We've moved our blog

We just finished redesigning our web page, and a blog is now incorporated into our main web page. As a result, we will no longer post information here. To find out about Flint River Conservation Association events, meetings, and outings, please visit www.flintriverconservation.org. Thanks for your interest!

Learn about the Clean Water Partnership, Tuesday August 18

Please join us for our montly membership meeting, 7:00 at Huntsville Public Services Building, 320 Fountain Circle near Big Spring Park. This month's speaker will be Jay Grantland. He'll discuss the Clean Water Partnership, some successful past projects, and current and ongoing projects.

Free Alabama Water Watch Workshop Saturday, August 29

Join us for a FREE citizens' water quality monitoring class Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at the city of Huntsville Public Services Building at 320 Fountain Circle near Big Spring Park. You'll learn all about water resources and how to determine water quality using simple chemical and bacteriological tests. Dr. Bill Deutsch, known around the world for his clean water advocacy, especially in 3rd world countries, will be the primary instructor.

There is no charge for the class but preregistration is required. Register online at www.alabamawaterwatch.org or contact Rita at 1-888-844-4785 toll free, or call Susan Weber at 427-5116.

Be prepared to get your feet wet up to the knees and bring sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. Snacks and water will be provided. You're encouraged to bring a sack lunch.

The Alabama Water Watch program (AWW) fosters the development of citizen volunteers, water quality monitoring of Alabama's lakes, streams and rivers. AWW’s mission is to improve both water quality and policy through citizen monitoring and action. One of it’s goals is to have at least one citizen monitoring every steam and lake in the state.

AWW is coordinated from the Auburn University Fisheries Department with primary funding from ADEM and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since the program began in 1992, about 250 citizen groups have participated and have cumulatively sampled more than 1,880 sites on 700 water bodies. For many streams in Alabama, citizen data is the primary or only source of water quality information.

After completing the class, participants will be certified through Alabama Water Watch to submit monthly and quarterly monitoring results that will available for all to see on the Alabama Water Watch website. This data is sent to AWW at Auburn University for quality assurance, then entered into databases that are shared with ADEM and EPA. Monitoring groups frequently use the information to propose water quality solutions to responsible agencies, elected officials, citizens' groups and developers.

See you there!

Article about Beth Maynor Young -- join us July 16 to meet her!

The Birmingham News just published a great article about Beth Maynor Young and her work documenting the scenic rivers of Alabama. Be sure to join us on Thursday, July 16 at the Monte Sano State Park Lodge to meet Beth, enjoy her work, and learn more about Alabama rivers and why we need to protect them!

Beth Maynor Young's now famed photos have come to symbolize Cahaba River's vulnerability, diversity

For Young, that lily trip was a transition from a job photographing gardens, food and architecture toward a calling as a conservation photographer. Since that assignment, she's gone on to shoot rivers and wilderness throughout the state and Southeast: Little River Canyon, the Locust Fork River, The Walls of Jericho, the swamps and wetlands of the Mobile Tensaw Delta.

"I tend to photograph unprotected places as opposed to just nature photography in national wildlife refuges or national parks," she said. "There are a lot of wonderful unprotected places in Alabama."

A recently published book, "Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama Rivers," features work from throughout her career, and the most gratifying part of the book is that many of the unprotected places she photographed are now protected.

"I think of her as the Ansel Adams of Alabama," Byington said of Young. "She truly has shown how to be an advocate for conservation through conservation photography."

Join us for a book signing with nature photographer Beth Maynor Young

We're excited to announce a book signing with one of Alabama's most accomplished nature photographers Beth Maynor Young for her new book "Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama's Rivers." Join us on Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 at the Monte Sano Lodge for an evening celebrating the beauty of Alabama's rivers. Beth will give a short lecture about Alabama's rivers and streams, then we can all mingle to enjoy a small photo exhibit, snacks, and drinks... and of course, wonderful company! Prints, notecards, a limited edition portfolio, and of course books will be for sale and for Beth to sign.

For more information about Beth and her amazing photographs, visit her web page at www.bethyoung.net.

Record turnout for Flint River Cleanup!

Saturday, June 6, was the first Flint River cleanup of 2009. We had a record turnout! Final numbers aren't in yet, but a good guess is at least 90 people! FRCA teams had about 25 boats on the water, while Scott Ammons of North Alabama Canoe and Kayak provided 40 canoes for the event. Operation Green Team provided trash bags and other supplies. We had so many volunteers we were able to have groups clean five different sections of the river. Wow! Here are some pictures from a successful trip to keep our river clean! If you have additional pictures you'd like us to post, send them to flintriverconservation@gmail.com!

We basically took over a portion of the Publix parking lot as we got ready to go. Here are some of Scott's canoes:


Getting ready to put-in at the Hayes Nature Preserve:


Getting started. A few paddlers work on extracting trash from low-hanging vegetation. Notice how muddy the water is! That shows how much work still needs to be done to prevent excessive sedimentation in our waterways.


The Flint really is a lovely river.


The aftermath... here's the trash one group pulled out of the river:


And a nice group shot of some of our fabulous volunteers!

After a long day paddling and bagging trash, we were starving! Our friends at Artisan's Cove kindly provided a wonderful cookout for us in the afternoon. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food, the company, and looking around the Cove's gardens and chicken coops! Thanks!


Enjoying good food and company at Artisan's Cove:


Thank you to all of the volunteers who turned out to spend a productive day on the Flint River! An additional thanks to North Alabama Canoe and Kayak for providing so many canoes, Artisan's Cove for the wonderful food, the Huntsville Canoe Club for spreading the word and recruiting volunteers, and Operation Green Team for ongoing support of Flint River cleanups! Join us for our next river cleanup in September!

Flint River Cleanup June 6--mark your calendar!

Our annual spring cleaning of the Flint River is held in honor of the National American Rivers Week. On Saturday, June 6th, 2009, volunteers will meet at either the Publix parking lot in Hampton Cove or the Publix parking lot on Winchester Road. Our meeting place will depend on which part of the river we will clean. Please check back in mid May for final details! If you wish to join us, you can do so as a canoeist, a kayaker, or a landlubber. Our landlubbers like to keep their feet on terra firma, so they will clean up at the bridge crossings in groups. FRCA will have light snacks for all of our volunteers and we will have a BBQ cook out after the paddle! Please bring your own water. This is the first time in many years we have held a cook-out after a river cleanup, so come out to make this a splash to remember! If you'd like to join us, please call Soos Weber at 427-5116 or send an email to flintriverconservation@gmail.com by Wednesday, June 3rd so we can make sure we have enough canoes and food!

If you have any questions, just send an email to flintriverconservation@gmail.com.

Hope to see you on June 6!