Brantley Worries River Watchdog

FEBRUARY 8, 2006 -- Satilla RIVERKEEPER® Gordon Rogers tells the Georgia Times-Union about Brantley County development standards, erosion and road-maintenance issues, and how those factors are effecting the Satilla and the surrounding watershed. To read the story, click on the following link for www.jacksonville.com

No Takers on Logging Program

Thus far, there have been no takers at the price set by the state to harvest logs.

Jan. 25, 2006

By Dave Williams, Albany Herald

ATLANTA — A new program allowing loggers to harvest vintage lumber from the bottoms of the Flint and Altamaha rivers has gotten some nibbles but no bites, a Department of Natural Resources administrator said Tuesday.

The General Assembly authorized so-called "deadhead logging" last year on a trial basis.

For several years, loggers in some other Southeastern states have been harvesting longleaf pine and cypress logs that sank to river bottoms more than a century ago as they were being transported to mills.

The high-quality wood is used to produce flooring, furniture and paneling.

The DNR's Wildlife Resources Division began accepting applications at the beginning of this month. But thus far, there have been no takers at the price set by the state to harvest logs, $1.28 per board foot, division director Dan Forster told the state Board of Natural Resources Tuesday.

But he said most of the loggers that showed interest had other concerns besides the price. He said some hesitated because of uncertainties over the new program, while one simply couldn't on short notice come up with the $10,000 the state is charging for a harvesting permit.

"I'm not convinced that we won't get an application at the current price," Forster said. "I think there's enough interest out there that somebody's going to come through."

The board went along with Forster's recommendation to open a second application period from Jan. 30 to Feb. 17. That will allow board members to re-examine the issue at next month's meeting and decide whether to lower the state's asking price.

Athens businessman, partner donate land

Jan. 8, 2006

Athens businessman Paul Martin and real estate entrepreneur Joe McDonough of St. Simons Island recently gave nearly 800 acres of coastal land and marsh property in Camden County to the Georgia Land Trust.

Valued at more than $2 million, the deeded undeveloped parcels represent "preservation of significant natural, scenic aesthetic wildlife and open space, which provide considerable ecological and environmental habitat benefits," McDonough said.

The Camden County properties include a 3.1-acre island south of St. Simons; one-half-acre island in the Little Satilla River; 725 acres of saltwater marsh fronting the Little Satilla River, and a 54.66-acre conservation easement adjoining the eastern boundary line of Sanctuary Cover at St. Andrews Sound.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald.

Earlier articles:

Environment/Cumberland Harbour project has problems Development is harmful (Guest column/response published in The Brunswick News, Jan. 6, 2006)

Marina in Camden County will benefit many (The Brunswick News, Dec. 5, 2005)