We had about a quarter inch of rain at our place a few days ago, and since then the weather has been partly cloudy to sunny, with moderate temperatures. I saw the first lightening bugs last night, and we still seem to have some birds migrating through.
There’s lot of environmental news.
The best news is probably that the TVA is going to build two new boat ramps on the Toccoa, one at Tammen Park and the other at Curtis Switch. Apparently, the one at Tammen Park is further along. There is an access point just below the dam, but it isn’t a boat launch. You could carry a canoe or kayak into the river there, and some of the drift boat operators slide their boats in there. But I’ve seen people who don’t want to scrape their drift boat put in at Tammen Park, which tears the bank up badly.
The school board is in the process of buying the old State Farmer’s Market near the drive-in theater, where the cannery is located. They are planning a agricultural and environmental science center. The school board has said that they’re not doing away with the Harvest Sale and other events there, and that the public will be given access.
The Georgia DNR reports more bad news for bats. In their email update (which I can’t link to) they urge everyone who can to put up a bat nesting box. (They have them at Blue Ridge Bird Seed downtown). Here’s the link to the web version of the news report:
http://www.georgiawildlife.org/node/4195
The annual Hemlock Camp Meeting, hosted by Save Georgia’s Hemlocks, is June 5 in Ellijay. If you have ailing hemlocks, it would be a good idea to go. It’s a whole lot cheaper to learn how to treat them than to have them cut down, and you preserve your property values by saving them. Reservations are required as it is being catered by Col. Poole’s BBQ. Here’s the flyer.
The Georgia Forest Watch is having a hike up Flat Top Mountain from Dally Gap on Friday, May 27 with forest ecologist Jess Riddle. It’s limited to 12, and Forest Watch members have priority. Their website wouldn’t load for me, so for more information, Info@gafw.org or 706.867.0051. I think they’re talking about making a loop up the old road to the top of Hemptop and back on the Benton McKaye Trail to the Jack’s River Trail.
Open House at Georgia Mountain Research Center is June 4th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. This is the old agricultural research station a few miles south of the square in Blairsville on 19/129. It was established in 1928. You can tour the Ethnobotanical Garden and herb garden on your own, although interpreters will be available. No reservation necessary, free event. That’s 706.745.2655.
A few weeks ago, the TVA and Union County opened their Nottely Reservoir Trail. It’s a 2.6 mile loop located about a mile from Nottely Dam. I haven’t been able to make it over there yet, so I don’t know if they mean a mile east or a mile west of the dam. Reports are that it isn’t that impressive from the trailhead, but becomes beautiful further along. Local bird expert Tom Striker told our Master Naturalists class that he saw nine loons in mating plummage in that area not too long ago, so it might be a birding hot spot. Probably is, if Tom was there with one of his classes.
The Friends of the Library Book Sale is scheduled for May 27 – 29 at the lower floor Fellowship Hall of the Methodist Church across from the downtown Blue Ridge Park.