Dear Friends,

In his 1882 poem " Specimen Days," Walt Whitman wrote, “ The stupor passes - something else begins.” 

As we reach the end of May, it does feel that "the stupor" of the corona virus is slowly passing in unison with the lifting of restrictions caused by the pandemic. And, as summer nears, we know that "something else" will begin. Although we have few clues about what that "something else" will be, most of us hope that the space between now and then gives us time to take deep breaths, shake off anxiety, listen to the quiet, and plan for an emerging season that brings new light.

At the Land Trust, we hope it's also a continuation of our community members' generous support of one another and their appreciation for the parks and trails and protected lands of Coastal Georgia. We hope that families and neighbors will continue to come together as never before and that adults will continue to share their love of nature with the children in their lives.

A high point for us this month was when one of our member's seven-year-old twins spotted a painted bunting from their family's front yard. The kids immediately ran into the house, grabbed their Outdoor Classroom birding worksheets, and excitedly placed a check beside that beautiful species they had never seen before. Their mother wrote, "I was JUST as excited as they were. I actually didn't fully believe it at first and showed them a few more Google images that confirmed" what they had spotted on their neighbors' mailbox was definitely a painted bunting.

No matter what the "something else" is that will soon begin, we pray that these kinds of rare moments never end. We wish you all a reprieve from stress and worry during these specimen days between now and summer. We wish you renewal, hopefulness, and joy.

Emily Ellison

SSLT Executive Director

Photo by Bob Sattelmeyer

If you and your family are making memories outdoors between now and summer, or if you just want to enjoy a virtual walk through nature, we hope you will take the Land Trust's Outdoor Classroom scavenger hunts and birding guides with you. Whether you're on a SSLT property, walking the neighborhood, birding from your back deck, or enjoying time at the beach, these worksheets are the perfect way to deepen learning experiences for your children while the entire family just has fun!

And be on the lookout for the upcoming June/July issue of  Elegant Island Living  where you will find even more exciting scavenger hunts across the island to enjoy this summer!

Effective May 1, two extraordinary community leaders became

the newest members of our Board of Directors.

Nationally known attorney Jim Barger, a native of St. Simons,

will be serving on the Land Trust's Stewardship Committee,

and Mary Jenrette, an SSI banker who relocated here several years ago from NC,

has become a member of the board's Finance Committee.

We are honored to welcome Jim and Mary!

To learn more about Jim and Mary and other members of

the Land Trust's Board of Directors, please click HERE.

When so many in our community have suffered from reduced income or have lost employment altogether, we at the Land Trust made a concerted effort to halt nearly all requests for financial support over the last two months. Instead, we wanted to provide as much support as possible to the community and to our friends, neighbors, and partners who are in the restaurant, retail, and hospitality industries.

We had also made a decision not to participate in a giving initiative that was created in response to unprecedented needs caused by COVID-19,  #GivingTuesdayNOW, which took place on May 5 .

Our mission to protect and preserve St. Simons Island continues, however, and because we were given an unexpected  $10,000 challenge gift  from a generous, anonymous donor days before the global giving day, we decided to join the initiative on a very small scale by asking supporters if they would consider  making their 2020 gifts or pledges now  rather than later in the year.

We are incredibly grateful to share that, including the challenge gift, the community contributed nearly $30,000 in one day -- all of which will go directly to conserving land on St. Simons.

Your financial support, notes of encouragement, and your many kindnesses during this time have meant the world to us. THANK YOU , as always, for your partnership!

Please remember that our local businesses continue to need our support.

Let's keep it local!

1% Wednesday

Join us every Wednesday as we show extra support to our

preservation partners. Below are photos from our May 1% Wednesday features

and links to additional information about these local businesses.

Be sure to also follow our upcoming #OnePercentWednesday posts on social media!

Thank you to all participating businesses, their teams, and their patrons!

On April 30th, Governor Brian Kemp’s Executive Order to shelter-in-place was lifted, but he has urged those who are most vulnerable to the virus and the “medically fragile” to stay at home until June 12.

The temporary closure of Cannon’s Point Preserve, therefore, will remain in effect until further notice.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage you and your loved ones to enjoy the Preserve via our Virtual Visits and take advantage of other protected properties during the last of these beautiful spring days. Please visit our website and follow us on social media for further updates about Cannon's Point Preserve.

Please Note: Prior to the reopening of the Preserve, the Land Trust will take all necessary precautions to keep its volunteers and visitors safe and healthy.

Learn more about CPP at our website.

View all Preserve Virtual Visits HERE.

SEA TURTLE NESTING

Earlier this month, we shared on social media the exciting news that St. Simons Island had received its first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the season. At that time, there were only a handful of nests along Georgia's coast. Today, the state is home to nearly 450 sea turtle nests.

" This total is above the nine-year average of 337 nests and the second highest total over the period." says Mark Dodd , the Sea Turtle Program Coordinator with the Georgia DNR.

“With most of Georgia’s beaches being remote, COVID-19 hasn’t had too much of an impact on the beginning of the season. The biggest impact was not being able to get out to every island for regular pre-season training. We are grateful to the members of the Cooperative who have been monitoring these beaches for years and can train new staff and volunteers on their respective islands.”

- -Mark Dodd, Sea Turtle Program Coordinator, Georgia DNR

In less than a month, some of the first-laid eggs will begin hatching. And, before we know it, Georgia's beaches will become very active at night with new-born turtles trying to safely make their way to the ocean.

Nature isn't always friendly to hatchlings, though. They face numerous predators on their trek to the sea, including ghost crabs, gulls, and fire ants. And they also run into man-made obstacles such as beach chairs, sandcastles, deep holes, and unnatural lighting. Let's do our part to help these ancient creatures make their way safely to the water's edge and make the 2020 nesting season one to remember!

Learn more about sea turtle nesting on Georgia's coast HERE.

Photo by SSI Sea Turtle Project

SHOREBIRD NESTING

Sea Turtles aren't the only species utilizing Georgia's beaches for nesting this spring and summer. St. Simons' Gould's Inlet beach is nesting ground for two important shorebirds as well.

Behind the protective roping at Gould's are seven to eight pairs of Wilson's plovers and roughly thirty pairs of least terns. Many of these birds have laid eggs, and some of those eggs have already hatched! According to Abby Sterling with the Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative, there are four families of Wilson's plovers running up and down the beach at Gould's Inlet. On Wednesday, May 27th, Abby was able to photograph these chicks that had hatched only hours earlier (above).

Although much of the shorebird activity is confined to the area behind the ropes, several of these plover families are utilizing the back pond area at Gould's Inlet to feed their young. For that reason, it is vitally important that beach-goers remain below the high tide line as much as possible.

"I would say our biggest challenge from a management and Georgia Shorebird Alliance perspective is that we haven't been able to do any of our typical educational outreach with locals and visitors due to the pandemic. We have a great network of volunteers who are checking the roped-off area at Gould's Inlet frequently, and we’re so grateful for that, but active stewardship has been hard. We don't want to put volunteers or the public at risk. We are grateful for the community support in respecting the signs and ropes, and giving the birds plenty of space so they can successfully raise their chicks."

--Abby Sterling, Shorebird Biologist

Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative, Manomet

Photo by Abby Sterling

Click the image above to view and download.

Poster by SSI Sea Turtle Project

From the entire Land Trust Team,

thank you for your partnership and support!

To  become a Land Trust member,

 or to  renew your membership , please  click here.

Note : Memberships can be paid monthly or quarterly with direct, online payments.

To  become a Land Trust Volunteer , please  click here .

To become a member of the Legacy Society

by including the Land Trust in your  estate plans ,

please  click here  or call Emily Ellison at 912-638-9109.