Streambank Restoration. Photo Natural Resources Training Group
(Sautee)- The Sautee Nacoochee Center (SNC) has received a grant for streambank restoration and pollinator enhancement on local farms. The funding is from the Chattahoochee Oconee Forests Interpretive Fund through the North Georgia Community Foundation. Additional funding was provided by the Chestatee/Chattahoochee Resource, Conservation, and Development Council.
A news release from the Sautee Nacoochee Center said the Environmental Stewardship and Preservation program at the center, together with UGA White County Extension Service will implement the project which offers local farms support and native plants for streambank restoration and/or pollinator planting.
Grazing, storm damage, upstream changes to waterways can all impact the health of streambanks. Planting native plants, shrubs, and trees can reduce erosion and stabilize banks. In some cases, plants chosen for restoration can also add value to farm production. For example, a common local streambank plant, Elderberry, has become a very popular plant not only in the nutritional supplement industry ($320 million a year), but also in food and beverage products.
Reducing erosion is one ecosystem service that native plants provide, pollination is another. One-third of foods grown for humans require pollination. Blueberries, for example, can be pollinated by bumblebees. Columbine, goldenrod, penstemon, and native sunflowers are all plants native to our area that attract bumblebees.
How about those carpenter bees that we complain about? Also pollinators. Unlike some bees, Carpenter bees can pollinate many plants and work into the fall, later than other bees. Some of the crops they pollinate include eggplant and tomatoes.
White County farms that have stream or riverbanks that are eroded or damaged or have crops that can benefit from pollinators are welcome to apply. Part of the project goal is education, so the site must be in a location that could be visited by small groups for educational purposes (scheduled with the landowner).
If you have a farm and are interested in applying for a native plant project on your site, contact Johnna Tuttle at jtuttle@snca.org to receive an application. Applications must be submitted by September 15. Applications will be reviewed by a committee to determine the candidates that best fit the grant requirements. Projects will be installed in October 2024.
People interested in volunteering to assist owners with the planting process are encouraged to contact SNC’s Volunteer Coordinator, Kat Stratton at kstratton@snca.org.
Located at 283 Hwy 255 N in Sautee, the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association is a member-based organization serving White and Habersham Counties and all of northeast Georgia. Its mission is to value and nurture individual creativity, along with the historical, cultural, and environmental resources of the Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys and surrounding areas. For more information, visit www.snca.org or call 706-878-3300.
