Restoring Native Meadows on the Preserve

Like much of North America, Georgia was historically covered in prairies- swathes of native grasslands and flower meadows blanketed rolling hills. The past few hundred years of rapid urbanization and fire suppression have significantly altered the once dominant prairie landscape to a now critically endangered ecosystem. Prairies are a cornerstone to the native species of Georgia, vital to the health of our natural world. On the Preserve we protect several acres of these native grasslands, but they’re in desperate need of refresh.

Ethan Shuval, a local biology student from Gwinnet College, answered the call to land stewardship, and is leading efforts in restoring our meadows through Blue Herons ongoing Prairie Restoration Project.

Ethan shared some words on what this project means to him below:

“Over the past few months, we’ve been focused on preparing the site for the restoration of a historic Piedmont prairie ecosystem. Thanks to the incredible support of our volunteers, clearing has been progressing very well. Together, we’ve been removing invasive species, unwanted vegetation, and accumulated debris while carefully preserving the native plants already established on the site. This work is laying the foundation for planting this fall.”

“This fall, we plan to install over 700 native plants representing more than 25 species historically found in Georgia’s Piedmont prairies. Some of the species include little bluestem, Indian grass, pink muhly grass, blue-eyed grass, butterfly milkweed, swamp milkweed, rattlesnake master, wild bergamot, wild quinine, Joe-Pye weed, golden alexanders, brown-eyed Susan, common yarrow, blue wild indigo, white wild indigo, obedient plant, eastern columbine, lyreleaf sage, Appalachian blazing star (Liatris squarrulosa), Georgia aster, swamp sunflower, coral honeysuckle, and many more.”

“The goal is to recreate a diverse native grassland that provides food and habitat for an incredible variety of wildlife, including native bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, hummingbirds, songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and countless other beneficial insects. Just as importantly, the restoration will serve as an educational example of what much of Georgia’s Piedmont once looked like before urban development, agricultural conversion, fire suppression, and the loss of natural grazing by bison and elk caused these ecosystems to decline dramatically.”

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
Appalachian Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa)

“Overall, I’m incredibly excited about the project. Piedmont prairies are among Georgia’s rarest ecosystems today, yet they were once one of the most widespread natural ecosystems across the Georgia Piedmont. Restoring even a small piece of this lost landscape provides meaningful benefits for wildlife while creating a beautiful and educational space for visitors.”

Shuval ends his thoughts with a call to action for all of us:

“My hope is that this restoration not only enhances biodiversity at Blue Heron Nature Preserve but also inspires others to incorporate native plants into their own landscapes. Whether it’s replacing a portion of a lawn with native wildflowers and grasses, planting a native tree or shrub, creating a pollinator garden, or reducing pesticide use, everyone can make a meaningful difference. Even a small native planting can provide essential food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife while helping reconnect habitats across our communities.”

And by expressing gratitude for all the hardworking people volunteering their time and energy into this project.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the many volunteers and community groups who have dedicated their time and energy to this project so far. Their hard work has made tremendous progress possible, and we truly couldn’t accomplish a restoration of this scale without their support.”

Like everything on the Preserve, we couldn’t do it without our amazing volunteers and donors. We rely on community support to continue our mission; protect and uplift our native wildlife.

Want to Help Out?

Check out our upcoming volunteer events for our Prairie Restoration Project on Eventbrite!

Pre-registration helps us ensure we can tackle whatever portion of the project we’re working on that day.

The next volunteer event will occur on:

August 28th, 8:30am-11:30am

If you’re interested in volunteering, feel free to show up days listed, use the VOLUNTEER button below to add yourself to our volunteer list, or contact Ethan Shuval at [email protected].

VOLUNTEER

Help Nature Take Root

Restoring native habitat takes more than hard work. Your gift helps provide the native plants, tools and resources needed to restore meadows, control invasive species and protect wildlife habitat throughout the Preserve.

Choose “Conservation Programs” when you give and help keep Blue Heron wild.

Community Garden at BHNP

Raised Beds Improve Accessibility in the Garden

Thanks to a generous grant from Northwood Garden Club, eight new raised garden beds have been installed in Blue Heron’s Community Garden.

These raised beds make gardening more accessible for both our youngest and oldest gardeners. Children can more easily see, reach, and interact with the plants, while gardeners with mobility challenges can tend their plots without as much bending or kneeling.

The raised beds also provide an important solution to a recurring challenge. Some of our garden plots were vulnerable to flooding from Nancy Creek. Following flood events, elevated E. coli levels meant gardeners could not safely harvest produce for 48 hours. By raising the planting areas above flood-prone ground, the new beds help protect crops and reduce disruptions to the growing season.

The Community Garden is especially beautiful this time of year, filled with colorful flowers, thriving vegetables, and the hard work of dedicated gardeners. Visitors are always welcome to stroll through and enjoy the gardens. We simply ask that you admire the produce and flowers without picking them—look, learn, and enjoy, but please leave the harvest for the gardeners who have lovingly tended it.

Thank you, Northwood Garden Club, for helping us create a more accessible, resilient, and beautiful Community Garden for everyone.

Creature Feature – Sssssssnakes

If you’ve been outdoors during a Georgia summer, you’ve probably heard this before: Watch out for snakes! While it’s a warning worth heeding, these reptiles are much less scary than they’ve often been portrayed. Snakes fill an important ecological niche and have just as much of a place in our natural world as the more widely beloved mammals and birds.

Over 2,500 species of snakes exist worldwide, but less than a third are venomous, and only a small fraction pose a serious threat to humans. In the United States, snakebite fatalities are extremely rare, averaging only about five to six deaths each year. The US has just 22 venomous species, and all have an effective anti-venom treatment. Globally most snakebite deaths occur because people lack timely access to medical treatment.

Snakes belong to the order Squamata, the larges order of reptiles, and are closely related to lizards. They have relatively poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of smell and their ability to detect vibrations. Some species, particularly pit vipers (family Crotalidae), have specialized heat-sensing pits between the eye and nostril. These organs can detect extremely small temperature differences, allowing the snakes to locate warm-blooded prey—even in darkness. What that means is that they have a natural version of heat vision goggles!

Native snake species are found in every continent but Antarctica. They are both predator and prey, playing a crucial role in maintaining balanced ecosystems. For people snakes help control rodent populations that might otherwise take up residence in our homes, attics and basements.

An Eastern Copperhead housed at the Maryland Zoo

Veterinary student handling an Eastern Garter Snake at the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab

Snakes do not want to hurt you, their instinct is to remain still and avoid detection or retreat if given the opportunity. It’s very risky for a snake to reveal it’s position and strike. It is still important to recognize our venomous species though, which can be divided into four groups; Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouths, Copperheads, and Coral Snakes. At Blue Heron Nature Preserve, the only venomous snake regularly found is the Copperheads which camouflages itself among dead leaves and other forest debris.
Though general identification tips such as those to the left can be helpful, the only way to correctly identify a snake is by learning the individual species. Never handle a wild snake unless you are a trained expert. If you are bitten, stay Calm. Move away from the snake, sit down, keep the afected limb as still as you can, take deep, slow breaths and call 911 immediately. Tell emergency responders what the snake looked like, if you can, but do not attempt to capture or kill it.

Freshwater Creatures – At Least Someone’ Enjoying the Rain!

Summer’s arrival can only mean one thing: a chorus of animal songs long after the sun has set. Peepers, toads, and tree frogs alike can be heard late into the evening and into the early morning. It’s their breeding season, so many have moved from the tree line into fields, marshes, and other areas close to water, where they lay their eggs.

The word amphibian comes from Greek and means “double life,” referring to their multi-stage life cycle and the transition between their aquatic and terrestrial stages. Georgia, in particular, has a wealth of amphibians, with more than 80 native species calling it home. Some common ones you may see (or hear!) this month are green treefrogs, leopard frogs, and the characteristically orange-striped eastern newt.

Despite their size, these little guys have a big impact. Amphibians and reptiles are an important part of healthy forests and waterways, and they can serve as indicators of ecosystem health. Because many amphibians are especially sensitive to changes in their habitat, they are valuable for environmental monitoring. These studies help inform conservation efforts throughout a region, and many important conservation initiatives have begun with surveys of local amphibian and reptile populations.

Georgia, and the Piedmont region, where Atlanta and Blue Heron Nature Preserve is located, in particular experienced rapid urban expansion in the 1990s. This urbanization, along with agricultural expansion, significantly altered the landscape and ecological conditions. Since then, many species have adapted to life alongside people, but living so close to human activity continues to present challenges.  Like many conversation efforts, the best method we have of supporting our slimy friends begins with education.

Did You Know?

Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River. It has 70,150 miles of streams and rivers, over 425,000 acres of lakes, and over 4,500,000 acres of freshwater wetlands.

Georgia is also considered one of the richest states in the nation for amphibian diversity, with more than 80 native species. Our abundant streams, wetlands, forests, and five distinct physiographic provinces create a remarkable variety of habitats for frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians.

It’s also important to remember that while we love exploring the outdoors and learning about our natural world firsthand, we should be especially careful when handling amphibians. If possible, avoid handling them altogether. If it is necessary, wear clean, disposable gloves or thoroughly wet and muddy your hands before making contact. Amphibians survive the hot Georgia summers with a thin, protective mucus layer that helps keep their skin moist and allows them to absorb water and oxygen through their skin. When we handle them incorrectly, we can accidentally transfer sunscreen, insect repellent, soaps, lotions, or even the natural oils from our hands, which can damage this protective coating or expose them to harmful chemicals. Because amphibians are so small and have highly permeable skin, even tiny amounts of these substances can be harmful—or even fatal—to our little neighbors.

 

Arboreal Survey on the Preserve

A group of Spelman University students led by their professors visited Blue Heron Nature Preserve to collect tree samples. Dr. Jessica Dunn is an assistant professor in the Environmental Sciences department, and she and her students will use the data they collected to begin a dendrochronology lab at Spelman. A dendrochronology lab is essentially an information archive of tree-ring sequences. These sequences provide a glimpse into the health, age, and environmental conditions a tree experienced throughout its life.

To do this, an increment borer was used to extract a very thin piece of wood from the tree, about the size of a drinking straw. This allows researchers to count the tree rings and observe rings that are large (indicating favorable growing conditions) or small (often associated with drought or other environmental stress). Typically, two cores are taken per tree to ensure a high quality sample.

Dr. Dunn is interested in research that examines tree health and the connection to weather and climate, specifically in urban areas.  In addition to core sampling, the team measured tree diameters and assessed canopy structure, all of which contribute to a comprehensive profile of the trees in the Preserve. This research is valuable for scientists, educators and the broader community to understand how tree health is influenced by climate, and historical conditions in the larger ecosystem.

firefly

Critter Spotlight – Firefly Fundays

Fireflies, or lightning bugs, begin to be active in the late weeks of May and early weeks of June. Fireflies are found throughout North America, but they are especially common in the Southeast.

These beetles produce light in specialized organs in their abdomens. An enzyme called luciferase acts on luciferin, a light-emitting compound, creating their characteristic blinking glow. Depending on the species, the wavelength of light produced ranges from 510 to 670 nm, flashing shades of yellow, green, or pale red.

There are over 2,000 recognized species of firefly, divided among 11 subfamilies. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, harmful pesticides, invasive species, and light pollution, many firefly populations are in decline, with at least 18 species considered at risk of extinction.

Like many insect species, we can help our little neighbors by avoiding pesticides, replacing invasive plant species with natives, and leaving piles of leaves, sticks, pine straw, and other plant debris where they lie. As untidy as they may appear, these natural materials provide crucial habitat for fireflies throughout their life cycle.

Map of firefly activity in North/Central America

 

Emmett Chappelle

Celebrating Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation was officially enforced in Texas, the last state where slavery remained legal. This came two and a half years after the proclamation had outlawed slavery in the Confederate states. Though Juneteenth has been celebrated for decades, it was only recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.

Racial justice was, and still is, a hard-fought battle. One aspect of this prejudice has been the erasure of African Americans’ inventions, discoveries, and ingenuity. By recognizing remarkable Black scientists, we attempt to highlight contributions that have too often been overlooked.

In keeping with our Bioluminescent June theme, we are spotlighting Dr. Emmett Chappelle. Dr. Chappelle pioneered the use of luciferase to detect ATP, a molecule present in all living cells. He would go on to apply this research to bacteria detection technologies that are still used in medical, environmental, and aerospace studies today.

Luciferase is a generic term for the class of oxidative enzymes that produce bioluminescence, and is usually distinguished from a photoprotein.

Dr. Chappelle began his work in bioluminescence research at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a B.S. in biochemistry. He later received an M.S. in biology from the University of Washington in 1954. His research focused on luciferase, an enzyme used by fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms to produce light.

By measuring the light produced in this reaction, scientists can detect the presence of living cells. This breakthrough opened the door to new methods of identifying bacterial life.

After continuing his studies at Stanford University, Dr. Chappelle joined the Research Institute for Advanced Studies in Baltimore, where his work contributed to the development of safe oxygen supplies for astronauts. He later joined NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where he used his expertise in luminescence to develop methods for detecting bacterial life forms.

Working with Grace Picciolo, Dr. Chappelle helped develop techniques that have been used to monitor bacteria in waterways, diagnose bacterial infections, and support the search for life beyond Earth.

 

Dr. Chappelle has been honored as one of the top 100 African American scientists and engineers. His contributions laid the foundation for important advances in medicine, environmental science, and space exploration that continue to benefit us today.

Spring Bird Migration Data Visualization

bird migration video overlay

Visualization from Cornell University of birds migration from the months of March-June

As spring warms into summer, many bird species are entering the final stretch of their spring migration. Starting in February, species like the yellow throated warbler and gnatcatchers take short trips over Georgia to reach southeastern and coastal lines. That pace dramatically accelerates in March as birds undertake the Atlantic Flyway, a migration corridor spanning from South America, through the East Coast and finally into the Artic. Every night, millions of birds pass over Georgia to get to their breeding grounds. Finally, it peaks in late April, then slows down rapidly in the ten days after April 20th-26th. Our rich ecological diversity- and for interior migrants, our location as one of the southern-most states on the East Coast- makes Georgia a hub for travelers to pass through.

Bird Migration Map

Courtesy of Birds Georgia, (“​Fall v. Spring Migration Stopover Density in Georgia”)

Birds are highly sensitive to their environment. They respond to changes in weather, day length, food availability, and light cycles. They can even sense Earth’s magnetic fields! All of these natural cues dictate their sense of direction and timing while migrating. Because of this, the biggest danger to migrating birds is large spans of urbanization that have morphed the natural landscape.

Birds migrate at night, (typically between the hours of 11pm-6am), and the lights and sounds of a city can often disorient them. These modern environmental factors create artificial signals for their flight patterns. There are two main dangers from this; it confuses their sense of direction, wasting limited time and stamina, and it introduces more opportunities for them to fatally collide with windows.

The #LightsOutSpring initiative prevents a significant portion of these deaths every year. For all our participants, thank you! You’re saving lives and reducing your electric bill. If you didn’t this year, it’s never too late to start. After sundown, simply turn off your outdoor lights (or switch to amber/orange bulbs, these are beneficial year round!) and cover windows where light could escape from indoors. It’s an easy but incredibly impactful change. Together we can protect millions of migratory birds on their annual cross-hemisphere journey.