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Wednesday, December 26,2018
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Conserving forests in Northeast Ga. just
got a little easier, farm bill proponents say
By Joshua Silavent
DCN Regional Staff
The U.S. Congress earlier this
month passed a bipartisan $867
billion farm bill that includes the
Chattahoochee-Oconee National
Forest Land Adjustment Act,
which lawmakers said will
expand recreation in northeast
Georgia through “modified land
exchanges.”
The act allows the U.S. Forest
Service to sell isolated parcels
within the two national forests.
The Chattahoochee National
Forest comprises 750,145 acres
across northeast Georgia, with
large swaths in Rabun County.
The proceeds from the sale of
30 identified parcels totaling
3,841 acres would be used to
purchase additional forest service
land from private landowners
within the forest’s boundaries.
Conservationists applauded the
passage of the act.
“The money generated from
the sales of these small areas of
land will be put towards buying
more critical lands for
conservation and recre
ation, a result that bene
fits all Georgians,” Deron
Davis, executive director
of The N ature
Conservancy in Georgia,
said in a statement.
According to The
Conservation Fund, the
act “will help to streamline land
management, better protect key
'On behalf of the Georgians who spend theirtime and make their liv
ing using our state's forests, I'm thankful that my friend David Perdue
and I were able to bring these improvements to land management
over the finish line.'
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville
Perdue
habitats, and enhance
recreational access for
hunting, fishing and hik
ing.”
U.S. Sen. David
Perdue, R-Ga., said the
act will also update park
boundaries to improve
recreational access and
support its economic impact on
the region.
“Northeast Georgians
have always been
thoughtful stewards of
their beautiful landscape,
and the Chattahoochee-
Oconee National Forest
Land Adjustment Act
will expand their oppor
tunities to hunt, fish, hike
and care for local forests,” U.S.
Rep. Doug Collins,
Collins
R-Gainesville, said in a
statement. “On behalf of
the Georgians who spend
their time and make their
living using our state’s
forests, I’m thankful that
my friend David Perdue
and I were able to bring
these improvements to
land management over the finish
line.”
Registration for springtime Paddle Georgia opens today
Photo courtesy Georgia River Network
From staff reports
For the fourth consecu
tive year, Georgia River
Network and Satilla
Riverkeeper are hosting
Paddle Georgia Spring on
the Satilla, a two-day,
21-mile canoe and kayak
adventure on the blackwa-
ter river.
The paddle is set for
April 6-7, and online regis
tration opens at 8 a.m. Dec.
26 at garivers.org/spring-
on-the-satilla/. Spaces are
limited to the first 120 reg
istrants.
The event includes on-
river camping, two full
days of paddling, educa
tional programs, catered
breakfasts, lunches and
dinners, opportunities to
learn chemical water moni
toring as well as games
and other activities.
“This is a great trip for
individuals or families that
have always dreamed of
doing an overnight canoe
and kayak trip but weren’t
quite sure how to go about
it,” said Paddle Georgia
Coordinator Joe Cook.
“We’ve taken the guess
work out of the logistics of
vehicle shuttles, meals and
camping, and the flatwater
paddling is an easy intro
duction to canoeing and
kayaking for first timers.”
The purpose of the trip is
to engage citizens in pro
tecting the Satilla and
Georgia’s other rivers
while raising money to
help protect these water
ways. The event will also
highlight Satilla
Riverkeeper’s efforts to
establish a recreational
boating trail on the river.
Satilla Riverkeeper has
been instrumental in orga
nizing the Satilla River
Water Trail with intensive
technical assistance from
Georgia River Network.
The Satilla River Water
Trail is a recreational boat
ing trail with designated
public access points along a
175-mile stretch of the river.
The water trail was offi
cially established in Fall
2016 with the development
of signage, brochures,
maps, a website and more.
“The water trail not only
serves as an important
source of tourism and eco
nomic development for
local communities but also
a way to bring attention to
the river as an valuable
resource that needs protec
tion,” said Gwyneth
Moody, GRN’s director of
programs and outreach.
Registration fees range
$120-$235 per person and
include all meals for the
weekend, tent campsite,
shuttles to the river and all
education programs.
For those without their
own boats, canoe and
kayak rentals will be
offered through event
sponsor, Southeast
Adventure Outfitters in
St. Simons.
Georgia River Network
is a statewide organization
working to ensure a clean
water legacy by engaging
and empowering
Georgians to protect,
restore and enjoy our rivers
from the mountains to the
coast. Satilla Riverkeeper’s
mission is to protect,
restore, and educate about
the ecological values and
unique beauty of the
Satilla River.
The organization works
to insure adequate quality
and quantity of water in the
Satilla River for all uses.
Sponsors of Spring on
the Satilla include
Hennessy Land Rover
Centres; Southeast
Adventure Outfitters;
Cedar Creek RV and
Outdoor Center; Nomadic
Flow Outfitters; Cary
Baxter, CPA; CYA
Agency, Inc.; Oglethorpe
Power; StreamTechs; Terry
Pate, PC, CPA; China Clay
Producers Association;
Georgia Mining
Association; Storm Water
Systems; The Rain Barrel
Depot; Patagonia;
EarthShare of Georgia;
Len Foote Hike Inn; and
Friends of Georgia State
Parks. Partners include
Americ an Canoe
Association, Cafe
Campesino, Georgia
Canoe Association,
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream
and Project WET.
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