On their way to the board meeting last week, Friends members noted vandalism to the Nature Drive sign on Route 347. A dedicated crew set about making repairs a few days later.
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The solstice brought a big storm to Cedar Key and the Lower Suwannee. It did not keep about 25 Friends members and friends from their Winter Solstice gathering. The temperatures weren't bad . . . about 55 degrees. The wind, on the other hand, was about 30mph and pretty hard to deal with on the fishing pier as we watched for the sun to set over the end of the parabolic dune and into the underworld.
The group walked the Shell Mound Trail, avoiding the plaza area which was under water from the storm. The new interpretive panels were in place, except for the last one on the fishing pier. After the walk, as the clouds rolled in, folks gathered in the only wind-sheltered spot . . . the entrance to the outhouse . . . for hot tea and cookies before going out on the windy pier and hoping, unsuccessfully, for the clouds to part. Next year will be even better. The Refuge staff work regularly with other wildlife and naturalist professionals to maximize the impact of all agencies' smaller staffs and lesser resources. Annually, Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys Refuges supports a get together to celebrate this crucial professional cooperation. Friday, Dec 7. was the day. Thanks to Bob Lewis for the photos.
Every Thursday at 9 a.m. a group of Friends volunteers will work on the Refuges and in the area to control Brazilian Pepper plants. Last Thursday was the first work day. Seven volunteers and Vic Doig, their Refuge coordinator met at the West entrance to the Lukens Tract. The morning started out in the low 40's but the sun was out so things warmed up nicely for work out in the bush. The tide was also way out this morning. The crew could almost walk out to the surrounding islands.
Volunteers are needed every week. Call Roger at 352-543-5232 for information. The State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced the purchase of a conservation easement over approximately 19,225 acres in Dixie County within the Lower Suwannee River and Gulf Watershed Florida Forever project. Read More...
Government offices, including Refuge headquarters, are closed on Wednesday December 5 honoring former President George H. W. Bush.
The new interpretive panels are in place on the Shell Mound trail. In celebration, the Friends will have a Winter Solstice Gathering on Friday December 21. All are welcome. At 4 p.m., we will meet at the parking area near the fishing pier. We will walk the trail, then go to the fishing pier to watch the sunset. Last year, it was a cold and foggy Winter Solstice at Shell Mound. It was, nevertheless, rather mystical being there. We will hope for better weather this year, and even if we don't get it, we will celebrate the place, its heritage, and the joy of having a Refuge to protect it for us and for the future.
The weather was perfect (as it usually is this time of year) when eight Friends members and one newcomer to the area did a major “clean, trim and repair” of the River Trail at the Refuge.
What a team!! All was accomplished in 3 hours and in parting, “Happy Thanksgiving” was common refrain along with comments that it was an enjoyable way to contribute to the Refuge. We were thankful for the chance. Come and share the beauty! Thanks to Board member Ed DeHaan for the photos.
Vic Doig, Refuge fire specialist, is a member of the steering committee organizing this event. Should be fun. Mark you calendars!
The Eastern Black Rail is a small, secretive marsh bird that is in steep decline. Some populations along the Atlantic coast have dropped by as much as 90 percent. With a relatively small total population remaining across the eastern United States, the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the subspecies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We have this bird on the Lower Suwannee Refuge. Read more here.
If you have been curious about hunting on the Lower Suwannee Refuge, here are the data on hunting days during the 2018-2019 season. The Lower Suwannee Refuge hosts more hunting days than most refuges in the Southeast Region of the Refuge System, which includes the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A State of Florida hunting license is required to hunt on the Lower Suwannee Refuge, as well as a Refuge permit. You get both the license and the permit through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Refuge permit code is 7800. You can read or download a copy of the 2018-2019 Lower Suwannee Hunt Brochure here.
Friends Board member Libby Cagle took these photos on the Nature Drive on the Levy county side of the river.
On Saturday October 6, Friends President Bill Dummitt helped lead a Nature Walk for a group of scouts from Alachua on the Dennis Creek Trail.
If you are going out to walk this picturesque trail, you can download a free copy of the Friends trail guide from this website. |
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![]() Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532 Cedar Key, FL 32625 [email protected] We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. |
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