CCA May 10 Meeting Held In-Person and Via Zoom at 7 p.m. 

Protecting, Preserving, and Improving Water Quality throughout the Ogeechee River Basin  The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Skidaway announces a change in the time and location of the May meeting, which will feature the Ogeechee Riverkeeper. Damon Mullis, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper/Executive Director, will be the speaker. The May meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 10, will be held in person at St. Peter’s Church and via Zoom for those who prefer to continue in this format. In addition, the meeting will be returned to its previous 7 p.m. start time. Registration is required for both methods of attendance, due to the limited capacity of socially distanced seating in the church and to provide a link to the online venue. Attendance at the in-person presentation at the church will be limited to 50 attendees. Registration is available through the CCA of Skidaway website (www.ccaskidaway.org). A link to the Zoom feed will be distributed prior to the meeting. Ogeechee Riverkeeper is a 501(c)(3) that works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherines Sound. At 245 miles long, the Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,000 square miles of land. You can read more about Ogeechee Riverkeeper on their website (ogeecheeriverkeeper.org). Damon’s presentation will introduce the audience to the current projects and activities that the Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) organization currently is doing to work toward its mission. This work includes many facets, including environmental education, conservation, advocacy, recreation, and more. Examples include coordinating citizen scientist volunteers to monitor water quality; efforts to reduce litter and plastic pollution; providing free educational lessons and teacher resources; information and guidance to citizens about ecological impacts and mitigations for stormwater, erosion, and other impacts to water quality; and supplying information about recreational activities and wildlife in our area. This presentation will highlight upstream pollution sources that threaten the ecology and water quality of the salt marshes along our coast and explain how ORK is working to reduce those threats. Damon grew up in rural south Georgia, where he spent his free time outdoors fishing and exploring local rivers and streams. His time in the great outdoors led to an appreciation of the natural world and a passion for understanding how it works, a quest that led him to Georgia Southern University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Biology. His research has focused on how physical and chemical changes in freshwater ecosystems affect their biological communities with projects, including studies on the connectivity between rivers and floodplains, the effects of beaver dams on freshwater invertebrate communities, secondary production of macroinvertebrates, nutrient monitoring, and water quality monitoring in rivers and streams. Before pursuing a career in science, Damon managed small businesses for more than 13 years. When time permits, the Mullis clan, which includes his wife, daughter, and a rambunctious canine, enjoys boating, fishing, hiking, birding, camping, and just generally being outside. Each CCA of Skidaway meeting attendee will receive one free raffle ticket, compliments of CCA, as a thank you to all who supported the organization during the challenges of 2020. Additional tickets can be purchased in quantities of 1 ($5), 3 ($10), or 7 ($20) through the website, and the proceeds will go to support CCA programs in the coming year. The May raffle will give two attendees the opportunity for an excursion fishing for redfish, trout, and flounder led by Captain Stan Allen of Marshland Inshore Fishing Adventures. The seat pair is valued at $400. CCA is a nonprofit organization with chapters on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts. For more information about CCA of Skidaway, call Joe Tyson (598-8765). For more information about CCA’s Georgia District, call Tom Rood (598-9753). For information about the meetings and seminars, call Dave Devore (330-329-6457).   Damon Mullis, shown at left, takes a water/soil sample.