Rare bird spotted/Scholarship announced/Oil drilling in Gulf County

June 2021

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Dear Friends and Supporters, We sure hope summer is providing you time for refection, restoration and lots of play. Perhaps, this includes some memorable time on the river and bay. Water and our desire to protect it surely connects us! At the core of what we do is protect what we love and seek to preserve. Apalachicola Riverkeeper and Waterkeepers Florida are committed to swimmable, fishable, drinkable water for all. Everyone! As Pride month continues and Juneteenth is recognized as a national holiday, we are reminded of the strength of collective care for the dynamic Apalachicola River and Bay system and of each other. Let's continue our important work. Together, we are Apalachicola Riverkeeper! All the best, Your Apalachicola Riverkeeper Crew Georgia, Diane, Doug and Susan Website

Gulf County Oil Well Comes up Dry Spooner Petroleum recently concluded exploratory oil drilling at near Wetappo Creek in Gulf County. The well was permanently plugged, indicating a “dry hole” with no prospect of commercially viable oil or gas. Back in 2018, Spooner Petroleum drilled an exploratory oil and gas well in Calhoun County in the Apalachicola River basin. It also came up “dry.” Currently, Cholla Petroleum has 6 active permits for exploratory oil and gas drilling in Calhoun County, although drilling has not yet begun. More information

Katie Herzog Bench and Scholarship Unveiled Katie Herzog was known for putting care into action. Her legacy continues to inspire us. Apalachicola Riverkeeper hosted a gathering at River Front Park in Apalachicola to dedicate a park bench in memory of Katie, a long-time volunteer. At the gathering, Tom Herzog also announced the establishment of the Katie Herzog Apalachicola Riverkeeper Memorial Scholarship. Read more here.

Slough Restoration Work Continues "It’s easy to feel like one is inside a super-organism with the towering trunks of trees, vines draping their way aloft, brown water in rivulets flowing everywhere, connecting to broader channels on their way to finding the Apalachicola River then the Gulf." Apalachicola Riverkeeper volunteer David Morse while working with UF's John Tracy on the slough restoration project. Learn more about the team's tree survey and fish survey.

Rare Raptor Spotted During an Apalachicola Riverkeeper visual survey of the Apalachicola River delta on April 28, ornithologist Steve Kelling spotted a dark morph Short-tailed hawk. This raptor is rare in south Florida and even rarer in north Florida, although one nest was reported in 1890 in Wakulla County. Read more here.

Oyster Reef Restoration Experiments Begin The FSU Apalachicola Bay System Initiative (ABSI) is deploying oyster reef restoration experiments in Apalachicola Bay. The experiments will test the effectiveness and stability of three different materials. Listen to the WFSU podcast.

Water Hyacinth: A Dangerous Beauty After observing oyster reef restoration work at Dry Bar (part of the ABSI initiative) an Apalachicola Riverkeeper crew returned to Apalachicola recently to find a dense floating mass of water hyacinth blocking access to the boat ramp. The group sprang into action and here is what they did. Support Our Work Today

Our June eco-educational outing was on Jackson County's Ocheesee Pond, a strikingly beautiful place of dense cypress forests and narrow passageways.

Sweet Fun at Ice cream Social Our recent virtual ice-cream social was a fun event with this year’s RiverTrek team premiering their “pass the paddle” video, a river basin trivia game, and The Flying Fish playing their new song “Apalachicola Bound.” Thanks to all who participated!

Swallow tail kite by Steve Kelling

Visit our website Apalachicola Riverkeeper is located at 301 Market Street, at Scipio Creek Marina The office is open by appointment.

http://live.oysterradio.com/