Dear Friends,
Few projects have meant more to all of us at the Land Trust, and few have had greater positive impact on coastal land conservation, than Cannon's Point Preserve. In the fall of 2012, after nearly two years of fundraising, the Land Trust closed on this magnificent 608-acre wilderness area, having raised $25 million with the help of roughly 250 supporters. Thousands of volunteer hours went into the effort, including the development of the Preserve's conservation easement, management plans, and supporting environmental studies.
In 2014, the Preserve was ready for public access, and it opened its gates to hikers, bikers, birders, kayakers, canoeists, scientists, educators, and students three days a week. Under the thoughtful supervision of Preserve Manager Stephanie Knox, and with the help of a dedicated group of loyal volunteers, Cannon's Point Preserve has hosted visitors from around the world and locals from across the county. As you will read in the following feature stories, during these past five years, it has become the site of groundbreaking research and a favorite destination for thousands.
This wilderness protection project would not have been possible without the entire community and without the island's growing culture of conservation. We look forward to sharing with you some of the highlights of this extraordinary preserve.
Please join us on Saturday, October 19
for a full slate of programs, presentations, and activities. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you!
Ben Slade
Co-Founder and Interim Executive Director
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Since opening to the public in 2014, Cannon’s Point Preserve has welcomed thousands of guests who enjoy its many trails and nearby waterways. Although the Preserve is a place for St. Simons Island residents and visitors to rest, recreate, and connect to nature, the goal of the Land Trust and its partners is for the property to also serve as a
nationwide model for scientific research, conservation, and nature-centered education.
Below are highlights of some of the most notable research projects and education efforts that have occurred in these last five years.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
In partnership with the
Coastal Georgia Historical Society
and colleges and universities around the country, archaeology has been a focus of
Cannon’s Point Preserve research
from the very beginning. Multiple digs have taken place on the site since its purchase in 2012. The types of artifacts discovered and analyzed include
pottery sherds
(small, broken pieces of pottery)
, tools, and animal remains
. Results from this initial research indicate that
people have been living and using resources at the Preserve for more than 4,000 years.
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LIVING SHORELINE
The Preserve’s living shoreline was constructed in 2015 utilizing
8,000 bags of oyster shells
,
spartina alternaflora
plugs, and other native vegetation. It was designed to mimic a natural stream bank and allow for ecological processes to occur while simultaneously creating essential wildlife habitat. It was the fourth demonstration living shoreline project in Georgia and the
first to be accessible by vehicles
, allowing it to be
widely used for educational purposes.
Positive results have included lack of erosion normally caused by storm surge.
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BAT SURVEYS
Cannon’s Point Preserve has been a location for annual bat surveys conducted by the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
. These initial surveys have resulted in evidence of
northern yellow bats
(a species of concern in Georgia) utilizing the old-growth maritime forest habitat. This research also indicates the
importance of preserving habitat for the health and success of many different rare and threatened species
.
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MARITIME FOREST
RESTORATION
The Preserve’s maritime forest restoration project began in 2015 when live oak seedlings were planted in areas that had been logged due to a pine beetle outbreak. The research has included
four different experiments
in
four different phases
that have provided significant information about
live oak survival
.
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BAFA SURVEYS
The
Butterflies of the Atlantic Flyway Alliance
(BAFA) was formed to bring together conservation land managers and citizen scientists in Georgia to collect data on butterfly migration. Through five years of surveys at Cannon's Point Preserve and several other locations throughout Coastal Georgia counties, BAFA will gather the information necessary to
create land management recommendations
for property owners and managers
in our region.
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BIRD SURVEYS
Cannon’s Point Preserve was designated as part of the
Georgia Barrier Islands Landscape of Hemispheric Importance
by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network in 2018. We partner with
Coastal Georgia Audubon Society
to host spring and fall migration bird walks at the Preserve to document the numerous species on the property. In 2018, the Preserve participated in
the Audubon Society's
Christmas Bird Count
along with Little St. Simons Island.
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LEAF INTERNS
In 2014,
Christi Lambert, with the
Nature Conservancy in Georgia
, presented on the importance of living shorelines in coastal Georgia. Following this presentation,
Leaders for Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF)
interns helped bag oysters used in the Cannon's Point Preserve living shoreline project.
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BHS FIELD TRIPS
Every year, the
Brunswick High School AP Environmental Science
class comes to Cannon's Point to learn about the ecological and historical importance of the Preserve. In 2018, over 100 students joined Preserve Manager, Stephanie Knox and CPP Task Force members on a
2+ hour long hike
around the southern area of the Preserve and north towards Fire Break Lane.
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NATIONAL TRAILS DAY
National Trails Day,
held the first Saturday of June
, encourages community members to get out and
enjoy the protected places around them
where they can go birding, hiking, biking and connect to nature. At Cannon's Point Preserve, this national day has included
bird walks, history talks, southern area tours
, and more for St. Simons residents and visitors.
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CCGA Lesson Modules
Students learning under Dr. Amy Sneed of the
College of Coastal Georgia
joined Cannon's Point Preserve's
Education Task Force
to present science-driven lesson modules developed during the last school year. The curriculum these college students have created will be invaluable resources for middle grade science teachers.
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Camp TALON
Hosted by our partners at the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
,
camp
TALON is a one-of-a kind camp for teens with a strong interest in the
outdoors, birding and ecology
. Over the summer, nearly 20 students spent six days visiting barrier islands, state parks, refuges, and wildlife management areas along Georgia's coast, including Cannon's Point Preserve.
or watch the video above.
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Coast Camp
Nearly 60 elementary through high school students from the
Savannah State University
Coast Camp
visited Cannon’s Point Preserve this summer. The students had several opportunities to
learn about the habitats and abundant wildlife
found inside the Preserve’s 600 acres.
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THANK YOU
to Cannon's Point Preserve
Task Force Members,
Advisory Council,
Partners and Volunteers!
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A Note From Preserve Manager: Stephanie Knox
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"
Cannon’s Point Preserve began as a vision by numerous partners and donors and over the past five years ongoing partnerships have allowed the Preserve to grow into a
platform for education
and
model for conservation
.
"
Managing Cannon's Point Preserve, where the
natural and cultural resources are protected in perpetuity
, is a dream. It has been an absolute pleasure to see this Preserve become a place where locals, visitors, students, educators and researchers enjoy nature, learn and conduct groundbreaking research that influence local and national conservation efforts.
"It is a true community effort and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with and learn from so many partners and volunteers on a daily basis."
-- Stephanie Knox, Cannon's Point Preserve Manager
Click
HERE
to read Stephanie's feature in the 2019 Golden Isles Visitor's Guide.
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Saturday • October 19, 2019
7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
560 Cannon's Point Drive
St. Simons Island, GA
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
8AM: Birding
8AM-12PM: Archaeology/History Stations
9AM: Living Shoreline Talk-and-Walk
10AM: Welcome/Thank You Talk
10:30AM: Marsh and Lab Fun
10:30AM: Southern Area Tour
11:30AM: Family Hike
12:15PM: Snake Presentation
1:00PM: Artifact Display
1:30 PM: Maritime Forest Restoration
Talk-and-Walk
2:30PM: Southern Area Tour
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Parking is limited.
We encourage you to bike
into the Preserve or carpool
with friends and family.
Guests can take a trolley from
Fort Frederica National Monument
to Cannon's Point Preserve from 9 AM-2 PM.
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Please plan to bring your own picnic lunch, snacks and water.
With
no trash cans on site
, remember to pack it in and pack it out!
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to learn more about event speakers and topics!
#CPP5YEAR
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October 19
: Cannon's Point Preserve 5-year Anniversary Celebration. 7AM-3PM. More info
HERE
.
November 2
: KGIB 12th Annual Community Beach Sweep. More info
HERE
.
November 9
: Guale Preserve Trail Run and Fun - Community Celebration. 8-11AM. Register
HERE
.
December 3
: Giving Tuesday and GA Gives Day. Visit our campaign page
HERE
.
January 18, 2020
: 20th Annual Oyster Roast. 5-8PM. Purchase tickets
HERE
.
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