Flint River Conservation Association

Earth Date Events – Sun, April 21, 1-5

2013-04-09T07:57:17Z

Earth Day 2013: Come to Monte Sano State Park on Sunday, April 21st from 1-5 to Celebrate the 43rd Annual Earth Day!
Our Earth Day at the Monte Sano State Park will focus on what local, state, and regional issues and what participants can do to become involved.
There will be many educational activities to take part in that afternoon at Earth Day.

GATE FEE: A $5 donation per vehicle is much needed by the Monte Sano State Park. If one person is in a vehicle, then it is only $3. Please be prepared at the gate to pay as it is the only Park entrance.

Earth Day is a family friendly event –and there is so much to learn and do:
• Earth Friendly Vendors and Exhibitors
• Von Braun Astronomical Society Planetarium Shows on the hour and half hour 1-4:30
• Chef will the Palate with his delicious fresh, local food
• Earth Day Farmer’s Market
• Prescribed burn and other forestry demonstrations
• ‘Wolves a Howlin’ Bluegrass Music 1-3, ‘Rhythm for the Savage Masses’ (drums) 3-5
• EarthCaching (please bring smartphone with app or GPS unit)
• Guided Ecology and Forestry hikes of the State Park with professionals
• Hands-On Activities for Kids of all ages—with Earthscope Teachers
• Water Wheels Outdoor Water Conservation Lab and Rain Barrel Workshop Info
• Slitherin!—snakes and other herps
• Tiger’s For Tomorrow, and North AL Wildife Rehabilitators with some wild animals.

PLUS: and opportunity to sign up for an exclusive Ecotour of Byrd Spring Swamp,
on Saturday April 27th at 10 a.m. Families are invited.

Exhibitors and the public may call 256-539-3747 for more information, or go to www.flintriverconservation.org to learn more.

Earth Day @ Monte Sano – Sunday April 21

2013-03-22T16:09:05Z

The 43rd Earth Day will be celebrated in a grand new venue—Monte Sano State Park, on Sunday afternoon, April 21st, from 1 until 5 p.m.
Earth Friendly Vendors, Conservation Groups, hiking, biking, wildflower and mushroom hunting groups are invited to attend.
The State Park is lowering its rates to $5 per vehicle at the gate (so,carpooling is advised).
You can enjoy an ecology or forestry hike lead by environmental professionals, listen to Bluegrass music, advertise or sell items, garner memberships, and mingle with like minded people.
So, please plan to have your group, business, or agency represented. You will need to enter the Park at noon or before (there’s a line at the gate sometimes), and be set up by 12:30 p.m.
If you have questions, call Susan Weber at 256-539-3747.

Thursday, March 7 Public Meeting at 6:00

2013-03-07T15:09:09Z

The Green Coalition and Flint River Conservation Association will sponsor a public meeting at Monte Sano State Park Lodge on Thursday, March 7th at 6:00.
Dr. Dawn Lemke, adjunct professor at Alabama A & M University, will be our guest speaker.
Her topic will be Invasive Plants of the Southeastern Forests: Implications of Climate Change.

Also, Saturday, March 9th event – Forest Practicum – in the State Park Pavilion, next to the Park Office. From 9 until noon, participants will be shown some of the worst invasive species of north Alabama. Identification and control booklets will be available. Dress for an outdoor experience, as we go down Bankhead Parkway from the Scenic Overlook to see and take measures to control the invasive plants there. Please bring cutting tools such as long handled loppers or pruning saws. The instructor will be Soos Weber, board member of the Alabama Invasive Plant Council (ALIPC).

Please call Soos at 256-539-3747 for more information.

March 3rd – 8th is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. (NISAW)

Public Meeting at 6 on Thurs, Feb. 7th

2013-02-04T20:34:17Z

The Flint River Conservation Association and Green Coalition will sponsor a public meeting at 6:00 p.m. this Thursday, February 7th at Monte Sano State Park Lodge.
Mitch Reid along with Adam Johnston and Katie Shaddix of Alabama Rivers Alliance (ARA) will speak about the need for a Statewide Water Management Plan for Alabama.
Light refreshements will be served at this free event, although donations are appreciated.
For further information please call 256-539-3747.

With a finite amount of fresh water on Earth (less than 1% suitable for drinking) and increasing demands from a variety of sources, water rights are a critically important issue!
The following announcement was made in June, 2012:
Montgomery, Ala. –“ Less than a year after the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center released the Alabama Water Agenda calling on state leaders to develop a comprehensive water management plan for Alabama, Governor Bentley has given five state agencies the directive to put together a comprehensive water management plan by December 2013.”

Holiday Party, Tues. Dec 11

2012-12-05T16:05:28Z

Come to Monte Sano State Park Lodge from 6-8 for our annual Holiday Party and potluck.
Beth Maynor Young; river activist, writer, and photographer will be our speaker.
She will bring copies of her new book to sign and sell. We will provide a main dish, rolls,
and beverages. Bring a side dish to share and join us for this event.

Overnight Historical Float Trip, Sat Nov. 3

2012-11-02T16:13:41Z

Overnight Historical, Ecological, and Astronomical Float Trip this Saturday, November 3 on the Flint River

First, if you need a canoe, they rent for $25 each, and I will need to know by 3 p.m. on Friday. My phone at home is 256-539-3747 and my cell is 256-509-1219.

Meet: Saturday November 3 at Hays Nature Preserve, parking area at 1 p.m.
Bring: Camping gear , warm clothes, breakfast and dinner items to share, cooler if needed to.
Optional: Fishing gear—this will be a lazy 7 mile paddle. Stories to tell around the fire. Binocs for the astronomy lesson that evening. NOTE: We will take our vehicles and gear to the campsite first, then shuttle back to the canoes. So leave in the canoe ONLY WHAT YOU NEED FOR THAT AFTERNOON PADDLE.

Take Out: Joe Hollis’ farm on the right bank of the lower Flint—Very nice camp site.
Looking for: Lead Paddler that knows the River. I will not be able to lead the paddle, but I will help shuttle in the morning and be at the camp site that afternoon/evening
November 4th—in the morning, we will again share breakfast items, and take our leave to go home as we want to that morning.
Please bring emergency phone numbers—for the waiver you will sign.
Thanks! Soos Weber—Chair, Flint River Conservation Association.
256-539-3747 home (leave message with phone number) or 256-509-1219 cell

Upcoming Events:

2012-09-10T15:18:52Z

Sept. 29: Flint River Splash for Trash 9-2 p.m. Landlubbers and canoeists welcome.
Oct. 13: Overnight History & Ecology Float Trip on the Flint River.
Oct. 18: Open house for Forever Wild at the Monte Sano State Park Lodge 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 6: Elections and chance to vote “Yes” For Amendment 1—the Forever Wild Land Trust Reauthorization,
to purchase conservation lands for the next 20 yrs.
Dec. 11: Flint River Holiday Potluck, with Beth Maynor Young—
river activist, writer, and photographer, 6-8:30 at the Monte Sano State Park Lodge.

Some of our Projects:

2012-09-10T15:12:33Z

Forever Wild Land Trust Reauthorization on November 6
State-wide Comprehensive Water Management Plan
Fighting Hydro-fracking in our National Forests
Invasive Species Education and Control
Watershed Protection from Non-Point Source Pollution (NPS)

Summer-Fall Schedule

2012-08-22T03:05:25Z

August 9: Gasland showing at the Flying Monkey at 5:30 pm.
August 21: Regular meeting on Forever Wild
August 21: Rain barrel Workshop at AAMU’s Winfred Thomas Ag Research Station, Hazel Green
August 29: Green U at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens
Sept. 26-27: Clean Water Alabama Seminar
Sept. 29: Flint River Splash for Trash for National Public Lands Day
October 13: Overnight float trip on the Flint River
Oct. 18 Conservation Alabama meet and greet on the Forever Wild Program at the State Park Lodge in lieu of FRCA’s public meeting
November 6 : Please Vote for the Forever Wild Amendment
December 11 : FRCA annual meeting with Beth Maynor Young as speaker after a scrumptious Potluck Supper. She will bring copies of her new book to sign and sell.

Forever Wild Land Trust presentation:Tues, Aug 21

2012-08-16T03:29:05Z

Susan Weber will make an impassioned presentation at 6:30 pm about the Forever Wild Land Trust at 320 Fountain Circle. Since it was established by constitutional amendment in 1992, the Forever Wild Land Trust has purchased more than 227,000 acres of land for public use. However, Alabama still had the smallest percentage of public conservation land (4%) in the Southeastern U.S. You will have an opportunity to vote to renew the Forever Wild Land Trust Program on November 6th. Come hear Susan speak about this program and give a stunning slideshow prepared by the Nature Conservancy. Call Susan at (256) 509-1219 for more information.