Blog – GEORGIA FORESTWATCH

The streams of the southern Appalachians are a major recreation resource, are home to amazing species, and host some of the greatest diversity anywhere in the world. Georgia ForestWatch works to protect streams from sediment and herbicides during Forest Service timber projects, but streams are also threatened by ongoing issues/chronic sources of sediment. Join us as […]

Hikes

Learning Hemlocks with Stacie 7.10.21

July 6, 2021

photo by Stacie James Date: Saturday, July 10, 2021Time: 10:00 – 4 pmLeader(s): Stacie James, Program CoordinatorPartners making it possible: UNG Environmental Leadership CenterLocation: Hemlock Falls Trail at Moccasin Creek State Park, Rabun County Outing Description:Educational hike along the beautiful and easy strolling trail at Hemlock Falls. We’ll learn about the history of the woolly adelgid, an invasive species […]

Outings and Events

Paddle Lake Russell with Jim Kathy and Michelle 7.11.21

July 5, 2021

Date: Sunday, July 11, 2021Time: 10:00 – 3 pmLeader(s): Jim Sullivan, Michelle Stephens, Kathy StegeLocation: Lake Russell Mt Airy Outing Description:paddle/picnic/swim Lake Russell Meeting Place Directions:Lake Russell boat ramp. On U.S. 123 East of Cornelia, near the Mt. Airy, Georgia railroad bridge, turn onto the Lake Russell Recreation Area access road. Drive about 2.5 miles, continue straight keeping lake […]

Hikes

Benton MacKaye Trail with Ken 7.16.21

June 25, 2021

Photo by Joy Forehand Date: Friday, July 16, 2021Time: 9 am – 3:30 pmLeader(s): Ken Cissna, BMTA President and Andrew Linker, GAFW Outreach CoordinatorPartners making it possible: Benton MacKaye Trail Association (BMTA)Location: Gilmer County: Hudson Gap to Fowler Mtn and back Outing Description:Hike the Benton MacKaye Trail from Hudson Gap to Fowler Mtn and back. Meeting Place Directions:Cherry Log […]

Hikes

High Shoals Falls area with Jess 7.8.21

June 24, 2021

Photo by Jess Riddle Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021Time: 10:00 – 5 pmLeader(s): Jess Riddle, GAFW Executive DirectorLocation: High Shoals Falls area, north of Helen but in Towns County PLEASE NOTE: This Outing was originally scheduled for Friday 7.9.21 and is now Thursday 7.8.21 Please re-register if you would like to attend this new date of Thursday 7.8.21 Apologies […]

Hikes

High Shoals Falls with Jess 7.8.21

June 24, 2021

Advocacy

Clean Mountain Streams 7.2.21

June 16, 2021

Hikes

Bartram 6 Wilson Gap to GA/NC Border 6.15.21

June 7, 2021

Photo by Melanie Vickers Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2021Time: 9:00 – 4 pmLeader(s): Brent Martin, Melanie Vickers, Michelle StephensPartners making it possible: Blue Ridge Bartram Trail ConservancyLocation: Wilson Gap to GA/NC Border Outing Description:Join us on the last leg of our Bartram Challenge. We’ll begin the hike at the GA/NC border (Hale Ridge Rd.) and hike ~9.5 miles to Wilson […]

ForestNews

Interview with Ed Hunter Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest Forest Supervisor

June 4, 2021

By Marie Dunkle In January 2013 when I first interviewed Ed Hunter for this newsletter, he was fairly new as the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) Chattooga River District Ranger, and I was still in learning mode as the Georgia ForestWatch (GAFW) Chattooga River District Leader. We sat near Stonewall Falls, and I learned that […]

ForestNews

Around the Forest – spring 2021

June 4, 2021

Around the Forest : By Jess Riddle, Executive Director National Lawsuits: Several environmental organizations brought suit against the Council of Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, which reduce government accountability and place new constraints on environmental reviews. The merits of that case were recently presented in court. Encouragingly, the Biden administration […]

ForestNews

The Foothills Landscape Project Evolves

June 4, 2021

By: Jess Riddle, Executive Director After a hiatus of more than a year, rounds of public meetings in April announced major changes to the Foothills Landscape Project. Spread across half the width of Georgia, the Foothills Landscape Project could result in intensive logging of mature forests, include herbicide application on a scale never before seen, […]