The Brunswick News

                                   Biologist Worries about Jekyll Plan

                                                 Sat, Nov 24, 2007

                                              By ELLEN ROBINSON

The delicate balance between wildlife and humans on Jekyll Island is a top concern of a U.S. biologist based in Brunswick.

Kathy Chapman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says sea turtles, piping plovers, wood storks, Wilson plovers and painted buntings could potentially be disrupted if habitats are encroached upon.

Chapman is concerned about the potential impact that the proposed $441 million redevelopment of the state park could have on the environment and wildlife.

"Birds will be affected more than any other group," she said. "How much they will be affected depends on how much habitat is encroached on and what kinds of lighting techniques are used."

Other wildlife, such as raccoons, deer and alligators, may require additional management as well if the human ratio increases.

Chapman feels a study should be conducted to determine the limits of a suitable balance between human activity and wildlife before the development plans progress.

"This would not be easy to determine," she said. "Some monitoring needs to be done, then included in a summary study. "Up to now, there has been a good balance between humans and wildlife."

Simply stated, more people will mean more human encounters with island species.

Under Georgia law, only 35 percent of the island can be developed.

Right now, human activity is spread across the beach, she said. That could change with redevelopment, which calls for a higher density of people on some stretches of beach.

It happens now to some extent.

"Some of it is ignorance, while some of it is just a lack of care, but some people need to be educated about how to respect the environment if they are coming to stay on Jekyll Island," Chapman said.

Activities such as flushing birds and allowing dogs to run free on the beach could have detrimental impacts on several endangered species that depend on the habitat the island provides, she said.

"It would be nice if they would include some type of orientation education for the people who come to stay on Jekyll Island at the resort," Chapman said. "Somehow they will have to get the message out to people about respecting the environment while staying on Jekyll."

Including educational materials in the rooms and cottages that could help to inform visitors about the types of wildlife and how to behave in their habitats could help soften the impact, she said.

The proposed redevelopment, which includes new hotels, convention center and commercial district, is the subject of several public hearings around the state.

Representatives of Linger Longer Communities, which is collecting public input on its plan to develop 65 acres in the general area of the Jekyll Island Convention Center, have said plans recently unveiled are tentative and subject to change. They have have said the plan will be sensitive to the environment.

                                               Just Say “No” to Roads

                                        Through Jekyll Island State Park’s

                                          Maritime Forests and Wetlands

                                                                     Dory Ingram

                                                         Atlanta Metro Coordinator

                                                    Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island

Introduction

“Roads affect much more than strips of land several yards wide,” notes John T.T. Forman, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Harvard University and author of Road Ecology: Science and Solutions. “They impact wildlife movement, biodiversity, vegetation, water quality, sedimentation of streams, and other natural things for miles around.” 1 Because roads slice and divide local systems and impact upon land use, road planning must therefore involve the whole field of landscape ecology, including the sciences of animal behavior, wildlife biology, ecology of plants and population, soil science, forestry, hydrology, and chemistry, as well as engineering and transportation planning. 2

Linger Longer Communities, the newly selected Private Revitalization Partner of the Jekyll Island Authority, has put forth a plan that would create a patchwork ecology within an established maritime forest and wetland across from the proposed new convention complex and retail district in Jekyll Island State Park. This wildlife-rich area stretches from the existing Beachview Drive to Shell Road and extends deep into the interior of the island. Designated as a “Nature Preserve” on the JIA’s Master Plan Concept Map, the area is the habitat of at least one pair of nesting bald eagles and borders a feeding ground for the endangered wood stork.

The landscape designers of Linger Longer Communities advocate creating a network of four new roads and moving Beachview Drive from its present location to a meandering route through the forest and along a tidal marshland without apparent forethought, knowledge, or awareness of the harm that such a proposal entails. For images of the area in question and Linger Longer’s proposed road network, go to www.savejekyllisland.org/PicturesC.html.

The negative impact of roads takes place on a macro scale as well as on a micro scale. Says John A. Bissonette, Leader of the USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Professor of Forest, Range, and Wildlife Science in the College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, “There is perhaps no greater anthropogenic influence on landscape connectivity than roads. Roads have both direct (animal mortality) and indirect (loss of landscape permeability resulting in fragmentation) effects. In effect, how roads are constructed will in large measure determine if the landscape is permeable, semi-permeable, or impermeable to animal movements; in other words, the degree of landscape fragmentation as perceived by individual organisms.” 3 Roads that split the landscape fragment habitat and restrict animal movement, either directly by forming barriers that animals will not cross, or indirectly by creating noise and pollution that has profound and far reaching effects on animals and birds. Roads further promote the spread of invasive plant and animal species that thrive on roadsides, and alter water and sediment flow patterns, affecting the aquatic ecosystems. 4

Roads negatively affect ecological systems in a variety of ways

Mortality from direct collisions with vehicles. Road kill occurrences may be greatest on roads with intermediate volume, where narrower rights-of-way provide limited visibility. Major roads within the state park might be so classified.

Restriction of the movement of animal species, limiting access to mates and resources, causing inbreeding and other disturbances. Some animals will not cross roads, and the existing population is thus fragmented along with habitat, causing a problem which many conservation biologists consider the major threat to biological diversity. Animals that show aversion to roads decrease in population density near the roads. Consequently, as development decreases habitat, the remaining wildlife is compressed into smaller and smaller fragmented patches.

Degradation of habitat by pollution, noise, dust, and light, during construction, maintenance, and use of the roads. Animals may suffer altered activity patterns, become stressed, and suffer elevated heart rates. Animals that communicate by auditory signals, such as birds, are disadvantaged. Some species show abnormal reproductive behavior in response to noise. Increasing levels of lead are found in soils near roads, and this lead moves through vegetation and up the food chain into the bodies of the wildlife, where the toxicity impairs reproduction and causes abnormal levels of mortality. Road construction kills animals and plants directly and exposes low nutrient subsoils, reducing water holding capacity and compacting surface materials.

Invasion of the ecosystem by opportunistic species. Roads that cut through an intact forest create “edge habitat,” which allows weedy and exotic plants and opportunistic animal species to spread into the forest interior and invade and degrade existing native habitat. Automotive traffic additionally adds to the spread of invasive species. Such changes may be more harmful to the forest than the effects of clear cutting.

Altered watersheds. Road construction changes water quality and quantity and ground water levels. Increased impervious surfaces result in increased runoff. Ditches dug for road drainage also drain adjacent wetlands. Water flow concentrated by roads increases erosion. Crossing a stream with a road results in diverted flow patterns, increasing sedimentation, negatively impacting wetlands and increasing flooding.

Increased access by humans and predatory animals. Increased human traffic into a pristine maritime forest brings with it noise, pollution, and a host of harmful behaviors. Road aversion is increased in large part by the animal’s fear of human activity. Humans collect plants, harm animals, create litter, and cause fires. New roads increase pressures and provide opportunities for increased development, the most devastating effect of all. 5

Conclusion

Granted, the damage caused by the construction of existing roads in Jekyll Island State Park has already been done. Apparently, generations of flora and fauna in the park have adapted over time to what has already been put in place. But why repeat past mistakes and cause bigger problems? For those who claim stewardship of the natural environment and the wildlife of the park to contemplate the re-routing of Beachview Drive, the addition of new roads, and the redesign of the island’s interior for aesthetic and commercial purposes is nothing short of a crime against nature.

Linger Longer's traffic plan and greenspace design look pretty on paper. They might even serve to ease some of the congestion within an ambitious town center suddenly crowded with shopping, restaurants, over 1,100 residential units, and day visitors struggling to find beach parking. However, the current proposal must go back to the drawing board. Its cost, in terms of damage to the ecosystems, wildlife, and pristine character of Jekyll Island State Park, is much too high.

The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island stands behind the responsible revitalization of Jekyll Island, redeveloping existing hotels and enhancing convention facilities and family dining opportunities. We are working towards advocacy within the General Assembly for legislation that would protect Jekyll Island State Park from inappropriate and damaging development. Statewide support will be necessary to initiate and advance that legislation.

References

1. Forman, John T.T., in Cromie, William J., “Roads Scholar Visits Most Remote Spots,”Harvard Gazette,www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2001/06.14/01-roadsscholar.html

2. Forman, John T.T., “Spatial Models as an Emerging Foundation of Road system Ecology and a Handle for Transportation Planning and Policy.”

3. Bissonnette, John. “Road Ecology” www.wildlifeandroads.org/john/road

4. Lloyd, John, “Road Ecology,” Encyclopedia of Earth www.eoearth.org/article/Road_ecology

5. Noss, Reed. “The Ecological Effects of Roads.” Wildlands CPR: Reviving Wild Places, http://www.wildlandscpr.org/ecological-effects-roads

                              Sea Turtles Face Habitat Loss on Jekyll Island

                                                                  Dory Ingram

                                                      Metro Atlanta Coordinator

                                                 Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island

Introduction: Man vs. Turtle

Jekyll Island preserves and protects what is probably the last unspoiled coastline on the eastern seaboard that is easily accessible by automobile to people of all walks of life and all income levels. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which opened to widespread acclaim in June 2007, drew 600 visitors a day during the summer to participate in the educational programs, view the exhibits, and visit the turtles receiving treatment. GSTC was placed on Jekyll rather than on a remote barrier island specifically so that the public can learn about the plight of our endangered sea turtles.

GSTC is not a petting zoo, it is not a theme park, it is not a museum: it is a marine veterinary hospital that allows the public to witness first hand the damage that we have done and continue to do. We purchase turtle-themed pottery, t-shirts and jewelry from the gift shop, and we feel good about ourselves. Meanwhile, despite the best efforts of the GSTC staff and the local medical community, the first two patients, both endangered loggerhead sea turtles, tragically died of grave injuries caused by boat propeller strikes. Diamondback terrapins, classified by the DNR as “unusual,” and other freshwater turtles fall victim to cars on the Jekyll Island causeway and routinely receive treatment at the Center as well. GSTC is in fact a dynamic, working testament to man’s negative impact on coastal ecology brought about by increased development and the systematic destruction of the habitat of our endangered, protected species.

We have the power to mitigate these effects. In fact, at least two major factors, both within man’s control, dramatically impact upon the current nesting sea turtle population and future generations of sea turtles on Jekyll Island. One factor is artificial lighting, and the second is the placement of hotels and residences too close to the beach.

Artificial Light Results in Habitat Loss

Nesting Turtles. Artificial light on beaches may deter the nesting female from emerging from the water and from nesting on the beach. If the turtle does lay her eggs, artificial lighting may delay or prevent her successful return to the water

Hatchlings. When hatchlings escape from nests on naturally lighted beaches, they demonstrate an innate and immediate orientation towards the water, which is the brightest horizon they can see. On artificially lighted beaches, hatchlings are misdirected by bright lights or even by sky glow, and by the illumination of the turtle’s horizon that comes from bright or numerous lights located behind the primary dunes, even from a great distance away. Hatchlings either become disoriented, in which case they move in the wrong direction, or disoriented, in which case they may travel in circles. In the former case they may end up in parking lots or streets or become easy prey for larger animals; in the latter, they become exhausted and dehydrated before they can reach the water. Both scenarios end in death.

  Best Available Technology (BAT) Mitigates

Effects of Beachfront Lighting

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission table shows that in a 2006 study of multiple light sources, condominium lighting was the major contributor to nearly half of the 1,521 total hatchling disorientation events, followed by city glow and street lights, which were involved in nearly one-third of such events.1

Ironically, according to a Florida Marine Research Institute Technical Report, “Of the many ecological disturbances caused by human beings, light pollution may be among the most manageable.” 2 Technology has improved along with the understanding of the way that a turtle views the world. To find its way to the ocean, the sea turtle hatchling relies primarily on vision, which is affected by several cues as the result of internal sensors in the eye:

Brightness. The hatchling will move towards the brightest light.

Color. The loggerhead hatchling will avoid high intensity yellow lights. On the other hand, ultraviolet, violet, and bug-zapper lights are very attractive to the hatchling.

Shape. The hatchling will orient towards open spaces and away from dune profiles and vegetation, because these features darken the horizon from the turtle’s perspective.

Best Available Technology (BAT) may be defined as a strategy for reducing the effects of light pollution to the greatest extent practicable. This strategy includes the following actions during sea turtle nesting season, which is May-September in Georgia:

Turn off unnecessary lights. (Turn off decorative lighting, lighting of areas that do not require security, and lighting of areas with no foot traffic; reduce wattage to the minimum)

Minimize beach lighting from outdoor sources. (Turn off or remove luminaires; reduce wattage; focus light only where needed; shield light sources; use recessed lighting; lower pole lights; install timers and motion detectors; use hidden walkway lighting on ramps)

Minimize beach lighting from indoor sources. (Turn off lights in rooms not in use; relocate lamps away from windows; tint windows to reduce light visible from the inside to 45% or less; close opaque curtains or blinds.)

Use alternative, long-wavelength light sources. (Substitute low pressure sodium vapor lighting for more disruptive sources; use yellow filters and bug lights as a less expensive, less effective alternative; install red LEDs for pathway lighting.)

Use light screens and enhance dune profile. (Plant native vegetation or erect artificial light screens on dunes; fill in and replant dune cuts, pathways, and washout areas.)

Irresponsible Development Results in Habitat Loss

In choosing a nest site, female loggerhead turtles select a location that lies between the shoreline and the primary dunes on the beach. Where beach armoring exists, turtles cannot nest. Thanks to the existence of beach armoring that was put in place decades ago to protect buildings and prevent erosion on the north end of Jekyll Island, approximately one third of the shoreline is off-limits to nesting turtles. The only viable nesting sites for sea turtles on Jekyll have therefore been the center of the island and the south end. The center of the island is the future location of  Linger Longer Communities’ proposed town center, which will comprise some 65 acres of convention complex, retail space, time shares, hotels, and condominiums. Farther south is the site of the Jekyll Crow’s 540-room Canopy Bluff Resort, which will include a large convention center, a six-story hotel, and a five story parking deck. “Close proximity to turtle nesting areas“ has been cited among Canopy Bluff’s “amenities.” Adjacent to Canopy Bluff will be a Spring Hill Suites, soon to be constructed by Jekyll Ocean Oaks. The southernmost part of the island is currently protected from further development under House Bill 214.

Effective Planning Mitigates Effects of Development

On July 2, 2007, a letter was written by Brad Winn of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Nongame Conservation Section, to the Jekyll Island Authority. In that letter, Winn recommends the following: “The Comprehensive Shoreline Management Plan should include a study to model erosion rates and shoreline shift over a 100-year period; incorporating recent information on projected rates of sea level rise would be very valuable in planning development so as to avoid the need for beach armoring. New structures should be placed landward of the 100 year predicted shoreline.”

To date, no such study has been performed, and redevelopment plans put forth by Linger Longer Communities and the Trammell Crow Company suggest that shops, restaurants, condos, conference centers and hotels will be located closer to the shoreline than the much more limited development that they are to replace. Furthermore, it is implied by the Jekyll Island Authority that conservation planning will go hand in hand with redevelopment, instead of preceding it.

The Role of the Jekyll Island Authority and the DNR

Ideally, under the leadership of the JIA, responsible planning and green building practices must be implemented in order to protect the wildlife, native plants, character, and ecosystems of Jekyll Island State Park. Current ordinances, drafted in the early 1990’s, do not sufficiently address inappropriate human behaviors or best current available technologies for beachfront lighting. With the partnership of the Department of Natural Resources, efforts to protect the endangered loggerhead sea turtle must include:

 Adherence to ordinances that have been amended to require state of the art technology for beach lighting to protect the endangered loggerhead sea turtle. These ordinances should clearly specify type and locations of lighting fixtures and bulbs.

 Performance of a 100 year shoreline study before new construction begins, and adherence to DNR recommendations about the location of such construction following the completion of that study.

Our Role

Man is a selfish species, but we can mitigate our negative impact. We still have an opportunity to halt the damage, at least on this precious barrier island. Jekyll has a unique role in the hearts and minds of most Georgians. Unfortunately, the hearts and minds of key decision makers become engaged elsewhere on occasion. It is up to us, the public, to speak up once again to save this irreplaceable treasure.

The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island stands behind the responsible revitalization of Jekyll Island State Park, redeveloping existing hotels and enhancing convention facilities and family dining opportunities. Eventually, it may become necessary to approach the General Assembly for legislation that would protect the park from inappropriate and damaging development. Statewide support will be necessary to initiate and advance that legislation.

                                    Natural Treasure must be protected

                                              By DAVID KYLER

                                           Published on: 12/10/07

From news coverage of the redevelopment plan for Jekyll Island, you might get the uneasy impression that the major makeover project is nearly ready for the surveyors and construction crews to start working. As impressive as these plans may appear, far more analysis is needed if the public hopes to retain Jekyll's unique purpose — and environmental qualities — as a state park.

It would undoubtedly strike most people as odd that no one has calculated the number of visitors that could be expected on a peak day once the proposed plans are implemented, or how that number of visitors would affect the experience of being on Jekyll. Proposing an extensive development design for such a unique place as Jekyll Island without knowing the answers to these questions borders on the bizarre, and is well within the realm of suspicion. To proceed without such information would be irresponsible, given the significance of the outcome.

To Jekyll Island Authority's credit, in October it agreed to conduct a capacity study for the island – something we had recommended. Yet, under their supervision, the chosen "private sector partner," Linger Longer Communities Inc., moved forward in holding public meetings where LLC's original design served as the basis for soliciting comments. Surely if a capacity study is to be used to guide Jekyll's revitalization, it should be done prior to any further advancement of a development plan.

Evidently, it has been unwisely assumed that building high-quality, well-designed structures and facilities alone will guarantee that the island's redevelopment is a success. But we need to take a serious look at how success for a state park is defined, which is presumably much different than it would be for that same kind of coastal real estate in the hands of the private sector.

Unfortunately, those in charge of the island's redevelopment seem to be driven by the unfounded assumption that the private sector should determine the best use of all resources, including a state park. By treating this environmentally sensitive barrier island state park the same as any private coastal real estate, the Jekyll Island Authority will be doing a major disservice to the people of Georgia and the leaders who established the area for recreational use by all citizens almost 60 years ago.

Some may assert that the adopted limit on the proportion of the island that can be developed will prevent undesired consequences. But important though that constraint may be, honoring the 35 percent development limit does not ensure the public will be best served.

Is it really appropriate and in the public interest for a state park to feature deluxe hotels, restaurants and condos? This question is even more provocative given the historically relaxed, slow-paced atmosphere of Jekyll, which remains the essence of its appeal to most visitors.

A survey conducted by the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island , a nonprofit group representing the park's visitors, found that all but a few of the nearly 6,000 Jekyll visitors who responded did not want to see more than 100 condominiums built on the island. Most respondents do not want to see any condos at all. Yet the proposed development features 560 condos and time-share units, including the work of both Trammel-Crow (another developer replacing worn-down hotels) and the 65-acre Linger Longer project.

While it is true that Jekyll Island, unlike most Georgia state parks, must generate the revenues needed to support the island's infrastructure, administration and natural environment, it does not follow that the private sector should be given free reign, nor that luxury facilities are desirable. In fact, even if the purpose of the redevelopment proposal was to maximize revenues, without any market plan or well-researched business analysis, there is no basis for predicting that such a goal could be met.

It is obvious from responses to the IPJI survey that there are fundamental disagreements between the Jekyll Island Authority board — not to mention the considerable political forces behind it — and the general public, whom the park is meant to serve and for whom it was created. There are also important unanswered questions about unnecessary disturbance of critical wildlife habitat that would be caused by implementing the proposed development scheme. This includes nesting grounds for the seriously threatened loggerhead sea turtle.

Until public officials, both elected and appointed, recognize their obligations to the citizens of Georgia, we face the risk of losing a state treasure to the totally inappropriate motives of private development. More thoughtful analysis needs to be done to prevent unwise development in the guise of "redevelopment" causing a calamity that Georgians would regret for generations.