Review and Approvals Okefenokee National

Home , Grand Bay (Georgia), Okefenokee Swamp Park, Suwannee Canal

s REVIEW AND APPROVALS

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1993

ate INTRODUCTION

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is situated in the southeastern Georgia counties of Ware, Charlton and Clinch and northeastern Florida's Baker County . The refuge was established by Executive Order in 1937 and consists presently of 395,080 acres . The primary purpose of the refuge 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 the refuge, and 353,981 acres within the swamp were designed as wilderness by the Okefenokee Wilderness Act of 1974 . In 1986, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was designated by the Wetlands Convention as a Wetland of International Importance .

Okefenokee's natural beauty was first threatened in the 1890's, when attempts were made to drain the swamp to facilitate logging operations . The Suwannee Canal was dug 11 .5 miles into the swamp from Camp Cornelia . After the failure of this project, known as "Jackson's Folly," other interests acquired the swamp and began removing timber in 1909, using a network of tramroads extending 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 0 marked the culmination of a movement that had been initiated at least 25 years earlier by a group of scientists from Cornell University who recognized the education, scientific and recreational values of this unique area . The Okefenokee Preservation Society, formed in 1918, promoted nationwide interest in the swamp . With the support of state and local interests and numerous conservation and scientific organizations, the Federal Government acquired most of the swamp for refuge purposes in 1936 .

The Okefenokee Swamp is actually a vast peat bog filling a huge saucer- shaped sandy depression that was perhaps once part of the ocean floor . The upper margin of the swamp, or the "swamp line," ranges in elevation from 128 feet above sea level on the northeast side to 103 feet on the southwest side . The shallow, dark-stained waters of Okefenokee flow slowly but continuously across the swamp toward the two outlets--the famed Suwannee River on the southwest side and the historic St . Marys River on the southeast . The eight predominant habitat types on the refuge include 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 the Suwannee Canal, the east entrance which is the location of the refuge headquarters is located 11 miles 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 18 miles northeast of Fargo, Georgia . This state park is operated on refuge lands under the provisions of a long-term agreement with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources . The refuge's north entrance is via the Okefenokee Swamp Park which is located about 13 miles south of Waycross, Georgia . This park is administered by a non-profit organization on refuge and state forestlands . Kingfisher Landing located between Folkston and Waycross and the Sill area on the west side are considered the secondary entrances into the refuge . INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A . HIGHLIGHTS 1

B . CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 2

C . LAND ACQUISITION

1 . Fee Title (Nothing to Report) 2 . Easements (Nothing to Report) 3 . Other 5

D . PLANNING

1 . Master Plan (Nothing to Report) 2 . Management Plan (Nothing to Report) 3 . Public Participation 4 . Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resources Mandates 6 5 . Research and Investigations 6 6 . Other (Nothing to Report)

E . ADMINISTRATION

1 . Personnel 14 2 . Youth Programs 14 3 . Other Manpower Programs (Nothing to Report) 4 . Volunteer Program 15 5 . Funding 16 6 . Safety 16 7 . Technical Assistance (Nothing to Report) 8 . Other 17

F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1 . General 21 2 . Wetlands 21 3 . Forests 27 4 . Croplands (Nothing to Report) 5 . Grasslands (Nothing to Report) 6 . Other Habitats (Nothing to Report) 7 . Grazing (Nothing to Report) 8 . Haying (Nothing to Report) 9 . Fire Management 37 10 . Pest Control (Nothing to Report) 11 . Water Rights (Nothing to Report) 12 . Wilderness and Special Areas 46 13 . WPA Easement Monitoring (Nothing to Report) 0 G . WILDLIFE

1 . Wildlife Diversity 48 S 2 . Endangered and/or Threatened Species 48 3 . Waterfowl 53 4 . Marsh and Water Birds 55 5 . Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species 55 6 . Raptors 55 7 . Other Migratory Birds 56 8 . Game Mammals 56 9 . Marine Mammals (Nothing to Report) 10 . Other Resident Wildlife 57 11 . Fisheries Resources 58 12 . Wildlife Propagation and Stocking (Nothi(Nothing to Report) 13 . Surplus Animal Disposal (Nothing to Report) 14 . Scientific Collections 58 15 . Animal Control 58 16 . Marking and Banding 59 17 . Disease Prevention and Control . . . . (Nothing to Report)

H . PUBLIC USE

1 . General 60 2 . Outdoor Classrooms - Students 60 3 . Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers 60 4 . Interpretive Foot Trails 61 5 . Interpretive Tour Routes 61 6 . Interpretive Exhibits/ Demonstrations 62 7 . Other Interpretive Programs 62 8 . Hunting 64 9 . Fishing 64 10 . Trapping (Nothing to Report) 11 . Wildlife Observation 65 12 . Other Wildlife-Oriented Recreation 66 13 . Camping (Nothing to Report) 14 . Picnicking (Nothing to Report) 15 . Off-Road Vehicling (Nothing to Report) 16 . Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation (Nothing to Report) 17 . Law Enforcement 66 18 . Cooperating Association 68 19 . Concessions 69

I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1 . New Construction 70 2 . Rehabilitation 70 3 . Major Maintenance 70 4 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement 70 5 . Communication Systems 73 6 . Computer Systems 73 7 . Energy Conservation 73 8 . other (Nothing to Report) 0 J . OTHER ITEMS

1 . Cooperative Programs 74 2 . Other Economic Uses (Nothing to Report) 3 . Items of Interest (Nothing to Report) 4 . Credits 74

K . FEEDBACK 75

L . INFORMATION PACKET --- (inside back cover) 1

A . HIGHLIGHTS

M . Skippy Reeves assumes vacated manager position (Section E .1) .

Gnatcatcher Wildfire (Section F .9) .

Marajuana gardens discovered in and around refuge (Section H .17) .

Perimeter Road bridges completed (Section I .1) .

0 2

B . CLIMATICCONDITIONS

A severe winter storm hit the refuge in March . While precipitation amounted to only a light dusting (i .e ., no accumulation) of snow, winds were >50 mph . Damage to the refuge will be addressed in specific sections .

Table 1 . Mean and absolute minimum and maximum monthly temperatures (F) recorded at Camp Cornelia during 1993 . Average Average Absolute Absolute Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Jan 48 .6 68 .5 31 79 • Feb 42 .2 65 .4 26 74 Mar 46 .9 72 .4 25 88 Apr 47 .8 80 .1 35 89 May 59 .5 87 .3 47 93 Jun 67 .1 93 .2 57 100 Jul 69 .4 96 .4 65 101 Aug 69 .9 94 .4 65 100 Sep 67 .0 91 .0 50 95 Oct 57 .0 79 .8 39 89 Nov 49 .8 72 .5 29 86 Dec 37 .9 93 .5 24 78 3

Table 2 . Nineteen ninety-three monthly and 48-year mean monthly precipitation amounts (inches) recorded at Camp Cornelia .

Average 1993 1945-1992

Jan 6 .90 3 .38

Feb 2 .01 3 .52

Mar 4 .05 4 .20

Apr 0 .85 3 .39

May 1 .42 4 .01

Jun 4 .71 5 .89

Jul 4 .65 7 .74

Aug 1 .97 7 .32

Sep 4 .97 5 .27

Oct 6 .80 3 .06

Nov 5 .55 2 .15

Dec 2 .01 2 .85

TOT 45 .90 52 .85

0 4

30 60

25 50 c C 3 . 20 40 C aE 0 15 30 z Q Ir Q) C ~ 10 20 s 0

0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Figure 1 . Nineteen ninety-three monthly (bars) and 48-year average, cumulative monthly (lines) precipitation amounts for Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge . Data were collected on the refuge's east side . 5

C . LANDACOUISITION

3 . Other

The staff began management (i .e ., initial landowner contact) of the first of five FmHA easement properties . Mgrs . Reeves, Mallard and Earle met with landowner Jimmy Johnson and toured his 350-acre easement . Unlike most landowners, Mr . Johnson purchased the property because it was an easement . The land is mostly bottomland hardwoods in the Ogeechee River flood plain . Mr . Johnson uses the property as a hunting area and a weekend/vacation getaway .

Other remaining FmHA landowners will be contacted in early 1994, and the easement boundaries marked . 6

D . PLANNING

4 . Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resources Mandates

Contractor Newell Wright completed work on a cultural resources inventory of the recently completed Swamps Edge Fire Break . The final report on this project has not yet been received .

Chris Trowell, retired college professor, mapped archaeological debris in the area of the old logging camp on Billys Island .

During the Gnatcatcher Fire, a fire crew located numerous Indian mounds on Blackjack Island .

5 . Research and Investigations

The Role of Bacterial Processes in the Biogeochemistrv of Humic Substances in the Okefenokee Swamp Ecosystem - Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr . R . E . Hodson and Dr . M . A . Moran will be the principal investigators for this study . This study is supported by the National Science Foundation and is a continuation of Hodson's previous study "Microbial Mediation of Organic Carbon Transformations in an Emergent Macrophyte-Dominated Habitat of the Okefenokee Swamp Ecosystem" . Sample collection will begin next year . The objectives of the study will emphasize the following :

1) the role of bacteria in the cycling of refractory dissolved organic carbon and

2) the role of humic substances in supporting bacterial food webs .

Heat Transfer Into the Duff and Organic Soil - U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service and U . S . Forest Service Intermountain Research Station

Although this study is not being conducted on Okefenokee NWR, investigators Roger Hungerford and Kevin Ryan visited the refuge to compare peat soils and conditions with their study sites . Three sediment levels were sampled on the edge of Seagrove Lake (scrub-shrub), in Chesser Prairie (prairie) and along the Chesser Island Boardwalk (scrub-shrub) .

Feasibility of Implementing Fire Monitoring Handbook of the National Park Service-Western Region in a Complex Eastern Ecosystem - Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL

Much of the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service's fire management activities occur in the southeastern United States . It appears the Western fire monitoring handbook (FMH) has potential in ecosystems as complex as in the southeast with little or no modification . However, before this handbook is adopted, it needs to be independently tested as to its applicability and cost effectiveness . Following are the objectives :

1 . To determine if some of the monitoring procedures of the FMH can effectively measure fire and fire effects in complex eastern ecosystems .

2 . If the established procedures in the FMH will not accomplish the established fire and fire effects monitoring objectives, make recommendations about any procedural modifications .

3 . To objectively determine the material and labor cost of implementing the FMH and/or modifications . 7

Accomplishments thus far on this study include the establishment of eight plots in Compartment 3, Compartment 8 and along Dragline Road . The vegetation has been surveyed within each plot . The plots are now ready for prescribed burning along with the surrounding area .

A list of plant species has been compiled including those species found within the study plots and also those found in existing refuge experimental burn plots in Compartment 3 . Plant specimens are mounted for future refuge staff use .

TheHealthofAmphibianandReptilePopulationsatOkefenokeeNational Wildlife Refuqe-Southeast Georgia - Ecological Services, Brunswick, GA

Contaminant Specialist Greg Masson is currently collecting amphibians and reptiles from the swamp to determine whether there is an affect from contaminants within the Okefenokee Ecosystem on amphibian and reptile populations . Analysis will provide baseline data on the contaminant loading and determine if there is reduced reproductive competence due to environmental contaminants .

BioaccumulationofMercuryand LeadinSelectedFoodChainsandTrophic LevelsoftheOkefenokeeNationalWildlifeRefuge andPossible Impactson theBiota - National Fisheries Research Center, Athens, GA

Beverly Arnold-Hill, a Ph .D . candidate, is examining levels of contaminants (mercury and lead) in bladderwort, crayfish, frogs, chain pickerel, alligators, and green-backed herons . The purpose is to determine the relationship between metal concentrations and reproductive ability of selected species .

Field work was initiated in 1993 and will be completed in 1994 . A final report is expected in 1996 .

Taxonomy of Black Bears in the Southeastern United States - Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Three black bear subspecies have been recognized in the southeastern United States . However, current data fail to reveal substantial differences in any of the populations . For this reason, a more comprehensive study was initiated in 1992 to examine the following objectives :

1) To clarify the taxonomy of black bears in the southeastern United States .

2) To determine if Ursus americanus luteolus and U . a . floridanus are genetically and/or morphologically distinctive from the more widespread U . a . americanus .

3) To determine if U . a . luteolus and U . a . floridanus should be grouped as one subspecies .

Okefenokee NWR and surrounding area was selected as one of 31 sample populations to be studied . Trapping at Okefenokee NWR was completed in 1992 . Other populations in the southeast were trapped in 1993 . Samples are in the process of being analyzed and results are expected in 1994 .

Influence of Food Availability on Black Bear Bait Station Visits in Southeastern Georqia - GA Department of Natural Resources

Emphasis on the black bear in the southeast is growing, requiring a reliable method of census and increased knowledge on resource availability . Wes Abler, state biologist, initiated a study in 1992 examining the following objectives : 8

1) To test the effectiveness of stations baited with sardines versus stations baited with a concentrated raspberry extract attractant .

2) To evaluate the relationship between seasonal food availability and bear use of a bait station index technique .

3) To determine seasonal food availability and activity patterns of bears in southeast Georgia .

4) To validate the index technique and collect baseline index data on portions of the populations outside of Dixon Memorial Wildlife Management Area (DMWMA) .

For the second consecutive year, refuge staff established 74 sardine bait stations along six transect lines in July . The Georgia Department of Natural Resources also conducted transects around the perimeter of the swamp at the same time . Stations were checked after eight days .

Sardine baits were not effectively utilized as in past years on Surveyor's Creek Wildlife Management Area nor on the periphery of the swamp . Stations on the refuge experienced a 14 .9% visitation rate compared to a 12 .5% visitation rate in 1992 (Figure 2) .

Figure 2 . YCC enrollee Josh Popham and intern Holly Furholmen return from checking sardine bait station . Interior stations are limited by access and location of trees and are not always placed in ideal bear habitat . (07/93) 93-02 SMB 9

FateofAirborne Contaminantsin OkefenokeeNationalWildlifeRefuge - 0 Athens Field Research Station, U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service Okefenokee NWR has been designated a Class I Air Quality Area . Little information exists regarding the quality of the refuge's airshed, but due to the number of facilities in the airshed that emit airborne pollutants, the potential for adverse impacts is high . Recent studies have shown elevated concentrations of mercury and lead in fish fillets taken from the refuge .

Through this multi-year study, the following objectives will be addressed :

1) Determine the chemical characteristics (e .g . pH, mercury, lead, cations, anions, nutrients) of wet-atmospheric deposition to the refuge .

2) Determine the chemical characteristics of surface water on the refuge .

3) Determine the chemical and physical characteristics of sediments on the refuge .

4) Determine the concentrations of metal residues in fish from the refuge .

5) Provide a synthesis of the information collected that will describe the inputs, storage compartments and fate of the atmospherically-deposited constituents on the refuge .

The sediment core collected from Bluff Lake in 1992 was aged at various levels and analyzed for mercury . Mercury deposition was fairly uniform until about 1830 . With the increase in industrial activity in the mid- 1800's, the mercury concentrations increased in the sediments until the 1970's when the Clean Air Act was implemented . Mercury since this time has continued to decline .

Mercury concentrations in chain pickerel collected in 1992 along six transects in Chesser, Chase, and Grand Prairies and Suwannee Canal ranged from 0 .35 to 0 .45 ug/g wet weight .

Surface water, pore water, floc, and sediment were collected from Chesser, Chase, and Durdin Prairies and also along the River Narrows during summer and fall . With this limited sample, there appears to be marked differences in particular chemical characteristics as illustrated by Figure 3 .

Seven rain samples have been collected to date . Atmospheric deposition of mercury ranges from about 4 .5 to 17 .0 ng/L and lead concentrations vary between 0 and 1 .7 ug/L .

Surface Water Pore Water

OZinc MIZinc Manganese .n Manganese a a ® Lead ® Lead Chromium

o~~ot ~o ~,'~ ~k Gr 61 Grog OJ~a Floc Sediment

tZinc 1Zinc Manganese Manganese E ® Lead a IN Lead a Nickel Nickel

S a0 Gro r ~o c 0 O o§

Figure 3 . Spatial differences in chemical characteristics of surface water, ore water, floc, and sediment . 11

Methane Flux FromFreshwaterWetlandsofFlorida - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

Recent attention has been on the importance of methane as a "greenhouse gas ." Methane is generated in anoxic sediments as the end product of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter . This study proposed to quantify methane emissions from freshwater wetlands (pristine and reclaimed) in Florida and relate emission rates to aquatic plant type and soil physico- chemical properties through the following objectives :

1) Determine methane emissions from selected wetland sites using insitu chamber techniques .

2) Determine dissolved methane concentration profiles in the soil under insitu conditions in selected wetland sites .

3) Establish the relationship between methane emissions and soil physico- chemical properties .

4) Determine the effect of nitrate and sulfate on methane emissions from selected wetlands .

Okefenokee's Grand Prairie was selected as a sample site in a pristine wetland . The remaining three sites were located in Florida . Results from this study were received in 1993 . Methane flux through plants was highest at the reclaimed wetland sites . The potential methane production rates were more evenly distributed throughout the sediment profile at Okefenokee and at Apopka Marsh than at Everglades and Sunny Hill Farm Wetland . The profile of sulfate concentration at Okefenokee was always less than 0 .2 mg . L'i

Effects of Hydrologic Alterations on the Ecoloqv of Okefenokee Swamp . - University of Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Cyndy Loftin, Ph .D . candidate, continued working on this study initiated in 1991 . The study precipitated from the need to address the future of the deteriorated Suwannee River sill water control structures . The following are the objectives :

1) Document the vegetation changes which have occurred since the sill was constructed .

2) Document the spatial and temporal effects of the sill on the swamp hydrology through the development of a monitoring network and hydrologic model .

3) Develop succession models to describe current vegetation community distributions and structures associated with hydrologic features and fire management, and identify community changes which have occurred since the sill was built . Expected changes in vegetation community distributions and structures resulting from manipulating the sill will be extrapolated with these models .

Accomplishments in 1993 include :

The historic water level readings taken with the chart recorders (1980- 1993) were transcribed, proofed and corrected to true elevation above mean sea level . Precipitation records from this same source have not yet been corrected . Data from the digital water level recorders have been referenced to true elevation . 12

The exposure-inundation seed bank experiment continues in the greenhouse (Figure 4) . Two sample periods were completed during the year . There appears to be germination differences among samples taken from different vegetation zones, prairies, seasons and between exposed and inundated treatments

Eighty vegetation transects were surveyed in July and August which completed two sample periods for the study . The transects were located in all the major prairies except Chase Prairie .

i FAF/- 4e

Figure 4 . Peat samples from five locations in the swamp line the greenhouse for an exposure-inundation seed bank experiment . (05/93) 93-04 CSL

EthologyandNatural HistoryoftheAmericanAlliqators,Alligator mississippiensis . - Zoo Atlanta Howard Hunt, Curator of Herpetology for Zoo Atlanta, continued his research on the American alligator in the Okefenokee Swamp . This study focuses on factors impacting reproductive success, by observing parental behavior around nest sites and predation of nests . Due to low water levels in Chesser and Grand Prairies, travel was restricted to 12km of boat trails (Figure 5) . Three alligator nests were located between 25 June to 10 July . Predators destroyed or consumed all eggs within these three nests . From 1976 to 1989, depredations in the study area eliminated 83 of 103 nests for a predation rate of 81% . The black bear is considered the primary predator on alligator nests . From 1989 through 1993, the predation rate was 70% of 20 nests . Thus, in the last five years, fewer nests have been produced annually but the predation rate has been lower . 13

Figure 5 . Alligator researcher Howard Hunt had difficult water levels through Chesser Prairie to navigate in order to reach alligator nests for observation . (07/93) 93-05 HH

OtherResearchers

The following researchers obtained special use permits from the refuge to collect preliminary data for potential studies .

Paul Hendrix, Assistant Professor at Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, collected earthworms for identification on Billys Island . He hoped that an undisturbed community without the presence of the introduced exotic European earthworm species would be found . His search found that the European species already existed at the north end of the island and time did not allow him access at the south end of the island that was not inhabited .

Bill Evans from Cornell University recorded swamp sounds from 200-500 ft above the swamp using a remote controlled Helium balloon .

Dr . C . Kenneth Dodd, a zoologist with the National Ecology Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, searched Chesser Island and surrounding areas for striped newts (Notophthalmus perstriatus) . The newts were not found during the survey . The extent of past and continuing habitat loss suggests that remaining populations are highly fragmented and isolated . Only three separate locations in the Atlantic coastal plain of Georgia are known to have newts . 14

E . ADMINISTRATION

1 . Personnel

John Gahr came on board January 10 as a Park Ranger . Previously, John had worked with the Service in Umatilla NWR in Oregon and Kenai NWR in Alaska .

Skippy Reeves, formerly Region 4's Supervisory Forester/Fire Management Coordinator, came on board on February 21 as the Refuge Manager .

Clerk-Typist Huling's title was changed to Office Automation Clerk, and she was converted from a temporary position to a permanent position effective March 21 .

Supervisory Forester Wetzel was promoted to a GS-9 and Forestry Technician Horsley was promoted to a GS-6 .

In November, the warrant authorities of Contracting Officers Davis and Campbell were raised to $10,000 each .

Recruitment for an assistant wildlife biologist (GS-7/9) was initiated in October . Due to funding, this position was not filled .

For the 11th straight year, a temporary seasonal fire crew was employed to assist with wildfire suppression, emergency pre-suppression and other national emergency activities .

During PP 9314 ending June 26, this station had 22 refuge staff, 16 firefighters and 5 YCC enrollees (Figures 7 and 8) .

A 5-year comparison of Okefenokee's approved staffing pattern is shown below :

Full-time Part-time Temporary Firefighters

FY 1993 22 2 (1 .56 FTE) 0 15 FY 1992 21 2 (1 .56 FTE) 2 (1 .5 FTE) 16 FY 1991 22 1 (0 .8 FTE) 2 (1 .6 FTE) 15 FY 1990 19 2 (1 .6 FTE) 1 (1 .0 FTE) 21 FY 1989 19 1 (0 .8 FTE) 2 (2 .0 FTE) 12

2 . YouthPrograms

This year's Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) employed four enrollees and one youth leader . Two enrollees and the youth leader were stationed on the east side and two enrollees on the west side . The program began on June 14 and ended on August 14 .

Landscape and trail maintenance occupied the majority of their time . Other projects included Chesser Island Homestead maintenance, litter patrol, facility maintenance, and assisting with various interpretive and biological projects . The highlight of the summer was two Environmental Education field trips taken to White Oak Plantation and Cumberland Island National Seashore . White Oak Plantation specializes in captive breeding of various endangered species, some of which are exotic . The group had the opportunity to view these animals which including the Florida Panther . On the trip to Cumberland Island, the crew had the chance to interact with the National Park Service YCC crew and learn about the various habitats found on a 0 barrier island . 15

4 . VolunteerProaram

The volunteer program involved 136 volunteers who contributed a total of 6,706 hours in FY 1993 .

Special pot-luck picnics occurred during the year . In May, Okefenokee NWR honored volunteers during a picnic . Twenty volunteers received certificates and volunteer T-shirts for over 100 hours and pins for 200, 500 and 1,000 hours .

Boy Scout Troop 1123, from Winter Haven, Florida, received a plaque in appreciation of contributing over 6,000 hours of their time the past 9- years . Many of our volunteers assisted with special programs throughout the year, (i .e ., 1st Annual "Sandhill Crane" program, annual National Wildlife Week, Okefenokee Festival, and Christmas Yule Log Ceremony) . Without these volunteers, the special programs presented throughout the year could not have been accomplished .

Holly Furholmen, a student at College of the Atlantic, completed an 11-weeH internship with the biological program . She assisted with red-cockaded woodpecker surveys, black bear bait stations, miscellaneous wildlife surveys and data entry (Figure 6) .

Steve Elsen and Charlotte Lackey also completed internships during the 0 year . Steve worked with the forestry program and Charlotte worked with the biological and public use programs .

The number of volunteer hours contributed by category is as follows

Maintenance 5,053 Resource Support 1,135 Public Use 1,006 Administrative Support 602 Total 7,796

Figure 6 . Holly Furholmen, internship from College of Atlantic, put in 440 volunteer hours . (07/93) 93-06 SMB

5 . Funding

Table 3 . Comparison of 5-year funding .

ACTIVITY 1993* 1992 1991 1990 1989

1260 748 .9 732 .3 644 .0 598 .1 564 .7 6860 60 .0 50 .0 60 .0 60 .0 60 .0 9110 99 .9 71 .5 80 .4 66 .6 -- 9120 584 .2 590 .3 490 .2 439 .0 -- 4960 -- 18 .8 18 .6 22 .0 9 .3 1132 28 .8 ------1221 -- 5 .0 2821 586 .5 1642 .5 -- -- TOTAL 2079 .5 3148 .5 1313 .2 1185 .7 634 .0

*Includes all funds coded to activities listed . May include following : Challenge/UST/MMS/YCC/Contaminants .

6 . Safety

Safety meetings were held during the year . Work hazard forms were completed and tailgate sessions were held before the beginning of each work project . First Aid, CPR and defensive driving training were provided to the refuge staff, firefighters and YCC . Numerous topics including airboat and helicopter/aircraft safety, compliance with mandatory safety requirements, i .e ., seat belts, hard hats, life jackets, and office and shop machine safety . Employees were shown videos on how to fireproof their homes and concerns about sexual harassment in fire camp . A program was presented by Forester Wetzel concerning poisonous pests (insects, plants and reptiles) .

The following accidents occurred during the year :

Firefighters, Seasonal

February 4 -- Matthew M . Rouse

The tongue of a tree planter slipped and pinched employee's thumb between it and a block of wood, the left thumb was crushed, cut and had approximately 8 fractures to the bones (lost time accident) .

July 13 -- Steve Elsen While working in the swamp, employee had an allergic reaction .

Accidents Related to Wildfire Activities

June 8 - Alan Dozier State of Georgia employee Dozier was working at the helibase when he cui his finger with his pocket knife requiring several stitches .

June 30 - Jack Hart

State of Florida employee Hart pushed up a yellow jacket nest while bulldozing and suffered numerous stings to his body .

June 15 - Woodie Lott

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR employee Lott's boots got wet and he suffered a rash on both feet for several days .

8 . Other

Summaries of training and other travel are shown below :

Traininq - Permanent Personnel

John Earle Migratory Bird Wingbee - Patuxent, Laurel, MD 01/24-01/30 Dartha Campbell 1-363, 1-365 & 1-368 Fire Courses - Atlanta, GA 01/24-01/29 Tim Huting Mercury Marine Outboard Motor Maintenance, Suwannee, GA 01/10-01/15 Fred Wetzel 1-430 Operation Section Chief, Columbus, OH 01/04-01/08 John Earle S-130, S-190 & OAS, Basic Aviation Safety Fire Courses, Merritt Island NWR, FL 03/08-03/12 John Gahr OAS, Basic Aviation Safety Fire Course, Merritt Island NWR, FL 03/11-03/12 Larry Mallard 40-Hr . LE Refresher, Tallahassee, FL 03/21-03/26 James Burkhart 40-Hr . LE Refresher, Tallahassee, FL 03/21-03/26 James Shelton 40-Hr . LE Refresher, Tallahassee, FL 03/21-03/26 John Gahr 40-Hr . LE Refresher, Tallahassee, FL 04/04-04/09 James Shelton Trainer, 40-Hr . LE Refresher, Tallahassee, FL 04/04-04/09 Fred Wetzel PC Behave Training, Tallahassee, FL 04/19-04/21 Cecile Davis VISA Card Program Training, Atlanta, GA 04/27-04/28 Larry Mallard VISA Card Program Training, Atlanta, GA 04/27-04/28 Larry Mallard Personnel Management for Supervisors Training Course, Savannah, GA 05/24-05/27 Skippy Reeves Personnel Management for Supervisors Training Course, Savannah, GA 05/24-05/27 James Shelton National Wildfire Investigation Training Program, Boise, ID 06/06-06/17 John Gahr 10-week Refuge Law Enforcement Training, (FLETC), Glynco, GA 06/09-08/17 Dartha Campbell VISA Card Program Training, Atlanta, GA 08/05-08/06 John Earle S-211 and S-212, Starkville, MS 11/14-11/20

During the year, ten employees took the Franklin Time Management Course .

Travel Permanent Personnel

Sara Brown Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Symposium 01/24-01/28 Fred Wetzel Pre-Burn Survey at Eufaula NWR, AL 01/26-01/28 Fred Wetzel Prescribed Burn at Eufaula NWR, AL 02/02-02/06 Howard McCullough Prescribed Burn at Eufaula NWR, AL 02/02-02/06 James Shelton Role Player at FLETC, Glynco, GA 02/03-02/05 Dartha Campbell Administrative Workshop, Atlanta, GA 02/07-02/12 Cecile Davis Administrative Workshop, Atlanta, GA 02/07-02/12 Larry Mallard District Cluster Meeting, Eufaula NWR, AL 02/16-02/18 James Burkhart Instructor, Line Officers Training, Portland, OR 03/15-03/17 Fred Wetzel FWS Orientation, Atlanta, GA 03/15-03/19 0 John Earle FWS Orientation, Atlanta, GA 03/15-03/19 John Gahr FWS Orientation, Atlanta, GA 03/15-03/19 Skippy Reeves Attend Refuge Functional Review by WO and do Imprest Audit at Piedmont Refuge 03/31-04/04 Fred Wetzel FL Interagency Fire Coordination Meeting, Merritt Island NWR, FL 04/04-04/08 Skippy Reeves Instructor for Fire Management for Line Officers Training, Charleston, SC 04/26-04/29 James Burkhart Instructor for Fire Management for Line Officers Training, Charleston, SC 04/26-04/29 Sara Brown GIS Workshop, Lafayette, LA 05/03-05/06 Douglas Nuss Assist Eufaula NWR with destruction of buildings on FmHA property, Moultrie, GA 05/24-05/25 Fred Wetzel Growing Season Burn Seminar, Tallahassee, FL 06/07-06/08 James Burkhart Assist with National Fishing Week Program at Fernbank Science Center, Atlanta, GA 06/19-06/19 Skippy Reeves Meeting with Regional Director regarding Banks Lake NWR 06/21-06/22 Larry Mallard Meeting with Regional Director regarding Banks Lake NWR 06/21-06/22 Tony Gooch Operated infrared camera on wildfire at Pocosin Lakes NWR, NC 07/16-07/19 James Burkhart Cooperating Association Meeting, Sanibel, FL 07/20-07/21 18

Fred Wetzel Attended GA Prescribed Burn Certification Program, Macon, GA 07/26-07/27 Tony Gooch Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 08/10-08/20 James Shelton Role Player at FLETC, Glynco, GA 08/11-08/13 Skippy Reeves Workshop, Athens, GA 08/11-08/13

Gordon Hordon Helicopter Manager during wildfire at St . Vincent NWR, FL 08/23-08/26 Skippy Reeves Regional Office Meetings, Atlanta, GA 09/01-09/02 Larry Mallard Regional Office Meetings, Atlanta, GA 09/01-09/02 Skippy Reeves Detail to Regional Office, Atlanta, GA 09/07-09/09 James Shelton Special Law Enforcement Detail, Piedmont NWR, GA 09/07-09/09 Fred Wetzel Meeting at Piedmont NWR, GA and Eufaula NWR, AL 10/19-10/21 Cecile Davis Pre-retirement Workshop, Wheeler NWR, AL 10/12-10/15 James Burkhart National Wildfire Coordinating Group Meeting, Charlottesville, VA 10/18-10/22 Skippy Reeves LE Quality Team Meeting and Cluster Meeting, Charleston, SC 11/07-11/10 Larry Mallard Cluster Meeting, Charleston, SC 11/08-11/10 Tony Gooch Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 Fred Wetzel Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 John Gahr Regional office to pick up excess furniture 11/17-11/19 Gordon Horsley Regional Office to pick up excess furniture 11/17-11/19 Douglas Nuss Assist in developing S-233 Course, Boise, ID 11/14-11/20 Skippy Reeves Regional Office Meeting with ARD (LE/Drug Activities) 11/22-11/23 Tony Gooch Helicopter Manager's Workshop, Gulfport, MS 11/28-12/03 Gordon Horsley Helicopter Manager's Workshop, Gulfport, MS 11/28-12/03 John Earle Regional Office to pick up excess furniture 11/29-12/01 John Gahr Regional Office to pick up Excess furniture 11/29-12/01

Traininq and Travel - Seasonal Firefiqhters and Volunteers

William Sikes Prescribed Burn at Eufaula NWR, AL 02/02-02/06 Reggie Forcine Prescribed Burn at Eufaula NWR, AL 02/02-02/06 David Shepard Prescribed Burn at Eufaula NWR, AL 02/02-02/06 Gene Ebright S-130, S-190 & OAS, Basic Aviation Safety Courses, Merritt Island NWR, FL 03/08-03/12 Michael Barr OAS, Basic Aviation Safety Training, Merritt Island NWR, FL 03/11-03/12 Curtis Fowler Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 06/07-06/10 Vince Allen Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 06/07-06/10 Reggie Forcine Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 06/07-06/10 Greg Blanks Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 06/07-06/10 Stanley Shultz(V) Cooperating Association Meeting, Sanibel, FL 07/20-07/21 Daniel Murray S-130 & S-190, Standard for Survival Fire Courses, Cumberland Island NS, GA 08/04-08/06 Rocky Chesser Wildfire, Apalachicola Nat'l Forest, FL 08/12-08/18 Greg Blanks Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 Gene Ebright Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 Reggie Forcine Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 Matthew Rouse Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 William Sikes Prescribe Burn, Eufaula NWR, AL 11/08-11/10 Reggie Forcine Regional Office to pick up excess furniture 11/17-11/19 William Sikes Regional Office to pick up excess furniture 11/17-11/19

PERSONNEL (Figures 7 & 8)

. 1 . M . Skippy Reeves (EDD 02/21/93) Refuge Manager (GS 14, PFT) 2 . Larry E . Mallard (EOD 04/10/88) Refuge Manager (GS 13, PFT) 3 . John D . Earle (EOD 09/06/92) Refuge Operations Specialist 4 . Sara M . Brown (EDD 03/10/91) Biologist (GS 11, PFT) 5 . Ronald Phernetton (EOD 01/09/74) Forester/FMO (GS 11, PFT) 6 . Fred E . Wetzel (EOD 05/03/92) Supervisory Forester (GS 9, PFT) 7 . Howard McCullough (E00 01/05/87) Forestry Technician (GS 7, PFT) 8 . Gordon Horsley (E00 01/28/91) Forestry Technician (GS 6, PFT) 9 . James A . Burkhart (EOD 06/11/78) Supervisory Refuge Ranger (GS 11, PFT) 10 . John Gahr (EOD 01/10/93) Park Ranger (GS6, PFT) 11 . Gracie A . Gooch (EGO 05/29/84) Park Guide (GS 4, PFT) 12 . Nell D . Snowden (EOD 07/14/77) Laborer (WG 2, PPT) 13 . Judy L . Drury (EDO 08/17/92) Park Ranger (GS 3, PPT) 14 . James N . Shelton (EDO 07/05/87) Law Enforcement Officer (GS 7, PFT) 15 . Cecile M . Davis (EOD 10/16/72) Office Assistant (GS 6, PFT) 16 . Oartha P . Campbell (E00 12/06/76) Clerk-Stenographer (GS 5, PFT) 17 . Karen D . Huling (EOD 06/04/89) Office Automation Clerk (GS 4, PFT) 18 . Douglas E . Muss (E00 01/16/77) Engineering Equip . Operator (WG 8, PFT) 19 . Tony R . Gooch (E00 08/18/80) Engineering Equip . Operator (WG 8, PFT) 20 . Robert T . Huling (EDD 05/08/89) Automotive Worker (WG 8, PFT) 21 . Stiner Jones (EOD 09/19/83) Maintenance Worker (WG 6, PFT) 22 . Everette Sikes (EDD 03/15/87) Motor Vehicle Operator (WG 7, PFT)

TEMPORARY FIRE CREW

1 . Gregory Blanks, Forestry Aid/FF 06/18/89 GS 3 2 . Rockwell Chesser, Forestry Technician/FF 08/25/91 GS 4 3 . Jason Cole, Forestry Aid/FF 08/08/93 GS 3 4 . Lydia G . Daniels, Forestry Technician 06/17/90 GS 4 Fire Cache Mgr . 5 . Gene Ebright, Forestry Aid/FF 05/16/93 GS 4 6 . Stephen Elsen, Forestry Aid/FF 05/16/93 GS 4 7 . Reggie Forcine, Forestry Technician/FF 06/10/84 GS 4 8 . Lee Gowen, Forestry Aid/FF 06/14/93 CS 3 9 . Daniel Murray, Forestry Aid/FF 08/11/93 GS 3 10 . Anthony Nazworth, Forestry Aid/FF 06/21/93 GS 3 11 . Michael E . Peacock, Forestry Aid/FF 06/11/90 GS 3 12 . David Phillips, Forestry Aid/FF 06/21/93 GS 3 13 . Matthew M . Rouse, Forestry Aid/FF 07/15/90 GS 2 14 . William Sikes, Forestry Aid/FF 06/17/90 GS 4 15 . Jeremy Thomas, Forestry Aid/FF 06/21/93 GS 3 16 . Lawrence Allen, Forestry Technician/FF 06/13/88 GS 4 (transferred to Savannah NWR 06/27/93) 17 . Michael E . Barr, Forestry Technician/FF 06/11/90 GS 3 (resigned 05/28/93) • 18 . Robert B . Cone, Forestry Technician/FF 07/15/90 GS 4 (resigned 05/28/93) 19 . Lewis A . Johnson, Engineering Equip . Opr . 10/07/91 WG 8 (resigned 04/02/93) 20 . Davis A . Shepard, Forestry Aid/FF 07/15/90 GS 2 (resigned 05/28/93) 21 . Gavin Young, Forestry Aid/FF 06/18/9 GS 3 (resigned 05/28/93) 22 . Jonathan Young, Forestry Aid/FF 06/18/89 GS 3 (resigned 05/28/93) 23 . Curtis Fowler, Forestry Technician/FF 05/16/93 GS 4 (transferred to Carolina Sandhills NWR 11/28/93) 80-£6 (b6/ZO) TZ'OT'9 :MOB )(OB9 SZT'TT (2i-'I) :Mog wo1ri :Moteg 8 amnbig or LO-E6 (b6/ZO) S'T'£'ST'ET'b'9T'LT : (2i-'I) MOg Nove !OZ'8t'6T'ZZ'L'8'Z'6 :(11-1) Mog 4uo.iA :eeogy L e.xnbt.

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F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1 . General

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (395,080 acres) includes most of the 438,000 acre Okefenokee Swamp . The swamp has been classified into several major habitat types by the University of Georgia Institute of Ecology . Approximately 8% of the acreage is upland habitat on 70+ islands within the swamp and the surrounding compartment units . Prairies, including grass- sedge areas, cover 21% of the refuge . Shrub swamp covers 34% and is dominated by hurrah bush, titi, sweet spire and poor man's soap . Mixed cypress forests covering 23% of the refuge include pond cypress, blackgum, sweet bay, red bay, and loblolly bay . Blackgum forests contain blackgum and bay species and together with bay forests cover 6% of the refuge area . Pure stands of pond cypress cover 6% of the refuge . The remaining area (2%) is open water or waterways .

The refuge objectives pertaining to habitat management are :

1) To provide protection to the unique environmental qualities of the Okefenokee Swamp (to perpetuate the health and integrity of the swamp considering the natural processes of fire and hydrology) . i 2) To provide optimum habitat and protection for endangered and threatens : species, including the American alligator, red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake [and black bear] .

3) To provide optimum habitat for a wide diversity of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians .

To meet these objectives, habitat management techniques include prescribed burning, wildfire, timber stand thinning, commercial timber harvest, planting, herbicide application and trail cutting . The vastness, inaccessibility to most of the swamp, and wilderness designation puts additional restraints on management practices .

The most intensive management activity occurs on 31,000 acres of upland pine stands . The Forest Habitat Management Plan is currently being examined for compliance with the red-cockaded woodpecker management guidelines .

Vegetation plots established to test the Western Fire Monitoring Handbook (Section D .5) are a beginning in monitoring prescribed and wildfire effects . More plots will be established in various community types in the future .

Interest in contaminants within the Okefenokee system has generated several research projects (Section D .5) . The refuge has an Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) site which includes a nephelometer . Also, Okefenokee NWR has been considered as a site to test the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status Trends (BEST) Handbook . 2 . Wetlands

The wetlands of the Refuge were designated in 1986 as a "Wetland of International Importance ." Acres classified as wetlands total 371,000 of which 353,315 are classified also as wilderness .

Fire plays an important role in the landscape . The question "Can fire perpetuate the Okefenokee Swamp in today's world?" was addressed in a poster session at a "Fire in Wetlands" conference at Tall Timber Research Station . The poster explored the rapid advancement of the swamp into a forested bog, the types of fires needed, and the urban interface that is surrounding the refuge . 22

Direct rainfall is the primary source of water to replenish the swamp . Water levels on the west side respond quickly to rain events, often rising rapidly . Water levels in the east side prairies fluctuate less . Between the months of April and September when evapotransporation is highest and there are frequent lightning storms, there was a deficit of precipitation (Figures 9 and 10) . Only 18 .57 inches of rain were recorded . This figure is 15 inches less than the average rainfall during this period .

Vegetation continues to be a problem along boat and canoe trails . A section of trail that cannot be reached with the trailcutter between Dinner Pond and Big Water was choked with sedges, spatterdock, and bladderwort . Compounded by low water, this section of trail was extremely difficult to navigate . Old stumps are frequently encountered by canoeists along this stretch of trail . All major trails were cut by the trailcutter during the spring, including the trail from mile 14 in Sapling Prairie to the Swamp Park loop .

Figure 9 . The water level recorder along the Brown Trail was dry (lower right corner) and an old tram line became visible nearby (lower (left of center) . (09/93) 93-9 SMB 23

Figure 10 . As water reached the extreme lows at the Sill, this bridge across the outlet of the Narrows became exposed . Normally, motor boats safely pass over this structure . (09/93) 93-10 SMB

Currently prescribed burning is not conducted in swamp vegetation communities nor do we have a let burn policy for wildfires in the swamp . Because of the difficulty in fighting a fire within the swamp, fire fighting efforts are generally concentrated on the periphery to contain the fire in the swamp proper . This year, the Swamps Edge Break was completed around the swamp which will provide access and a lane from which to backfire (Section F .9) .

Nine wildfires burned wetland habitat in 1993 . The largest wildfire was the Gnatcatcher Fire totaling 5,711 acres . The majority of the area burned was scrub-shrub . Some of the moist grass-sedge areas stopped this fire when the wind conditions were favorable (Figure 11) . The Hummingbird Fire burned 50 acres of wetland . The remaining fires were each less than 0 .1 acre . 24

Figure 11 . The larger moist, grass-sedge areas did stop the Gnatcatcher Fire as the winds died and changed direction . (07/93) 93-11 SMB

Through the years, the wetlands have been manipulated by man from the early attempt to drain the swamp, to extensive timber harvesting, to the construction of the Suwannee River sill inhibiting a portion of the swamp's outflow . The influence of the sill structure to the overall hydrology of the swamp has been highlighted in recent years, necessitating an intensive study (Section D .5) . As part of this study, basin topography of the swamp 0 and peat depths are being mapped and entered into a geographical information system (GIS) . Water levels are critical in the management of Okefenokee . Control of the level is not possible, but it influences our prescribed burning of islands, our travel and access into areas, and the distribution of wildlife species .

In 1993, Okefenokee Swamp experienced extreme high and low water levels (Table 4) (Figures 12 and 13) . At Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, the maximum water level was reached on February 28 and 29 (122 .30 ft) and the minimum occurred on August 18 and 19 (120 .40 ft) . At Stephen C . Foster State Park, maximum water level was reached on April 10 (116 .44 ft) and the minimum occurred on August 19 and 20 (113 .30 ft) . Water levels began to increase rapidly in mid-October and actually began to exceed average monthly levels by mid-November .

Table 4 . Water levels at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area (SCRA) and Stephen Foster State Park (SFSP) for 1993 . Subscripts indicate number of years included in the average due to missing data .

SCRA SFSP Date 1993 9-vr avq 1993 9-vr avq

Jan 1 121 .76 121 .13 115 .24 114 .60 15 122 .14 121 .27 115 .95 114 .83 Feb 1 122 .26 121 .53 115 .95 115 .209 15 122 .26 121 .67 115 .89 115 .479 Mar 1 122 .16 121 .77 115 .54 115 .908 15 122 .12 121 .81 115 .48 116 .068 Apr 1 122 .28 121 .88 115 .90 115 .82 9 15 122 .14 121 .79 116 .20 115 .439 May 1 121 .82 121 .54 115 .16 114 .989 15 121 .58 121 .39 114 .79 114 .619 Jun 1 121 .32 121 .13 114 .38 114 .349 i 15 121 .00 121 .03 114 .64 114 .409 Jul 1 121 .14 121 .23 114 .40 114 .399 15 120 .94 121 .28 114 .32 114 .379 Aug 1 120 .82 121 .28 113 .90 114 .449 15 120 .50 121 .37 113 .50 114 .679 Sep 1 120 .62 121 .33 113 .68 114 .548 15 120 .56 121 .32 114 .05 114 .738 Oct 1 120 .48 121 .18 113 .72 114 .41 15 120 .30 121 .23 113 .59 114 .349 Nov 1 120 .92 121 .13 114 .10 114 .26 15 121 .40 121 .02 114 .82 114 .12 Dec 1 121 .25 121 .08 114 .54 114 .298 15 121 .17 121 .16 115 .56 114 .136 Jan 1 121 .30 115 .24 . This scene is completely Fibu : L: .; L - aunt : J . ulii'. thtu boat trail through Grand Prairie held water on August 27 (above) different when water covered the prairie in December (below) . (08/93) 93-12 SMB and (12/93) 93-13 SMB

3 . Forests

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge contains 347,131 acres of forest lands, including 315,308 acres of wetland hardwoods, cypress and brush lands . The remaining 31,823 acres are upland forest stands of longleaf, loblolly, slash and pond pine and scattered hardwoods . Approximately half of the upland forest area (16,518 acres) is located on islands within the National Wilderness Area . The remaining 15,305 acres of upland forest, 4 .3% of the total refuge area, are in areas designated as forest management compartments (see Map 1) . Commercial harvesting is permitted in the compartments as a tool to accomplish habitat management goals . Habitat management objectives for the forest lands include those listed for all refuge habitats (Section F .1) .

a . UplandForests

Specific objectives for upland forests on Okefenokee include maintenance of habitat diversity and restoration of the longleaf pine/wiregrass community . The longleaf pine/wiregrass community was historically the major habitat common to the uplands of the southeastern coastal plain . . In these open stands, the wiregrass understory and scattered clumps of gallberry and palmetto were maintained by frequent, low intensity fire . Disruption of the natural fire regime by habitat fragmentation, fire protection, clearcutting and other catastrophic events occurring around the turn of the century resulted in replacement of the old growth longleaf pine habitat with more prolific tree species such as slash and loblolly pines, normally restricted to lower areas . Over most of its range, only remnant stands of the longleaf pine remain . Many species associated with the longleaf/wiregrass community, including the red- cockaded woodpecker, are either endangered or threatened (Figure 14) .

The most effective management tool on the wilderness uplands (16,518 acres) is fire when used properly . Fire will thin young forest stands, remove midetory pines and hardwoods, kill back invading hardwood understory species, prepare seed beds for longleaf pine stands, and reduce slash and other pine seedlings leaving more fire resistant longleaf pine seedlings . Fire creates and maintains open park-like stands preferred by the inhabitants of the longleaf pine community (Figures 15 and 16) .

Blackjack, Billys, Number One, Mitchells, Bugaboo, Honey, Strange, Pine, Rowells and Boatlanding Islands receive periodic dormant or growing season burns . Growing season prescribed fire is particularly beneficial for the restoration of the natural longleaf pine/wiregrass community on the wilderness islands . Map 1 : FOREST MANAGEMENT COMPARTMENTS INTERIOR ISLANDS OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 29

Figure 14 . This stand contains lonyiedt piure of all ages, from seedlings to 170-year old longleaf . The stand is part of a red-cockaded woodpecker foraging stand . (04/93) 93-14 HM

Figure 15 . Growing season fire helps to restore the longleaf pine/wiregrass community . During the growing season, fire significantly reduces hardwood understory volume, reduces other invading pine species, stimulates warm season grasses and forbs, and prepares a seedbed for longleaf pine i seedlings . Longleaf pine seedlings are resistant to fire and will survive . (05/93) 93-15 RP 30

Figure 16 . Example of the longleaf/pine/wiregrass community historically occupying most of the southeastern Coastal Plain . Objectives for Okefenokee's uplands include restoring this community -- prime habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker . (11/93) 93-16 SMB

0 31

Traditional forest management activities including commercial harvest are utilized on sixteen forest management compartments . These compartments, totaling 15,305 acres, contain 300 to 1,900 acres of upland forestlands each . Other management activities conducted on the upland wilderness islands include red-cockaded woodpecker habitat surveys . More comprehensive habitat inventory cruises are planned for wilderness uplands .

Habitat management tools utilized to accomplish objectives include maintenance of all aged pine stands including old growth stands (up to 350 years), selective thinning on a 10-year cycle to favor longleaf pine, removal of undesired mid-story species, and prescribed fires on various cycles . Hardwood stands, openings and wetland areas within or adjacent to the longleaf community help provide a variety of habitats to meet the needs of native wildlife, as well as provide an aesthetically pleasing variety of forest lands .

Longleaf pine restoration measures within forest management compartments include several methods of stand conversion ; patch regeneration, shelterwood regeneration, direct seeding, and planting of bare root or containerized seedlings (Figures 17 and 18) .

Figure 17 . This 45-year old slash pine stand is gradually being converted to longleaf with the aid of prescribed fire and selective thinning . Fire provides a seedbed for longleaf pine regeneration while reducing competing species . Periodic thinning keeps the overstory open encouraging survival of longleaf seedlings and young trees . i (07/93) 93-17 RP 32

Figure 18 . These longleaf pine seedlings are just emerging from the grass stage . This .6-acre area regenerated naturally after an Ips beetle attack . (07/93) 93-18 RP

Forest management activities conducted on upland forests during CY 1993 include :

Forest Management Prescriptions - A prescription was approved for Compartment 7 (1,800 acres) . The prescription proposes selective thinning over most of the compartment to favor longleaf pine and improve habitat diversity ; continuing restoration of habitat destroyed by the Shorts Fire ; conversion of slash pine plantations to longleaf utilizing small clearcut/replanting or patch regeneration areas . Proposed management activities in Compartment 7 are expected to yield 4,000 cords of forest products valued at approximately $150,000 .

Field work was begun for forest management prescriptions in Compartments 0 13 (1,280 acres) and 14 (240 acres) (Figure 19) . 33

Figure 19 . Forestry Technician Gordon Horsley preparing to begin a prescription inventory cruise on a 30-year old slash pine plantation in Compartment 13 . This slash pine stand will be clearcut and converted to longleaf pine . (06/93) 93-19 RP

Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) - A memorandum of understanding with Lake City Community College was drafted, whereby LCCC students will locate and inventory CFI plots on refuge uplands . The inventory will provide type, age and species information on compartments and upland islands throughout the refuge . Timber Marking - Timber marking was completed on compartments 6 and 9 . The Compartment 6 sale (1,400 cords, $74,000 .00) was awarded . The Compartment 9 sale (300 cords) will be advertised early in 1994 when harvesting conditions improve .

Timber Harvesting

Four harvesting permits were active during 1993 . Special Use Permit No . 35668 was issued to South Georgia Timber Company to thin a 12-acre longleaf pine plantation in Compartment 11 . Special Use Permit No . 35665 was issued to Langdale Forest Products Company to thin post sized pine timber from a pine stand in Compartment 9 . Nassau Timber Company was awarded Special Use Permit No . 35637 to harvest timber marked in Compartment 6 . Special Use Permit No . 58092 issued to South Georgia Timber Company in 1990 for selective thinning in Compartments 10, 11 and 12 was active during November, then became inactive due to wet weather . i Marketing conditions have also hampered this sale during dry periods .

During the short active period, Compartment 11 was completed . Table 5 shows a breakdown of forest products harvested during CY 1993 and Table 6 is a 10-year summary of forest products removal .

Site Preparation

Site preparation was completed in patch regeneration areas within slash pine plantations in Compartment 11 . Site prep was continued in areas destroyed by the Shorts Fire in Compartment 7 (Fiddlers Island) . Prescribed fire was used in some cases to prepare sites for planting .

Tree Planting

During 1992, containerized seedlings grown from seed collected from low brushland or wet savannah sites on Okefenokee and St . Marks Refuges, and containerized seedlings from normal sources were planted in a 80-acre area destroyed by the Shorts Fire . Survival and growth differences are periodically documented to compare seedlings grown from seed from wetland sites with the control group . Minimal site preparation methods will also be compared to explore methods of improving seedling survival while salvaging native ground cover . During February, 1993, bare root seedlings were also planted in the study area . Survival of the i containerized seedlings has been good (65 to 90%) . Survival of the bare root seedlings was poor . Containerized seedlings have been replanted outside the study area where bare root seedling did not survive .

Containerized longleaf pine seedlings were also planted in Compartment 11 (patch regeneration areas) and in two regeneration areas in Compartment 3 (Camp Cornelia) .

Longleaf pine cones (16 bushels) were collected from wetland sites and delivered to Southern Seed Inc . Seed will be extracted, grown in containers and used to plant some of Okefenokee's poorly drained longleaf sites .

Timber Stand Improvement

YCC enrollees and fire crew personnel began removing volunteer slash pine saplings from a 20-acre longleaf pine plantation in Compartment 5 (Soldier Camp Island) .

b . SwampForest Swamp forest areas include all refuge wetland forest areas inside the swamps edge and outside the perimeter of the interior islands . Forest types within the swamp include :

Broad Leaved Hardwoods 15,824 acres Cypress 11,911 Scrub Pine 728 Mixed (Bay, Cypress, Pine) 55,659 ScrubShrub 231,187

Total Swamp Forest 315,309 acres

Management activities include osprey and other water and shorebird surveys, habitat surveys, prescribed and wildfire management . Vegetative sampling plots were established in the Dragline Ditch area to measure vegetative response to fire in the wetlands .

TABLE 5 FOREST PRODUCTS RECEIPTS - 1993

SPECIAL PERMITTEE PERMIT PRODUCT VALUE/UNIT TOTAL SALE TOTAL VALUE VOLUME 1993 USE PERIOD VOLUME HARVESTED RECEIPTS PERMIT # 1993 35637 Nassau Timber 10/31/93- PW $52 .35/cord 1,400 cords $ 73,290 .00 339 .43 cords $17,769 .16 Company 10/31/95 (est .) (est .) 35665 Langdale Forest 09/01/93- P $0 .10/post 2,291 posts $ 229 .10 2,291 posts $ 272 .60 Products 10/15/93 $0 .20/post 217 posts $ 43 .50 217 posts 35668 South Georgia 10/25/93- PW $20 .00/cord 131 .99 cords $ 2,639 .80 131 .99 cords $ 2,639 .80 Timber Company 12/25/93

58092 South Georgia 01/29/90- PW $39 .50/cord 3,500 cords $138,250 .00 67 .19 cords $ 2,654 .01 Timber Company 09/30/94 (est .) (est .) , 5 .5

PW - Pulpwood ; P - Posts . Receipts were received in CY 1993 .

TABLE 6 TEN-YEAR FOREST PRODUCTS REMOVAL SUMMARY

CY *SAWTIMBER (MBF) PULPWOOD (CDS) STUMPWOOD (TONS) POSTS (EA) TOTAL VALUE DOLLARS 1984 - 513 - - $ 16,533 1985 - 1,742 - 26,021 $ 32,882

1986 - 1,499 - 6,708 $ 41,371 1987 - 837 55 2,467 $ 19,980 1988 - 5,399 - - $ 205,947 1989 - 2,807 59 - $ 105,672 1990 - 5,228 - - $ 192,372 1991 - 4,394 475 90,090 $ 165,731 1992 - 1,343 - 14,420 $ 53,732 1993 - 539 - 2,508 $ 23,336 37

c . Wildlife Openings

Several wildlife openings, also serving as emergency helispots have been developed within upland forests . Many openings within forest management compartments contain helicopter dip sites thus providing open water and adding to habitat diversity . Many of the openings provide several edge habitats : Pine forests, upland hardwoods, swamp forest, grassland and open water . Three additional helispots are planned .

Because of the aggressive encroachment of understory and brush species into openings, maintenance costs dictate that most wildlife openings be maintained for dual purposes such as emergency helispots, log loading areas, temporary access roads, firebreaks, etc . Forest regeneration areas serve as temporary openings . Okefenokee Refuge presently contains over 300 acres of permanent or temporary openings .

9 . Fire Management

A summer drought caused another active fire year for Okefenokee . Twenty- four wildfires were reported during 1993 . An overhead team which was requested to assist with the largest, the Gnatcatcher Fire, also assisted with several other fires occurring at the same time (Figure 20) .

Figure 20 . Helicopter water drops were used to aid in confining the Gnatcatcher Fire within the swamp and to assist with mop-up operations . Most fire suppression activity occurred on the upland outside the swamp perimeter . (07/93) 93-20 TG 38

WildfirePresuvoression

Presuppression efforts were directed toward construction, repair or rehabilitation of facilities that will make fire suppression efforts safe and more effective during the next dry cycle . The following projects were continued in 1993 .

PerimeterRoad - Refuge staff demolished five old bridges and assisted with fill work around the bridges installed by the contractor (Section I .1) . An eight mile segment of the Perimeter Road on the south end of the swamp was rehabilitated . This segment of the road is often under water and washouts are common . Several culverts have been replaced with rock fords . It is hoped that the fords will handle larger volumes during periods of high water (Figure 21) .

Figure 21 . Several aggregate-based fords were constructed along the Swamp Perimeter Road on the south end of the swamp to replace culverts . Culverts were not able to handle the heavy drainage occurring in this area during wet weather . 0 (08/93) 93-21 DN 39

gquipmentRehabilitation - A great deal of time was spent on heavy equipment maintenance and rehabilitation . 0 A 1,200 gallon water tender was completed during the year . A new one ton dual wheel truck was acquired and equipped as a fire engine .

Other Facilities - The refuge fire management staff has been rehabilitating an old shop to house the forestry/fire management staff . The shop was originally constructed by the CCC in 1939 . The forestry/fire management staff is presently located in a dilapidated, double-wide trailer . The shop has received a new roof, septic system and restroom facilities . This facility was used by overhead teams during the Gnatcatcher and Hummingbird fires .

New weather equipment was installed by Forest Technology Systems in 1992 . This automated equipment will replace much of the manual weather observation and fire danger instrumentation used by the fire management staff . An additional unit was installed on the south side of the refuge as a cooperative venture between Okefenokee NWR, the Osceola NF and the 0 Florida Division of Forestry . Swamps Edqe Break

The Okefenokee Swamp, upland islands and surrounding uplands depend upon fire to preserve the conditions and habitats supporting the wildlife species native to Okefenokee Refuge . The difficulty of keeping prescribed and wildfires within the swamp and refuge boundaries when conditions are sufficiently dry to accomplish desired objectives presents a fire management challenge . Preventing fires from escaping onto private lands is extremely costly .

A continuous fuels management zone (Swamps Edge Break) around the swamp's edge was completed during the Gnatcatcher Fire . This zone will allow indirect suppression actions during wild fires and allow greater use of prescribed fire and natural fires to accomplish objectives . The construction and maintenance of the fuels management zone is a cooperative venture between the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Fish and Wildlife Service and private landowners (Figure 22) .

Maintenance of the break and associated fuels management zone will 0 involve maintenance of the 15-foot fireline and periodic burning of the zone between the Swamp Perimeter Road and the Swamps Edge Break (Figure 23) . 40

Figure 22 . Two strike teams of tractor-plow units worked to complete the Swamps Edge Break during the Gnatcatcher Fire . Tractor-plow units from the states of Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, and private industry assisted refuge units during the suppression operation . (08/93) 93-22 DN

Figure 23 . Burning out from the Swamps Edge Break helped to contain the Gnatcatcher Fire within the Okefenokee Swamp . (07/93) 93-23 TG 41

PrescribedBurninq (Table 7)

Benefits of prescribed fire when properly applied are : reduction of wildfire hazard ; 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 ; and enhancement of certain aesthetic qualities . Growing season fire is of particular importance in the management of Okefenokee's longleaf pine/ wiregrass community utilized by the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker . The staff started experimenting with growing season burns in 1992 . In 1993, the number of growing season burns increased .

Tall Timbers Research Station staff personnel established vegetative plots in longleaf pine stands to measure vegetative response of growing season fire .

During fiscal year 1993, 7,586 acres of 13,446 acres prescribed were burned . Total burning costs for FY 1993 were $49,041, averaging $6 .46 per acre .

Table 7 is a summary and evaluation of Okefenokee's FY 1993 prescribed burning activities .

In addition to the burning units prescribed for FY 1993, several burning units included in the FY 1994 Prescribed Fire Plan have been completed . During December, 12 burning units totaling 3,341 acres were burned .

TABLE 7 FY 1993 PRESCRIBED BURNING SUMMARY OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

AREA BURN REPORT I ACRES ACRES DATE IGNITION BURN TOTAL COST PER REMARKS UNIT (DI 1202) PLANNED BURNED BURNED METHOD EVAL COST ACRE

Coop 1 1 630 0 t -- Insufficient burning weather Coop 2 1 154 1 Severe fire season during growing season . Comp 3 1 40 1 Severe fire season during growing season . Coop 3 4 119 1 Severe fire season during growing season . Coop 3 6 70 0 Severe fire season during growing season . Comp 3 Misc 4875 <110 3 04119193 6 3A 92 31 .62 Dormant season annual burn demo area . Coop 5 1 379 0 -- -- Severe fire season during growing season . Coop 5 5 4513 114 11 12114192 6 3B 589 58 .86 Burn cancelled - Control problems . Comp 7 4 4709 349 349 12119193 AIP 3C 3477 9 .96 Good burn over most of unit . Coop 8 1 4710 328 328 12121193 6 3A 1413 4 .30 Good burn over most of unit . Coop 8 5 331 0 Severe fire season during growing season . Comp 8 6 98 1 -- Severe fire season during growing season . Comp 9 1 4729 71 60 13102193 AIP 3C C9-1,2,3 Burned by aerial ignition on same Comp 9 2 4729 125 125 13102193 AIP 2A 4636 15 .21 day . BU 1 - Good burn . BU-2 Spotty burn . Comp 9 3 4729 121 121 03102193 A/P 38 BU 3 - Good burn . Coop 11 1 4632 174 174 12111193 AIP 3C 2965 17 .04 Good burn . Excessive scorch . No mortality . Comp 10 2 -- 87 I - -- Unable to schedule during burning season . Comp 11 1 4711 167 167 82123193 AIP 38 C 11-1, 2 Burned by aerial ignition on ale Comp 11 2 4711 191 191 12123193 AIP 3B 4834 13 .50 day . Excellent burn over both units . Comp 11 3 4633 194 194 11131193 A/P 3A C 11-3,4 Burned by aerial Ignition on sue Comp 11 4 4633 111 111 11130193 AIP 2A 3544 11 .62 day . Very spotty burn . Comp 12 1 -- 279 1 ------Marked timber . Sale not Complete . Corp 13 2 4714 574 574 12124193 AIP 38 5154 8 .98 Excellent burn over entire unit . Comp 13 4 4728 190 45 13101193 6 38 902 21 .03 Plantation burned . Remainder of unit wet . Comp 14 1 4702 231 230 12115193 AIP 38 2515 10 .93 Excellent burn over entire unit . Comp 15 1 4708 329 329 12118193 AIP 3B 3473 11 .56 Excellent burn over entire unit . Comp 15 2 319 0 - -- -- Severe fire season during growing season . Coop 15 3 311 1 -- Severe fire season during growing season . Comp 15 4 4715 215 215 12115193 AlP 38 2349 11 .92 Excellent burn over entire unit . Comp 16 1 295 1 -- Unable to schedule due to wet weather . Comp 16 2 211 0 -- Unable to schedule due to wet weather . Comp 16 314 278 1 -- Unable to schedule due to wet weather . Honey Is . -- 2080 1 ------Rescheduled to growing season . Cancelled 0 Number One Is . 4738 170 178 03116193 AIP 3A 1325 7 .79 Fair burn . Better than In FY 92 . Minnies Is . 4741 822 822 13116193 AlP 1A 2263 2 .75 Poor Burn . Insufficient fine fuels . Bugaboo Is . -- 352 0 ------Severe fire season during growing season . Billys Is . 4107 3319 3319 02117193 AlP 3A 8745 2 .63 Good burn . Some resetting was necessary .

TOTALS 13,446 T,3$b` 41 -W.-4

IGNITION METHOD BURN EVALUATION 6 - Ignition by ground crews Fire and Resource Manapement Objectives AP- Aerial ignition (ping-pong balls) 1 - Prescribed fire failed to accomplish objectives . AT- Aerial ignition (helitorch) 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 . 8 - Crown scorch within prescription limits . C - Crown scorch exceeds prescription limits . D - Excessive crown scorch - Some mortality probable .

Note : All scheduled growing season burns were cancelled because of severe fire danger classification during the growing season . 43

FireManaqementPlanninq

A fire readiness step up plan was developed and incorporated into the refuge fire management plan .

Wildfire

An early summer drought contributed to another busy fire season . Twenty- four wildfires occurred on the refuge during 1993 . Map 2 shows locations of the fires .

Fire4634-Flicker Fire : The fire was reported by a refuge work crew on February 8, 1993 . On February 4, 1993, a prescribed burn conducted by ITT Rayonier escaped onto the refuge and was suppressed by Rayonier crews . The fire burned 18 acres of refuge land . Damage was minimal . Fire4893-GnatcatcherFire : The fire was started along the southern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp by lightning on June 7, 1993 and was discovered by Eddy Tower (Florida DOF) on June 8 . Tractor-plow units were dispatched but were unable to reach the fire . Two helicopters dispatched to the location were unable to contain the fire as new thunder cells whipped the fire into the swamp scrub shrub . Containment efforts were shifted to the swamp perimeter as the fire continued to grow . The fire was confined inside a segment of the Swamps Edge Break, completed during the 1990 Shorts Fire . i Massive containment efforts seemed likely as the fire grew to over 1,200 acres by the evening of June 8 . An overhead team managed the Gnatcatcher Fire and many other new starts occurring during the suppression effort . The fire was declared out on July 15, 1993 . Acres burned were 5,711 . Over 200 personnel took part in the suppression effort (Figure 24) . The Swamps Edge Break was completed during the suppression operation . Total suppression cost was $629,400 . Major costs were tractor-plow units and aircraft used to protect private property outside the swamp perimeter .

Figure 24 . A great deal of mop-up was necessary to maintain control of the Gnatcatcher Fire after all the excitement was over . Refuge seasonal fire crew members are mopping-up along the Swamps Edge Break . 0 (07/93) 93-24 RP 44

Fire4901-GAHowardFire : On June 8, 1993, a refuge employee was returning from Gnatcatcher Fire suppression action when he observed a fire burning along side the highway . The employee began suppressing the fire with a portable water tank . A Georgia Forestry Commission tractor-plow unit, also assigned to the Gnatcatcher Fire, soon arrived and assisted with the suppression action . Cause of the fire may have been arson . The fire was adjacent to the refuge and may have threatened the refuge if not suppressed . Approximately .5 acre was burned . Fire4922-GAToledoFire : This fire occurred on June 9, 1993 . This lightning-caused fire, also adjacent to the refuge boundary, was detected and attacked by a refuge-based helicopter working on the Gnatcatcher Incident . Georgia Forestry Commission tractor-plow units responded and completed the suppression action . The fire was contained at .3 acre . Fire4934-FL-EddyFire : This lightning-caused fire was discovered on June 9, 1993 by helicopters working on the Gnatcatcher Incident . The fire was attacked by helicopters with water buckets and tractor-plow units . The fire was soon contained at 30 acres . The fire was on private land adjacent to the refuge .

Fire 4937-Fire FL-A2 : This lightning-caused fire was discovered on June 10, 1993 during Gnatcatcher suppression operations . Refuge personnel assisted with the suppression action because the fire was adjacent to and threatening the refuge . The fire burned 5 acres .

Fire 4938-Fire FL Al : This lightning-caused fire was also discovered on June 10, 1993 during Gnatcatcher suppression operations . Refuge personnel assisted with the suppression action because the fire was adjacent to and threatening the refuge . The fire burned .1 acre . Fire 4927-Fire GA-A2 : This fire was discovered by a local resident on June 10, 1993 and reported to a refuge employee who responded with a tractor-plow unit . The fire burned 3 acres . This fire like many others was adjacent to and threatening the refuge boundary .

Fire 4928-Fire GA-A3 : On June 10, 1993, during a routine helicopter fire patrol, an escaped trash fire was located near the refuge boundary . A tractor-plow unit was dispatched by Georgia Forestry Commission to suppress the fire . The fire burned .3 acre . Fire 4936-Fire FL-A3 : This fire was discovered by incident patrol 0 aircraft on June 11 during Gnatcatcher suppression operations and was determined to be threatening the refuge . Equipment and personnel were dispatched to the fire . The fire burned 15 acres . Fire 4923-Fire G-1 : This lightning-caused fire was discovered near Rowells Island on June 12, 1993 by a Gnatcatcher Incident helicopter while patrolling the refuge after lightning strikes . Several buckets of water were dumped on the burning snag to suppress the fire . The fire burned less than .1 acre .

Fire 4926-Fire GA-Al : This fire was discovered on June 12, 1993 by a Gnatcatcher Incident patrol aircraft outside the refuge boundary near Toledo . Refuge personnel assisted with the fire because it was near the refuge and, under prevailing weather conditions, could have threatened the refuge . The fire burned .2 acre .

Fire 4925-Fire G-2 : This lightning-caused fire near Honey Scrub Island was discovered on June 13 during a routine patrol after a lightning storm . Several buckets of water were dumped on the burning snag to suppress the fire . The fire burned less than .1 acre . Fire 4929 -Fire GA-A4 : This lightning-caused fire occurred east of the refuge boundary near Homeland, Ga . on June 13, 1993 . Because of the rapid buildup of the fire, the close proximity of the Gnatcatcher suppression 45

equipment and prevailing weather conditions, the Gnatcatcher Incident 0 personnel suppressed the fire . The fire burned 12 acres . Fire4930-FireGA-A5 : The fire occurred on June 14, just east of the refuge boundary near Gowen Tower . Prevailing weather conditions made the fire a threat to the refuge . Refuge personnel assisted with the suppression action . The fire burned .3 acre . Fire4931 -FireGA-A6 : Detection and initial attack was accomplished by the refuge-based helicopter . The Georgia Forestry Commission completed the suppression action . The fire occurred on July 6, 1993 . Four acres were burned .

Fire 4973-Hummingbird Fire : This lightning-caused fire started on Roasting Ear Island on July 17, 1993 . The fire start was observed by both the Florida DOF and Georgia Forestry Commission observation towers, but they were not able to pinpoint the fire location . Refuge personnel were notified on July 18 . At this time, a refuge helicopter was dispatched to locate and size up the fire . Attempts to confine the fire to the island failed . The fire burned most of the island and a few acres of swampland to the northwest of the island . After thundershowers halted the spread of the fire, the fire was observed until it was declared out on August 6 . 0 Approximately 122 acres were burned . Suppression costs were $150,000 . Fire 4980-Fire I-1 : On July 21, 1993, a burning snag was discovered by reconnaisance patrol near Territory Prairie . The patrol helicopter dumped five buckets of water on it . The fire burned less than a tenth of an acre .

Fire 4979-Ivory Bill Fire : This lightning-caused fire was discovered during a reconnaissance of the Hummingbird fire area . The fire was observed minutes after a lightning storm passed over Mitchell Island on July 29, 1993 . Helicopters were immediately dispatched to drop water on the fire . The fire was contained at 6 acres to the upland part of Mitchell Island . On July 21, a hand crew was dispatched by helicopter to mop up the fire . Suppression costs were $10,000 .

Fire 4060-Fire EO-01 : On July 30, 1993, a burning tree was discovered during a routine refuge reconnaissance . The patrol helicopter dumped several buckets of water on it . The fire burned less than a tenth of an acre .

Fire 4061-Fire EO-02 : On August 4, 1993 a burning snag was discovered during a routine helicopter reconnaissance . The patrol helicopter dumped 0 several buckets of water on the fire and suppressed it at less than a tenth of an acre . Fire 4062-Fire EO-03 : On August 8, 1993, a burning snag was detected three miles east of Greasy Branch Island during a routine refuge patrol . The fire did not appear to be spreading . No direct attack action was taken . The fire was observed for two days under a surveillance action, then declared out . Less than a tenth acre burned .

Fire 4063-Jaybird Fire : The Jaybird Fire was started by lightning on August 19, 1993 . The fire was spotted two miles west of Strange Island by the Georgia Forestry Commission tower operator in Fargo, Ga . Georgia Forestry Commission tractor-plow units and one refuge engine crew suppressed the fire . Two acres were burned . Suppression costs were $300 .

Fire 4064 -Fire EO-04 : On September 5, 1993, a burning snag was detected near Minnies Island during a routine refuge patrol . The fire was burning in debris under the snag but did not appear to be spreading . No direct attack action was taken . The fire was observed for several days under a surveillance action, then declared out . Less than a tenth acre burned . Note : Refuge personnel assisted with the suppression of several fires located near the refuge boundary . This occurred during the Gnatcatcher Incident when refuge personnel, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the 46

Florida Division of Forestry, US Forest Service personnel and private industry were under a unified command system directed by an incident management team . During this period, new starts discovered near the incident were managed by the team . Prevailing weather conditions during this period dictated that the most rapid suppression action possible be taken on new starts to prevent a disastrous fire . Fires more distant from the refuge boundary were suppressed by state suppression agencies .

Of the 24 fires reported during 1993, one was ignited by prescribed burning operations, one by trash burning operations, one by arson and the remaining 21 by lightning .

In addition to refuge fire activity, permanent staff and seasonal fire crew members served on several off-refuge incidents and prescribed fire operations during 1993 . Personnel assigned to incidents, locations and dates are listed in Section E .8 .

InteragencyFireCache During 1989, the U . S . Forest Service, Region 8 requested that the refuge store, maintain and transport one of four interagency mobile fire caches . The cache, capable of outfitting 250 fire suppression personnel, is stored at Okefenokee for use on wildfires in Georgia, Florida and other nearby states . The cache was used on Okefenokee NWR during the Gnatcatcher fire . The cache is presently in London, Kentucky awaiting the outfitting of a new trailer . Wilderness and Special Areas

Supervisory Ranger Burkhart continued his efforts as part of a task force to revise the Refuge Manual sections dealing with wilderness management . No word on when these sections will be in final approved form .

0 Map 2 . PRESCRIBED FIRES AND WILDFIRES OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 48

G . WILDLIFE

1 . WildlifeDiversity

One of the refuge's objectives is to provide optimum habitat for a wide diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians including the existing endangered species . Emphasis is placed on native plant communities providing habitat for native wildlife . Through wildlife surveys, selected populations are monitored . To date, there are 48 mammal, 65 reptile, 37 amphibian, 39 fish and 232 bird species recorded for the refuge . With this richness and the contiguous piece of ground, the refuge essentially encompasses an entire ecosystem .

For the black bear and the proposed re-introduced Florida panther, this expanse of unfragmented land is critical in an area of clear cuts and timber plantations . The Okefenokee is world renown for its amphibian populations . We are just beginning to learn more about the numbers and diversity of birds that migrate through the swamp each fall and spring . Fish, despite the low pH, thrive in the swamp . The swamp, being the headwaters of the Suwannee and St . Marys Rivers, contributes important resources to additional ecosystems .

The diversity of invertebrates is known to be extensive but undocumented . Native earthworms were searched for on Billys Island this year (Section D .5) .

Butterflies can be seen during each month, but are most abundant during migration . This year's migration was slightly later than in 1992 occurring in mid-September and not as noticeable . A second annual butterfly count was held at the refuge on August 28 . Seven observers found 18 species and 145 individual butterflies . Butterflies observed during monthly bird counts are also recorded .

2 . Endanqered and Threatened Species

Florida Panther - The Florida Panther was once thought to be common in the Okefenokee area . With the Osceola National Forest south of the refuge and a proposed corridor of land between the two, the area logically is being considered for the re-introduction of Florida Panthers . On February 22, six female and 4 male western mountain lions were released from the Pinhook Unit of the Osceola National Forest, south of Okefenokee NWR . This is the second feasibility study to determine if Florida panthers could survive in north Florida and south Georgia .

During the first six months of the project, three mountain lions were removed from the project . The first animal was lost on April 17 when a poacher killed it in southern Georgia . Another was killed by a vehicle on July 11 . The third cat was removed from the study due to a landowner's complaint . An attempt at relocating this female cat 35 miles away was not successful . She returned to a watershed northeast of Fargo and was recaptured on April 28 . Another cougar was wounded by an arrow in late September . It was removed for a week for treatment .

During the deer hunting season, one cougar was shot and killed in Levy County, Florida and another was removed due to strong negative reactions from hunters that encountered him around deer feeders .

By the end of the year, eight mountain lions were being monitored . The majority have set up territories along river drainages and have not included the swamp . A subadult female made her way the first month after release up the North Prong of the St . Marys River and continued north to Blackjack Island . She then traveled west, out of the swamp . Another cougar has set up a territory along the St . Marys River near Folkston . Several remain along the Suwannee River . 49

Bald Eagle - Bald eagles are regular transients during early and late winter ; however, eagles are usually never seen during the annual bald eagle survey conducted in early January . This year was no exception . Unlike last year, there were no reports of bald eagles along the St . Marys River in the vicinity of Folkston in November and December . There were two sightings reported from the west side of the refuge - one on October 9 on the Pocket and the other was seen north of Fargo on December 13 .

Eastern Indigo Snake - Sightings of indigo snakes occur occasionally but are not always reported . They are most likely seen crossing the road or while walking in the pine stands around the Camp Cornelia area .

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker - Okefenokee NWR currently has 68 known red- cockaded woodpecker (RCW) Clusters . The distribution of clusters on the refuge suggests there are three sub-populations . The northwest subpopulation occurs on the small isolated compartments sandwiched between the swamp's border and private land in timber production . The Billys Island and Honey Island population is the most active and concentrated . Dispersing individuals would have to travel across the swamp or towards the Pocket and private timber lands to the west . The third sub-population includes those birds using Blackjack Island, Mitchell Island, and Compartment 5 and 3 .

Forty-four clusters are considered to be active (Table 8) . Forty-one clusters are located on islands under Wilderness designation . Being remote islands with the majority accessible only by helicopter limits survey and management efforts . These island clusters are visited when the opportunity arises which is rarely during the breeding season . The RCW breeding survey was initiated in mid-May and continued through June 7 when the Gnatcatcher Fire brought further surveying to a halt until the end of June . Compartments 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 15 were surveyed leaving Compartments 7, 9, and 10 unchecked during the breeding season . Four people spent two days on Billys Island surveying the colonies . Seventy- seven trees were visited during the island survey . Three colonies consisting of approximately 10 trees were not checked on Billys Island . Six RCW trees were lost during the March 13 windstorm - two on Billys Island, two on Bugaboo Island and two in Compartment 3 . Ralph Costa, U .S . Fish and Wildlife Service RCW coordinator, visited the refuge in March . After examining the most recently discovered cluster near Camp Cornelia, he suggested placing restrictor plates on the remaining good holes . Pileated woodpeckers have enlarged most of the holes . He also suggested concentrating our efforts into the Billys Island and Honey Island population . Ralph believed artificial cavities on the Pocket may assist dispersing individuals from Billys Island . David Richardson, Assistant Refuge Manager from Noxubee NWR, visited the refuge on August 16-18 . He taught Howard McCullough how to install RCW box inserts and create start holes (Figure 25) . Two inserts were placed in trees in the picnic area of SCRA . Two inserts and one start hole were installed on Mims Island and five inserts and one start hole were installed on the Pocket . No birds have utilized these cavities . Several have a small amount of the puddy around the hole chipped away indicating visitation from a bird . During the Gnatcatcher Wildfire, old fire shelters were placed around the RCW trees on Mitchell Island as a precautionary measure should the fire reach this island . This protection method was not tested in this incident .

Two requests from a private landowner to check an abandoned colony site and a stand of old timber for RCW activity came to the refuge . As regulations are placed on the private timber companies, we can expect to receive more of this type of requests . 50

Table 8 . Summary of activity at red-cockaded woodpecker clusters . LOCATION ACTIVE CLUSTER TOTAL CLUSTERS

C-2 0 1 C-3 5 8 C-4 0 1 C-5 3 4 C-7 1 2 C-8 0 1 C-9 0 1 C-10 0 1 C-12 1 2 C-13 1 2 C-15 4 4 Billys Island 15 21 Blackjack Island 2 4 Bugaboo Island 1 3 Honey Island 6 7 Mitchell Island 4 4 Number One Island 1 1 Rowells Island ? 1 . Total 44+ 68

Figure 25 . Howard McCullough is putting finishing touches on a newly installed RCW cavity insert . (03/93) 93-25 SMB 51

AmericanAlligator - Okefenokee's annual American alligator survey was conducted July 26 through July 30 . Low water levels concentrated the alligators into the boat trails, Suwannee Canal and the Sill area giving a more accurate count of the population . The water level at Suwannee Canal during the survey was 8 .3 inches below the ten-year average of 121 .49 feet . On the west side of the refuge, the staff gauge at Stephen Foster State Park read 17 .2 inches below a nine-year average of 115 .43 feet .

One thousand-eight hundred-thirty one alligators were observed during the survey . This total is one of the greatest on record (Table 9) . Of those alligators that length could be determined, 77% (1283) were six feet or less and 23% (385) were greater than six feet .

The Sill had the greatest concentration with 647 counted on the evening of July 27 (Figure 26) . During that same day, 355 alligators were counted between the boat ramp and the first water control structure, a distance of approximately one mile . The Suwannee Canal had 24 .75 alligators per mile on the night survey .

Table 9 . Alligators censused and associated water levels from 1988 to 1993 .

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 Alligators 1597 1845 no survey 346 534 1831

Water Levela 121 .19 121 .08 119 .55 122 .82 121 .86 120 .80 a Water levels recorded at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area .

The public enjoyed a close up view of a female alligator with 17 young the.f maintained "her" pool of water in a borrow ditch along the Chesser Island Wildlife Drive . The water nearly disappeared but she aggressively protected her young at that spot . In more concentrated areas, the smaller alligators did not have a high survival rate this year (Figure 27) .

1~. [717A .`

Figure 26 . Alligators concentrated during low water levels at the Sill . (07/93) 93-26 HH 52

Figure 27 . A male alligator preys upon a subadult along the Sill . (07/93) 93-27 HH

WoodStork - Wood stork populations have varied from year to year at Okefenokee (Table 10) . This year, they began to be seen in March . However, the first large group was not seen until June when 46 were observed in Chesser Prairie . In August, 117 were using Chase Prairie . Numbers peaked in October when canoeists reported approximately 200 roosting in the trees by Round Top Shelter . Wood Storks continued to use Chase Prairie into November . Fewer were seen during the dry summer in Chesser and Grand Prairies than in past years .

Table 10 . Wood Stork estimated populations since 1984 .

1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

330 1070 800 910 800 200 100 50 110 200 53

Striped Newts

Striped newts are a poorly known species endemic to southern Georgia and north-central Florida . It is a candidate species for the endangered/ threatened species list .

C . Kenneth Dodd from the National Ecology Research Center in Gainesville, Florida searched pond sites on Chesser Island and along Trail Ridge that historically had striped newts . No newts were found . The south end of Chesser Island has been ditched since the 1920's . Fish were also found in several ponds surveyed . Fish are not compatible with the striped newts . Some ponds were found too late in the season to be effectively surveyed .

Peregrine Falcon

Cyndy Loftin, University of Florida researcher, reported a peregrine falcon catching dragonflies over the south end of Chesser Prairie on September 24 .

3 . Waterfowl

Wood ducks are the most commonly seen species of waterfowl in the Okefenokee . Eighty were seen on one survey through Chesser and Grand Prairies in January . An average of 24 were seen in this area during March- September surveys . Wood ducks were a common sight between Dinner Pond and Big Water Day Shelter from August through December . Floyds Prairie was used heavily in November and December .

Sightings of ring-necked ducks and green-winged teal increased in December . During the Christmas Bird Count held on December 28, 14 wood ducks, 16 mallards, and 10 green-winged teal were identified .

Banding wood ducks and maintaining nest boxes are generally conducted at Okefenokee NWR . However, in 1993, banding was not conducted due to a shortage of staff and higher priority projects . The 27 wood duck nest boxes that are in place in the swamp were neither checked or cleaned in 1993 . Broods are rarely seen in the swamp except near the baited banding pads . Despite not having these reports of broods, more broods were seen along the canoe trails . These were sighted on the Suwannee Canal, in Chase Prairie and in Chesser Prairie . Brood size averaged four ducklings . 54

OKEFENOKEE NWR WOOD DUCK BOX PROGRAM INFORMATION YEAR 1993

Total Boxes Up 27

Total Usable Boxes 27 (Boxes not in disrepair)

Use by Wood Ducks of Not Checked (I of boxes and % of Usable Boxes usable boxes)

Number of Boxes with ? Dump Nest (>16 eggs)

Number of Successful ? (Box that hatched one egg Boxes (Wood Ducks) or more = successful)

Use by Other Ducks ? (Mergansers, etc ., and an of Usable Boxes estimate of successful hatches) Period Checked (Specific dates of the (Month) yearly box inspections)

Use by Other Wildlife of Usable Boxes

*Total Wood Ducks Hatched

Wood Duck Broods 60 from boxes Estimated from usage in 1992 Produced and broods seen .

**Wood Ducks Surviving 50% to Flight Stage

Plans for Next Year (Indicate Number)

More Boxes Moved Boxes Fewer Boxes X No Changes

***Remarks : (Such as -- use by what other species, lose due to flooding, names of personnel checking boxes, period when boxes were checked, hunt/trap regulations for raccoons, etc .)

*************

* Unless you can actually count egg shells, just multiply successful boxes by 10 . ** If survival rate is other than 50 %, please explain rationale in remarks section . ***Be sure and document periods that boxes were checked for use and repair .

4 . $arshandWaterBirds

The Okefenokee NWR provides seasonal and year-around habitat for several species of wading and marsh birds . The most common of these are great egrets, sandhill cranes, white ibis, great blue herons, and little blue herons . Cattle egrets, snowy egrets, American bitterns, black-crowned night heron, and wood storks are seen occasionally or seasonally . Because these birds are common, easily visible and identifiable, canoeists' bird surveys assist in identifying their use patterns .

Sandhill crane numbers peaked in February with 1101 recorded on bird surveys covering Chesser, Grand, Chase, Territory and Floyds Prairies . The greatest number used Grand Prairie's east side (1033) . Sandhill cranes began appearing again in November in Chase and Floyds Prairie . It was not until late November that they were abundant in Chesser and Grand Prairies . Grand Prairie held 404 cranes on November 29 . Four hundred twenty cranes were counted in Chesser Prairie during the Christmas Bird Count on December 28 .

Florida sandhill cranes nest on the refuge . Although no official estimate on production was made, at least twelve pairs used Grand and Chesser Prairies . Pairs were also seen using Chase and Sapling Prairies .

White ibis started to return to the refuge in February . Ibis were numerous on the trail to Cravens Hammock in April . Greatest numbers were recorded in July and August with 448 and 540 using primarily Grand, Chase and Chesser Prairies . As the water decreased in Chesser and Grand, use shifted to Chase and Floyds Prairies in October and early November .

On June 4, a fixed-wing airplane was used for the colonial nesting survey . Five historically known rookeries were looked at and the general area searched for nesting activity . White ibis were using the rookeries in the Pocket Area both at Macks Island (50 birds) and Palmetto Island (100 birds) . Fewer great blue herons, little blue herons, white ibis and great egrets were nesting at the Chesser Prairie site, probably due to the many trees that came down in the March wind storm . Later in the month, a rookery along Gum Slough was discovered . Great egrets dominated this site with approximately 75 birds .

Great egrets and little blue herons roosted throughout the summer at about the 1 .5 mile mark along the Suwannee Canal .

5 . Shorebirds, Gulls,Terns&AlliedSpecies The most common species in this group are the common snipe and the killdeer . Snipe were seen in Durdin, Carters, Chase, and Grand Prairies during the year . Although killdeer are present throughout the year, numbers increased in late October . In addition, spotted sandpipers were seen in Durdin Prairie, on the trail to Cravens Hammock and in the Big Water area .

American coots were seen on Durdin Lake and a pied-billed grebe was seen on Seagrove Lake in the fall .

6 . ]Raptors

Red-shouldered hawks, barred owls, American kestrels, black vultures, turkey vultures, and osprey are regularly seen over the swamp .

Vultures are common throughout the year in the swamp . Large numbers appeared to use Durdin Prairie and Cravens Hammock trail during the first three months of the year . Chase Prairie did not have large numbers until late in the year . A large group of approximately 60 roosted along the Suwannee Canal during the fall . 56

The annual bald eagle survey was conducted by boat on January 6 and 7 . No eagles were seen during the survey . It is not unusual to have reports of bald eagles during the fall especially using the St . Marys River drainage . However, this year the only reports of bald eagles came from the Fargo 0 area . Osprey nests have been identified in Chesser, Grand, Mizell, Chase and Floyds Prairies in addition to the sill area . Nest searching was attempted with a fixed-winged airplane . Several nests were not located and those that were, their status was difficult to determine . A more thorough nest search using the helicopter is needed to determine which historical nests were destroyed due to wind in 1993 .

The most unusual sightings that occurred during the year were a peregrine falcon feeding on dragonflies in Chesser Prairie and a caracara reported by canoeists .

7 . Other Miaratorv Birds

The opportunity for canoeists to participate in a bird survey along their trail was begun in 1992 and continued throughout 1993 . Canoeists check on their reservation form whether they would like to participate . Those that do are sent a survey form and instructions . Due to the new postal system for the refuge, return envelopes are no longer sent with the survey forms . Although birding skills vary, these records help to indicate when the more common birds arrive and depart the swamp . Eventually, they also may provide information on use patterns within the swamp . Thirty-three percent of the 715 canoeing parties that entered the swamp in 1993 indicated an interest in participating in the bird survey . Of these, 38% actually returned the completed forms . Because of low water levels and the generally decrease in canoeists during the hot summer months, there is a lack of surveys for June through September .

From the reports in 1993, cedar waxwings migrated through the area in February and March . Tree swallows used Durdin Prairie in March . In April, tree swallow use shifted to the Big Water area, Floyds Prairie and Chase Prairie . A variety of passerine birds are observed in March and April . By May, the summer resident birds (common yellowthroats, prothonotary warbler and the northern parula) have become established along the canoe trails . The participating public seemed to enjoy contributing to this effort . The Okefenokee Bird Club conducted the annual Christmas Bird Count on December 28 . They saw 3623 birds consisting of 80 species . 8 . Game Mammals

White-tailed deer, black bears and otter are the game mammals present on the refuge . Only whitetail deer are harvested on the refuge with black bear taken on the lands surrounding the refuge .

A deer survey was conducted in mid-October on the Pocket and at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area . Fifty deer were counted on the Pocket consisting of 12 bucks, 28 does and 10 yearlings . Only 23 were counted at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area consisting of 17 does, 5 yearlings and 1 unknown . Deer hunting was only allowed by permit on two Saturday mornings in November along the Wildlife Drive at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area . A total of 44 hunters spent 248 hours hunting and took 6 does and 3 bucks . The average whole weight was 63 lbs . The age distribution was 3 less than one year, 2 at 1 .5 years, a 3 .5 year-old, a 4 .5 year-old, a greater than 6 .5 year-old and an unknown . Sardine bait stations were used for the second year to obtain information 0 on black bear habitat usage . This was in cooperation with the State of 57

Georgia . Seventy-four stations were checked after eight days . Eleven stations were visited by bears . This visitation rate is similar to 1992 results .

The acorn crop was exceptional this year which brought bears into the Camp Cornelia office area and near the Chesser Island wildlife Drive . During mid-November, up to three bears were often seen in the trees around the office complex (Figure 28) . The bears were not bothered by the close presence of people or vehicles . This same behavior was observed in 1982 .

Figure 28 . Black bears fed intensely on the acorn crop around the office complex . (11/93) 93-28 HM

The State of Georgia had three two-day bear hunts in Charlton, Clinch, Ware, and Brantley counties . Eighty-six bear were taken during these hunts . Bear hunting in Florida will end after the 1993-94 season . By the end of the year, approximately 30 bear had been taken from Baker and Columbia counties that border the south end of the refuge . Considering the maximum number of bears taken in a past Georgia hunt has been 50, this year's take is a substantial increase . It is anticipated that greater pressure will be placed on the bear in Georgia next year due to the closure of hunting in Florida . More hunters from Florida are expected to hunt bear in Georgia .

10 . Other Resident Wildlife

Distemper was commonly seen during the year in the raccoon and gray fox populations in the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area as populations grew to nuisance levels on the Pocket . Populations within the swamp appeared to be down with less complaints from canoeists and comments that they had less f problems than in the past . 58

The orb weaving spiders that line the canoe trails with their webs seemed to be less abundant at the end of July than in the past two years . The spiders were not as active until mid-August .

11 . FisheriesResources

The Okefenokee Swamp is the headwaters of the well known and utilized Suwannee River and the St . Marys River . The swamp contributes to the fisheries in these two rivers .

The fisheries within the Suwannee River Drainage through the interior of the swamp was surveyed by Georgia Department of Natural Resources on December 1 (Table 11) . Their catch of fliers increased as they sampled toward Big Water . Bowfin and chain pickerel were abundant in Billy's Lake . They were able to catch catfish also which are usually hard to electroshock . They found that the pickerel had grown rapidly since last year . They did not catch any bass . Panama City Fisheries Assistance Office surveyed Chase, Chesser and Grand Prairies and along the Suwannee Canal during the first week of January 1994 . One bass was caught near Monkey Lake and Buzzards Roost Lake . The chain pickerel from the east side of the refuge were held for lead and mercury analysis .

Table 11 . Fish electroshocked in December 1993 and January 1994 .

Species East Side West Side

Warmouth 7 20 Chain Pickerel 14 37 Redfin Pickerel 5 0 Blue Spotted Sunfish 2 3 Flier 427 157 Bowfin 308 135 Bullhead 4 39

Total 767 391

14 . Scientific collections

Chain pickerel and frogs were collected for contaminant analysis under specific research projects (Section D .5) .

In the spring and again in the fall, three raccoons from both the east and west sides of the refuge were collected for mercury analysis . This is one phase of the Florida panther reintroduction program to determine mercury levels within potential habitat systems . It is being coordinated through Ecological Services .

15 . Animal Control

Five alligators were captured and relocated . All were taken from the boat basins at Suwannee Canal Recreation Area or at Stephen C . Foster State Park .

Stephen Foster State Park requested assistance in reducing the raccoon population around the campground in the fall . In other areas of the swamp, it is thought distemper may have kept the population in check .

A female black bear that was a nuisance bear around Apopka, Florida was released at Osceola National Forest on July 20 . She traveled north through a portion of the swamp and ended up near Waycross and Homerville . She was found dead on September 8 from a gunshot wound . 59

Another black bear was getting accustomed to handouts from campers at Stephen C . Foster State Park so it was trapped in the garbage,dumpster at the park, tagged and released on Dixon Wildlife Management Area .

16 . Marking and Bandinq

All alligators handled receive a metal tag for identification . This is used to determine whether an alligator returns to a site after it is relocated .

The nuisance black bear trapped at Stephen C . Foster State Park was ear tagged (Section G .15) .

H . PUBLIC USE

1 . General

Visitation during CY93 remained at a high level, with a total attendance of 388,984 . Public relations continued to be positive, with the generation of 38 news releases and 8,243 inquiries . Refuge cooperation with journalists, videographers and cinematographers continued to create both a national and international appeal .

ENTRANCE

Year East West North Total

1993 186,595 117,707 84,682 388,984 1992 155,255 162,203 84,854 402,312 1991 159,306 148,832 81,668 389,806 1990 161,621 182,639 78,897 423,157 1989 177,818 121,738 86,507 386,063

FEDERAL RECREATION FEE COLLECTIONS

entrance Permits (FY 931

Tvve of Permit No . Receipts

Single Visits 19,905 $70,805 .88 Group/Commercial 25 615 .00 Golden Eagle 61 1,525 .00 Golden Age 1,192 .00 Golden Access 37 .00 Duck Stamp 48 720 .00 Hunt Fee 38 380 .00 Okefenokee Swamp Park 65 .626 12 271 .75

Total 86,932 $86,317 .63

Recreation User Permits (FY 93)

Tvpe of Permit No . Receipts

Special Use (Canoeing) 777 $37,261 .00 9 Commercial (Canoeing) 9 450 .00 Total 786 $37,711 .00

2 . Outdoor Classrooms- Students

Mr . Don Berryhill, Science Specialist of the Okefenokee Regional Education Services Agency (RESA), again conducted most of our student programs - 3,238 visits of which 3,128 occurred at the north entrance .

3 . Outdoor Classrooms- Teachers

Mr . Don Berryhill conducted programs for 563 teachers at the north and east entrances .

Visits Activity Hours Students 3,238 12,024 Teachers 563 2,252

4 . InterpretiveFootTrails

Beam counters were utilized for various trails including the Swamp Boardwalk, Homestead and Peckerwood trails . Based on counter readings and calculated estimates, the use of the trails is as follows :

Trails Number of Visits

Homestead 3,434 Deerstand 5,293 Boardwalk 28,412 Peckerwood 6,966 Canal Diggers 5,293

YCC crews and volunteers have been utilized to maintain trails and trim vegetation to allow better viewing .

5 . Interpretive TourRoutes

A . WatercraftTours

Boat tours decreased in 1993 due to low water levels experienced at the North and West entrances into the Refuge .

The following is a list of the number of visitors using guided boat tours for the past three years :

Entrance 1993 1992 1991

East 16,313 16,259 15,740 West 4,320 5,553 5,071 North 5,886 9,416 11,707

During 1993, wilderness canoeing also decreased as a result of low water levels : (Figure 29) 1993 1992 1991

Wilderness Canoeing 3,914 4,004 3,426

Figure 29 . Overnight canoeist experience a quiet, siren wilderness as they paddle to their overnight stop . (10/93) 93-29 GAG

B . Automobile Tour

1993 1992 1991

Swamp Island Drive 132,472 106,480 105,390

6 . Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations

Visitation to the visitor center continues to increase . Better cooperation with the concessioner is the most likely answer . Over the past couple of years, the East Entrance concessioner has experienced tremendous success in booking commercial tour buses . Each bus load of visitors is afforded an opportunity to view introductory films as well as the diorama exhibits in the Visitor Center . Most tours also include a short trip on the drive with stops at the Chesser Island Homestead and the Swamp Walk boardwalk . Slowly but surely, Okefenokee is gaining a reputation as a destination stop for commercial tours . 1993 1992

Richard S . Bolt Visitor Center 41,472 40,109 Chesser Island Homestead 43,453 25,790

7 . Other Interpretive Proqrams

The first annual "Sandhill Crane Awareness Week" program was celebrated . Activities included slide presentations, bird walks and special guided boat tours . Doris Mager, known as the "Eagle Lady", presented programs on live raptors . Herb & Sue Ann Reichelt and Larry Wyatt, "The Shade Tree Pickers", played and told stories . Refuge Biologist Brown presented Beaks, an activity for youngsters . T .V . Station 21 did a short segment on cranes the day before the event and a short segment on Me . Mager . This first program drew over 2,000 visitors (Figure 30) .

Figure 30 . Doris Mager, "Eagle Lady", presented live raptors . (02/93) 93-30 GAG

b_J

On April 17 and 18, National Wildlife week was observed . Activities included lectures, demonstrations and film showings . Highlights included a seining demonstration and singing and bluegrass music by Herb Reichelt, a reptile program by Forester Wetzel and a slide program on Belize crocodiles by Zoo Atlanta's Howard Hunt .

On June 5, The Okefenokee staff presented the "Pathways to Fishing" education program to refuge visitors in celebration of National Fishing Week . Families with young upstart anglers were encouraged to participate . A total of five children and their parents participated in the program/fishing derby . Prizes were given out to the top anglers .

The annual Okefenokee Festival was host to a crowd of 800-1000 people . Activities included butterchurning, bluegrass music, beekeeping, quilting, cooking on the woodstove, battlin stick and many other activities . Demonstrations on spinning, natural dying and weaving was a highlight enjoyed by all . U . S . Representative Jack Kingston & family spent the day at the Okefenokee Festival in town and came out and toured the swamp in the late afternoon . The annual Yule Log ceremony at the Chesser Homestead attracted about 200 people . The devotional was given by Reverend Kenny Marr from First Baptist Church . Christmas caroling was again led by the Roddenberry Sisters . Volunteers helped with preparing luminaries and serving . All visitors, who attended, enjoyed the fellowship as they warmed themselves by the fire .

INTERPRETATION-1993

Wildlife Trail-Non-Motorized No . of Visits Activity Hours Self-Guided 82,444 243,884 Conducted 292 293

Wildlife Tour Route-Motorized Self-Guided 132,427 119,179 Conducted 26,211 43,892

Interpretive Center 41,473 11,191

Visitor Contact Station 55,067 5,502

Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations Self-Guided 287,741 37,420 t Conducted 43,453 21,724 Other On Refuse Programs 42,824 21,457

Fishing Visits East Entrance 1,520 9,120 West Entrance 5,800 34,800 Kingfisher 851 5,106 Sill 3,132 18,792

Foot Trails 5,293 3,694 Boardwalk 28,412 39,773 Land vehicles 231,651 57,903 Watercraft (Boat) 25,835 79,938

Stephen C . Foster State Park Tent Campers 8,815 70,520 Cabin Users 6,687 53,496 t Picnicking Total (East & West) 12,538 12,538 64

8 . Hunting

Deer hunting was allowed on the mornings of November 6 and November 13 along the Chesser Island Wildlife Drive on the east side of the refuge . Thirty applicants were selected for each Saturday hunt . However, only 16 and 15 from those actually selected showed for the hunts . These figures included one physically-challenged person (Figure 31) . Nine deer (6 females and 3 males) were taken by these 44 hunters in 248 hours of hunting .

Figure 31 . A physically challenged hunter participated in a deer hunt . (11/93) 93-31 SR

9 . gishinq

Overall, fishing decreased due to low water levels (Figure 32) . The Suwannee River Sill and Stephen C . Foster State Park were closed for several weeks due to low water levels . The following is a list of the number of fishermen for the past 3-years .

1993 1992 1991

East Entrance 1,521 1,820 805 West Entrance 5,800 8,313 3,652 Kingfisher Landing 851 630 681 Suwannee River Sill 3 132 5 .487 2 .788

Total 11,304 16,250 7,926

Figure 32 . The fishing is obviously good - but the catching was somewhat hindered by the guy in the staw hat . Manager Reeves observed his physically challenged nephew fishing from the bank behind the Visitor Center . t (11/93) 93-32 JAB 11 . Wildlife Observation

Contained here is a comparison of wildlife observation visitation for the past 2-years :

1993 1992 Visitors Activity Hrs . Visitors Activity Hrs .

Foot Trails 5,293 3,964 3,368 2,525 Boardwalk 28,412 39,773 29,737 41,631 Land Vehicles 231,641 57,903 217,786 54,444 Watercraft (Boat) 25,835 79,938 24,064 73,624

12 . Other Wildlife-Oriented Recreation

Wildlife-oriented camping, picnicking and photography form the basis for the rest of Okefenokee's non-consumptive wildlife-oriented uses . Tent campers and recreational vehicle campers and cabin users at the West Entrance (Stephen C . Foster State Park) accounted for 8,815 users and 6,687 users, respectively . Picnicking reported at both east and west entrances accounted for 12,538 visits . Photography at east and west entrances accounted for 22,803 visitors .

17 . Law Enforcement

The year ended with a total of three collateral duty officers and one full- time 1802 officer for the refuge . This is one more officer then we had last year . Law enforcement problems during the year mostly occurred along the refuge boundary lines and the high public use areas . Twenty-three Federal cases and 26 state cases were made this year .

Refuse Violations, Number of Tickets

Trespassing on a N .W .R . 7 Failure to comply with State fishing limit 5 Trespass with Firearms 2 Use of Oversize Outboard Motor 2 Fishing without a valid Fishing license 2 Taking Wildlife on a N .W .R . without a permit 2 Swimming with "gators" 1 No personal flotation devices in the boat 1 Feeding wildlife on a N .W .R . 1 23

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Violations Written By State Officers

Fishing without a valid fishing license 9 Operating a boat with invalid state registration 5 No personal flotation devices in the boat 4 *Hunting with the aid of a spotlight 2 *Hunting from a state highway 2 *Hunting from a vehicle 2 *Hunting under the influences of alcohol 2 26

Charlton County Sheriff Department 8 *?ossession of a controlled substance 2 TOTAL CASES MADE 51

* = Federal cases turned over to the state or county for prosecution .

Thirty-one written warnings were written this year by federal officers . Warnings are issued by officers for minor violations that do not warrant a notice of violation . The majority of these warnings are for fishing without a license . Sixty-four incident reports were filled out this year by refuge officers . The reports ranged from illegal alligator kills to vehicle break-ins . A theft that occurred on Floyds Island, an interior island, was investigated . A canoeist reported the theft of a camera and bag by a shifty-looking raccoon . Neither the raccoon nor the camera has been seen sincel

During peak visitor use in the spring, both State and refuge officers patrolled together . Extra attention was devoted this year to check t overnight canoeist and fisherman due to problems and complaints in the 67

past . This extra effort payed off when refuge officers seized over 400 panfish from five overlimit cases . The fish were donated to a local children's home and the Fargo senior citizen's group . A baggie of marijuana was found in a lost backpack, and when the persons came back to claim it, the refuge officers and deputy sheriffs apprehended the suspects . The two subjects later plead guilty in state court to possession of a controlled substance .

During the last week of August, the Florida and Georgia Law Enforcement Divisions cooperated on a Joint Drug Task Force along the Florida/Georgia state lines including the lower part of the refuge . In a three-day period, drug task force helicopters locatedd six marijuana "gardens" with over 1,103 plants . One of these gardens had 250 plants and was located on the refuge . The other gardens were located less than 1/2 mile from the refuge boundary . Two weeks later, the refuge officer (1802) was following what he thought was a hunter footprints heading into the swamp (Figure 33) . The suspected hunter trail turned into marijuana growers trail as it led into a garden with 107 marijuana plants . A week long search of this area by refuge officers, sheriffs' officers, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Ware County, officers, GA Drug Task Force, Georgia National Guard, and Governors Drug Task Force turned up three more gardens on the refuge . A total of 853 plants (Figure 34) were located .

During the summer of 1993, law enforcement officers found a total of 2,197 marijuana plants in 13 gardens on or within 1/2 mile of the refuge boundary .

These 2,197 marijuana plants had a street value of $4,833,400 . The sheriff of Charlton County was quoted in the paper saying that this was the highest dollar value of marijuana ever found in Charlton County, GA .

Figure 33 . Refuge officer Shelton in area where t marijuana was found . (08/93) 93-33 PT 68

Figure 34 . Many of the marijuana plants found on the refuge were growing in bags made from filter cloth material attached to cypress trees . (08/93) 93-34 JNS

18 . CooperatinqAssociation

Okefenokee Wildlife League (OWL) had a total sales for FY 93 of $23,195 (an 11% increase over FY 92 revenues) . The bookstore continues to exhibit great potential . During the year, 4 titles were added and 9 titles were deleted bringing the total number of titles to 84 . The Okefenokee Wildlife League donated $2500 for the year to the refuge . Donations included a xerox machine, printing of volunteer handbooks, window glazing, sponsorship of refuge VIP luncheons, volunteer awards, and funding for special events .

The association was involved in volunteer cookouts, membership drives, special programs, and advertisement of the refuge . Seed money helped the forestry departments in t-shirt production and sales .

OWL began in October to raise funds for future black bear research . A donation was used to print a t-shirt designed by refuge biologist Sara Brown that states the mission of the refuge (Figure 35) . Funds raised through the sale of these t-shirts will go towards black bear research . 69

Figure 35 . New refuge t-shirt sold by OWL to raise funds for future black bear research .

19 . Concessions

Concession operations at the three main entrances provide visitors with tours, boat, motor and canoe rentals, as well as basic food services . Only the East Entrance concessioner pays a percentage of gross profits (6%) to the Federal treasury in lieu of rental fees .

* 1993 1992 1991

Net Receipts 312,863 305,033 239,512

* A 3% increase from 1992 . 70

I . EOUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1 . NewConstruction

Six new bays were added to the boneyard pole shed . The Perimeter Road bridge contractor finished the last of the bridges (Figures 36 and 37) .

Construction (roof and trim) of the west-side fueling facility was completed .

The backyard habitat area on Chesser Island was sodded . Next spring wildflowers will be added . Work on the Fire Cache Annex continued as fire crew members installed bins, shelves and interior trim .

2 . Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of approximately eight miles of Road Six (provides access to the southern boundary of the refuge) continues . Work has involved installation of culverts, low water crossings, general grading and ditching (Figures 38 and 39) . This road became a major thoroughfare during the Gnatcatcher wildfire emergency . Damages caused by suppression activies are being repaired . By using the expertise of visiting wildfire crews, the 2/-ton water tender (christened Christine) and 500-gallon buffalo was restored .

3 . Major Maintenance

Repairs/restoration of our east-side residence begun . Repairs included interior painting, new kitchen flooring and cabinets, outside stair work, screening, etc . So far, parts of the interior have been painted and the kitchen re-floored--other repairs are scheduled for 1994 .

4 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement

A new 4x4 Ford F-350 diesel truck was delivered . It was retrofitted with an aluminum deck with side tool/utility boxes . Plans are to use the vehicle as a fire engine . A contractor installed new water softening units at Camp Cornelia, Suwannee Canal Recreation Area and Chesser Island . Numerous problems with the units at Suwannee Canal and Chesser Island have not been solved . After attempts s to reconcile the problems with the vender failed, dialogue was initiated at the regional level .

A new 30-ton lowboy trailer was delivered . Numerous desks, chairs, shelves, and other office equipment were procured from the regional office during their move .

S 71

Figures 36 and 37 . Twenty-one of 24 bridges were replaced around the Perimeter Road over the past three years . These two prints show both the "before" and "after" shots . Top : (07/93) 93-36 FW ; After : (08/93) 93-37 SR

0 72 0

Figures 38 and 39 . It was necessary for refuge staff to repair numerous washouts along perimeter road before heavy bridge building equipment could travel to construction sites . These "before" and "after" shots were taken just north of Bridge #13 . Top : 07/92 (93-38) FW; Below : (08/93) 93-39 SR 0

5 . CommunicationSystems

The station's GE high band radio system consists of two radio repeaters connected by UHF link located on the east and west sides of the refuge . 0 The base station with telephone patch is located at the headquarters on the east side of the swamp . Numerous mobile radios and handheld transceivers are used with this system . This system enables communication daily with several remote weather stations located around the refuge .

Since the installation of the GE Radio System, communications with the U .S . Forest Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, Florida Division of Forestry, local county law enforcement agencies and medical rescue operations are possible .

Following severe wildfires from 1989 through 1991, efforts to convert to "high band" system were increased . General Electric Company was awarded the contract and installed the system in 1992 .

The refuge is served by CENTREX business telephones and services through Alltel Telephone Company . This system allows centralized answering, call transfers, call forwarding, conference calls and intercom capabilities, etc . Maintenance is provided by the local telephone company and all telephone equipment is located in the business office of Alltel in nearby Folkston, GA . This system is working well .

During 1993, the staff became aware of the need for cellular phone service . At the present time, the refuge has two cellular phones . One phone is kept by the 1802 law enforcement officer who patrols at night when all other personnel are at home or not near a radio . The phone serves as a safety item . The other phone is carried by members of the staff when traveling away from the refuge .

6 . Computer Systems

At the beginning of the year, the refuge had five desktop computers (1 Dell 286, 2 Compuadds 386s, 2 Swan 486s) and one Zenith Laptop . During the year, two used desktops from the Regional Office were received (Tandy and Dell 286) . Two new computers were received during the year (one Swan 486 and one PC Brand 486 notebook) . In addition, a Calcomp Plotter, Digitizer and Arc/Info Software were received for use with GIS . Also, Trimble Portable Global Positioning System (GPS) Pathfinder Professional equipment was purchased . A Colorado 250 Mb Trakker tape backup system was purchased in order to save time in backing up all computers .

Fourteen of the 22 permanent refuge staff use the computers consistently . This figure does not include use by volunteers and seasonal fire staff . The laptop is used for travel, special data retrievals and programming of remote equipment . The notebook is used for office use and travel . The desktops are used for all phases of refuge operations, i .e ., budget, time and attendance, ccmail, word processing, spreadsheets, charts, graphs, weather retrieval and fire programs, etc .

7 . Energy Conservation Both fuel usage and electricity increased from CY 1992 . As the refuge staff continues to grow and more projects are undertaken in more remote areas of the refuge, the energy use will also increase ; however, CY 1993's large increase over CY 1992 is due in part to wildfire activities and the Swamp's Edge Break project during the summer .

CY 1993 CY 1992 CY 1991 Electricity (kwh) 177,159 127,705 118,499 Gasoline (gal) 24,290 18,359 19,537 0 Diesel (gal) 12,582 8,124 8,671

J . OTHER ITEMS

1 . Cooperative Proqrams

On May 29, a cooperative use agreement was signed by personnel from the refuge and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regarding use of Eddy Fire Tower . The Florida tower will serve as a needed southeastern site for a radio repeater for the refuge . Both agencies will use the equipment .

4 . Credits

As in previous years, this narrative involved several staff members . The following individuals should receive all the credit, praise and/or criticism for the sections listed :

Section A Earle Section B Earle Section C Earle Section D Earle, Burkhart and Brown Section E Campbell, Earle, Burkhart, Mallard and Earle Section F Brown, Phernetton, Earle and Burkhart 0 Section G Brown Section H Burkhart and Burkhart Section I Reeves and Campbell Section J Earle and Campbell Section K Reeves 75

K . FEEDBACK

This year has been exciting and challenging for me, my family and the staff at Okefenokee . As always, relocating and establishing a new residence creates unusual challenges . I fortunately established a working relationship with the staff at Okefenokee years before being selected as Refuge Manager . This relationship has made the transition from the Regional office back to the field easier .

All Refuge Managers believe they have the best staff and I am no exception . In the past twelve months I have seen a dedicated group of PROFESSIONALS work to achieve and exceed established goals . This work was accomplished despite working in a substandard office building, not having enough staff to accomplish the task, VERY limited funding to the extent of not being able to cover fixed cost, and uncertainties concerning the impact of downsizing (capsizing??) and ecosystem management .

After considering the threats to Okefenokee and Banks Lake NWR's, I believe the greatest does not occur in the environment . The greatest threat is with our lack of ability to secure the proper funding and staffing to adequately manage the resources taxpayers have entrusted to the Service . I am sure we are not different from many refuges in our Region . If we do not receive help soon, we will not be able to cover fixed cost, much less 0 complete the necessary tasks . Closing the door or reducing staff should not be the answer!

My next concern centers on employees, especially new hires, that consider working on refuges a job and not a career or profession, the 8 to 5er's . I will always wonder why a person completes an advanced education to have a JOB with a natural resource agency . Higher paying jobs with less education commitment and headaches are available . I believe family should be placed before the job, but family is part of the career . This union makes our career a way of life, something we love and care about . This combination is something impossible to explain to the 8 to 5er's .

0 REVIEW AND APPROVALS

BANKS LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

LAKELAND, GEORGIA

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1993

Z// 71 ~~/ Refuge Manager Date

Distric Manager, Refuges & Wildlife (RF-3) Date

fc'' ~' Gf Regional Office Review Date ~ INTRODUCTION

Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge was acquired February 22, 1985 from The Nature Conservancy . This refuge, containing approximately 3,500 acres, is located in Lanier County near Lakeland, Georgia . The refuge contains a variety of habitat types including 1,500 acres of marsh, and 1,000 acres of cypress swamp and 1,000 acres of open water (Figure 1) . Scattered through these types are hardwood swamp, pine forest and other upland areas . The refuge was established for the protection and conservation of an unique environment as well as migratory and resident wildlife .

On April 16, 1980, the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service entered a lease agreement with The Nature Conservancy to manage approximately 3,500 acres of the Banks Lake/Grand Bay Wetlands complex, located in Lanier and Lowndes Counties in southeastern Georgia . The original intent of the lease was to eventually establish a National Wildlife Refuge on this area . Changes in the emphasis of the land acquisition program resulted in no funds being appropriated for acquiring this land . This area remained in a state of limbo during 1982 and 1983 with the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service maintaining a caretaker position over Banks Lake . In 1984, funds were added to the FY 1985 budget for the purpose of this area at a land value of $356,000 . The refuge was authorized under the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 and funded through provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1955 with strong local support from the Lakeland community and the congressional delegation .

Figure 1 . Banks Lake approximately four feet below normal during winter drawdown . i (12/93) 93-01 JS

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A . HIGHLIGHTS 1

B . CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

C . LAND ACQUISITION

1 . Fee Title (Nothing to Report) 2 . Easements (Nothing to Report) 3 . other (Nothing to Report)

D . PLANNING

1 . Master Plan ...... (Nothing to Report) 0 2 . Management Plan (Nothing to Report) 3 . Public Participation (Nothing to Report) 4 . Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resources Mandates 1 5 . Research and Investigations (Nothing to Report) 6 . Other (Nothing to Report)

E . ADMINISTRATION

1 . Personnel 1 2 . Youth Programs (Nothing to Report) 3 . Other Manpower Programs (Nothing to Report) 4 . Volunteer Program (Nothing to Report) 5 . Funding 1 6 . Safety (Nothing to Report) 7 . Technical Assistance (Nothing to Report) 8 . Other (Nothing to Report)

F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1 . General 1 2 . Wetlands 1 3 . Forests (Nothing to Report) 4 . Croplands (Nothing to Report) 5 . Grasslands (Nothing to Report) 6 . Other Habitats (Nothing to Report) 7 . Grazing (Nothing to Report) 8 . Haying (Nothing to Report) 9 . Fire Management 2 10 . Pest Control (Nothing to Report) 11 . Water Rights (Nothing to Report) 12 . Wilderness and Special Areas (Nothing to Report) 13 . WPA Easement Monitoring (Nothing to Report) G . WILDLIFE 1 . Wildlife Diversity 3 2 . Endangered and/or Threatened Species 3 3 . Waterfowl 3 4 . Marsh and Water Birds 5 5 . Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species (Nothing to Report) 6 . Raptors 5 7 . Other Migratory Birds (Nothing to Report) 8 . Game Mammals (Nothing to Report) 9 . Marine Mammals (Nothing to Report) 10 . Other Resident Wildlife (Nothing to Report) 11 . Fisheries Resources 5 12 . Wildlife Propagation and Stocking . 6 .Surplus Animal Disposal (Nothing to Report) Scientific Collections (Nothing to Report) Animal Control (Nothing to Report) Marking and Banding (Nothing to Report) Disease Prevention and Control . . . . (Nothing to Report) i H . PUBLIC USE

1 . General (Nothing to Report) 2 . Outdoor Classrooms - Students (Nothing to Report) 3 . Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers (Nothing to Report) 4 . Interpretive Foot Trails (Nothing to Report) 5 . Interpretive Tour Routes (Nothing to Report) 6 . Interpretive Exhibits/ Demonstrations (Nothing to Report) 7 . Other Interpretive Programs (Nothing to Report) 8 . Hunting (Nothing to Report) 9 . Fishing (Nothing to Report) 10 . Trapping (Nothing to Report) 11 . Wildlife Observation (Nothing to Report) 12 . Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation . .(Nothing to Report) 13 . Camping (Nothing to Report) 14 . Picnicking (Nothing to Report) 15 . Off-Road Vehicling (Nothing to Report) 16 . Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation (Nothing to Report) 17 . Law Enforcement 6 0 18 . Cooperating Associations (Nothing to Report) 19 . Concessions (Nothing to Report)

I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1 . New Construction 6 2 . Rehabilitation (Nothing to Report) 3 . Major Maintenance . .((Nothing to Report) 4 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement (Nothing to Report) 5 . Communication Systems (Nothing to Report) 6 . Computer Systems (Nothing to Report) 7 . Energy Conservation (Nothing to Report) 8 . Other (Nothing to Report)

J . OTHERITEMS 1 . Cooperative Programs 7 2 . Other Economic Uses (Nothing to Report) • 3 . Items of Interest (Nothing to Report) . . . Credits .4 7

K . FEEDBACK . . . .(Nothing to Report)

L . INFORMATIONPACKET --- (inside back cover)

0 1

A . HIGHLIGHTS

Construction of new Banks Lake concession/restroom (D .4 and I .1) .

Drawdown accomplished for vegetation control (F .2) (Figure 2) .

Coordination with the Valdosta Bassmasters, City of Lakeland, Lanier County and private landowners (I .1) .

D . PLANNING

4 . CompliancewithEnvironmental and CulturalResources Mandates

In June, after submission of the Banks Lake Cultural Resources through proper State channels, permission was received to start construction of the new Banks Lake concession/restroom building . No significant findings were located at the site .

E . ADMINISTRATION

1 . Personnel

No personnel are stationed at Banks Lake Refuge . All work was accomplished by the staff of Okefenokee Refuge and volunteers . Refer to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge's annual narrative for its staffing pattern . Full-time Law Enforcement Officer Jim Shelton had primary responsibility for the law enforcement activities at Banks Lake .

5 . Funding

This satellite refuge of Okefenokee received no funding for the year . Any costs incurred by Banks Lake were absorbed by Okefenokee .

F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1 . Genera]

The refuge, which contains 3500 acres, is composed of several wetland types . Approximately 1000 acres are classified as open water, 1500 acres as marsh and 1000 acres as cypress swamp . A water control structure constructed in the early 1940's on the north side of the lake is key to managing the area . This structure may require major rehabilitation or replacement in the near future . 2 . Wetlands

Water levels fluctuated naturally at Banks Lake through October 17 . On October 18, the water control gate on the north side of the lake was raised . The town of Lakeland kept a close watch on downstream Lake Erma so that it would not raise above its dam level . The objective of this manipulation was to draw down the water level of Banks Lake seven feet, hope for a few weeks of cold temperatures to kill the abundant submergent aquatic vegetation and then refill the lake by mid-March or April 1994 (Figure 2) . 2

Figure 2 . Approximately 90% of Banks Lake was exposed to winter freezes to facilitate vegetation control . (12/93) 93-02 JS

In late December, there were several weeks of cold temperatures when water levels fluctuated around 184 .80 ft ; however, the lowest water level was reached shortly afterwards at 6 .90 ft below the beginning reading of 190 .60 ft . The gate was closed on January 11, 1994 .

During the drawdown, Dr . Blanchard studied cypress growth and structure for evidence on historical water levels .

Water hyacinth was treated with RODEO around the edges of the lake in 1992 . A search was made this year and none was found . 9 . FireManaqement A report of several arson fires was received . A helicopter crew was dispatched to investigate the fires but none were found . A Fire Management Plan completed for Banks Lake NWR during 1992 prescribed periodic fire to control growth of dense stands of hazardous scrub-shrub vegetation which dominates much of the marsh area . Several ownerships exist within the marsh/scrub-shrub area . All of these ownerships would be subject to wildfire during dry periods . Prescribed burning would be accomplished in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources .

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources planned a hazard reduction burn for Banks Lake during 1993 but weather and fuel conditions did not allow the burn .

No resource management prescribed fire is planned until a Habitat Management Plan is completed for the refuge . The opportunity exists to use fire to control the encroachment of herbaceous and woody vegetation within the lake and marsh, enhancing migratory water bird and waterfowl habitat . Prescribed fire will be used to maintain upland habitat in the vicinity of the proposed concession areas . 3

G . WILDLIFE

1 . Wildlife Diversity

Banks Lake is one of the largest freshwater swamp systems in the coastal plain of Georgia . Its unique habitat provides for a diversity of wildlife species that migrate through the area as well as for a number of resident species .

Monthly bird surveys were not conducted at Banks Lake in 1993 . Only incidental sightings as staff worked in the area added to our knowledge of this satellite refuge .

2 . Endanqered andThreatened Species

Wood storks are regularly seen at Banks Lake . An occasional winter visitor is the bald eagle .

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources was granted permission to release Florida sandhill cranes at Banks Lake beginning in 1993 . Six Florida sandhill cranes were released . It is hoped a resident breeding population can be established to supplement Okefenokee's population .

3 . Waterfowl

Wood ducks are the most common waterfowl species . Nest boxes installed by the State of Georgia in Grand Bay and by the refuge in Old Field have increased nest cavities providing for a larger population . Forty wood duck boxes are currently in place on the refuge portion of Banks Lake . Due to low water conditions followed by the drawdown in October, the wood duck boxes were not checked . It was hoped that a way could be found into old Field while the water was low . However, water was still covering the field at the end of December .

0 4

BANKS LAKE NWR WOOD DUCK BOX PROGRAM INFORMATION YEAR 1993

Total Boxes Up 40

Total Usable Boxes 40 (Boxes not in disrepair)

Use by Wood Ducks of (I of boxes and % of Usable Boxes usable boxes)

Number of Boxes with Dump Nest (>16 eggs)

Number of Successful (Box that hatched one egg Boxes (Wood Ducks) or more = successful)

Use by Other Ducks (Mergansers, etc ., and an of Usable Boxes estimate of successful hatches) Period Checked Didnotcheck (Specific dates of the (Month) yearly box inspections)

Use by Other Wildlife of Usable Boxes

*Total Wood Ducks Hatched

Wood Duck Broods ? Produced

**Wood Ducks Surviving 50% to Flight Stage

Plans for Next Year (Indicate Number)

More Boxes Moved Boxes

Fewer Boxes X No Changes

***Remarks : (Such as -- use by what other species, loss due to flooding, names of personnel checking boxes, period when boxes were checked, hunt/trap regulations for raccoons, etc .) *************

4 . Marsh and WadingBirds

Of the marsh and wading birds, white ibis and sandhill cranes are most abundant . White ibis use the refuge early in the year . Nineteen were seen in February and 44 were seen in March .

Greater sandhill crane use was high this year with over 1000 reported in the Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area at the end of October . On December 30, 600 sandhill cranes were using old Field and the southwest corner of Banks Lake .

6 . Raptors

Raptors commonly seen on the refuge include the red-tailed and red- shouldered hawks, osprey, black and turkey vultures, American kestrel and the barred owl . The great horned owl and golden eagle have been observed on the refuge in the past but sightings are rare . Bald eagles are occasionally seen during winter .

An osprey nested in the middle of Banks Lake . Fishermen often fished underneath without disturbing the activity above . This appeared to be a new nest . 0 11 . FisheriesResources No fish surveys were conducted this spring . The fall drawdown will improve the fisheries (Figure 3) .

F Figure 3 . There were W several nice fish caught during the year's drawdown . (11/93) 93-03 JS

0 6

12 . WildlifePropagationandStockinq

The use by migratory greater sandhill cranes of Banks Lake prompted the state of Georgia Department of Natural Resources to plan the release of 0 Florida sandhill cranes . Six Florida sandhill cranes were released this year . Portions of Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area and Old Field provide suitable habitat for these cranes .

H . PUBLICUSE

17 . LawEnforcement

Law enforcement efforts were carried out by refuge officers from Okefenokee Refuge . Due to the distance and budget constraints, very little law enforcement was done this year . As of the writing of this narrative, the refuge regulations for Banks lake have not been printed and the boundary of the refuge is still under dispute . The lack of a clear boundary and printed refuge regulations limits our enforcement to only state game and fish violations on the refuge . No federal violations were written this year . Six written warnings and 10 incident reports were filled out by refuge officers . Fourteen state cases were written this year by the local state game ranger .

I . EQUIPMENTANDSUPPLIES

1 . NewConstruction

During the drawdown of the impoundment, the staff took the opportunity to lengthen and widen the refuge's only boat ramp . The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area, supplied concrete logs that allowed the refuge staff to add 25 feet to the length and increase the number of lanes from two to three .

In 1992, the Valdosta Bassmasters (a local fishing club) received a grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service for materials, labor and expertise to construct a new concession building . The club purchased the materials in 1992, with Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area providing storage until the materials were needed . In October, Lanier County personnel began clearing the area for the building . Robert Simpson (a local citizen) provided 50 to 60 truckloads of base material permitting the sloping, grading, and landscaping of the area . The concession building will measure 50' x 40' . Of this 2000 sq . ft ., 1000 will be for concession, 500 for refuge storage and 500 for restrooms . By the end of the year, Lanier County personnel had cleared the site and the Bass Club had initiated construction of the concession building (Figure 4) . The refuge staff initiated negotiations for sewer hook-up with the City of Lakeland officials and continued to help coordinate projects with Bass Club, local governments and citizens, and regional office engineers .

A new staff gauge has been installed and plans are to situate No Wake Zone buoys in the boat basin by the refuge staff . 7

Figure 4 . New Banks Lake NWR concession building during construction by the Valdosta Bassmasters fishing club . (10/93) 93-04 JS

J . OTHERITEMS

1 . CooperativePrograms

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Service and the U . S . Air Force went into effect November 3, 1987 . The MOU covers the right of the Air Force to restrict public access and conduct low level flight operations over a portion of the refuge . In turn, the Service has the right to manage a portion of Air Force property . Several years ago, a land exchange proposal of these two properties was proposed . With current Defense cuts, the outcome remains to be seen .

4 . Credits

This narrative involved several staff members . The following individuals should receive all the credit, praise and/or criticism for the sections listed :

Section A I D -- Earle Section E -- Campbell Section F -- Phernetton and Brown Section G -- Brown Section H -- Shelton Section J -- Campbell OKEFENOKEE NWR - 1993

K . FEEDBACK

After considering the threats to Okefenokee and Banks Lake NWR's, I believe the greatest does not occur in the environment . The greatest threat is with our lack of ability to secure the proper funding and staffing to adequately manage the resources taxpayers have entrusted to the Service . I am sure we are not different from many refuges in our Region . If we do not receive help soon, we will not be able to cover fixed cost, much less complete the necessary tasks . Closing the door or reducing staff should not be the answer!

All things considered, this has been a good year . New challenges of ecosystem management, funding, downsizing, etc . will face us next year, and we will meet and conquer these as we have done other challenges in the past . I look forward to next year at Okefenokee and Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuges . It. N@gn6Qddo M DIggeng From here the Suwannee Canal extends westward through the swamp for twelve miles and in the opposite direction for about two anat Diggers miles. It was near here on Trail Ridge where the attempt to drain C the swamp began to fail . Diggers, using mule-powered shovel skids, had to go deeper and deeper to reach below swamp level . The soaring bands of sand continually broke loose and fell at their feet, filling in their progress. There seemed to be no end to the digging. Money to pay their wages began running low . Trail Deep in the swamp steam shovels mounted on barges discovered an increasing flow of water coming in from the wrong direction . At this point the feasibility of the project was re-examined . Captain Jackson concluded that not only was this particular ditch a menac- ing problem, but that even if it were completed below swamp level, it probably would not drain the swamp dry . More ditches and canals would be needed. This was more than the promoters could handle, so the project was ended .

It . Cnihoablgpg(wg Walking along the edge of the canal that carves through the peat and sandy soil of the Okefenokee, it is possible to imagine the experience of the hard-working men who had to dig through sand, muck, and debris . These were rough and reckless men who endured the irritating bites of yellow flies, ticks, and redbugs as they sweated through the penetrating heat of day and swarming mos- quitoes of night. Their hard-driven labor was full of such risks as falling trees and rolling logs, snapping cables and flying axeheads. Many were taken to the doctor, some to the undertaker . Today, the din of men whistling and shouting, steam engines puffing and sighing, mules braying, and cables whining has been replaced with the serenity of wind rustling through the trees and the chorus of birds and frogs filling the air .

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Okefenokee U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service RF-41590-10- June 1991 National Wildlife Refuge Historic Illustrations by : George Pan•Ish U o 9fiandd6 N0a Toward the end of the 19th century, 'progress' nearty led to the In a moment you will leave the canal by one of the routes used extinction of the Okefenokee Swamp. This part of the Okefenokee by the canal diggers as they and their mules dragged scoop after was then owned by the State of Georgia. In 1891, the State scoop of sand from the ditch . granted these lands to the Suwannee Canal Company, a corpo- ration formed to effect the drainage of the swamp . Captain Harry e u}~i amt(ton iti Jackson, a prominent lawyer in Atlanta, was the main force to•~t ) To your right are the dunes left by the canal diggers . To your left behind the newly formed company. Jackson and his associates are the pines which were planted after the virgin forest was cut to expected to make millions of dollars from the sale of timber and help pay the digging expenses . from fertile crop lands that would be exposed once the swamp was drained. Construction of the canal began in September, As you walk along, notice how the digging of the canal has 1891 . A few years later the entire project was abandoned . changed the appearance and plant life of the pine forest through which the ditch was dug. The change is evident in the contrast This Canal Diggers Trail winds into the upland portions of the between the dense growth of mosses and ferns of the wet ditch Suwannee Canal where the works of man have left unusual bottoms, and the pine forest and scattered oaks of the open drier niches and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife. The walk takes dune uplands . This is a good place to look for signs of deer during about 30 minutes. autumn while acorns are falling to the ground .

Qo it M A 4 . Awitnal Digoers The plan caned for the swamp to be drained through Trail Ridge Men were digging the canal to eliminate a swamp. Some forms to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Saint Mary's River . Although of wildlife also dig but their objectives are to seek food or shelter . the ditch was cut through the ridge, it was never cut down to the This digging was caused by a gopher tortoise, a land dwelling water level of the swamp . The diggings exposed many small turtle better known locally as a gopher . Dens such as this may springs which created a flow of water running back into the swamp instead of away from the swamp. This gave rise to stories extend into the spoil dune for as much as 35 feet. that when the canal was finished, the water from the Saint Mary's The gopher tortoise often shares its den with other animals- would flow back into the swamp . On this assumption, the project snakes, raccoons, opossums and insects to name a few . One was abandoned and almost immediately became known as tenant, the gopher frog, seems to depend entirely on tortoise 'Jackson's Folly.' dens for its protection . The water still flows from the springs into the swamp just as it did during the early days of construction . Through the years nature Other animals in this area that live in underground dens include has covered many of the scars while providing wildlife a place of foxes, skunks and armadillos . refuge. In fall and winter, migrating warblers, white-throated sparrows and other birds find protection here . They seek out berries and scratch for insects under the fallen leaves and in the decaying fallen trunks of trees .

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina caroling) Striped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon baud paimarum) Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinostemon subrubrum Amphibians, subrubrum) Loggerhead Musk Turtle (Stemotherus minor minor) Fish, Mammals Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus) Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) & Reptiles Florida Sottshell (Tdonyz ferox)

Date

Time

Locality __

Weather

Temperature Wind Sky

Total Species

iiiiirt'rrl

Note: Observations of unusual species should be filed with Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Other sightings are also welcomed . Please record numbers and locations.

Okefenokee National

Department of the Interior Wildlife Refuge U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service %' February . 1993 ;, Recycled papel Blockbanded Sur*ish (Enneoconthus choetodon) Southern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus Mole Snake (Lampropeltis calligaster Bluespotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus glorlosus) auriculatus) rhombomaculata) Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus) Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineatat Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus) cirriger) Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus) Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis triangulum Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea quadddigitatus) elapsoides) Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus glutinosus) Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellt Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) Gulf Coast Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus Florida Green Water Snake (Nerodia cyclopion Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis morginatus) Floridanus) floridana) Spotted Sun sh (lepomis punctatus) Many-lined Salamander (Stereochilus marginatus) Yellow-bellied Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogast( erythrogaster) Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Striped Newt (Notophthalamus perstriatus) Block Crappie (Pomoxis nigromacuiatus) Central Newt (Notophthalamus viridescens Banded Water Snake (Nerodla fasciata fasciata) Scalyhead Darter (Etheostoma barratti) louisianensis) Florida Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris ; Swamp Darter (Etheostoma Fusiforme) Drawf Siren (Pseudobranchus striatus spp .) Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota) Blockbanded Darter (Percina nigrofasciata) Eastern Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia intermedia) Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) Greater Siren (Siren lacertina) Florida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugit Striped Swamp Snake (Regina alleni) Oak Toad (Bufo quercicus) Eastern Glossy Water Snake (Regina dgda dgida) Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris) American Alligator' (Alligator mississippiensis) Pine Woods Snake (Rhadinaea flavilata) Florida Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus dorsalls) Li North Florida Black Swamp Snake (Seminatrix Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Eastern Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus pygaea pygaea) Green Tree" (Hyla cinerea cinerea) longicaudus) Florida Brown Snake (Storeda dekayi victa) Southern Spring Peeper (Hyla crucifer Island Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus compressus) Florida Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomacul bartromlana) Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) obscura) Pine Woods Treefrog (Hyka femoralls) Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus sacker Barking Treefrog (Hyla gratlosa) Southern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus Eastern Garter Snake (rhamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirelka) undulatus) Rough Earth Snake (Virginia striatula) Little Grass Frog (Limnaoedus ocukads) Northern Mole Skink (Eumeces egregius) Eastern Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae Southern Chorus Frog (Pseudocris nigrita nigrita) Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciotus) valeriae) Orate Chorus Frog (Pseudocris ornata) Southern Five-lined Skink (Eumeces ine)pectatus) Eastern Coral Snake (micrurus fulvius) Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne Broad-headed Skink (Eumeces laticeps) Florida Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus cons carolinensis) Ground Skink (Scincella laterale) Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus hoibrooki Six-lined Race Runner (Cnemidophorus se)lineatus adamanteus) hoibrooki) sexlineatus) Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus Florida Gopher Frog (Rana areolata aescpus) ti. mna, atricaudatus) Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) Northern Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbot Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans ckamitans) copei) Turrlc; Pig Frog (Rana gryllo) Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina River Frog (Rana hecksche l) Southern Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus serpentina) Southern Leopard Frog (Rana utricularia) punctatus) Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temminck Carpenter Frog (Rana virgatipes) Indigo Snake' (Drymarchon corals couperi) Florida Red-bellied Turtle (Chrysemys nelsoni) Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) Eastern Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia Yellow Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata) reticularia) Raiwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) Gray Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides) Florida Cooter (Pseudemys floridana floridana) Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) . Eastern Mud Snake (Farancia abacura abacura) Red-eared Pond Slider (Pseudemys scripta elegar Mole Salamander (Ambystoma tallpoideum) Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma) Yellow-bellied Pond Slider (Pseudemys scripta Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platyrhinos) scripta) Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means) Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus) Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene caroling baud)

Mann Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana pigna) . O enokee National Common on the swamp edge and the islands within the Swamp . A night prowler. "Pogo" is often seen by campers at Stephen C . Foster State Park. The Okefenokee swamp is covered with Southern Short-Tailed Shrew (Barina corolinensis) A cypress, blackgum, and bay forests scattered specimen was collected on Floyd's Island June 1 21 throughout a flooded prairie made of grasses, 1921 . It kills its prey with poisonous saliva . sedges, and various aquatic plants. The Least Shrew (Cryptotus parva parva) . Rarely seen b probably fairly common. Specimens have been peripheral upland and the almost 70 islands collected on several of the islands, on the swamp within the swamp are forested with pine edge, and in the pine woods around the swamp . interspersed with hardwood hammocks, Lakes Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus australis) . of varying sizes and depths, and floating Generally distributed on the upland adjacent to the sections of the peat bed, are also part of the swamp and has been found on some of the islands within the swamp . Okefenokee terrain. Star-Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) . Apparently Man has left his mark on the swamp . A 12-mile rare. Has been collected in the swamp near Mixon's long canal was dug into the eastern prairies in Ferry and on Chesser Island . Nose surrour i ry finger like, fleshy projections . the 1890's in a failed attempt to drain the Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroripariu< swamp. During the early 1900's large amounts austroriparius) . Species of bat native to Sn,tr e of timber were removed, so that very few Georgia . areas of virgin forest remain . And the effect of Eastern Pipistrelle (P rictroI .,~z o .bflavus subflovus) A a sill which was built in the early 1960's to fairly common spe control the water flowing out of the smallest eastern beg Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus fuscus) . An Okefenokee into the Suwannee River has yet uncommon species in the area . The fastest k- ,% rl to be fully analyzed. bat with speeds of 40 mph . The Okefenokee is a rainfall-dependent Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis borealis) . An uncor r-ior system, and when periods of drought occur, species in the area . One of the few mamma r which males and females are different color, the area becomes susceptible to wildfire . A Seminole Bat (Lasiurus seminolus) . A common bat of 20/30 year cycle of drought and fire has the Okefenokee which is found hanging in Spanish allowed the Okefenokee to exist as the Moss during the day . unique wetland it is . These periods cause Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus cinereus) . This yellow sh- changes in the abundance of certain plants brown bat flies high in the air late at night and w hang in trees when resting . It is the largest bat in 'tee (more grasses growing in exposed areas,) the East and eats mostly moths . nesting success of certain wading birds (failure Northern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius fioridanus) . in extreme drought), and the location of some Apparently a rare species in the area . Two specimen species of wildlife (fish migrate into deeper were collected at King's Canal . It likes to feed r lakes and channels and are followed by groups. predators. Evening Bat (Nycficeius humeralis) . Once the most common bat in the swamp, it is now uncommon due Wrt'h its varied habitats, the Okefenokee has to the decreases in man-made str_:c+ufires which are become an area known for its abundance of common nursery sites . It fli - a progresses. plants and animals . There are 621 species of Rahnesque's Big-Eared Bat t r :r ; iu i A plants growing in the swamp . Animals include rather uncommon species ir ;re area Trey can 39 fish, 37 amphibian, 64 reptile, 235 bird, and hover like butterflies to pick off insects and fold the r 50 mammal species. Use the following list to help identify an Okefenokee inhabitant. "Indicates endangered or threatened Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat (Tadanda brosiliensis Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana floddana) . Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis elongata) . This cynocephala). An uncommon species in this area Fairly common throughout the swamp and in the species is generally distributed on the upland although It has been collected at Camp Cornelia . hammocks on the upland . Also known locally as the surrounding the swamp and is found One of the highest flying bats . Packrat because of its habit of building a huge pile occasionally on the islands . of sticks for its nest, and for collecting shiny objects . Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus mexicanus) . This River Otter (Lontra canadensis vaga). unusual "ground" mammal was first seen on the Woodland Vole (Microtus pinetorum parvulus) . Occasionally observed along the water courses, refuge In 1968 . Since then It has become more Tunnels through leaf mold and loose soil near the especially during the winter . numerous and Is commonly seen along roadways surface of the upland areas and eats bulbs, tubers, and seeds . Florida Panther' (Felis concolor coryi) . and trolls . Apparently this species was never more than of Marsh Rabbit (Sylvllagus palustria palustrls) . Fairly Round-Tailed Muskrat (Neofiber allenl exoristus) . rare occurrence in the vicinity of the swamp . common on the swamp edge . Frequently takes to Occasionally seen in the prairies where a bulky grass water to escape enemies and often walks on its hind house is constructed over the water along with a Bobcat (Lynx rufus floridanus) . Common throughout the swamp and on the surrounding legs. Tail is gray underneath . feeding platform. uplands. Occasionally seen along the nature Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus mallurus) . Black Rat (Rattus rattus rattus) . This was the common drive. Common around clearings and in the more sparse barn rat when farming was practiced on some of pine woods on the uplands surrounding the swamp the islands within the swamp . It probably occurs now Wild Pig (Sus scrota) . These feral pigs were introduced by the early settlers of the swamp . and on some of the islands . Females have territories on farmsteads in the vicinity but not on the refuge . and males may be seen in courtship dances at night . Norway Rat (Rattus norvegious) . It has probably White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) . These Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis carolinensis) . disappeared from the refuge . deer can be found throughout the refuge even travelling across prairies from island to island . Abundant in the blackgum bay forests in the swamp Roof Rat (Rattus raffus alexandrinus) . It was a and In the oak woodlands on the upland . common barn rat when farming was practiced in Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) . Uncommon in the the swamp but it probably occurs now only in the Florida Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) pine forests surrounding the swamp and along roads . vicinity . Bowfin (Amia calva) Its head is black with white on the ears and nose . House Mouse (Mus musculus musculus) . Formerly American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans querceti) . common around habitations but now that few This species is rarely seen because of its nocturnal people live within the swamp, it has probably Redfin Pickerel (Esox americanus americanus) habits, but Is probably fairly common. It has been disappeared from the area . Very likely it is still Chain Pickerel ( Esox niger) collected on Floyd's, Billy's and Chesser Islands . common around human habitations in the vicinity of Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea) Georgia Pocket Gopher (Geomys pinetis pinetis) . the swamp . Uncommon on dry, sandy sites on the east side of the Red Wolf' (Canis rufus niger). Formerly this was the Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) swamp . Rarely seen above ground . species of wolf native to this area . It is believed not Spotted Chubsucker (Minytrema melanops) to be present here now . Southeastern Pocket Gopher (Geomys pinetis Yellow Bullhead (Ictalurus natalis) floridianus) . An uncommon species of this area . Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus flondanus) . . Brown Bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus) (Castor canadensis carolinensis) . The first Fairly common on the upland around the swamp Beaver Has the ability to climb trees . Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) record of beavers In the swamp was in 1969 . Their population, never very high, varies from time to time, Red Fox (Vulpes fulva fulva). This species is rare but Tadpole Madtom (Noturus gyrinus) probably because of alligators. occurs occasionally on the upland in the vicinity of Speckled Madtom (Noturus leptacanthus) the swamp . Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris palustris) . A fairly Pirate Perch (Aphredoderus sayanus) common mammal throughout the swamp . Black Bear (Ursus americanus floridianus) . Bears Golden Topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) (Reithrodontomys humilus range throughout the refuge . Look for them Eastern Harvest Mouse wherever berries and acorns area abundant. (Fundulus cingulatus) humilus) . Found in the prairies and in old fields near Banded Topminnow the swamp's edge . Raccoon (Procyon lotor elucus) . The most abundant Lined Topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus) . It is found in all (Peromyscus polionotus pollonotus) . large mammal on the refuge Starhead Topminnow (Fundulus notti) Oldfield Mouse habitats but is most numerous on the swamp edge . Feeds on seeds and berries . They are commonly seen at Stephen C . Foster State Pygmy Killifish (Leptolucania ommata) Cotton Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalll aureolis). Park camping area and occasionally along boat Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Common throughout the area . Found under trails . palmetto scrub . Good tree climber and swimmer . Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) Long-Tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata olivacea). This Brook Silverside (Labidesthes sicculus) Golden Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli aureolis) . This species is probably more common than the few species is probably rare . It has been found in observations would indicate . Specimens have been Everglades Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma evergladel) hammocks on the islands . It uses its long tall for collected on Billy's Island and on Chesser Island . Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma balance while running along high tree limbs . Mink (Mustela vison mink) . Very rarely seen in the okefenokee) Hispid Cotton Rat (Signodon hispidus hispledus) . A Okefenokee, this chiefly nocturnal animal is an Mud Sunfish (Acantharchus pomotis) common mammal in the pine woods and old fields excellent swimmer . on the upland around the swamp . Flier (Centrarchus macropterus) They need all of their energy reserves to withstand the stresses of harsh weather and migration . Birds Do not litter . Observers: Many birds die when they become entangled in fishing lines, 6-pack rings and other trash, or when they mistake garbage for food.

Remarks:

Okefenokee For additional iuformali~Ill[ 0 ,i :n National Refuge Manager Okefenokee NWR Wildlife Route 2, Box 338 Refuge Folkston, Georgia 31537

Ethics for Birdwrlt I i. Take care not to disturb nesting birds, exposing eggs and young to extreme temperatures and predation .

Disturb wintering wildlife as little as possible, Department of the Interior U .S . Fish and Wildlife Service particularly during critical feeding and resting periods . RF-41590-6-January 1993 V Recycled paper

SP S F W SP S F W Cerulean Warbler r r Common Grackle' c c c c Black-and-white Warbler • o u o Brown-headed Cowbird o 0 0 American Redstart • r c Orchard Oriole' u u u Prothonotary Warbler' • c c Northern Oriole r r r Worm-eating Warbler • u r (old World Findtr'~ Swainson's Warbler' r r r r Purple Finch u u u Ovenbird • u Pine Siskin r r r Northern Waterthrush r r American Goldfinch c c c Louisiana Waterthrush • r o Wt'ai}oI'irrt •lrt',~ Kentucky Warbler • 0 House Sparrow' r r r r Connecticut Warbler • r Common Yellowthroat" • u c c The following species are of very rare or accidental Hooded Warbler' • u u occurence : Canada Warbler r r American White Pelican Laughing Gull Yellow-breasted Chat r r Roseate Spoonbill Arctic Tern Tat a,~O .< Tundra Swan Forster's Tern Summer Tanager" • u u Snow Goose Rock Dove Scarlet Tanager r r Eurasian Wigeon Common BamOwl Nf-o World Finches Greater Scaup Ivory-billed Woodpecker Northern Cardinal Common Merganser (formerly) Rose-breasted Grosbeak Mississippi Kite Vermilion Flycatcher Blue Grosbeak Rough-Legged Hawk Western Kingbird Indigo Bunting Yellow Rail Gray Kingbird Painted Bunting Clapper Rail American Tree Sparrow tilrTl •r~rl ; Limpkin Lark Sparrow Rufous-sided Towhee" • c c c Whimbrel Le Conte's Sparrow Bachman's Sparrow' • c c c Brown Pelican Bachman's Warbler Chipping Sparrow • u u Field Sparrow • u u Sighting Notes Vesper Sparrow • u u Savannah Sparrow • u u Date: Time: to: Grasshopper Sparrow • 0 0 Henslow's Sparrow • 0 0 Weather: Fox Sparrow • u u Song Sparrow • c c Swamp Sparrow • c c White-throated Sparrow • c c Dark-eyed Junco r r B1at-khlrd<, Gnickh's, l ofvvhirds and Orioles Bobolink No. of species: Red-winged Blackbird* Eastern Meadowlark` Route or area Rusty Blackbird Boat-tailed Grackle

O k e f e n o k e e N a t i o n a l W i I d I i f e R e f u g e SP S F W SP S F W Great Egret' c c C c Golden Eagle r r r Snowy Egret' u u u 0 American Kestrel' c 0 c c Little Blue Heron' c c c c Merlin r r r irds Tricolored Heron' 0 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon r r r Hour to use your checklist Cattle Egret' c c c Gallinaceous Birds The bird checklist was designed to be informative and simple to use . The list is arranged in the order Green-backed Heron' c c c o (Quail, Turkey and Allies) established by the American Ornithological Union . Blockcrc ned Bight-Heron' c o c c Wild Turkey` c u c u Symbols which appear in this checklist represent YelowaaNned Nit+ieron u u u u Northern Bobwhite' c c c c the following : lines, Spoonbill, Stork Rails, Gallinules, Coots and Cranes Seasonal appearano , Glossy Ibis r r r King Rail' r r r r Sp Spring March - May White Ibis' c a a c Virginia Rail r r S Summer June - August Wood Stork' o c c o Sora r r F Fall September - November Waterfowl Purple Gallinule' u u u u W Winter December - February Canada Goose o o o Common Moorhen' u u u u Scat4orhrl abutidanCe Wood Duck' c c c c American Coot u u u a. abundant Green-winged Teal c c c Sandhill Crane' c c c c (a common species which is very numerous) American Black Duck o o o Shorebirds c. common Mallard c c c Semipalmated Plover u c c (certain to be seen in suitable habitat) Northern Pintail u u u Killdeer c c c u. uncommon Blue-winged Teal u u u 0 Greater Yellowlegs u u o (present but not certain to be seen) Northern Shoveler u u u Lesser Yellowlegs u u 0 o. occasional Gadwall o o o Solitary Sandpiper o o (seen only a few times during a season) American Wigeon u u u Willet r r Canvasback r r r r. rare (seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years) Spotted Sandpiper u u 0 Redhead 0 0 0 Sanderling 0 0 0 known or suspected to have nested on refuge Ring-necked Duck c c c or known to nest locally . Western Sandpiper r r r Lesser Scaup u u u Dunlin r r This checklist includes 234 species of birds and is Common Goldeneye r r r Short-billed Dowitcher 0 0 0 based on observations by refuge personnel and Bufflehead r r r c visiting ornithologists . If you should find an unlisted Common Snipe c c Hooded Merganser' c r c c American Woodcock u r u u species, please let us know at Refuge Red-breasted Merganser r r r Headquarters . We will appreciate your help In Herring Gull r r r updating our records . Ruddy Duck o 0 0 Black Tern r r r Vultures, Hawks and Allies Pigeons, Doves ;P S F W Black Vulture' c c c c c c c inns Mourning Dove" c Turkey Vulture' c c c c Common Ground-Dove' c c c c Common Loon r r r Osprey' u u r r Cuckoos American Swallow-tailed r r Pied-billed Grebe c r c c Black-billed Cuckoo Kite u u u Yellow-billed Cuckoo' c c c Homed Grebe 0 0 0 Bald Eagle o o 0 cribs rn1d their Allies Owls Northern Harrier u u u u u u u Double-crested Cormorant o r o o Eastern Screech-Owl' Sharp-shinned Hawk o o o u u u u Anhinga' c c c c Great Homed Owl Cooper's Hawk o r o 0 Barred Owl' c c c c oils, Eprets and Red-shouldered Hawk' c c c c American Bittern u u c Goatsuckers Broad-winged Hawk r r Common Nighthawk' c c c c Least Bittern ' o o r Red-tailed Hawk' u r u u Chuck-will's-widow' c c c Great Blue Heron' c c c c SP S F W SP S F W Whip-poor-will o o r Kinglets and Gnatcatchers Swifts, Hummingbirds Golden-crowned Kinglet u u o Chimney Swift c c c c Ruby-crowned Kinglet a a a Ruby-throated Hummingbird' u u u Blue-gray Gnatcatcher' u u u o Kingfishers Bluebirds, Thrushes and Robin Belted Kingfisher' c u c c Eastern Bluebird' c c c c Woodpeckers Veery u u Red-headed Woodpecker' c u c u Gray-cheeked Thrush r r Red-bellied Woodpecker' c c c c Swainson's Thrush r r Yellow-bellied Sapsucker c c c Hermit Thrush u u u Downy Woodpecker' c c c c Wood Thrush' u u u Hairy Woodpecker' c c c c American Robin c a a Red-cockaded Woodpecker' u u u u Thrashers Northern Flicker' c c c c Gray Catbird' c c c c Pileated Woodpecker' c c c c Northern Mockingbird' c c c c Flycatchers Brown Thrasher' c c c c Eastern Wood-Pewee' c' c c American Pipit o o o Acadian Flycatcher' u u u Waxwings Eastern Phoebe c c c Cedar Waxwing c u c Great Crested Flycatcher' c c c Starling Eastern Kingbird' c c c European Starling o 0 o o Martins and Swallows Shrike Purple Marfin' r u c o Loggerhead Shrike' c c c c Tree Swallow c a c Vireos Barn Swallow c u c White-eyed Vireo' c c c u lays and Crows Solitary Vireo u u u Blue Jay' c c c c Yellow-throated Vireo' r r r American Crow' u u u u Red-eyed Vireo' u u u Fish Crow' c c c c Warblers Chickadees and Titmice Blue-winged Warbler r o Carolina Chickadee' u u u u Golden-winged Warbler o 0 Tufted Titmouse* c c c c Orange-crowned Warbler u u u Nuthatches Northern Parula' c c c r Red-breasted Nuthatch r r Yellow Warbler u u White-breasted Nuthatch r r r r Chestnut-sided Warbler r Brown-headed Nuthatch' c c c c Magnolia Warbler r u Creepers Cape May Warbler u u Brown Creeper o o 0 Black-throated Blue Warbler u u Wrens Yellow-rumped Warbler a a a Carolina Wren' c c c c Black-throated Green Warbler r r Bewick's Wren r r r Blackburnian Warbler u u House Wren u u u Yellow-throated Warbler' c c c c Winter Wren u u u Pine Warbler' c u c c Sedge Wren u u u Prairie Warbler u u 0 Marsh Wren o o o Palm Warbler c C c Blackpoll Warbler u u