At the end of March, many small public parks that were open are now closed (this one is in San Marco)
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Get outside
during these days
of social distancing
By BILL ARMSTRONG
Sierra Outings Chair
What to do with yourselves and the kids during the coronavirus shutdowns? Take a hike, ride your bike, go kayaking, walk your neighborhood.
The Jacksonville area is blessed with many parks, and although organized activities are cancelled for now, you can still enjoy at some of them while observing responsible social distancing.
The situation in each of our area counties is different. All Florida state parks are closed, but a few remain open to daytime activities. It is important to check online to see the status of park access as our quarantine situation evolves.
In addition to checking on your own, here's a useful list to consult:
• Jacksonville/Duval County: a comprehensive list of parks
is here.
• St. Johns County: events are cancelled, but open green spaces, trails & parks are generally open. A list
is here.
• Nassau County: no specific closures listed.
While you are outside enjoying the green space, take a bag with you to pick up the plastic litter you see along the way.
Take pictures or do a short video of what you find and post it on your Facebook page or send them to
Julianne Mammana
, our NE Fla social media administrator and she will post them.
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The Northeast Florida Group has postponed all outings and meetings in Jacksonville, the Beaches, and St. Augustine.
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Okefenokee threatened by mining proposal;
take action now
by BRIAN PARADISE
An Alabama company plans to mine for titanium in an area immediately adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
If the mining takes place, significant environmental damages to the refuge’s water quality and wildlife will probably occur, as well as economic harm because of the impact of the mining on tourism.
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson of Florida has written to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ask it to carefully consider the application of the company, Twin Pines LLC, for the Clean Water Act permit needed to mine the titanium, since significant environmental, social and economic costs could occur if the permit is granted.
He also wrote that it was crucial that the engineers require Twin Pines to file an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, and that the permit should be rejected if the mining will harm the environment.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fears that mining at Trail Ridge could affect the hydrological integrity of the swamp and potentially impair the entire 438,000-acre Okefenokee ecosystem, he added.
Right now, the Northeast Florida Sierra group is working with the Sierra Club's Georgia chapter to try and prevent the mining of this unique and world-renowned natural area.
Members and supporters can contact Rep. Lawson by
email
or phone him at 904-354-1652 to thank him for his advocacy.
Postal letters can also be written to the engineers:
Hearing Officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, 100 W. Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, GA 31401.
Ask to require that Twin Pines file an environmental impact statement prior to the mining and that any permit be denied if there is a likelihood of harm to the ecological integrity of the swamp.
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Nothing to do?
Here are 3 ideas
for staying in place
Our meetings and events for April have been postponed or cancelled. But here are three ideas based on staying in place.
Open a window
I sat by an open window the other afternoon and was stranded for hours by a mockingbird with its limitless, varied song. I have also appreciated the stories out of Europe and Asia that skies are showing less pollution and the waters in the Venice canals are cleaner than they have been for years. Sometimes staying in place can have a positive impact further than we realize.
—Barbara Gubbin, Sierra excom member
Read a book
You can go outside or stay inside, find a comfy spot, and read. What to read? How about books and articles by and about our founder, John Muir? Sierra has most of them, and they're free.
Just click here
, and choose what you want. You can read them on your web browser or you can, at the same site, download complete John Muir books to the reader app on your phone or tablet.
—Candice Rue, excom member
Write a paragraph
Start a journal of your experiences and thoughts during this time, especially focusing on how you’re coping. You can use anything from pencil and paper to a high-tech journaling app. The important thing is to get it down before you forget.
—Robert Blade, excom member
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The Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters at Kingsley. (Linda Bremer photo)
Kingsley Plantation
notes 400th anniversary
of enslaved arrivals
by LINDA BREMER
This year is the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans into English-North American, and the National Park Service’s Kingsley Plantation in February remembered them and celebrated their heritage and legacy through tours of the plantation house and an archeological tour of the plantation’s 25 slave cabins.
Featured speaker Dr. Johnnetta Cole, museum director, educator and president of two colleges, spoke of the legacy of slavery and moving forward in society. Dr. Cole, a descendant of Kingsley and Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley, was joined at the event by delegates from Senegal to honor their descendant Anna Kingsley and celebrate her life transitions from royalty to slavery to emancipation.
The Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters performed their historic folk calls and circle dances from the music of the Gullah people. The audience participated with the performers in a singing of the spiritual plea "Kumbaya.”
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Sign the petition
to end plastic bag use
We must reduce the single use plastics in circulation starting with plastic grocery bags at checkouts. We need to hold manufacturers and retailers of single use plastics accountable. We can do it with your help: sign the
Sierra petition
and stop using plastic bags.
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Join us in the cause
Now is a great time to become a Sierra Club member. You'll not only get a chance to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet, but you'll also get a free insulated tote bag with your membership.
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Sierra Club, Northeast Florida Group | sierrasentry@gmail.com | sierraclub.org/florida/northeast-florida
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