Frederica Road tree canopy between the Land Trust's Wildlife Preserve and Devonwood properties
As one runs, bikes, or drives along sections of Frederica Road on St. Simons Island, it is nearly impossible to miss the beauty of the moss-draped live oak tree canopy that delicately arches over this major traffic artery. Even those who have lived on the island for decades can still be awed and have hearts stirred when glancing up at this miles-long natural pergola created by the oaks, moss, and resurrection ferns.

This view, however, isn't consistent along all of Frederica Road. Commercial and residential development occurring off this main island corridor has reduced or removed sections of the canopy for which the island is famous. That is why the Land Trust is deeply grateful to the community members, businesses, land owners, and SSLT partners who have donated and helped to purchase more than nine acres of land on seven separate properties with nearly 2,000 feet of frontage on Frederica Road.

Moving south to north you'll find
these seven fairly small but significant properties that help
maintain the beauty and charm of St. Simons along its busiest road
and that help connect and protect the green, natural areas of the island.
#1 STOLLAWAY
History
The Stollaway property, which contains 1.78 acres, was acquired in May of 2004 with partial funding for the purchase coming from the Glynn County/Georgia Greenspace Committee.

Two letters written by original property owners, Minna and Nathan Stoller, were discovered in 2003 hidden within the body of the fireplace at the Stoller residence. The letters had been written in 1954 and indicate that after purchasing this land, the Stollers constructed their home between 1952 and 1954.
105 Demere Retreat Lane
Two white brick columns dating back to 1954 mark the former entrance to the Stollers' dirt and shell driveway that once led from Frederica Road to their home. A still visible marker on one of the columns contains the street address and the name of the family's home: "Stollaway."

Ecology and Natural Features
The Stollaway property provides habitat for native and migratory birds as well as small mammals and reptiles. The isolated wetlands onsite represent a threatened natural resource that is not protected by local, state, or federal regulations. As a result, these important resources are rapidly disappearing due to dredging, draining, and infilling from development or land conversion. Even the smallest patch of wetlands provides important functions to our natural environment, including flood prevention, water quality protection, fish and wildlife habitat, and increased biodiversity. By purchasing the property, the Land Trust ensured the protection of this freshwater resource.

Native trees, shrubs, and vines throughout the property (red maple, sweetgum, water oak, saw palmetto, several fern species, loblolly pine, live oak, laurel cherry, Southern magnolia, red cedar, hackberry, blackgum, privet, spiderwort, and muscadine) provide a scenic buffer along Frederica Road that is nostalgically reminiscent of an undeveloped St. Simons Island from those days when the Stoller family lived on the property.
#2 WILDLIFE PRESERVE
History
Adjacent to the much-visited, community-loved John Gilbert Nature Trail is a 1.90-acre tract of land on the east side of Frederica Road. This property was obtained in June 2008 from Wildlife Group, LLC, the developer of the Wildlife Preserve subdivision. The area consists of three parcels, two of which the Wildlife Group, LLC generously donated to the Land Trust.

Ecology and Natural Features
The property is wooded with mature live oaks, loblolly pines and various native understory trees and shrubs.
13-21 Wildlife Dr.
This vegetation provides habitat for native and migratory birds, small mammals, and reptiles. It also serves as a green connector between the John Gilbert Park and the entrance to Wildlife Preserve, both of which are landscaped with native coastal plants.
#3 DEVONWOOD GREENSPACE
History
In 2003, the Land Trust closed on this greenspace that has remained wooded and in its mostly natural state since the 1950's. It is located south of the entrance to the Devonwood subdivision and across the street from John Gilbert Nature Trail.

Ecology and Natural Features
This tiny tract is composed of a "successional maritime oak community." The younger trees and understory vegetation are dominated by mature live oaks that surround the property's perimeter.
2451 Frederica Road
Of note is the presence of a mature longleaf pine on the northwest corner of the property. Other species found onsite include water oak, sweetgum, beggar-ticks, resurrection fern, dog-fennel, and beauty-berry. Conservation benefits of this small piece of land are due to its location over the groundwater recharge area for St. Simons, helping protect against flooding and erosion and preserving the quality of both water and air.
#4 GENERAL OGLETHORPE
History
This 1.02-acre tract of undeveloped wooded land and open space is located northwest of the entrance sign to Sea Palms West and southwest of Bennie's Red Barn Restaurant. It was purchased by the Land Trust in January 2015 from Joanna Gentile, whose family had owned the property for many years.

Ecology and Natural Features
This property provides habitat for birds, including neo-tropical migrants, pollinators and small mammals. It is a combination of mature maritime forest and younger successional maritime oak community that contain plants critically important for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
100 General Oglethorpe Road
Native plants include live oak, sand laurel oak, water oak, Southern magnolia, saw palmetto, loblolly pine, pignut hickory, redbud, and wild black cherry. In addition, many species of vines are interspersed in the abundant yaupon holly buffer between the mowed road shoulder and the forested western portion of the property. These include summer grape, Virginia creeper, blackberry, butterfly pea, morning glory, muscadine grapevine, and yellow passionflower.
#5 HARRINGTON PRESERVE "C"
History
Known by some locals as the "Blowing Rock" tract because it was once intended as the site of a six-lot subdivision that was to be called Blowing Rock, the development was halted due to lowland wet areas. The property was subsequently sold to the Sea Island Company. The sale was part of the "Sea Island Challenge" in which Sea Island Coastal Properties pledged to donate the parcel to the Land Trust provided that SSLT raised capital funds to purchase two nearby properties (now Harrington Preserve A and B, that are spotlighted below).
5601 Frederica Road
The fundraising challenge was met, and Sea Island Coastal Properties conveyed the property to the Land Trust on January 20, 2002.

Ecology and Natural Features
This 1.68-acre tract is a combination of old growth maritime forest (consisting of live oak, water oak, Southern magnolia, saw palmetto, and cabbage palm) and an early successional maritime forest area (consisting of slash pine, dog fennel, and wax myrtle). The wetlands area contains sweetgum and slash pine. All three areas provide important habitat for birds and small mammals.

One of the prominent ecological features is a tall slash pine in the center of the property that provides a black/turkey vulture roosting area.
#6 & #7 HARRINGTON PRESERVE "A" AND "B"
History
The two sections of this property, totaling 2.25-acres, was known as the original Lot 25 of the Harrington Subdivision. Its two parcels were part of the above mentioned "Sea Island Challenge" to the Land Trust. Preserve A was purchased from Joseph H. Jaudon and Margie Jaudon on April 23, 2001. Preserve B was purchased from Thomas Ramsay, Jr. and Verdell Helen Ramsay on April 18, 2001. A small masonry home was removed from Preserve B after the Land Trust acquired the property.
5720 and 5704 Frederica Road
Ecology and Natural Features
Harrington Preserve B contains a sandy road that leads to a clearing toward the property's center, where the house once stood. In this area is a magnificent live oak tree, and behind it is a large magnolia. The northern portion of the property is thick with wax myrtle and young live oaks, all of which provide significant habitat for songbirds, small mammals, and the occasional deer.

During the plantation-era on St. Simons, this property was likely a cotton field. After that era, the land and surrounding home sites provided shelter and agrarian lifestyle resources for generations of island residents, the majority of which were African Americans. Many non-native trees, shrubs and vines on Preserve B are evidence of this property's cultural past. Pecan, fig, crepe myrtle, and Chinese wysteria are all species that define the footprint of a past home and its gardens. Native plants include saw palmetto, slash pine, and wax myrtle.
Bucks browsing Harrington Preserve B
Photo by Gordon Strother
The next time you're traveling north or south on Frederica,
we hope you'll notice those places where the branches of live oak create a natural archway across the road, where wetlands, native plants, and habitat bare silent witness
to our lives on this remarkable barrier island.

We also hope you'll join us in giving a nod to the many who participated in acquiring and maintaining these special pockets of St. Simons' beauty and charm.

THANK YOU!
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