Conserving Georgia’s Nongame Wildlife

2008-2009 r e p o r t

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division Nongame Conservation Section Conserving G e o r g i a ’ s N ongame Wildlife

The Nongame Conservation strategy for conserving Georgia’s Section of Georgia DNR’s Wildlife biological diversity, guides all of Resources Division is charged our conservation actions. with conserving nongame wildlife. Nongame means animals That plan shows there are not legally hunted, fished for or many conservation priorities. trapped, as well as rare plants More than 1,000 of Georgia’s and natural habitats. plant and animal species are considered species of Our work at NCS is wide- conservation concern; 318 ranging. It varies from studying are listed as rare, unusual, southeastern American kestrels threatened or endangered, and in the Fall Line sandhills to protected by law.

You – contributors to nongame conservation in Georgia – are critical to achieving those priorities. The Nongame Our Mission Conservation Section receives no state general funds. We monitoring sea turtle nesting on depend on your financial barrier islands, from surveying support, particularly through the Toccoa River for rare fish nongame license plate sales and to restoring habitat for a mint the Give Wildlife a Chance state Contents found worldwide only in south income tax checkoff. Georgia, and from encouraging Conservation...... 3 appreciation of wildlife through Those contributions are the annual Youth Birding leveraged with federal and other Competition to spreading news Education, Outreach grants. For the period covered by Twitter of successful efforts & Recreation...... 13 in this report, the ratio of to disentangle North Atlantic Nongame Wildlife Conservation right whales from fishing gear. Land Acquisition Fund expenditures used to match grants was 1-to-4, or 25 & Conservation Planning.....15 I hope through this report you cents for every $1 in grants. gain a better understanding of that effort and the value of Financial...... 18 You can find out more in conserving our state’s nongame these pages, through our Web wildlife. Outlook...... 19 sites and e-newsletter, or by During fiscal 2008 and 2009, the contacting us directly. The Web Nongame Conservation Section links are below. Contact details are on the back. PHOTO CREDITS mapped coastal and sandhills habitats in regional projects, Cover main Thank you for your support of Silver Lake WMA/John M. Hall documented data on native animals from bats to bottlenose Georgia’s nongame wildlife and Cover snapshots rich natural heritage. Diamondback terrapin/Andrew Grosse dolphins to improve species Fringed campion management, helped acquire Shineyrayed pocketbook more than 17,000 acres of priority Bald eagle/Curtis Compton /Atlanta Journal & Constitution habitat, and funded regional Mike Harris education centers that reached Chief • Nongame Conservation Section This Page Wilson’s plover about 100,000 students. Eastern indigo snake/Dirk J. Stevenson www.facebook.com Brimley’s chorus frog www.youtube.com/user/GeorgiaWildlife Dragonfly These are only some of the www.twitter.com/GeorgiaWild highlights. The State Wildlife www.flickr.com/photos/wildliferesourcesdivision All photos are from Georgia DNR unless noted Action Plan, a comprehensive www.georgiawildlife.com/news/e-newsletters

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The loggerhead sea turtle This work has provided a is found in Georgia’s coastal genetic “fingerprint” of the waters year-round and nests turtles, revealing – among on barrier island beaches other things – that at least 20 during spring and summer. mother/daughter pairs nest on In accordance with the U.S. our barrier beaches. Because Fish and Wildlife Service it takes at least 30 years for a and NOAA Marine Fisheries loggerhead to begin nesting, Service recovery plan, DNR that means at least 20 of Adult loggerhead sea turtle focuses on surveying and these turtles are 60 years or protecting loggerhead nests older, nesting alongside their and managing nesting beach 30-year-old daughters. habitat. The agency also coordinates the Georgia Sea Strandings: Green, Kemp’s Turtle Cooperative, made up ridley, leatherback and of volunteers, researchers and hawksbill turtles — all federally government employees who endangered or threatened — help monitor and manage are also found in Georgia’s nests. Strategies include coastal waters. With NOAA’s relocating nests, installing support, DNR monitors marine protective screens and turtle mortality through the Sea removing predators. Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. Strandings are the primary index for threats to turtles in coastal waters. Barrier island beaches are patrolled, aerial surveys are flown to help determine distribution Sea Turtle and abundance of marine turtles during migration, and, Conservation and Research when possible, necropsies of Since comprehensive surveys stranded turtles are done to began in 1989, loggerhead evaluate the cause of death. nesting has varied widely. The average is about 1,000 nests The network documented 87 a year. Cooperators found dead or injured turtles in 2008 997 nests on Georgia beaches and 132 in 2009. Strandings in 2009 and a record 1,646 averaged 107 from 2007 to in 2008. According to the 2009, the lowest three-year recovery plan, loggerheads may average since surveys began be considered recovered if the in 1989. The most likely causes population increases 2 percent of the decline are increased

Taking geneticTaking samples from nesting turtle Loggerhead Nesting annually for 50 years, resulting enforcement of turtle excluder

in Georgia Loggerhead hatchling in a state total of 2,800 nests devices, or TEDs, and a decline 2000 - a year. in shrimp fishing. 1800 - 1.646 1600 - 1.504 1.400 1.406 Genetics: To develop a 1400 - 1.360

1200 - 1.207 comprehensive understanding 1.101 1.096 1.060 1.048 1.055 1.028 1.022 1.031 1000 - 997 of the number and 852 800 - 789 relatedness of loggerheads 688 675 600 - nesting in Georgia, DNR 470

400 - 368 and the University of Georgia 200 - developed a genetic profile of 0 - 91 01 97 93 92 89 95 98 96 99 07 03 02 94 05 08 90 06 09 04 00 nesting female turtles.

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The North Atlantic right whale whales. Management actions is one of the world’s most focus on reducing human- endangered marine mammals. related mortality and protecting Also… The population is estimated at habitat. From December through about 400 whales. Commercial March each year, the Nongame Bottlenose Dolphin whaling in the late 1800s Conservation Section and Contaminants decimated the whales. Since Wildlife Trust conduct extensive Project whaling was banned in 1935, aerial surveys to document Research involving NCS, NOAA mortality from ship collisions calf production and warn ships Fisheries, the National Ocean and entanglement in commercial about whale locations. NCS Service and others found PCB fishing gear has limited the also takes part in management concentrations 10 times higher population’s recovery. and research efforts, including in Brunswick-area bottlenose whale disentanglement, genetic dolphins than those documented Each winter, right whales sampling, whale tagging at other sites. A 2008-2009 migrate from waters off the studies and injury/mortality photo-identification study off northeastern U.S. and Canada to investigations. Brunswick and Sapelo Island calving grounds along Georgia indicated many dolphins in this and northeastern Florida. An Since 2004, staff have helped area are year-round residents. average of 24 calves has been disentangle eight right whales In summer 2009, the project documented each year since and participated in five injury/ culminated in the two-week capture and health assessment 2001, compared with 11 calves a mortality investigations. The of 29 dolphins. Contaminants, year from 1980-2000. A record 2008-2009 season proved abundance and VHF tracking 39 calves were documented in particularly busy with five right analyses are due in 2010. winter 2008-2009. While the whales migrating to Georgia increase is encouraging, the wrapped in line consistent with Georgia Marine Mammal number of breeding females in that used in fixed-gear fisheries Stranding Network the population is less than 100. in north Atlantic waters. NCS coordinates this network, which monitors the numbers For more than two decades, DNR NCS also works to protect and species of animals that has collaborated with federal, right whales and their habitat strand on Georgia beaches, state and private organizations through the Right Whale with help from NOAA Fisheries and others. Strandings from to conserve North Atlantic right Southeast Implementation 1999-2008 totaled 270 (13 to 46 per year). The most common species stranded in Georgia: bottlenose dolphins, followed by pygmy and dwarf North Atlantic sperm whales. Florida Manatee Conservation Georgia DNR works

Breaching right whale Right Whale with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Conservation the Navy and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Team and the North Atlantic Commission to reduce human- Right Whale Consortium. related deaths of Florida The section receives strong manatees and protect habitat support from the DNR Coastal for this endangered species. 2007-08 aerial surveys of Resources Division and the manatee abundance and habitat Wildlife Resources Division’s use in Cumberland Sound and Law Enforcement Section in Kings Bay Naval Submarine education and outreach, policy Base indicated peaks of 15-30 efforts, and enforcement of manatees during spring and federal right whale protections. early summer.

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Georgia’s barrier island Little Egg Island Bar has beaches, coastal salt marshes supported one of the largest and freshwater wetlands colonies of nesting seabirds on support 86 species of seabirds, the South Atlantic coast. shorebirds and wading birds, collectively known as A new dredge-spoil island near waterbirds. The Waterbird the Brunswick shipping channel Conservation Initiative has become an important includes protecting important nesting site for waterbirds. colonial waterbird nesting Created by the U.S. Army habitats, identifying other Corp of Engineers in 2007 and habitats vital for these species, owned by the state of Georgia, and conducting surveys to the island supported large determine habitat needs of numbers of black skimmers, other resident, migratory and least terns, gull-billed terns

DNR’s Brad Winn with a transmitter-carrying marbled godwit wintering waterbirds. and royal terns in 2009. And while much of the coast was hit by washing storm tides in 2009, the dredge island was high enough to keep these rare ground-nesting birds above Waterbird flooding tides. Conservation Initiative Surveys of migrant and wintering shorebirds Five sand islands are managed documented the continued for beach-nesting and importance of staging areas migratory birds. While primarily for red knots in late summer valuable for seabirds, resident and fall, spring staging of and migratory shorebirds also whimbrels that may include benefit from the protection a significant portion of the of critical nesting and Atlantic flyway population, the disturbance-free resting areas. single largest concentration of wintering semipalmated plovers American oystercatcher in the U.S., and an important Atlantic Coast concentration of wintering piping plovers from all three breeding populations.

A cooperative project involving marbled godwits used satellite telemetry to identify breeding and migration habitat. Marbled godwits wintering in Georgia spend nine months here every year and breed in North and South Dakota.

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Red-cockaded Also… Woodpecker Wood Stork Nest Surveys Georgia supports about 20 percent Recovery of the U.S. nesting population for this endangered species, and the recovery Due to the drastic loss of mature pine forests on plan calls for monitoring reproductive most private lands, habitat for the endangered success of nesting colonies and identifying red-cockaded woodpecker – the only woodpecker potential threats. Surveys documented 26 colonies in the U.S. that excavates cavities in living pines – is and a record 2,292 nests in 2008, and 19 colonies mainly found on military bases, national forests and with 1,676 nesting pairs in 2009. (Wide annual other public lands where large tracts of pine forest fluctuations are likely due to hydrologic conditions are managed for multiple uses. However, a few birds at nesting and feeding sites.) More than 75 percent of Georgia’s stork rookeries are on private land. remain on private lands.

Bald Eagle Nest Surveys In 1999, Georgia DNR developed the nation’s first DNR monitors all known nests and works with statewide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Habitat landowners to protect nest sites from disturbance. Conservation Plan to provide management options In 2008 and 2009, 112 and 126 occupied nesting for private landowners. The plan includes provisions territories, respectively, were documented, a for mitigated incidental take and Safe Harbor. Under 257 percent increase over the past decade. NCS Safe Harbor, a site’s number of woodpecker family biologists participated in a nationwide post-delisting groups and the landowner’s level of management monitoring effort to help determine eagle nest responsibility is determined. If the woodpecker detection rates. Within Georgia’s best habitat along population increases, the landowner’s obligation to the coast, five, 10-kilometer-square blocks were provide habitat does not. The program has been searched by air. One new nest site was discovered in Camden County, but it likely represented a especially successful in southwestern Georgia, where previously known territory quail plantations support a significant population of the woodpeckers. 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Occupied Territories 55 61 73 81 83 82 96 114 112 126 As of 2009, 157,469 acres are enrolled in Safe Harbor Successful Nests 47 53 51 63 67 62 81 91 85 100 management agreements. These cover 107 baseline Young Fledged 78 95 84 97 107 94 125 143 134 164 and 32 surplus groups of red-cockaded woodpeckers. Most of the acreage is in the Red Hills Region near Thomasville, an area with the largest population of Swallow-tailed Kite Nest and Roosting Surveys the rare woodpeckers on private land. Since the start The breeding range of these elegant of Safe Harbor in 2000, the Red Hills population has raptors is down to seven Southeastern grown from about 175 family groups to more than states. DNR surveys marked 21 nests in 190. The Nongame Conservation Section also has 2008 and 22 in 2009. Three nests failed and 29 young teamed with the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research fledged in 2008 – a good year – while 2009 yielded Center to restore the red-cockaded woodpecker 15 fledglings and 11 failed nests, a drop likely due to population at Ichauway Plantation in Baker County. The heavy rains in May. In the first range-wide roost survey, 29,000-acre site had a single male in 1999. Through biologists counted 204 kites in two days of flying in the translocation of 54 young birds, Ichauway now July 2009. DNR also monitored radio-tagged kites supports 20 family groups. and held workshops to help landowners learn how to manage and conserve nesting habitat. Most nests are In 2008, NCS began managing red-cockaded on industrial timberlands. woodpeckers at Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area. Red-cockaded woodpecker being banded Painted Bunting Survey Habitat improvements included hardwood control on NCS participated in a 2007-2009 survey of breeding 200 acres, prescribed fire on 5,200 acres, replacement painted buntings along the coast and interior Coastal of 30 artificial nesting cavities, and creation Plain. While analysis is incomplete, it appears that of 17 new artificial cavities.S ilver Lake the number of eastern painted buntings is higher has 19 red-cockaded woodpecker than previously thought and there is a larger interior groups and 44 adult birds. population along the Savannah River Basin.

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Georgia DNR launched the Data are entered into the Aquatic Conservation Initiative Biotics Database and data in 1998 to determine the status partnerships maintained of Georgia’s aquatic fauna and with the Georgia Museum of develop conservation plans for Natural History and the Wildlife declining species. Resources Division’s Stream Survey Team. The partnerships The Nongame Conservation greatly expand the information Section has completed available for environmental hundreds of surveys since 2007, review and conservation documenting or monitoring planning. The database has populations of high-priority more than 2,200 distribution

Surveying for rare fishesToccoa in River the species such as the Altamaha records representing important spinymussel, Savannah lilliput, populations of 283 rare aquatic bluefin killifish and sicklefin species around the state. redhorse. As part of the development of a monitoring In other partnerships, NCS staff baseline for rare fishes, staff worked with the Conasauga surveyed 30 sites spanning River Alliance and the Tennessee the entire Toccoa River from Aquarium to remove sediment Suches to the Tennessee line, from a spring supporting the documenting populations of state-endangered coldwater the state-endangered tangerine darter. The section collaborated darter, wounded darter and with Wildlife Resources’ blotched chub. In a workshop, Game Management Section, landowners were presented Georgia Power and The Nature DNR’s Brett Albanese with a sicklefin redhorse results, plus details on riparian Conservancy to monitor Etowah zone management and and Cherokee darters in sections conservation opportunities. A of Raccoon Creek targeted for 2009 survey along the Cartecay, stream restoration. To assess Ellijay and Coosawattee rivers the impact of extreme drought recorded many new and on mussels, NCS biologists also updated occurrences of the led sampling efforts in drought- federally threatened goldline affected waters in Georgia darter. One unexpected find: and Florida. The U.S. Fish and eastern hellbenders in the Wildlife Service was given Cartecay, the first record of this technical assistance in drafting large aquatic salamander in the a drought contingency plan for

Sampling for mussels on Cooleewahee Creek Mobile River basin. conserving the Southeast’s rare

and endangered mussels. Altamaha spinymussel Aquatic Conservation Initiative

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A State Wildlife Grant project initiated in 2008 is funding field surveys and management efforts for Georgia’s bat species. DNR hired biologists to Also… complete emergence counts at caves containing summer roosts for gray bats and Southeastern Fishes of Georgia Atlas myotis. Surveys are also being completed on wildlife The Fishes of Georgia Atlas went online in March management areas throughout the state. Two interns, 2009 (http://fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu/), meeting funded in part by Bat Conservation International, the need for comprehensive, updated information surveyed Coastal Plain sites in summer 2009 and on the state’s rich fish fauna. The site features found numerous new roosts for Rafinesque’s big- range maps and photographs for 337 coastal and freshwater species. The project compiled large eared bats, state-listed as rare. amounts of data from sources including DNR and the Georgia Museum of Natural History. At Chickamauga Cave near Ringgold, NCS staff handled planning and labor for building a gate at the private cave, site of Georgia’s only known maternity colony of federally endangered gray bats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided a Partners for Fish & Wildlife Grant for the gate, which was finished in spring 2009.

NCS biologists also prepared for the Southeastern Habitat Improvements on State Lands To conserve and restore habitats on Bat Diversity Network’s 2010 Bat Blitz at Fort dozens of public tracts, NCS applied Mountain State Park, near Chatsworth. DNR and the prescribed fire to more than 29,170 U.S. Forest Service will serve as hosts. Through the

Prescribed fire acres. Fire leaders trained staff, blitz, Georgia agencies will receive help from bat partners and volunteers in prescribed burning. The researchers across the Southeast in a rapid survey NCS fire crew, hired seasonally through theS tudent of the area for bats. The event will also provide Conservation Association, worked statewide on information on bat communities in the park and short notice. Other habitat improvements on about surrounding forestland, and support future bat 20 sites included planting more than 850 acres of conservation efforts for the region. native groundcover, thinning 1,500 acres-plus of upland forest and planting several hundred acres of Staff also began planning for the possible arrival in longleaf pines. Invasive exotic plants such as kudzu, sand pine and Chinese privet were removed from Georgia of white nose syndrome, which is deadly to several sites. Wiregrass seed was also harvested bats and had spread as far south as Virginia by late and wire grass nurseries prepared. 2009. The syndrome is expected to reach deeper into the South in winter 2009-2010. Surveys are in Robust Redhorse Conservation the works to compile more baseline information The multi-agency Robust Redhorse Conservation

Gating Chickamauga Cave to protect bats before Georgia is affected. Committee has led intensive efforts since the 1990s to recover this rare sucker in Georgia and the Carolinas. About 115,000 have been stocked in the Broad, Ocmulgee, Oconee and Ogeechee rivers in Georgia, and 54,000 in South Carolina’s Broad and Wateree rivers. Both states have documented healthy growth and survival rates. Spawning behavior has been observed in the Ocmulgee and Broad. Survival and recruitment of wild-spawned fish in stocked populations is being studied. Recent projects include tracking adult robust redhorse by telemetry and adding gravel to increase spawning habitat on the Oconee. Bat Conservation

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Many publicly owned lands small white-fringed orchid was and private sites with habitat documented in Marion County. for rare plant populations Three-birds orchid was verified have not been adequately at Pickett’s Mill Battlefield surveyed. Yet, inventories Historic Site. are important to locate new populations so their habitats NCS staff and Georgia Botanical can be protected. Surveys Society volunteers documented also help ensure that proposed about 450 vascular plants from public-land developments such Pickett’s Mill. Insight into the as roads, trails and buildings management of historic old- do not inadvertently harm rare field sites with remnant savanna species. Nongame Conservation or prairie-like vegetation is Section botanists continue to another result of intensive plant explore state lands, with a focus surveys. Additional examples of on newly acquired properties. montane longleaf pine forest and Surveys are done throughout the Piedmont granite outcrops were state to identify and inventory verified from the state’s newest locations of rare plants and park, Chattahoochee Bend. provide guidance on appropriate management activities. Several discoveries of populations of federally Among the 2008-2009 listed plants were made: highlights, staff partnered with pond spicebush on Mayhaw the Atlanta Botanical Garden Wildlife Management Area to locate populations of rare in Miller County, relict native terrestrial orchids. New trillium on private property sites for purple-fringed orchids in Wilkinson County and were verified on Chattahoochee additional sites for Tennessee National Forest, and seeds were yellow-eyed grass in Bartow collected and placed in tissue County. Remarkably, 47 sites representing nine population centers of American chaffseed were documented in a detailed survey throughout Georgia’s wiregrass country. At least 40 Rare Plant sites were linked to increased use of prescribed burning on large quail plantations and DNR lands, particularly Doerun Pitcherplant Bog Natural Area Surveys in Colquitt County. on Public and Private Lands Plant species new to Georgia were also documented: Florida culture to perfect propagation milkvine in a pristine, beech- techniques. Several other magnolia-spruce pine forest in orchids are being studied, Thomas County and Bartram’s including species representing rose gentian in Charlton County. significant new discoveries Swamp post oak was collected in from private lands. Chapman’s Camden and Charlton counties orange-fringed orchid and in a unique willow oak wetland smooth-lipped Eulophia were discovered during the ongoing

American chaffseed found in Camden County, and coastal vegetation survey.

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Mountain bogs are one of the most critically endangered habitats in the Southern Appalachians. Typically small and usually Also… associated with seeps, springs and small creeks, these bogs support unique and imperiled flora and Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance fauna, including the federally threatened bog turtle The network of 20 public gardens, government and swamp pink, possibly the state’s rarest reptile agencies, academic institutions and environmental and plant species, respectively. Other exceptionally groups protects natural habitats and endangered rare and state-protected mountain bog plants species through biodiversity management, rare plant propagation and outplanting, and public education. include the montane purple pitcher plant, Carolina In one example, the alliance helped the U.S. Forest bog laurel and Cuthbert’s turtlehead. Service and NCS, a charter member, restore six oak/ pine mafic woodland sites in the northern Piedmont, For 17 years, NCS, working both independently clearing woody vegetation and outplanting almost and as a Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance a thousand rare plants. The group’s wildland member, has been engaged in mountain bog firefighters aided theF orest Service in burning nearly restoration. This has involved finding bogs 2,000 acres of this imperiled, fire-dependent habitat with restoration potential, restoration at eight in the last three years. sites, rearing and outplanting rare plants, and creating a bog turtle “headstart” and Partners in Flight population establishment program that includes In Georgia, Partners in Flight has focused on the 33 top-tier bird Chattahoochee Nature Center and the Tennessee species in the State Wildlife Action Aquarium. (Seventeen captive-reared bog turtles Plan. Stakeholder meetings in 2008 have been released in restored bogs.) identified research and survey questions and conservation needs for these species, information In the last two years, NCS has initiated a robust used in developing an ambitious series of landbird field experiment to test restoration protocols. The conservation programs funded by a State Wildlife natural disturbance factors needed to maintain Grant. Target species span the state. Survey and these early successional habitats are largely monitoring efforts included helicopter searches missing from the landscape, and remaining for swallow-tailed kite nests, monitoring breeding bogs must be maintained by mimicking these populations of golden-winged and cerulean natural effects through techniques like manual warblers in the Blue Ridge, and banding and clearing and prescribed fire. The research goal is radio-tracking loggerhead shrikes (pictured) in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Thousands of acres maximizing effectiveness and efficiency, saving were burned on state-managed lands including

Bog turtle the NCS and its partners time and expense. Sprewell Bluff, Tallulah Gorge and Moody Forest to benefit these and other rare species.

Interagency Burn Team This partnership between Georgia DNR, The Nature Conservancy, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service greatly benefits fire management. The Interagency Burn Team is a public- private group of qualified personnel that conducts prescribed burns on lands that need fire for rare species or fire-dependent ecosystems. The team also addresses training and statewide fire issues. Mountain Bog Restoration

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In 2006, the Nongame associated habitats; conducted estimates also were obtained Conservation Section began a a field-based assessment for 20 mainly state-owned project to inventory sandhills of ecological condition, rare conservation properties habitats in the state. These and other priority species, through a contract with the habitats include longleaf pine- and restoration potential; Joseph W. Jones Ecological turkey oak ecosystems along and developed estimates of Research Center at Ichauway. the Fall Line and larger streams gopher tortoise populations on in southern Georgia, as well selected sites. NCS is following up the as similar habitats associated inventory with ecological with former barrier islands Nearly 100 public and private restoration on a number of in inland coastal Georgia. sandhills sites representing lands. In cooperation with The areas harbor a number more than 12,000 acres Alabama, Florida and South of rare species including the of habitat were visited. Carolina, Georgia received a Southeastern pocket gopher, Approximately two-thirds $1 million competitive State gopher tortoise, indigo snake, had active gopher tortoise Wildlife Grant in early 2009 to gopher frog, Bachman’s populations, accounting for assist with prescribed burning sparrow and striped newt. approximately 2,600 tortoise and other restoration efforts at burrows. Tortoise population high-priority sandhills sites. The inventory, now complete, met all objectives. Staff produced a map of Georgia’s Sandhills at Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area/Marc Del Santro sandhills and sandhills- Sandhills Inventory Gopher Flynn tortoise/Jim • Eastern indigo snake/Dirk J. Stevenson

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The Coastal Habitat Assessment project encompasses 11 counties and is part of the greater Coastal Georgia Land Conservation Also… Initiative, a collaboration of the Georgia Conservancy, Association County Commissioners Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia and DNR. County governments, From 1994-2001, the Breeding Bird Atlas municipalities and conservation organizations project collected more than 150,000 can use the habitat assessment and the larger records to document the range of 182 initiative to maximize conservation of critical species that breed in Georgia. The effort produced a baseline to gauge changes in species and imperiled natural communities and wildlife distribution. Data collected are critical to conservation habitat, while balancing development concerns planning and provide a starting point for many and growth. monitoring efforts. In February 2010, the University of Georgia Press (www.ugapress.edu) will release “The The habitat assessment entails aerial photo Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia,” a book documenting interpretation of ecological community the results. Included are species accounts, types based on the U.S. National Vegetation photographs and range maps for each species. Classification System and accompanied by data collected in the field. Since work began in Law Enforcement for Nongame December 2007 with the hiring of two natural DNR wildlife law enforcement officers resource biologists, three counties have been investigated 24 violations involving nongame during 2008 and 2009. assessed and more than 75 plant associations

Brown thrasher Incidents varied from taking and discovered. possessing protected species to possessing wildlife without a rehabilitator permit. Species Significant findings include the discovery of two included gopher tortoises; red-tailed and Cooper’s previously undescribed natural communities and hawks; black rat and Eastern milk snakes; bottomland post oak (Quercus similis), which had alligator snapping turtles; and cowbirds, pileated never been recorded in Georgia. More than half of woodpeckers, brown thrashers, turkey vultures and the communities from the habitat assessment fall red-winged blackbirds. into G3-G1 categories, ranking them from globally vulnerable to extinction to critically imperiled. Community Wildlife Projects Created by NCS and the Garden Club of Georgia, the Community Wildlife Project has awarded more than 750

Rose-breasted grosbeaks communities full certification. Another 600 are completing certification standards. The new Backyard Wildlife Certification survey has added more than 1,600 certified backyards since 2005, with 300 earning Neighborhood Backyard certification (two or more adjoining backyards). The program enhances native nongame and habitats in communities, fostering conservation,

Jacob Thompson of DNR working on habitat assessment • Sand cordgrass wetland on Sapelo Island (inset) awareness and community beautification. Coastal Habitat Assessment

12 expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com EDUCATION, OUTREACH & RECREATION

The Wildlife Resources Division’s educational mission involves cultivating an appreciation and understanding of wildlife resources, fostering wise stewardship of these resources, and promoting safe and ethical natural resource-based recreation. The need for wildlife education is paramount as growth and development make stewardship and conservation even more critical. Wildlife Resources operates six regional education centers in partnership with school systems, Regional Educational Service Agencies, and other state and federal agencies. The centers – Regional Charlie Elliott, Smithgall Woods, McDuffie,A rrowhead, Grand Bay and Sapelo Island – provide Education wildlife-based education to students, adults and families. About 50,000 Georgia students Centers visit each year, learning about conservation and wise use of natural and cultural resources through hands-on experiences.

The Nongame Conservation Section provided more than $210,000 to Smithgall Woods, McDuffie andA rrowhead for staff salaries and programming in 2008 and 2009. Local

cooperators also provided DNR’s Linda May leads Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center workshop financial assistance.

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Amphibians Youth Birding Watchable and Reptiles Competition Wildlife and of Georgia The Youth Birding Competition is a 24-hour birding event in which Recreation teams from schools and groups such as Scout troops, 4-H clubs Wildlife Viewing Area and science clubs compete with Improvements: The Nongame others their age to identify as Conservation Section provides many bird species as they can grants for watchable wildlife and education projects on in Georgia. In its third year, the properties managed by the Striped newt/Dirk J. Stevenson 2008 statewide count drew 126 Wildlife Resources Division. A participants, ranging in age from The University of Georgia Press total of $16,674 was provided 3 to 18. In 2009, 140 boys and (www.ugapress.edu) released in 2008 for nature trail girls ages 4-18 took part. interpretive signs at Hugh Gillis “Amphibians and Reptiles of Public Fishing Area, osprey Georgia” in April 2008. NCS Each year, the young birders nesting platforms at Lake helped compile the nearly counted more than 200 bird Lanier, botanical interpretive 600-page guide to the state’s species and raised more than signs at Paradise PFA, longleaf more than 170 species of frogs, $4,800 for conservation pine interpretive materials snakes, salamanders, lizards, projects throughout the state. at McDuffieE nvironmental crocodilians and turtles. A Education Center, and bird In addition, almost 285 children senior NCS wildlife biologist education materials at Smithgall and teens contributed paintings served as lead editor and a Woods Conservation Park. or drawings to a Youth Birding program manager as another Grants were not available Competition T-shirt art contest. of the four editors. Years in the in 2009 because of budget constraints. making and aimed at a wide audience, the authoritative State Parks & Historic Sites reference includes nearly 500 Interpretive Projects: A similar color photographs, range grants program, also sidelined maps showing distribution by in 2009, targets wildlife viewing counties and species accounts opportunities at State Parks done by 54 experts. More than and Historic Sites. In 2008, 2,100 copies have been sold. $24,555 was awarded for wetland habitat enhancement at Panola Mountain State Park, a boardwalk and viewing platform at Skidaway Island, bird Social observation resources at Unicoi State Park, and a backyard habitat demonstration area at media Victoria Bryant State Park.

Wildlife Resources Division staff created Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube sites, spreading awareness of conservation and the division’s work to a wider audience. The Web sites quickly attracted fans, friends and views, and marked Wildlife Resources as one of the conservation agency leaders in social media. In January 2008, staff also started a monthly e-mail newsletter, Georgia Wild. The subscriber base grew to more than 4,200 by June 2009.

The online ventures and the e-newsletter expanded the reach of NCS communications efforts while also enhancing interactivity and customer service.

14 expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com LAND ACQUISITION AND CONSERVATION PLANNING

Land Acquisition

The Nongame Conservation Section cooperated with many Silver Lake Wildlife partners in fiscal 2008 and 2009 to continue conserving priority Management Area habitats identified in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan. In Silver Lake WMA was acquired in three transactions beginning

Silver M. Lake HallWMA/John all, 17,355 acres valued at nearly in fiscal 2008. The final parcel closed in fiscal 2009. International $90.5 million were acquired. Paper managed this property in Decatur County for more than 50 The conservation value is untold. years as part of the Southlands Experimental Forest. Silver Lake The acquisitions will benefit WMA includes 8,398 acres with mature longleaf pine, mixed pine, species from green salamanders hardwoods and wetlands. The site supports 19 groups of red- to red-cockaded woodpeckers cockaded woodpeckers, a significant population of Bachman’s and natural habitats as varied sparrows, gopher tortoises, nesting bald eagles and many other as riverine sandhills along the priority species. Altamaha and montane longleaf pine forest in Paulding County. The Conservation Fund served as the key partner by purchasing the tract from International Paper and holding it until DNR arranged The projects involved significant funding. Other partners included the Georgia Land Conservation partnerships with the Georgia Program, Decatur County, Association County Commissioners of Land Conservation Program, Georgia, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Georgia local governments, federal Forestry Commission, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation agencies and conservation (through the Longleaf Legacy Program), Kirbo Foundation, organizations. Many were Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund, Georgia Ornithological new partnerships for NCS Society, Woodruff Foundation, Wildlife Endowment Fund, Ducks and Georgia DNR. Others Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and the Doris Duke represented the continuation of Charitable Foundation. long-term collaborative efforts. In addition to its conservation value, Silver Lake offers outstanding Here’s a closer look. opportunities for hunting, fishing, birding, hiking and other recreation.

expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com 15 Conserving G e o r g i a ’ s N ongame Wildlife

Paulding Forest Wildlife Conservation Lands Management Area

The fiscal 2008 acquisition of Paulding Forest, in collaboration with Paulding County, resulted in the conservation of 6,556 acres of priority habitat and protected the headwaters of Raccoon Creek, a priority stream in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Paulding Forest WMA contains remnants of montane longleaf forest. This rare habitat will be restored through careful management. The acquisition with Paulding County marked a new level of cooperation between the Georgia Land Conservation Program and local government in land conservation.

Paulding County voters approved a referendum to finance $15 million in bonds for the project. The Nature Conservancy, Williams Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Wildlife Federation also were key partners. Funding partners included Tract the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Conservation Fund, Woodruff These 202 acres, acquired in Foundation, Georgia Forestry Commission and Polk County. fiscal 2008, eliminated a key inholding at Townsend WMA In 2009, two tracts totaling 502 acres were added to Paulding in Long County. The property Forest WMA through the cooperation and support of The Nature features priority sandhill habitats Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, for the gopher tortoise, indigo Woodruff Foundation and the Georgia Wetlands Trust Fund. snake and other species. The riverine sandhill habitats along Paulding Forest WMA offers outstanding recreational the Altamaha River in McIntosh opportunities for hunting, fishing, birding, and hiking. The WMA and Long counties include a sports one of the most popular sections of the Silver Comet Trail. mosaic of habitats and have Protection of this tract in one of Georgia’s fastest growing counties been identified as a priority in will ensure future recreational opportunities. The acquisition also Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan. protects much of the watershed of Raccoon Creek, a high-priority stream that supports a population of the endangered Etowah dater The Nature Conservancy was a

Raccoon Creek as well as other rare fish species. key partner in the acquisition. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Woodruff Foundation and the Nongame Conservation Fund provided funding. The tract will be managed as part of Townsend WMA, supporting outdoor recreation such as hunting, birding and hiking.

16 expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com LAND ACQUISITION & CONSERVATION PLANNING

McLemore Cove Tract State The 1,543-acre McLemore Cove Tract was acquired in fiscal 2009 in cooperation with the Georgia Land Conservation Program, Open Wildlife Space Institute, Woodruff Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. McLemore Cove Tract connects Crockford- Action Plan Pigeon Mountain WMA and Zahnd Natural Area, and conserves priority habitat along the eastern escarpment of Lookout Mountain. Revision The property has a number of caves, provides suitable habitat for green salamanders and protects the headwaters of West The State Wildlife Action Plan, Chickamauga Creek, a Wildlife Action Plan priority stream. The completed in August 2005, mesic hardwood forests are excellent habitat for neotropical is due for an update. Like all migratory birds. state wildlife agencies, Georgia DNR made a commitment to review and revise its Wildlife Existing recreational opportunities at McLemore Cove include Action Plan, better known as hunting, birding and hiking. The Wildlife Resources Division, Parks SWAP, within 10 years. The and Historic Sites Division, and Walker County will evaluate ways to revision began in January 2010. further enhance outdoor recreation. The target completion date is January 2012.

The revision process will include a reassessment of priority species, habitats and conservation actions, as well as more detailed mapping of priority conservation areas. The process will involve evaluating the potential impacts of climate change on priority species and habitats and identifying “climate change adaptation strategies.” Further assessment of monitoring needs and performance measures for comprehensive wildlife conservation in Georgia will also be part of

Brow at Zahnd Natural Area the work.

Nongame Conservation Sellers Tract Section staff will coordinate the SWAP revision process This tract was acquired in fiscal 2008 as an addition to River Creek, with help from other DNR the Rolf and Alexandra Kauka WMA in Thomas County. Primary staff and representatives of a wide variety of government partners were The Conservation Fund and the Sellers family, agencies, nongovernmental which sold the property below appraised value. Funding came conservation organizations, from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nongame Wildlife landowner groups and private Conservation Fund. corporations. The product of this two-year effort will be The acquisition protected priority habitat along Barnetts Creek, a a strategic plan that reflects tributary to the Ochlocknee River. The tract also buffers River Creek the most current information WMA from encroachment and provides opportunity for longleaf about wildlife conservation pine forest restoration to benefit the northern bobwhite, Bachman’s needs and opportunities in sparrow, gopher tortoise and red-cockaded woodpecker. the state.

expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com 17 Conserving G e o r g i a ’ s N ongame Wildlife

The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state appropriations, depending instead on grants, fundraising and donations to conserve Georgia’s nongame wildlife, rare native plants and natural habitats. With fundraising a necessity, the section has three primary means: Weekend for Wildlife, the Give Wildlife a Chance State Income Tax Checkoff and the Nongame License Plates The bald eagle and ruby-throated Nongame wildlife license plates. All contributions go to the hummingbird automobile tags Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund. The section’s friends remain Nongame’s largest group, The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, also funding source, raising more than $1.9 million combined in fiscal provides significant support. 2008 and 2009. Yet that period also showed a 36 percent slide in sales, from $1.16 million in 2008 to $744,000 the following year. The eagle plate continues to outsell the newer hummingbird plate Fundraising almost 2-to-1.

Weekend for Wildlife TERN Weekend for Wildlife is one of The Environmental Resources the country’s most successful Network, a nonprofit advocacy fundraisers for conservation, group, grossing more than $6.5 funded million since its start in 1989. $78,000 in The annual event draws 300- nongame 400 guests to the prestigious projects in 2008 and $61,853 Cloister at Sea Island for a in 2009. The work varied from unique weekend of outdoor documenting the life history of trips, auctions and dining. In a newly discovered salamander 2008, the 20th anniversary to supporting advanced Project celebration grossed a record WILD workshops, landowner $1.09 million. More than outreach publications and the

$623,000 was raised in 2009. Birding at Weekend for Wildlife annual Give Wildlife a Chance poster contest for K-5th grades. TERN, online at http://tern. homestead.com, raises money Give Wildlife a Chance through membership fees, Tax Checkoff donations, and the sale of raffle The state income tax tickets and gift, silent and verbal checkoff offers Georgians a auctions at Weekend for Wildlife. convenient way to contribute to the Nongame Wildlife Federal and Other Funding Conservation Fund. Since NCS received more than $16.8 the checkoff’s creation in million in federal and other 1989, net contributions have grants during fiscal 2008 and averaged $315,000, with a high 2009. Georgia is sharing $1 of $510,910 collected in 1991 million from the State Wildlife and a low of $184,065 in 1994. Grants Competitive Program Revenues of $234,758 for fiscal with Alabama, Florida and South year 2009 marked a 20 percent Carolina to increase the quality, decline from $293,883 the quantity and connectivity of previous year. prime sandhill habitat.

18 expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com FINANCIAL

Nongame Plates...... 37% Revenue Sources Weekend for Wildlife...... 32% FY 2008-2009 Tax Checkoff...... 10% Earned Interest & Other Income...... 21%

6,000,000 NONGAME FINANCIAL Summary

5,000,000 Revenue Expenses

4,000,000

3,000,000

2,000,000

1,000,000

0 FY 01 FY 99 FY 07 FY 03 FY 02 FY 05 FY 08 FY 06 FY 09 FY 04 FY 00

What’s next for the Nongame Conservation Section?

n Fundraising is a continuing emphasis, particularly in tight economic times. Revenue from license plate sales, Weekend for Wildlife and the state income tax checkoff fell 47 percent in fiscal 2009. Plans are being laid for a new license plate. n Updating Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan to reflect the changing scope of nongame priorities and needs throughout the state will be a priority for the next two years. (Details on page 17.) n Work such as the Coastal Habitat Assessment and the Multistate Sandhills Ecological Restoration project (pages 11-12) will shape those revisions and the very future of Georgia’s wild places and creatures. The sandhills effort could restore nearly 38,600 acres over three years, helping conserve species from gopher tortoises and southern hognose snakes to Bachman’s sparrows and striped newts. n NCS staff will also be involved with the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Part of a newly announced nationwide program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, this and other regional cooperatives will dovetail with State Wildlife Action plans to address climate change, invasive species and other conservation challenges. n The NCS presence in social media will increase, efficiently using online outreach to engage tech-savvy generations in nongame conservation across the state. The Wildlife Resources Division’s Web site will also be enhanced with more information on nongame species, habitats and programs. DNR’s Matt Elliott and Tim Keyes measure baldcypress at Rayonier Forest Resources tract in Long, McIntosh counties/James Holland • DNR’s Jim Ozier/Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal & Constitution • DNR ecologist Shan Cammack and Commissioner Chris Clark

expanded NCS report at www.georgiawildlife.com 19 Georgia DNR Chris Clark, Wildlife Resources Division Commissioner, DNR Nongame Conservation Section 2070 U.S. Highway 278 S.E. Dan Forster, Social Circle, GA 30025 Director, (770) 761-3035 Wildlife Resources Division Mike Harris, Offices also at: Chief, 116 Rum Creek Drive Nongame Conservation Section Forsyth, GA 31029 (478) 994-1438 Jon Ambrose and Lisa Weinstein, 2065 U.S. Highway 278 S.E. NCS Assistant Chiefs Social Circle, GA 30025 (770) 918-6411 Matt Elliott, Walter Lane, Jim Ozier and Brad Winn, One Conservation Way NCS Program Managers Suite 310 Rick Lavender, Brunswick, GA 31520 Report Editor (912) 264-7218 Contributors also include Linda May, Kristina Summers and other NCS staff

Expanded report at www.georgiawildlife.com

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Diamondback terrapin/Andrew Grosse www.georgiawildlife.com/news/e-newsletters