Sea Turtles!

Thanks to EarthKeepers board member, Rick Frey, for this photo of the re-entry path of a sea turtle making her way back to the sea after laying her eggs. (Fernandina Beach, July 2012).

Although loggerheads are still listed as "endangered", the number of recorded nests found in Georgia has been on the rise over the last three years, with last year’s tally adding up to more than twice the number found in 2009. Cumberland Island averages more than 200 loggerhead nests annually, but this year experienced turtle-watching teams reported over 500 loggerhead nests. Although this year’s numbers on the Georgia Coast are lower than those from 2011, the nesting season is not over yet.

For only the second time in recorded history, Georgia welcomed a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle this year. The Kemp’s Ridley is the world’s most endangered sea turtle species and usually nests at beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the fate of the Kemp's Ridley seemed sealed - but there is hope.

The end of July heralded the first loggerhead hatchlings emergence from their buried nests on Tybee and other Georgia islands. The small turtles will be seen crawling across dozens of beaches in the coming weeks as they make their way home to sea so please remember the Light's Out rule if you see a female on the beach or hatchlings emerging.

During the nesting season, loggerheads can be disoriented by artificial lights such as streetlights, exterior lights on commercial building, headlights, high density dwellings and beach front homes - and the light from these man-made sources will lead them away from the ocean or deter them from nesting. People on or near the beach using flashlights, bonfires, landscape lighting or camera-flashes can also disorient loggerhead hatchlings for they require the ocean's natural light to navigate from the nest towards the sea but will crawl towards the brightest light source. So as tempting as it may be to capture a photo or get a closer look with your flashlight, please don't. A life may depend on it.

Unusual Visitors

This is the Roseate Spoonbill. We've been receiving reports of sightings in and around St. Marys: in fact, one of our board members, Bob Nutter, captured a photo of a spoonbill standing on his dock. They are startlingly beautiful creatures and we welcome them...but their presence rings the already-clamorous climate change alarm bells.

From Audubon: "Only the northern edge of the Roseate Spoonbill's range lies within the United States. This neotropical bird can be found in many areas around the Gulf of Mexico, and breeds in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Florida populations occur in the southern half of the state. Roseate Spoonbills are also found in Mexico, Central America, and South America, as well as across the West Indies and Greater Antilles."  

As We Are Now

We held our regular meeting tonight and, as always, I am amazed by the energy and dedication of the EarthKeeper's Board. The monthly committee reports include:

Naval Base (what's new and notable from our Board member on Base, Jennifer Ward-Pelar).

School Activities (from our teacher, Gale Lizana).

Communication (what's been done and what's needed).

St. Marys Curbside Recycling (the monthly rate report).

RiverWatch (all matters pertaining to the health and welfare of our river: committee Chair, Rick Frey).

And then we move on to observations, ideas and discussions.

- July's recycling results are the best we've seen for that month since the beginning of curbside recycling: 37.99 tons collected. Well done, St. Marys! But how do we increase the numbers? With the addition of junk mail and "chip board", each and every home should be placing two bins by the curb but it seems that many are unsure of what "chip board" entails. 

Think "Packaging": cereal boxes, soda boxes, beer boxes, mac & cheese boxes, Kleenex boxes...all of those cardboard items that once went into the trash are now welcomed in your recycling bin. So is Junk Mail - all of those flyers that find their way into your mailbox. If you don't have a bin, just contact mthomas@advanceddisposal.com and one will appear at your home within the week.

- We're pleased and gratified by the number of people who visit this site for updates and information and we want to make it even more informative and interactive.

E.g. one Board member who lives on the river has noted increased activity re: dolphins, roseate spoonbills and manatees.

Another (our school teacher at St. Marys Elementary) spoke of a lizard that the children found that is actually listed as an "invasive species."

The number of derelict boats in our harbor is a matter of grave concern. It is also a complex issue that involves myriad agencies.

I invite you all to contact us with such reports, concerns and observations.

- The annual January Electronic Recycling fair hosted by the EarthKeepers is a hugely popular event and I am constantly asked when our next one will be. After-Christmas has always seemed like the most reasonable time and I thank you all for holding on to your e-scrap. Given the response of the community we may need to arrange this twice-yearly...but until then, please "collect the stuff" until next January.

And now the hard part. We have hundreds of members who joined us when we were first established. We've not sent out reminders of yearly dues because your voices and support have meant all the difference between a city that doesn't recycle; a city littered by trash; a city that doesn’t act as a good steward of its extraordinary environment. As a 501c3 we have considerable insurance payments and there are costs involved in city-wide clean-ups, public service notices, providing recycling bins for all city events and so forth. 

We will continue to do our utmost to help our community to protect this precious corner of our planet as we  address your questions, provide new information and create/encourage increased environmental awareness. We ask only that you either renew your membership, join us or donate whatever you can. Thank you so much for your support over the years.
http://www.stmarysearthkeepers.com/memberform.pdf

Alex Kearns

Chair, St. Marys EarthKeepers, Inc.