Marine Mammals in Coastal Georgia
Teacher Workshop
April 22, 2016
The Western North Atlantic Right whale is Georgia’s state marine mammal. Annually, pregnant mothers migrate from the cold, turbulent New England waters to calve in the calmer, warmer winter waters along the se coast from South Carolina and Georgia to Florida. Teams of biologists including those from the New England Aquarium and Georgia Department of Natural Resources(DNR) track their movements and births, disentangle whales from commercial fishing lines, and conduct ongoing research on the most endangered of all the great whales. Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins are one of many dolphin species that take advantage of our estuarine and coastal waters. They are found here year round and many individuals are well known by teams that monitor resident populations of Georgia’s estuaries. Manatees that are found along the Georgia coast, typically in the warmer spring and summer months, are native to Florida and are a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. Primarily relying on Florida’s fresh water springs for habitat, these animals invest considerable energy travelling into Georgia’s estuaries to take advantage of minerals and nutrients found in Georgia’s brackish and salt marsh vegetation.
Join experts in the Marine Mammal field from Georgia DNR, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve(SINERR), and Savannah State University who will speak on these amazing mammals and their connections to the Georgia coast. Current research, threats, conservation and management strategies, life history, behaviors, and adaptations will be presented along with curriculum and fun classroom activity sessions! This workshop is open to formal and non-formal educators.
LOCATION: Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick, Georgia
TIME: 8:45-5:00
COST: $25, includes refreshments, lunch, and resource materials
K-12 CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES: provided for all participants
This workshop is open to formal and non-formal educators.
Please contact Georgia Graves for questions
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2016
Marine Mammals in Coastal Georgia
April 22, 2016
Agenda Highlights
8:45: Arrive GA DNR, Welcome, and Introductions
9:00: Clay George, GA DNR: Cetaceans of Georgia, Western North Atlantic Right whale Life History and Conservation.
Break
Marine Mammal Activity Session
Noon: Lunch
1:00: Tara Cox, Asst. Professor of Marine Science, Savannah State University: Life History and Conservation of the Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin
2:30: Adam MacKinnon, Education Coordinator, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve: Life History and Conservation of the Florida manatee in Georgia; Potential Climate Change Impacts to the Georgia Coast
Break
3:45: Marine Mammal Activity Session,
Review of Educational Resources
Wrap-Up
5:00 Depart
REGISTRATION FORM
April 22, 2016
Marine Mammals in Coastal Georgia Teacher Workshop
Name:
E-mail Address:
School or Educational Facility:
County: State:
Grade Level(s):
Subject(s) Taught:
Currently Teaching:_____ Not Currently Teaching:____
Home Mailing Address:
City, State, and Zip Code
Primary Phone#:
Secondary Phone#:
Dietary Restrictions:
Make check for $25 payable to: Friends of Sapelo and mail to:
Friends of Sapelo
103 S. Harbour Oaks Drive
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
ATTN: Marine Mammal Teacher Workshop
Deadline for Registration: March 31, 2016
Directions and Lodging Accommodations
Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR)
Coastal Resources Division (CRD)
One Conservation Way
Brunswick, GA 31520
http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=19&txtPage=1
If you have trouble, go to: http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us/ click on General Information, and again on Directions to CRD. Here are additional directions:
From I-95 North:
Exit 38 (I-95 Toyota will be on the right as you approach the exit ramp)
Left at light onto Spur 25/ Golden Isles Parkway. Stay on this road, you’ll pass several shopping areas including the mall, Home Depot, and Target shopping centers. This road will dead end at the junction with Hwy17. Right onto Hwy 17S. You will go through several traffic lights, pass by the causeway leading out to St. Simons(left), a Winn-Dixie shopping center(right), and Marshside Grill and SEA Kayak tours(on left). Continue on this road and you will see the Sydney Lanier Bridge ahead. Stay in the right lane. At the base of the bridge turn right. I will have a Teacher Workshop sign out at the turn. Follow the drive, go under the big bridge, over a short bridge, and into the DNR parking lot. We will meet in the building next to the Nature Trail. There is a native plant display garden out front. I’ll also have a Teacher Workshop sign out front.
Georgia’s cell: 912-266-2473
I-95 South:
Exit 29 right onto US 17 (approximately 8miles from exit 29)
Pass the entrance to Jekyll Island (If you’re staying on Jekyll, turn right at the end of the Jekyll causeway) and cross the Sydney Lanier Bridge. Get in the left land on the bridge
Turn left (If you are driving from US 17 South, turn right)at the base of the bridge on to Conservation Way. Follow the drive, go under the big bridge, over a short bridge, and into the DNR parking lot. We will meet in the building next to the Nature Trail. There is a native plant display garden out front. I’ll also have a Teacher Workshop sign out front. Georgia’s cell: 912-266-2473
From 341S:
341S terminates at 4th Avenue. Turn left onto 4th and right at the end of 4th on HWY17S. You will see the Sydney Lanier Bridge ahead. Stay in the right lane. At the base of the bridge turn right. I will have a Teacher Workshop sign out at the turn. Follow the drive, go under the big bridge, over a short bridge, and into the DNR parking lot. We will meet in the building next to the Nature Trail. There is a native plant display garden out front. I’ll also have a Teacher Workshop sign out front.
Georgia’s cell: 912-266-2473
Lodging Accommodations
Jekyll Island: Jekyll is in closest proximity to GADNR
http://www.jekyllisland.com/accommodations/
Darien/McIntosh County: approximately 18 miles from GADNR
http://www.mcintoshcounty.com/
Go to Lodging
Suggest Open Gates Bed and Breakfast or The Blue Heron Inn
Hotels located at I-95 exits will be more inexpensive
St. Simons:
http://www.goldenisles.com/places-to-stay/find?type=29®ion=82&range&pet_friendly&eco_friendly&family_friendly&chamber&#view-result
Both St. Simons and Jekyll Island hotels are approximately 9-10 miles from GADNR
Brunswick (on recommendation from a recent teacher workshop participant, January 2014)
I 95 Exit 38 Microtel 2 night stay, single room, approx. $50 total
146 Gateway Center Blvd, Brunswick, GA 31525