thesy lvaniatimes. com
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 - Page 11
The Sylvania Times
Wanted:
Proposals for
Georgia Wildlife
Viewing Grants
Special to
The Sylvania Times
Georgia is offering a help
ing hand to projects that
help people experience the
animals, plants and natu
ral habitats emphasized in
Georgia's State Wildlife
Action Plan.
The opportunity comes
by way of the state Depart
ment of Natural Resources'
Wildlife Viewing Grants
Program. The agency is
now accepting proposals
for 2023. The deadline to
apply online at georgiaw-
ildlife.com/WildlifeView-
ingGrants is February 7,
2023.
The grants are capped
at $3,000 per project and
supported through the Non
game Wildlife Conserva
tion Fund, which is man
aged by DNR's Wildlife
Conservation Section.
Wildlife Conservation
Section Chief Jon Ambrose
said the goal is to provide
viewing opportunities that
raise awareness of native
animals not fished for or
hunted, rare native plants
and natural habitats — par
ticularly those considered
conservation priorities in
the Wildlife Action Plan.
This comprehensive strat
egy (georgiawildlife.com/
WildlifeActionPlan) is fo
cused on conserving Geor
gia wildlife and their hab
itats before these plants,
animals and places become
rarer and costly to conserve
or restore.
"Offering opportunities
for people to get outdoors
and see and better appre
ciate wildlife in need of
conservation is not only
important for these species,
it's vital for Georgians,"
Ambrose said. "Research
shows that conservation of
natural environments is a
significant factor in main
taining human health and
quality of life."
The six projects ap
proved last year varied
from creating shorebird
guides to inform the pub
lic about priority species
on Georgia's beaches to
observation platforms built
along a nature trail at Hard
Labor Creek State Park
near Rutledge and adding
trees and plants to expand
AND CANDLELIGHT
214$, MAIN STREET SYLVANIA, GA,
FBCSYLVANIA.ORG
a pollinator-focused and
publicly accessible view
ing site at Lavonia Elemen
tary School.
Although the grants are
small, the interest they
tap is big. About l-in-4
Georgians, or 2.4 million
people, took part in wild
life-viewing activities in
2011, spending an estimat
ed $1.8 billion, according
to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service survey. Nation
wide, the number of Amer
icans involved in wildlife
viewing surged from about
72 million in 2011 to 86
million in 2016, more than
a third of the nation's adult
population, the Fish and
Wildlife Service reports.
Grant proposals can in
clude facilities, improve
ments and other initiatives
that provide opportunities
for the public — including
underserved groups — to
observe nongame animals,
plants and natural habitats.
Notification of awards will
be made by March 24. Visit
georgiawildlife.com/Wild-
lifeViewingGrants to learn
more and submit proposals.
DNR's Wildlife Conser
vation Section relies large
ly on fundraisers, grants
and contributions. Sales
and renewals of DNR's
eagle, hummingbird and
monarch/pollinator license
plates are the top fundraiser
annually.
Project at a glance:
—Project proposals should
provide public opportuni
ties to observe native wild
life and natural habitats,
with an emphasis on spe
cies considered conserva
tion priorities in Georgia's
State Wildlife Action Plan
(georgiawildlife.com/Wild-
lifeActionPlan).
—File proposals at
georgiawildlife.com/Wild-
lifeViewingGrants. The
website includes details.
—Deadline to apply: Feb. 7
—Grants are limited to
$3,000 each. Funding is
provided through Georgia's
Nongame Wildlife Conser
vation Fund.
AVERITT
CENTER
FOR THE ARTS
>4 hill's Happening
Here’s a schedule of upcoming events at the Averitt Center,
33 E. Main, Statesboro. For ticket information please contact
the box office at 912-212-2787.
January 13 7:30 p.m.
One: Gazzie White
for more info and tickets: averittcenterforthearts.org/gazzie-white
General Public Tickets $20. Members/Military/First Responders/City & County Employees $20. Students $15.
January 21 7:30 p.m.
K/arla Harris & the Joe Alterman Trio
for more info and tickets: averittcenterforthearts.org/karlaharris-joe-alterman-trio
General Public Tickets $30. Members/Military/First Responders/City & County Employees $25
January 27-28 7:30 p.m.
Dark Desert Highway Band
for more info and tickets: averittcenterforthearts.org/darkdeserthighwayband-eaglestributeband
General Public Tickets $25 Emma Kelly Theater
2022 FORD F150
Crew Cab
Stop in today, mention this AD
and receive $1,000.00
off either one of the Ford F-150
All nayments ane calculated at 75 months c-ir $l 7S0 down
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330 US-301 Frontage, Sylvania, GA 30467 Sales: 912-388-0728 Service: 912-342-2293 Parts: 912*226-6617
