filter the air, provide welcome shade, furnish needed habitat for the area’s pollinators, and supply a year-round elegance that is a part of the very definition of the island.

What visitors and residents may not be aware of, though, is the great lengths that are taken to maintain and preserve these natural wonders.  

Cliff Gawron, the director of landscape and planning for the Jekyll Island Authority, and his team are charged with keeping the island looking beautiful and natural. When it comes to the trees of Jekyll, “Our primary focus is to preserve the overall native canopy which Jekyll is known for,” Gawron says.

…

“In addition to annual appropriations from the JIA general budget, the Jekyll Island Authority works closely with several organizations—Georgia Forestry, Garden Clubs of Georgia, and the Jekyll Island Foundation through grants and donor gifts to further invest in reforestation of the island,” he says.

This article first appeared in Volume 5 Number 1 of 31•81, the Magazine of Jekyll Island. CONTINUE READING

To learn how you can support the Jekyll Island Foundation tree program, click HERE.

Shorebirds

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Ben Carswell, JIA Director of Conservation and Sustainability

The partnership between the Jekyll Island Authority, Georgia Audubon, Georgia Sea Grant, and Jekyll Island Foundation to support a State Sea Grant Fellowship based on Jekyll Island in 2020 and 2021 has ended following a productive and enriching year for Sergio Sabat-Bonilla. While Sergio has moved on to Ph.D. studies at Virginia Tech, thanks to his efforts, we now have a more complete understanding than ever before of how, when, and where shorebirds are using Jekyll Island’s beaches.

During his fellowship, Sergio logged countless hours surveying all of Jekyll’s beaches by bike and on foot, counting and identifying over 18-thousand individual birds representing 16 different species. Sergio found that the best time and place to see the greatest abundance of shorebirds while on island, is in the morning on the south end as the tide is rising but not yet high.

Another aspect of Sergio’s fellowship was to analyze four priority species – Wilson’s plover, piping plover, red knot, and American oystercatcher. Areas of research focused on where these species were most likely to be seen, at what stage of the tide, and at what time of day.

Piping plovers, a species that winters on Jekyll Island and is federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, were notably wider ranging along the beaches than had previously been assumed. Pipers, as they are affectionately called, and their cousins, the Wilson’s plover, utilize both Jekyll’s remote and less traveled beaches on the far south end of the island as well as the busier beaches fronting the island’s bustling Beach Village and Great Dunes Beach Park.

While it’s encouraging that these species are still finding space and food to support their needs even on Jekyll’s busiest beaches, it’s also cause for caution and awareness. As Jekyll Island has experienced increased visitation due to changing patterns of tourism during the pandemic, it is all the more essential for Jekyll Island conservation staff to continue to protect the wildlife habitat value of both Jekyll’s most pristine beaches as well as its most visited ones.

How can you participate?

  1. Be mindful and respectful of birds when visiting or walking pets on the beach.
  2. Educate – read articles on Wildlife Research, become an Environmental Steward, or sign up to take a seasonal Ranger Walk or Gatorology adventure.
  3. Help with bird conservation efforts by donating HERE.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes on Jekyll Island

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Joseph Colbert, JIA Wildlife Biologist

Last year through support from Jekyll Island Foundation donors, the Jekyll Island Authority Conservation department research team introduced its Eastern Diamondback Health Study (EDHS). When the study began, a search of resources and known literature was conducted to learn more about snake health only to discover there is very little information available on the subject. This is particularly true of the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes that researchers have been working with for a decade on the island, which presented an opportunity for the first Jekyll Island study of its kind.

The purpose of the EDHS was to evaluate what blood chemistry can reveal about snake health. For example, when people go to a doctor for a check-up, they provide a blood sample, and if the results show they are high or low in a specific value, such as calcium, proteins, or triglycerides, those results give the doctor information about the health of their patient. Likewise, animals that are healthy or unhealthy also have blood chemistry that falls within a specific range of values. As a result of the bloodwork study, the research team now has detailed health information for eastern diamondback rattlesnakes on Jekyll Island and are working on publishing these results in scientific literature so other wildlife biologists and veterinarians can reference. This breakthrough information reveals when a snake is sick or under stress which, unlike some other animal species, is difficult or impossible to know by just looking at them.

However, the most exciting discovery is that before becoming pregnant, females have elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, and triglycerides up to 12 months prior to giving birth. This is remarkable because snakes only gestate (carry) for approximately 6-7 months. Because researchers seek to secure the future of native wildlife that utilize Jekyll Island, understanding reproduction dynamics is key. When tracking eastern diamondbacks, staff is often able to observe pregnant females or witness that they’ve given birth (rattlesnakes bear live young). By comparing the blood chemistry of the 6 females in the study with blood taken from 50 other snakes, the team now confirms that pregnancy can be predicted in eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, another major first. Researchers believe these results are likely to apply to other reptile species in need of conservation. By sampling individuals in a specific location, biologists can use Jekyll Island research results to determine if a population is thriving or suffering and how many females are pregnant.

So, on your next excursion into nature, think about how the health of the animals that share our world is as important to them and their survival as your health is to you. For some animals, such as eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, individual health can also be a matter of species survival. The Jekyll Island Authority Conservation department is grateful of the support from donors of the Jekyll Island Foundation for funding this important, breakthrough research project.

To support the work of the Jekyll Island Foundation, click HERE.