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

Lawrence County Logger Workshop Scheduled

A logger workshop is scheduled in Lawrence County for November 16th. Five PLM (professional logging manager) credits are approved. Registration is required. The workshop will be held from 11 am - 5 pm on November 16th at the Moulton Lions Club Building. Contact Donna Shanklin (Alabama Cooperative Extension System) at 256 - 974 -2464 for more information.

October 2021 Meeting Summary

WCNRC Meeting Summary, October 21, 2021 Members attending - Jamie Segroves, John Creed, Mike Henshaw, Lauranne James, Zack Brannon, Allison Cochran -PJ Gossett, treasurer, accepted a new position out of the County and may resign the Council. At this time, we request PJ (not present) to continue fulfilling the treasurer position until we can determine if there is anyone available to take it on. John Creed can write checks on behalf of the Council. -Wild Pig Workshop at Grant Hayes farm was fairly well attended with excellent evaluations. Allison has submitted receipts to the ANRC for reimbursement. Allison will check on whether the remaining grant funds may be used on a future event or we would need to reapply. (Approximately $500 of $1000 grant were spent.) Thanks to all who attended and participated. -Council goal for a Fall 2022 workshop/field day at the Bill Self property in cooperation with Marion County Committee and AFA and others. -Council goal for a Late April/Early May FAWN program at Houston Rec. -Council goal for a Summer 2022 Kids Fishing Derby. -Alabama Cooperative Extension System - Winston County is hiring a 4-H program coordinator, vice Keri Roberts. Zack is managing 4-H programs at this time. -Alabama Forestry Commission is preparing firelines and beginning prescribed burns. -Discussion on need to recruit private landowners to WCNRC. -Bankhead National Forest had several updates including on-going road maintenance by Forest Service staff. Two citizen science projects are moving forward with excellent support from partners. One is focused on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid monitoring. A second project is collecting white oak acorns for a hardwood planting project in the Balls Mountain/Rabbittown area. Endangered rush darter surveys continued this summer which have illustarted even more how unique our area is and the many things we are learning about this rare fish and its habitat. This is complimentary to the AFA and Winston County Commission work on aquatic organism passage in the southern portion of the County. And, it can help inform land management,particularly in riparian areas, on public and private land. Wild pig control in collaboration with many partners will begin in the Sipsey Wilderness Area and will focus on water quality and vegetation impacts. Local positions may be filled with USDA Wildlife Services, so recruitment assistance is requested. Finally, the boom in Smith Lake housing developments and associated roads and utility easements are taxing our special use system and employees and this is directly affecting our work on recreation projects. This sparked discussion on erosion and siltation associated with development and the need for WCNRC to look into a public workshop with developers and builders, perhaps partnering with AFA, AWW, and the local lake advocacy groups on road and development best management practices. Failing erosion control measures or sediment sites can be reported to ADEM and Alabama Power Company, as they are the permitting organizations. -RC&D had their Annual meeting and there is a new group covering our area; North Alabama Trails and Recreation Group. Jared Carter is the program lead and will be invited to present on this 16 county project focusing on outdoor recreation/trails.He is aware of the Mims/Sipsey Fork launch site and potential project. The group will host an expo in Decatur in October to highlight what North Alabama has to offer in terms of outdoor recreation. Lauranne secured a grant for an outreach project which can host landowner tours and partner with other projects. She has 60 projects with several in Winston County. Reach out if we come up with a need. -Mike Henshaw brought a pipevine swallowtail host plant, an Astrolochia (Dutchman's pipevine), that he grew from seed. -Members spotted a roosting big brown bat in the Houston pavilion and looked at bat guano for identification purposes. -PJ submitted the treasurer report: Beginning Balance, 8/31/2021: $8,065.49 Wild Pig Workshop expenditures Talmadge Septic Service: $250; Winston County Extension Office for Supplies: $108.67; Hyatt's Market: $180.81. Electronic Draft for New Checks: $30.55 Interest: $0.32 Ending Balance, 9/30/2021: $7,495.78 -Next meeting is November 18th at 0900 at the Houston Recreation Area.

Winston County Natural Resources Council Meeting - October 21st at 9:00 at Houston Recreation Area

The October meeting of the Natural Resources Council is Thursday, October 21st at 9:00 AM at the Houston Recreation Area Day Use pavilion.

Alabama's Forests in 2020

FAWN Postponed

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at Grant Hayes' farm in Addison for the feral hog workshop. Present were Zack Brannon, Mike Henshaw, Casey Hammack, Jamie Seagrove, Mark Finley and P.J. Gossett. The only business conducted consisted of the upcoming Forestry Awareness Week Now program usually scheduled in October in conjuction with sixth grade classes throughout the county. Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the schools, Zack made a suggestion to postpone FAWN until the spring. It was agreed to postpone the event. In case the spring is not a good choice either, the students can still participate remotely by watching the videos created last year. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 21, 2021, at 9 a.m. The location has not been confirmed, though the meeting will likely take place at the Houston Recreation Area. Be sure to check the blog for news.