Atlantic coast joint venture waterfowl implementation plan

Focus Area: Dougherty Plains, Georgia

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This focus area is largely rural in nature, and dominated by privately owned lands, including industrial forest lands, large plantations, and smaller family owned farms. Many of the large plantations have been preserved, and are generally undeveloped, where hunting is a primary recreational activity. These large plantations encompass thousands of acres, preserving many of the wetlands in this area.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes two wetland complexes as priority under the Federal Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986: Swamp of TOA (Chickasawhatchee Swamp), and Cooleewahee Creek and Limesink Ponds. The TOA Swamp, the largest lime sink in Georgia supports the federally endangered Wood Stork and the federally threatened Bald Eagle. The rare Georgia blind salamander also occurs here. The Wood Stork and Bald Eagle area also found in the Cooleewahee Creek area, as well as the blind salamander and the Dougherty Plain cave crayfish. Additionally, the underground aquifer, the Upper Floridan Aquifer, is thought to supply much of the drinking water for this region of Georgia.

This region of Georgia consists of mostly inland lakes and other freshwater systems that support breeding populations of Wood Duck and large wintering populations of Ring-necked Duck. Other species that are important for recreational uses are Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, and American Wigeon.

The wetlands of the Central Doughtery Plains are important to a large number of waterbirds, landbirds, and endangered species. The Wood Stork occurs here, as does the Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, and Black-crowned Night Heron. Important landbirds are the Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Swallow-tailed Kite. Two federally threatened and endangered species occur here, the Wood Stork, and Bald Eagle. The state listed Bachman’s Sparrow also occurs here in high densities. Georgia Department of Natural Resources has initiated a Bobwhite Quail Initiative in a portion of this sub-focus area.

The primary threats in this focus area are conversion of existing habitats to other land uses, such as agriculture, silviculture, and urban sprawl, reducing the source of source water and groundwater withdrawals.

Wetlands in this focus area are necessary in maintaining and enhancing region water quality through their ability to remove pollutants from surface water runoff. They also contribute significantly to direct recharge of underground aquifers. Therefore, it is necessary to protect these wetlands for water quality. Major conservation actions here are restoration of prior converted wetlands, enhancement of existing wetlands, and protection of extensive tracts or remaining wetlands. Protection can be accomplished through acquisition or protection through conservation easements by federal, state, or private conservation organizations.

Proposal for Expansion of the Boundary of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to Include Focus Areas Within the State of Georgia, December 1, 1992, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources. Personal Communication.

1Area Description:

Much of the land in this focus area is privately owned, with major land use being agriculture and forest industry. There are considerable acreages protected in this focus area by federal, state, and private interests. Federal lands include Piedmont and Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuges. The Oconee National Forest is located in the northern portion of the focus area, and there are numerous state wildlife management areas in the three river systems. Additionally, numerous properties are protected by conservation easements through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and various land trusts, such as Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes a number of wetlands as priority under the federal Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986: Upper Altamaha River Swamp, Indian Island Club, Bond Swamp, Ocmulgee Creek, Big Indian Mossy Creek, Big Grocery Creek, Oconee River, Towaliga River, Alcovy River Swamp, Springfield Lake, and Osciewithcee Springs. These wetlands support some of the most extensive bottomland hardwood swamps remaining in the southeastern United States, and are located near several National Wildlife Refuges and State Wildlife Management Areas. Additionally, these areas provide habitat for large numbers of waterfowl, wading birds, neotropical migratory birds, and a number of state and federally threatened and endangered species, including Bald Eagle, shortnose sturgeon, bird-voiced tree frog, and mole salamander. The Nature Conservancy has designated the Altamaha River a top conservation priority, listed it as one of the top 75 remaining “Last Great Places” in the world, and has thus, established the Altamaha River Bioreserve. All three river

This focus area is extremely important to a number of high priority species recognized in existing continental bird conservation plans. Some of the most important species in this area

include White Ibis, Swallow-tailed Kite, American Woodcock, Wood Thrush, Northern Parula,

Yellow-throated Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Painted Bunting, Henlsow’s Sparrow, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Other high priority species that are primarily migrants through this important focus area are Louisiana Waterthrush, Cerulean Warbler, and Kirtland’s Warbler.

The primary threats to this focus area are changes in land use practices that result in habitat loss and degradation. Natural communities in the focus area are still being lost to urban sprawl, agriculture, intense forest management, and land development.

The primary conservation recommendations are to protect these extensive floodplains through fee title acquisition or conservation easements. This can be done by federal, state, and private organizations. Additionally, restoration of commercial pine stands and agricultural areas to their former natural plant communities is important as these areas are protected.

Proposal for Expansion of the Boundary of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to Include Focus Areas Within the State of Georgia, December 1, 1992, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources. Personal Communication.

Focus Area: Ogeechee River, Georgia

This focus area is largely rural in nature, with land ownership primarily in private lands. These private lands are comprised of forestry ownerships in small, private ownerships and commercial forestry interests, and agricultural lands. A small percentage of the land is in public ownership.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognize a number of wetlands as priority under the federal Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986: Lower Ogeechee River, Middle Ogeechee River, Big Dukes Pond, and Kent’s Landing Swamp. Special recognition in these areas are for their importance to anadromous fish (federally endangered shortnose sturgeon), extensive remote remnant of the Ogeechee River forested floodplain, presence of three federally endangered species (Wood Stork, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, shortnose sturgeon), and the importance to the striped bass fishery. Additionally, portions of two focus areas (Central and East) are included under Georgia’s Bobwhite Quail Initiative in this focus area.

The Ogeechee River is highly important to many other migratory birds, primarily waterbirds and landbirds. Important species here are Wood Stork, Swallow-tailed Kite, Swainson’s Warbler, Painted Bunting, Prairie Warbler, and Prothonotary Warbler. Other high priority species associated with the pine grassland savannas in this focus area are Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, and American Kestrel. Portions of two focus areas under Georgia’s Bobwhite Quail Initiative (Central and East) are located in this focus area.

Much of the threat in this focus area is related to municipal, industrial, and agricultural source and non-point source pollution and discharge into the Ogeechee River Basin. Key environmental stressors are high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, concentration of heavy metals, nutrient loading, fish tissue contamination, stream flow and temperature modification, and sediment loading and habitat degradation. All of these stressors affect the water quality of the basin, and the organisms that inhabit the basin.

The primary conservation recommendations are to acquire or protect extensive areas of the bottomland hardwood forests through fee title acquisition or conservation easements. Protection of the remaining bottomland hardwood forests would maintain and improve the water quality of the basin. Additionally, restoration of industrial pine forests to longleaf pine, on both small and large commercial ownerships, and management and protection of these forests will greatly increase the water quality in the basin. Finally, a comprehensive management plan for the Ogeechee River Basin, The Ogeechee River Basin Management Plan 2001, makes recommendations for improving the water quality of the basin, and which should be utilized by the stakeholders in this focus area.

Proposal for Expansion of the Boundary of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to Include Focus Areas Within the State of Georgia, December 1, 1992, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources. Personal Communication.

Approximately half of the Okefenokee Basin Focus Area is in public ownership, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The remaining lands are privately owned with land use primarily forestry or agriculture. The entire basin encompasses portions of Georgia and Florida, with the Osceola National Forest located on the southern side of the basin in Florida. Efforts are currently underway to place additional significant acreage into public ownership in this region.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognize one wetland as priority under the federal Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986: the Suwannee River. This river system lies in portions of four southeastern Georgia counties, and is adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and is home to several endangered species. The Okefenokee Swamp, the largest peat producing swamp in North America, is in this focus area, as is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Okefenokee is a Wetland of International Importance by the United Nations through the Ramsar Convention.

The avian richness of the Okefenokee Basin is tremendous. Virtually all of the herons and egrets of eastern North America can be found here. Some notable species are Wood Stork, Sandhill Crane, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, and White Ibis. High priority landbirds include Swallow-tailed Kite, Prothonotary Warbler, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Red-headed Woodpecker.

Threats to this region, in general, are remaining attempts to drain, log, and develop the area. A major issue of the west side of the basin is the existence of the Suwannee River Sill, an earthen dam built to lessen the threat of wildfires to local residents. The suppression of wildfires, and the lack of prescribed burning in some areas pose a threat to the integrity of the ecosystem and the safety of the residents in the region. Furthermore, mining interests for peat and titanium on the eastern side threatens the entire hydrology of the ecosystem.

Maintaining the natural hydrology of this huge basin is key to preserving its natural features. Because public ownerships are a major component of this ecosystem, partnerships should be developed with private and industrial entities to ensure the protection of this basin and the Floridian aquifer. Impacts of mining should be studied thoroughly, and until impacts of mining to the Okefenokee Basin are well understood, mining should proceed cautiously. Hydrology on the western side of the basin should be restored the Suwannee River floodplain, allowing for prescribed fire to once again become an integral component of this functioning ecosystem.

Hunter, W.C., L. Peoples and J. Collazo. 2001. South Atlantic Coastal Plain Partners In Flight Bird Conservation Plan, 158pp.

www.okefenokee.fws.gov