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Corporate
Community Joins with National Park Service To Enhance Natural Systems
along the Chattahoochee River at Johnson Ferry South.
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Background
Chattahoochee River National Recreation
Area (CRNRA), a unit of the National Park Service, spans 48-miles
of the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. In addition to providing
recreational activities such as fishing, hiking, picnicking, and
boating, CRNRA features a wide variety of natural habitats, flora
and fauna, 19th century historic sites, and Native American archeological
sites.
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The National Park Service (NPS)
is broadening opportunities for Americans to enjoy their parks.
To that end, the NPS is restoring old facilities, improving
landscape health, promoting natural resource management, and
inspiring volunteers to participate in their care. As national
parks continue to play a vital role in providing access to natural
areas in the urban setting, we must all do our part to see that
they are in excellent condition for the next generation. |
In a major initiative with the Corporate Wetlands
Restoration Partnership (CWRP), the NPS and participating sponsors
are implementing improvements to a wetland on the CRNRA. Johnson
Ferry South, the site of the wetland restoration, starts at the
southwest corner of the Johnson Ferry Road Bridge crossing of the
Chattahoochee River.
Corporate Partnership
CWRP is an innovative private-public initiative
that is bringing together businesses, government agencies, conservation
organizations, community groups, and academia to protect, enhance,
and restore our nation's critically important wetlands, coasts,
and waterways. This is accomplished by sharing information, pooling
resources, and combining management skills and technical expertise
to develop cost-effective, innovative solutions. A partnership of
concerned corporations and government agencies with the guidance
of Coastal America is forming a Georgia chapter.
The leadership of Oldcastle Glass and CH2M HILL,
with participation of ENSR and LandAir Surveying, and the law firm
of Kilpatrick Stockton have been instrumental in initiating this
partnership. The first project of the Georgia CWRP will be to rehabilitate
the wetlands, streams, and terrestrial habitats, protect cultural
resources, and enhance educational and recreational opportunities
in about 47 acres of Johnson Ferry South on CRNRA.
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Historic and Current Conditions
The site has undergone numerous land use changes
throughout its history. The remains of a Native American village are located
within the wetland restoration site. In the 1800's streams and surrounding
wetlands were altered for agriculture. Trees were cut, wetlands drained,
and streams straightened. In the 1900s when Morgan Falls Dam was constructed
and the Chattahoochee River became regulated, the natural 2- to 5-year
flooding cycle was extended to 20 or more years. The wetlands native to
the area were not able to flourish under these conditions. In the 1980s
as agricultural activities were discontinued, a portion of the area was
used for recreational polo.
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The tract of land was acquired by the
NPS in 1988 and limited recreational use was allowed to continue.
With the end of agricultural activities and later limited use by the
NPS, portions of the unused tract changed due to natural processes.
In particular, the influence of beavers resulted in the formation
of about 18 acres of emergent and scrub-shrub wetlands and 1 acre
of forested wetlands. The remaining undeveloped upland areas are reverting
through natural succession from open field to a terraced forested
upland above a river. |
Project Overview
| The NPS and CWRP of Georgia are using a phased
approach to enhance the natural habitat at the wetland. First, control
of exotic species will improve habitat for many plants and animals.
Second, after evaluation of flow patterns within the wetland area
and its streams, rehabilitation of streams will reduce erosion and
improve habitat. Planting of trees and shrubs native to Southern bottomland
hardwood forests will provide forage and cover for many species. |
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The resulting improvements in habitat will benefit
small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, butterflies, and
wetland plants. The restoration of the wetland will provide abundant
educational and recreational opportunities for park visitors. The
NPS plans to construct board walks and observation decks for passive
wildlife viewing of the wetland.
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| This year's project (Phase 1) consists primarily
of a volunteer habitat restoration effort to improve the quality of
the environment. Removal of exotic species such as privet and honeysuckle
will increase the quality of habitats for many plants and animals
throughout the wetland. Archeological clearances and assessments of
flow patterns in the wetland will set the stage for the next phase
of restoration (Phase II). |
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The Georgia CWRP hopes that additional corporate interest
will be generated in order to expand the scope and significance of later
phases. As funds become available, the NPS and corporate sponsors will
complete the subsequent phases to protect more of the area's natural features.
For example, in Phase II, severely eroded stream channels could be reshaped
and stabilized using natural vegetation. Proposed activities include removing
clogged culverts along the Chattahoochee River to restore channels. Rock
cascades installed in the place of these culverts would allow fish to
pass up the cascade from the river 10 to 15 feet to the wetland terrace
above.
| In Phase III, enhancing the interpretation and
viewing of the restoration of Johnson Ferry wetland would proceed.
Proposed activities include building boardwalks, observations decks
and signage to promote the educational and recreational value of the
important natural resources. |
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CRNRA and the initial corporate sponsors of the CWRP
are proud to be leaders in the restoration of wetlands in Georgia.
For additional information, feel free to contact CRNRA Science and Resource
Management at 678-538-1325 or 678-538-1327.
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