November Meeting Summary

November 18, 2021 Meeting Summary In attendance: John Creed, Mike Henshaw, Zack Brannon, Andy Scott, Allison Cochran FAWN planned for late April. Winston County Beekeeping association is engaged. Renew Our Rivers for Winston County portion of Smith Lake is scheduled for April 28 and 29 and September 22 and 23. Mike Henshaw participated in the Rush darter sampling on the Johnston property. 501C3 organization training through Extension planned for the first of the year. New Winston County 4H agent starts in January. WCNRC would like to explore starting a tree give away/sale next year. The Bankhead Liaison Panel will meet in December, virtually. There is on-going road maintenance throughout the Bankhead National Forest, including a culvert replacement on FS RD 254 that will install a bottomless arch structure to ensure fish passage. Bankhead is also working on a Forest-wide stewardship proposal and will host a public meeting or field trip around those goods for services projects. Feral swine control in the Sipsey Wilderness will begin this winter. A map of the Bankhead National Forest wildlife openings has been published to the internet to aid hunters in locating managed openings. The Council will meet again on January 20th.

Council Meeting Thursday, 11/18/21

The Winston County Natural Resources Council will hold a monthly meeting on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 9 AM at the Houston Recreation Area.

Alabama Water Watch Smith Lake State of the Lake Address Scheduled for Saturday, November 20

Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee hosts Alabama Water Watch Smith Lake State of the Lake Address. Join SLEPC online for the Smith Lake "State of the Lake" Address and SLEPC Annual Membership Meeting Saturday, November 20 @ 9:00 AM CST on ZOOM. Register in advance for this online meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ud-uqrz8oE9eRBoxDCPtqgdVcybVP8XT3 Please register and join online for a ZOOM meeting featuring Alabama Water Watch and the Smith Lake – State of the Lake report covering all three counties (Cullman, Walker, and Winston) within the Smith Lake watershed, and the organizations that work to protect them: SLEPC, SLCA, and WCSLA. Following the Alabama Water Watch State of the Lake address, SLEPC will continue with the Annual Membership Meeting where vote for the 2022 SLEPC Board Members.

Rush Darter Survey on Johnston Property

Maggie Johnston says Cal Johnson from ADEM and Lee Holt are coming to survey for the rush darter on some property that she and her husband Mark own.   They will looking for the endangered fish species in Mill Creek.  Maggie says that they will be meeting at the barn near her house at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 3, and after that will caravan to the property.  Others on the WCNRC are welcome to observe, but Cal and Lee will be only two in the water.  If you need directions, please contact Maggie, her cell is (205) 522-1500.  Also, please let her know with a text or call if you are planning to come.    Thanks, Mike