A year after celebrating their 50th anniversary, the Georgia Conservancy has a lot to celebrate this year as well. They just had a rather successful legislative session that saw the passage of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act. The Act will allow for a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would dedicate a portion of sales and use taxes on outdoor recreation equipment. The revenue derived would then go to establish a conservation trust fund.
The move was something long sought by conservation advocates who hoped to get a dedicated funding source for conservation. Now that the legislative session is over however, we can get to the fun stuff.
Yesterday, registration opened for the Conservancy’s annual Summer Stewardship Trips. One of the Conservancy’s biggest goals is getting Georgians excited about the environment and the trips are a part of that core mission. Over the course of 2018, some 3,000 people will join the Conservancy for hiking, paddling, camping and service trips.
For the Conservancy, the goal is simple. “Create a connection between some of Georgia’s most underutilized, stunning natural places and the people we need to help us protect them.” The summer trips take place in a few different places and offer a few different options:
· June 1-3: Spring Creek Paddle in Brinson
· June 8-10: Conasauga and Cohutta Weekend in the Cohutta Mountains
· June 23: Conasauga Day Snorkel, also in the Cohutta Mountains
· July 13-15: Len Foote Service Weekend at the Len Foote Hike Inn
· July 21: Lower Etowah River Day Paddle in Euharlee
Brinson is about as far south as you can go in Georgia, just a few miles from the Florida border and one county over from Alabama. Spring Creek is a tributary of the mighty Flint River and the paddle will showcase crisp spring waters and bottomland swamps. The Cohutta Mountains contain the headwaters for the Conasauga and Jack rivers and the Cohutta Wilderness, a federally protected area located in north Georgia and southeast Tennessee. Snorkeling is not often thought of as an Appalachian Mountain activity but the area is home to over 70 species of fish, more than the entire western U.S., and the pristine, clear waters offer prime viewing.
For readers unfamiliar with the Len Foote Hike Inn, the name is literal. The only way to get there is an “easy-to-moderate” five-mile path that starts atop Amicalola Falls outside Dawsonville. Backpacker magazine has called the trail one of the 36 “Best American Hikes” and the Inn is part of National Geographic Traveler’s “Stay List.”
The last of the summer trips in Euharlee, between Rome and Cartersville, is a 9-mile paddle through the historic Etowah River. “The paddle crosses no less than six Native American fish weirs and winds beneath riverside bluffs. The highlight is a .2 mile rock garden followed by a series of islands and shoals. With many places to stop and play, this is a favorite paddle for families,” per the Etowah River User Guide.
To see the full list of this year’s trips – and to perhaps lament on the ones you’ve already missed: https://www.georgiaconservancy.org/calendar
