2015 Annual Retreat Was Great!
The 2015 Annual Alabama Chapter Sierra Club Retreat took place October 23-25. Hosted by the Cahaba Group, it was held at Living Rivers Retreat on the Cahaba. The accommodations were bunk houses plus a motel style staff house for the presenters and singing duo Sassafrass in the midst of a great natural setting.
Attendees checked in starting Friday afternoon and then got settled in. Some people went exploring and others hung around the main building. The retreat is like a reunion for Alabama Sierra Club members, so many people were glad to be able to talk and reminisce with old friends, plus meet new friends. Cindy Martin of Let Rivers Flow, and her husband Cliff, came out on Friday night to show the film DamNation, a compelling documentary that explores the changing attitudes in the U.S. toward dams, and shows what happens when we let our rivers return to their natural ways.
Mona-Britt Folds explaining the plants near the Cahaba River.
Saturday morning started out with a beautiful sunrise and some people went hiking or bird watching on their own or in a group. After breakfast and announcements, we split up into two groups to do some hands on learning in the great outdoors. One group went on a plant identification hike with Mona-Britt Folds on the Bill Peters Trail and learned about different edible and non edible plants. Mona explained how and when parts of certain plants could be used. We learned, for example, that bamboo shoots in spring time are edible and the leaves can be used in smoothies. A tea can be made with goldenrod flowers when they are fresh. And there is a light green/grey moss that can even be used as a fire starter.
The other group went with Dr. Jim Lacefield on a geology hike to an area of Living Rivers that had been strip mined in the past so there were a lot of rocks to explore and learn about the fossil plant life in those rocks. Everyone enjoyed their excursions and were ready for lunch when they returned.
Dr. Jim Lacefield discussing the geology of the Cahaba River
Lunch was followed by Dr. Lacefield's fascinating and highly informational presentation "Geologic History of Alabama's Rivers." Afterwards we split into 2 groups again, one for another plant ID hike with Mona, the other group to explore Bibb County's glades with Dr. Lacefield in hopes of finding a very rare flower, the Alabama Gentian Pinkroot. Those on the glades trip learned about chert rock, ketona dolomite, and how hard it is for plants to grow in the dolomite areas. At the second glade, the Gentian Pinkroot was successfully found! Then more plants and another flower were found not too far from the first one. Many people took photos of the flowers, and we headed back. On our way out of the glade there was a fence lizard on a tree. It played dead when it was caught, and we were able to see the colorful underside. Then we let it go back to the glade.
After dinner, Cindy Lowry, Executive Director of Alabama Rivers Alliance talked about "River Protection in Alabama: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going;" another interesting fact filled presentation. The well-being and protection of Alabama's rivers are very important to the Sierra Club. Sassafrass duo Karen Harvill and Jo Billups finished up the evening with their entertaining environmental activist songs. There was also a drawing Saturday evening, and a number of people won something from Sierra Club…. a hat, duffel bag, or water bottle.
Sunday morning was overcast, but no rain, and no beautiful sunrise, well, at least not at the retreat. Still, some people went walking before breakfast. After breakfast and closing announcements, many people left. Some stayed to go with Brandon Crawford Smith of the Cahaba group on a hike at Perry Lakes. The ExCom members ended their time at the retreat with their quarterly meeting and lunch supplied by Living Rivers.
The Cahaba Group hopes everyone enjoyed their stay at Living Rivers Retreat on the Cahaba. It is a beautiful place with quite a few miles of hiking trails, some by the river, and others deep in the woods. The leaves were changing to red, yellow and orange adding to the character of the ambience of the retreat. There are also 2 lakes on the property and a wooded area for camping. The river was too low for canoeing, but that would have been a nice option during our free or outing time. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make the retreat possible, and look forward to next year's retreat. We appreciate everyone at Living Rivers. They were awesome and helped make this year's retreat a memorable one. And the food was very good!
Special Note About Upcoming Chapter Elections
Watch the mail for your Alabama Chapter Sierra Club ballot and please return to the address provided by Dec 15.
Advocates Challenge Corps’ Lenient Approach to Stream Filling in Black Warrior River Basin
(from Black Warrior Riverkeeper)
Birmingham, AL –Conservation groups are challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ approval of a permit authorizing coal mining material to be dumped into streams that feed into the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. The groups charge that the agency failed to account for the permit’s adverse effects on a watershed that has been continuously degraded by previous and current mining activities for more than a century.
The Southern Environmental Law Center filed the challenge on behalf of Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Defenders of Wildlife, arguing that allowing stream filling at the Black Creek Mine site is yet another case where the agency has rubberstamped approvals without properly analyzing the site-specific and broader impacts of the permit, including compromised water quality and threats to aquatic wildlife.
“The Corps’ lax approach toward issuing these permits has resulted in many miles of important streams and acres of wetlands being filled with soil, rock and pollutants,” said Nelson Brooke from Black Warrior Riverkeeper. “This permitting system is the wrong path for Alabama’s water resources, which deserve lasting protection from such activities.” (read more on the Black Warrior Riverkeeper website)
Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Seeking Comments About Comprehensive Plan
Notice: The refuge is seeking comments on our Comprehensive Conservation Plan. *Public Meeting* on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Bibb County Board of Education, 721 Walnut St., Centreville, AL. Open house from 4-7pm with a presentation on the plan at 5pm. This plan creates a management road map for the next 15 years covering everything from timber management to biology to environmental education. Get a copy of the full plan here: http://www.fws.gov/sout…/planning/…/CahabaRiverDraftCCP.html
Comments on the Draft CCP/EA should be submitted to Sarah Clardy at P.O. Box 5087, Anniston, AL 36205 or by e-mail to: cahabariverccp@fws.gov. Deadline for comments is November 19, 2015.
Save Our Southern Forests
Southern US forests are being chopped down and burned to generate electricity in Europe. You can help! Send an SOS to Save Our Southern forests: www.dogwoodalliance.org/sos-action
Environmental Events Around Alabama
(submitted in part by Adam Johnston)
what: Southern Environmental Law Center's Southern Exposure film screening hosted by Mobile Bay Sierra Club
when: November 3, 7 PM, refreshments at 6:30 PM.
where: Mobile, 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, Mobile, AL.
http://www.southernexposurefilms.org/about/screenings
what: Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by Green Coalition, Flint River Conservation Association, Al Rivers Alliance, Al Environmental Council
when: November 6, 6:00-9:00 PM
where: Huntsville, Flying Monkey Theatre
http://www.alabamarivers.org/events/special-events/wild-scenic-2015-huntsville-screening/view
what: Al Water Watch Bacteriological Monitor Training Workshop w University of Montevallo Environmental Club and Al Water Watch
when: November 7, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
where: Montevallo, Montevallo Presbyterian Church 510 Shelby St,
https://www.facebook.com/events/1673925132845996/
what: Tailgating For Justice w Al Young, Black & Green
when: November 7, 9:00 AM
where: Tuscaloosa
https://www.facebook.com/events/1647231672213069/
what: Recycling and Waste Reduction Summit
when: November 10, 8:30 AM
where: Birmingham, Beloved Community Church 131 41st St S
https://www.facebook.com/events/709774749156699/
what: Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by Al Rivers Alliance
when: November 10, 5:00-7:30 PM
where: Fairhope, Fairhope Brewing Company
http://www.alabamarivers.org/events/wildandscenic/wsfffairhope/view
what: Beginner Bird Walk, led by Birmingham Audubon Society
when: November 11, 9-11 AM
where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
http://birminghamaudubon.org/event/beginner-bird-walk-birmingham-botanical-gardens/
what: Coal Ash Stories Tour, Gadsden Screening w Coosa Valley Sierra Club, Working Films, and Al Rivers Alliance
when: November 12, 6:30-8:30 PM
where: Gadsden, Joe Ford Center, Gadsden State Community College
http://www.alabamarivers.org/events/special-events/coal-ash-stories-tour-gadsden-screening/view
what: Spirituality and Climate, a Conference in the Forest
when: November 13-15
where: Camp McDowell, Nauvoo
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ebjgmxnhcbfc707e&llr=5mr9vymab
what: Horton Mill Bridge Walk led by Friends of the Locust Fork River
when: November 14. 9:30 AM
where: Gather at Horton Mill Covered Bridge on AL 75 north of Oneonta
http://friendsofthelocustforkriver.org/OutingsEvents/HortonMillWalk/HortonBridge.html
what: Lecture: Cancer Risks from Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining, hosted by Stillman Science Club and Al Young, Black and Green
when : November 17, 11:00 AM
where: Stillman Campus, Tuscaloosa
https://www.facebook.com/events/1066306973394108/
what: Al Sustainable Agriculture Network’s Regional Food & Farm Forum
when : November 17
where: Africatown/Mobile
http://asanonline.org/rfff2015/
what: Toast for Clean Air w GASP
when : November 18, 6:00 PM
where: Birmingham, Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
https://www.facebook.com/events/854206741362054/
what: Audubon Teaches Nature: Reptiles
when: November 22, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
where: Oak Mountain State Park
http://birminghamaudubon.org/event/audubon-teaches-nature-reptiles/
2015 Regional Food & Farm Forums
Africatown (11/17) will tentatively be from 1:00-7:30, with registration from 12:30-1:00, then a tour of the community and community garden, then an oral historytelling with Africatown community members, then roundtable discussions and dinner.
Jemison (12/2) TBD.
PROCEDURE FOR SENDING MATERIAL TO THE ALABAMA SIERRAN
Many thanks to Roe Hyche, Bob Hastings, Lucina Horner, and Peggie Griffin for agreeing to be the new newsletter committee.
The newsletter is put together monthly, and material for the newsletter should be sent to plgriffin@comcast.net, with a subject line of "For the Editorial Board" no later than the 15th of the month.
Group newsletter editors may continue sending group meeting information and calendars of events to Joe Watts at joe@joewatts.com, no later than the 25th of each month.
Guidelines for Material:
The newsletter committee is seeking articles about Alabama environmental issues, articles highlighting Alabama’s special beautiful places, and engaging write-ups about group and chapter activities.
Articles should be originally written for the Alabama Sierran, factual, and timely.
A link to another publication should only be used rarely, but if a link is to be used, a full summary of the information (at least a paragraph long) should be written, with the link provided for more detailed information.
The newsletter committee has the right to make any changes, so that material will meet these guidelines.