Friends' President Message - Tom Baird

If you have visited the Refuge Visitor Center recently, you may have noticed fewer staff around. It can be pretty quiet with fewer people to answer questions. When the Nature Store is open, the volunteers serve as refuge ambassadors, answering questions and directing birders to the best locations that day. But the sparsity of rangers is not unique to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

Despite being essential for protecting endangered species, conserving habitats, and connecting communities with nature, the Refuge System has lost over 800 permanent positions since fiscal year 2011, according to the National Wildlife Refuge Association. This has resulted in an enormous 25% loss in capacity.

During these cutbacks, the Friends have stepped up to make up the difference. Volunteers play an even more vital role and are often the ones to interface with the public. Friends have taken on new challenges funding many different needs including paying personnel to handle different programs or maintain facilities. To do these things, not only are volunteers needed, but also funds. Those funds come from Nature Store sales and our generous donors. If you visit the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge and value what it provides, then please contribute to its operation. You can make a one-time donation or monthly recurring donation on the Friends website here. If you can’t support the Refuge by volunteering, then consider helping with a donation. Let’s keep the wonderful programs at the Refuge going.

Text courtesy Tom Baird, President, Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, Photos courtesy Katasha Cornwell

Refuge Manager's Message - Terry Peacock

We were finally able to fill some of our vacant positions this year. We hired Amanda Bessler-Sheppard as our North Florida Complex Refuge Biologist. She will be working mostly on St. Marks, but will also be working on St. Vincent, Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWRs. We hired Dan Hickey as our maintenance worker. Logan Ridgeway came on board this year as our forester. We have recently received permission to hire our Supervisory Park Ranger Position. 

Budgets this year are fairly good and we are looking at several projects on the refuge including working on the Plum Orchard Pond Trail. Our plan is to move the trail to eliminate as many of the boardwalks as possible. This will allow us to use the trail for education purposes until the funding comes through to re-build the boardwalks.

Refuge staff has been busy this year with frosted flatwood salamanders, red-cockaded woodpeckers, habitat restoration in timber lands, understory restoration, and road repair on Lighthouse Road. Weather cooperated and our fire crew was able to burn over 35,000 acres. We hope to be able to burn more this summer including the salamander habitat.

I want to thank the Friends group for your valuable support this year. You provided interns for our biology program, contracted with our retired biologist to allow us to continue biological work, and provided funding to contract Heather Bevis to conduct preschool education. In addition, you took over management of our Lighthouse when we lost some of our part-time rangers. You provided contract employees, interns, and volunteers to allow the Lighthouse to be open more days each month. The Refuge Staff greatly appreciates your valuable and continued support. 

Text courtesy Terry Peacock, Refuge Manager, Photos courtesy Lana Dixon. (Photos - Bio interns presentation, Bio interns Lucy and Maddie, Rita LeBlanc and Susan Cason)

In Case You Missed It - Friends Annual Meeting Recap

Photos courtesy Lana Dixon

In addition to the State of the Refuge report by Refuge Manager Terry Peacock, and the State of the Friends reports from President Tom Baird and Treasurer Harry Chiles, there was much to celebrate at the Friends Annual meeting held on June 10th. Volunteers from the Nature Store, Lighthouse, and the Education Programs were recognized. Nature Store Manager Rita LeBlanc (photo in previous section) was surprised with the announcement that the Friends have nominated her as the National Wildlife Refuge Association Volunteer of the Year. We eagerly await the announcement of award winners later this month. The Friends Board itself was also recently awarded the USFWS Southeast Regional Director’s Honor Award for its donation of Smith Island to the Refuge (see below for the full story).

The Friends were also introduced to new faces and folks with new roles at the Refuge. Newly appointed Lighthouse Keeper, Allen VanBrunt and the lighthouse intern Frank Amico were in attendance and shared plans for more lighthouse openings as well as the research Frank will be undertaking. The newest biology interns Lucy and Maddie (photos in previous section) who have been in Florida for just a few weeks, shared their already invaluable work locating nesting red-cockaded woodpecker clusters and protecting sea turtle nests at St. Vincent NWR. Friends also heard a summary of the pre-school program spearheaded by Heather Bevis as well as an exciting announcement that the program will expand to two more pre-schools next school year.

All in all Friends have much to be proud of, and as the attendees heard, the Board has even more exciting things planned as we move full steam ahead out of the pandemic. Please stay tuned and we look forward to your continued generous support.

Kudos to our wonderful volunteers!

Many thanks to those of you who volunteered on a regular basis last fiscal year.

Your support means so much.

Environmental Education

Joe Morgan

Larry Perrin

David Nicholson

Bryan Harvey

Betsy Sullivan

Raelyn Bevis

Erica Will

Robin Will

Visitor Services

Don Morrow

Matt Johnstone

Signs and Mowing

Eric Will

Lighthouse

Craig Musgrove

Linda Clemens

Richard Hicks

Jennifer Young

Kim Straubinger

Jennifer Lange

Sara Wingate

Pat Zick

Marieanne Luber

Debra Mann

Michael Mann

Robert Crevello

Crystal Ladwig

Glen Ladwig

Ryan Ladwig

Nature Store

Allison Underwood

Catherine Bradley

Chris Phillips

Cyndi Johnstone

Desiree Cureton

Gail Fishman

Helen Stewart

Linda Hudson

Mary Jane Lord

Nancy Brand

Patti McMullen

Rusty Ennemoser

Steve Copeland

Susan Cason

Susan Harp

Melissa Jacoby

Yvonne Zola

Friends Board members left to right Catherine Bradley, Harry Chiles, Rusty Ennemoser, Myrtle Bailey, Rita LeBlanc, Desire Cureton, Jason Watts, Katasha Cornwell, Tom Baird.

Smith Island Purchase

Smith's Island in Apalachee Bay is one of the most significant remaining bird rookeries in the northern Gulf of Mexico. While barely above the high tide line, for numerous coastal bird species, Smith's Island is a hotspot for coastal breeding. An annual nest census conducted by Refuge biologists has recorded as many as 1,500 nests there each season. Protecting the important island had been a top priority for a long time. The Apalachee Land Conservancy, a 501.c.3 conservation partner, was fortunate to receive by donation a 50 percent undivided interest in the island, but was unable to secure the other 50 percent interest, which was in private hands.

Alerted to this by refuge volunteer and Friends member John Whitton, Paul Hamilton, Friends Board member at the time, took the lead in securing donations and negotiating with the family that owned the other half of the island.

The Friends agreed to cover closing costs and property taxes, and another conservation partner, the Florida Audubon Society, donated an additional $5,000. This combination of funds allowed purchase by the Friends of the 50 percent interest in Smith's Island that was privately owned. Then the Apalachee Land Conservancy donated their half of the island to our Friends group. It took over two years of negotiation and a lot of legal wrangling to allow the Refuge to acquire Smith's Island.

With all the pieces of Smith's Island now combined under one owner, in 2019 the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge transferred all 20 acres of Smith's Island to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The event was marked by a ceremony on Shell Island Beach that same year. However, it took until 2022 for all the real estate closings to be finalized with the Fish & Wildlife Service. Now all of the island, and all of its nesting birds, are protected in perpetuity as part of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

An important component of this good news story is the partnerships that were activated among several conservation organizations in our region. We thank the Alpha Langston Sumner family, whose willingness to sell their interest in Smith's Island has insured its protection for future generations of coastal birds.

Text courtesy Tom Baird, President, Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge

Introducing the Lighthouse Keeper and Lighthouse Intern

Photos courtesy Tom Baird

Hello, my name is Allen Van Brunt. I was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. I grew up spending many summers at my family house at Saint Teresa Beach so I know a lot about the local area surrounding the St Marks Lighthouse. The gulf coast is a very special place for me and volunteering at the Lighthouse gives me many opportunities to be at the "coast" 

I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Florida State University. I served in the United States Army for 22 years, both on active and reserve duty and retired in 1999. I worked in the private sector until retiring again in 2014. I returned to Tallahassee and helped take care of my mother until she passed away in 2019. 

I started volunteering at the Refuge in March 2017, shortly after the restoration project was completed. I enjoy greeting our visitors on the porch of the Lighthouse and telling them about the tower and keeper's quarters. I work with great volunteers who share my passion for telling others about the St Marks Lighthouse. I find volunteering at the Lighthouse very rewarding and greatly appreciate being hired as the Keeper. It is an honor and a privilege to lead the Lighthouse into the future and make it even better than it is now.

Lighthouse intern, Frank Amico, is a PhD. student at FSU and will be supporting Allen and the other volunteers throughout the summer. In addition to providing tours, cleaning, organizing volunteer shifts, and identifying maintenance concerns, Frank will be researching the history of the refuge and lighthouse to enrich our current knowledge of these beloved cultural and natural resources. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to the new facts and stories he uncovers. If you see him on your next visit to the Keeper's Quarters, be sure to welcome him.

Lighthouse Open Dates through end of the month are Saturday June 17, Wednesday June 21, and Friday June 30 - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each day. Check here for future open dates.

Click below to see how the US Fish and Wildlife Service is celebrating Great Outdoors Month!

Welcome Catherine Bradley to the Board of Directors

I have been visiting St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge since the 1990’s and it is one of my favorite places. It will be an honor to work with a group dedicated to the preservation of this beautiful park while allowing visitors to experience our little piece of heaven.

I’m a civil engineer working in environmental management for the transportation sector. I’ve spent my career balancing the transportation needs of Florida with protecting the environment as well as considering the desires of the public.

My recent volunteer experiences have revolved around my child’s school, sports and scouting activities. Prior to becoming a single mom, I was a Girl Scout Leader, volunteered with the Nature Conservancy, Lion’s Club, elementary school mentoring, etc. I am now an empty nester with time and energy to devote to the Friends of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.  I am looking forward to working in the Nature Store and look forward to supporting education and special events. 

Behind the Gates and Into the Wild - A Summary of the 2022-2023 Wildlife Tours

Text and Photos Courtesy Cyndi Johnstone (Above photo - tour participants at Tower Pond)

When we first arrived at St Marks National Wildlife Refuge (refuge) as RV volunteers in October 2015, one of Matt’s first assignments was to drive for Don Morrow’s bird tours. Don had been doing them for many years, they were deservedly very popular, and almost always full with a waiting list. Having a fair amount of birding experience ourselves, we approached the refuge about doing more tours to meet the demand. It was not long before our tours were also filling up with waiting lists. Everything was going fine until early 2020 when covid brought the tours to an abrupt end. Covid subsided and we were back in business in October 2022 and many of the former tour participants were very happy (as were we). The first, post covid, “behind the gates” tour season ended in April. 

The capacity of the tour wagon is 25; with three tours each month, two led by Don Morrow and one by us, many refuge visitors are able to access and experience some wilder and more remote areas of the refuge. Many of the trips take a route around Tower Pond, Mounds 3 Pool, and Stony Bayou 1 by way of the outer levee, and may exit through the wooded habitat of the primitive walking trails. Routes are adjusted based on pre-tour scouting.

Although the tours emphasize birds – they are the most viewable wildlife in the refuge – butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, wildflowers, etc. are all subjects of interest. Many participants are quite knowledgeable and are encouraged to share their expertise. Other participants are beginners or have never been to the refuge - they are encouraged to ask questions about anything that interests them. The mix of knowledgeable and repeat participants with people experiencing something new creates a good dynamic on the tours.

Some of the highlights of the October-April tours were River Otter and Bobcat, (wild) Mallard and American Black Ducks, a female Long-tailed Duck, American Flamingo, American Golden Plover, and a Great Horned Owl with a chick in the nest. Nesting Bald Eagles with chicks were also present and spotting scope views gave many folks their best ever look at that species. Canvassing some tour participants, the number of bird species seen on a typical tour was in the 50s.

We always encourage participants to provide us and the refuge feedback good or bad: good, because it’s gratifying, and bad, because we want to fix anything that needs improvement. Both Don’s and our tours have received very strong positive feedback and we can honestly say we have not received a single complaint.

The 2023-2024 season schedule will be posted in the Friends of St Marks newsletter in late summer. Tour sign up opens 30 days before the date of a tour. The refuge is currently limiting tours to two weekend days per month, so expect all the tours next season to fill up fast, often within a day or two. We look forward to seeing you!

Below: Salt marsh skippers in thistle, long tailed duck, American golden plover, great horned owlet

National Friends of Wildlife Refuges Workshop

The National Wildlife Refuge Association hosted a Friends Workshop in late April at the USFWS National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This beautiful venue offered a time for Friends Board members and USFWS Staff to learn from their colleagues around the country, hear about best practices, be introduced to new resources, and reflect on the future.

Lori Nicholson, St Marks Instructional Systems Specialist, Desiree Cureton, and Katasha Cornwell (both Board members at large) were privileged to attend this event. It gave the three of us time to get to know each other better, brainstorm creative new ideas, and learn ways that the Friends can better support our Refuge. Specifically, we learned about strategic planning, governance, fundraising, outreach, and how to partner with universities.

Cynthia Martinez, Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System, provided an overview of the challenges the refuge system faces, but also her vision on how important the Friends are for the future. Did you know that out of the 568 refuges and 70 fish hatcheries in the nation, only 172 of them have Friends groups? We learned just how important Friends groups are to help fill the gaps when there are staffing challenges. And how Friends "shift the paradigm" to build out the national network of lands and waters.

This was such an exciting and inspiring event, and best of all was funded by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. We look forward to implementing everything we learned and providing even more robust support to St Marks. To learn more about the event, please see this link to the National Wildlife Refuge Association article.

Photo Courtesy Lori Nicholson (left to right, Lori, Katasha, Desiree)

Become a member of the Longleaf Society today by clicking this graphic. Your monthly giving provides a tremendous boost to the Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge to keep providing the programs and services you have come to expect from this award winning organization.

We Encourage our Friends to SHARE!

As almost all of you know, the Friends give 100% of their support to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. An important way for you increase that support is to share our message. Therefore, when you get this newsletter, we encourage you to send it on to a friend. You can share it via email or through various other social media. Here's the link to the Friends Newsletter page. Scroll to the "current" entry and copy the link.

Text and Photo Courtesy Phillip Pollock

Bird Reports Assist Visitors

Don Morrow and Matt Johnstone, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge volunteers and expert birders, create concise bird-sighting reports on a week-to-week basis. Read their current and past reports by following the link below. Go there now.

Photo Courtesy Katasha Cornwell - Wilson's Phalaropes and an American Avocet

Have you considered including the Refuge in your will? We would appreciate hearing from you if so. The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge can provide information and guide you through the process. Just call the Refuge at 850-925-6121, and ask to be contacted by the Friends' Development Committee, or email us.

Reflections newsletter is a benefit of membership for Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge.

It also serves as an important supplement to

the Friends' website.

Both the newsletter and the web site provide members and the public information about volunteer activities and events at the Refuge.

Reflections editor: Katasha Cornwell

Reflections Editor, Phillip M. Pollock