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Newsletter>
The Millstone
February 25, 2010
Our Mission is to encourage community awareness and active environmental stewardship through education and wildlife rehabilitation programs.
Board of Directors:
Larry Thomas, President
Denise Grove, VP
Denise Best, Secretary
Dieter Franz, Treasurer
Ray Hannah, Past President
Mark Accetturo
Becky Carpenter
Ronnie Chance
Louie Deaton
Myrna Fleeman
Chris Germany
Greg Greer
Joe Harris
Carlos Montano
June Montjoy
Tom Reed
Lorraine Sanchez-Hayes
Teri Taylor
Jim Williams
Tim Williams
Barry Wolfe
CMNC’s CFO:
Dennis Brannon
Volunteer of the Year By: Maribeth Wansley
She is one of those who is always here, always willing to help, has her own key! She is our 2009 Volunteer of the Year, Bobbie Laminack.
Bobbie has been involved with the Nature Center for many, many years. In fact her college-age sons grew up at our summer camps. The entire family volunteers for CMNC and Mama Bobbie is the driving force.
Have an IT problem? We call Bobbie. Need a fill-in animal feeder? We call Bobbie. Need a birthday party teacher? We call Bobbie. “Call Bobbie” is a mantra heard quite often around the Center.
During the past year Bobbie helped with the animal husbandry, volunteered at our Halloween Festival (dressed as a tree that had a bluebird crash into it!), helped teach education classes and birthday parties and secured a grant from the AT&T Pioneers for us – for starters!
We could brag on all of our volunteers, and Bobbie is at the top of the list. Her calm, pleasant demeanor adds so much to CMNC and we appreciate all of her great years of service.
From the Director By: Maribeth Wansley
Our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner was held in a tent, in a parking lot, in the rain, in January, with a wind advisory – and still they came!
Here are some highlights:
Jim Reis of Event Photographer was on hand to take photos of volunteers holding one of our reptiles. A portion of the sale of the photos went to the Nature Center.
The guests then entered the tent where they were presented with a lei as the theme was “luau”. Tim Williams, a Board member and a VP at GreyStone Power Corporation, was the Master of Ceremonies of the CMNC Jeopardy Game. Prizes were awarded for guessing certain environmental questions, and we discovered our volunteers are nature smart!
The luau-themed dinner was catered by the Gingham Bow in Fairburn and was delicious: chicken on skewers, marinated green beans, fruit, bread and those good cookies.
Carlos Montano of Casa Montano, also in Fairburn, donated gifts for the 19 recognized volunteers. He makes concrete statuaries and this year contributed turtles to CMNC. Thanks, Carlos!
Every year the staff realizes how much WE know the volunteers but that the volunteers don’t all know each other. It is really fun to watch everyone share a laugh while mingling or while eating the meal together. Without fail I always have volunteers tell me how much they enjoy getting to know others who have the same passion for CMNC.
Feeding our animals, providing IT support, teaching camp, working at the special events, cutting the grass and serving as officers of the Board are just of the few reasons those 19 volunteers were highlighted this year. In addition to honoring those who provide labor, the staff recognized and thanked our Donors ($250+). Their support keeps the lights on!
2009 was a challenging year, financially, as it was for the rest of the country. We came through it well because of the ongoing support of our donors and volunteers. Without you there would be no Cochran Mill Nature Center.
Volunteers of the Month
November : Isabella Young and Family
December : The Thompson Family
January : Carlos Montano
We have something new and exciting we'd like to share with you! It’s the new Cochran Mill Nature Center toolbar – once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Cochran Mill Nature Center – at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Cochran Mill Nature Center. http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/cochran-mill-nature-center
And please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference!
Get the toolbar NOW! http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/cochran-mill-nature-center
Freshwater Mussels; Georgia’s Jewel In Peril By: Rick McCarthy
Have you ever heard of a Rayed Pink Fatmucket? How about a Purple Bankclimber, Fuzzy Pigtoe, Giant Floater, Little Spectaclecase, Downy Rainbow or Shiny-rayed Pocketbook? These are just a few of the many fanciful named freshwater mussels that inhabit our rivers and streams.
The eastern United States exhibits by far the richest diversity of freshwater mussels on the planet. Although we are blessed with such diversity, it is estimated that perhaps 70% of our freshwater mussels are extinct, endangered, or in need of special protection. Many of these species are found only in particular river systems or even only particular stretches of specific rivers. This leaves them very vulnerable to changes in water quality, such as pollution, sedimentation or changes in water levels and flow due to the construction of dams. Of the roughly 100 species still found in Georgia, 26 of them are protected. Some are teetering on the brink of extinction.
Freshwater mussels have been used by humans in the U.S. since before recorded history. Native Americans used them for food, tools and jewelry. From the late 1800’s until the invention of plastics after World War II mussels were harvested extensively for the manufacture of buttons. In the 1950’s the demand for mussel shells was revived by the cultured pearl industry. Tiny beads made from the shells of U.S. mussels are used to “seed” pearl oysters in Asia and the South Pacific. The beads are placed into the living pearl oysters and the oyster then lays several layers of nacre around the bead, producing the fine cultured pearls that are coveted in the jewelry industry. Initially the mussel harvest was unregulated, resulting in the overfishing and extirpation of mussels in some watersheds. Fortunately today mussel harvesting is regulated by state and federal agencies.
Mussels, for the most part, live a very sedentary life. They burrow into the bottoms of rivers and streams where they anchor with their fleshy foot and take in and expel water and micronutrients through the use of siphon tubes. The intake siphon pulls water into the shell and passes it over the gills of the mussel where oxygen and food (plankton) are absorbed. Then the remaining water is expelled through an outlet siphon.
Mussels have a very interesting reproductive cycle. The males release their sperm into the water where the females, in the normal process of respiration and feeding, take the sperm in through their siphon. Her eggs are then fertilized and the larval mussels (called glochidia) begin developing. Many mussels require the help of a host fish in order to complete development of the larvae. Some mussels randomly release the glochidia into the water where they eventually attach to a fish’s gills or fins. There they will develop until ready to drop off and begin their life burrowed into the river bottom. Some species of mussel are very particular in their selection of a host fish and require only a particular species of fish for their host. These mussels have developed a remarkable strategy for attracting their host. They have adapted fleshy appendages that accurately resemble the prey items of their specific fish host species. They can wiggle and jerk this “bait” to attract the fish close enough for them to release the glochidia to be attached to the host. They are in essence “fishing” with lures to attract their particular host species! The main thing we can do to help to provide a secure future for mussels is to avoid contributing to water pollution. Don’t use fertilizers and pesticides excessively. Leave stream banks vegetated to reduce erosion and runoff. Get involved with land use planning in your community. Our mussels will benefit from improvements in water quality and so will you!
For more info check out the following links:
http://www.fws.gov/news/mussels.html
http://amylyne.myweb.uga.edu/fwmolluscs/fwmusselintro.html
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-946&sug=y
New and Renewed Members of CMNC:
A-Z Animals David and Becky Carpenter
Bill & Kirsten Gregory Dave and Maria Hanson
Connie Parsons Deta Galloway-Pitts
David & Missy White John and Teri Taylor
Steven & Tabitha McKown Gerald Lowrey, Jr.
Gwen Coleman Sal and Deborah Butera
Rob & Jenny Blackador Michael and Angie Hall
Lane Watts Jack and Diana Wilson
Nature Center Updates:
There are a lot of new and exciting things happening at the Nature Center this year! For starters we will have our brand new website up and running by March. This website will be the same address as our current site so you won’t have to do anything different to get there but you will notice a lot of changes. One of the biggest changes will be the updated calendar! You will be able to view all events, activities, classes and nature center closings and it will be continually updated. The second big change is that we will now be able to accept credit card payment through PayPal. Eventually you will have the ability to make a donation, renew a membership, register for a Spotlight Saturday progam or even pay for summer camp with a credit card online! Please keep in mind that this website is a work in progress. As time goes on we will continually add more areas and fix any glitches. Please be patient with us!
Summer is right around the corner and that means summer camp. We have a lot of new and exciting plans for CMNC Summer Camp 2010! Please check your emails and our website for updated information and registration forms in March. We are very excited and can’t wait to share our plans with you!
If you haven’t already, please join us for one of our Saturday Spotlight programs. These programs range in topic from Raptor Flight Shows to Rain Barrel Workshops. They occur one Saturday a month and generally cost around $5 for non-members. Occasionally a program will have a project and the fee will be more to cover supplies. Check out our website in March for a full listing of 2010’s Spotlight Saturday programs.
The last exciting addition I would like to mention is the very popular Home School Day. We kicked off the new year with this new program geared towards the home schooled student. Home schooled students are invited to CMNC once a month to enjoy one of our environmental education programs and mingle with other home schooled students. Each month features a different topic. If you would like to be added to our home school updates e-mail list please send us an e-mail letting us know. CMNC@bellsouth.net
New Donors as of 10/2009:
Douglas & Kelly Gardner
Ken & Kevynn Lapierre
Advantage Fire
Fortified Fence Group
ARCO National Construction Company
Coweta Community Foundation
Reynolds, Inc.
Ray and Betty Hannah
Richard & Nancy Arnoldy
Schwab Charitable Fund
Ed Uihlein Family Foundation
Fulton County
Larry Thomas
Steve and Marie Nygren
Giving Back to the Community….
Thanks to the following businesses that have been extremely generous to CMNC!
Carlos Montano of Casa Montano in Fairburn has donated beautiful garden statuary items to the Nature Center for years now. Please visit his shop next time you’re in Fairburn. His number is 770- 969-6466.
Dr. Justin Verner of Sweetwater Creek Animal Hospital in Douglas County has been an invaluable help to CMNC and its wildlife rehabilitation program. Please consider him as your veterinarian if you are on the south side of town. His number is 678-838-7387.
Jim Reis of Event Photographer of Fayetteville has photographed two of our annual events just beautifully. Jim and his staff are extremely professional and easy to work with. Please consider them for your next event or family portrait. Their number is 678-491-6222 or you can find them online at www.besteventphotographer.com
Dr. Brad Wilson of Veterinary Clinic West in Marietta has assisted us with injured animals for years. If you are on the north side of town, please consider giving Dr. Brad your business. His number is 770-424-5484. www.theveterinaryclinic.net
About Our Organization….
Our Vision is to be the dynamic resource center for outstanding environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation, serving our diverse communities within the Atlanta Southern Crescent region. CMNC will also be recognized for providing fun, flexible, thought-provoking programs and exhibits.
Our Values: CMNC priorities are to:
1. Instill environmental stewardship in future generations
2. Educate our communities and members in environmental conservation and protection
3. Support dedicated Volunteers, Staff, and Board of Directors, who possess a desire to serve our diverse community
4. Provide humane treatment of the wildlife under our care
Our Staff:
Maribeth Wansley, Executive Director
Rick McCarthy, Wildlife Specialist
Melissa Laughner, Environmental Education Coordinator
Cochran Mill
Nature Center
6300 Cochran Mill Rd
Palmetto, GA 30268
PHONE:
((770) 306-0914
FAX:
(770) 306-8463
E-MAIL:
cmnc@bellsouth.net
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
cochranmillnaturecenter.org
Become a member today!
http://www.cochranmillnaturecenter.
org/membership_app.htm
Cochran Mill Nature Center 6300 Cochran Mill Road Palmetto, GA 30268 Phone (770)306-0914
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