None The Nature Conservancy in Georgia Press Releases Search All Press Releases Christine Griffiths Phone: (912) 437-2161 Email: cgriffiths@tnc.org

The Nature Conservancy, Department of Defense Partner to Protect Critical Habitat on and Near Military Installations in Georgia

Atlanta, GA–November 12, 2003–With increased military activity around the globe, it's important now more than ever to ensure adequate training facilities for our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. As the U.S. Department of Defense prepares our armed forces for combat, they are also working with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy to protect the nation's natural resources in and around the country's military installations, including several in Georgia.

Last year, the Department of Defense received Congressional authority to approve partnerships with states and non-profit conservation organizations to preserve habitat and reduce encroachment on military operations. When surrounding areas are too intensively developed, the military often loses training flexibility and the ability to adapt to future mission needs. Lasting and comprehensive environmental management is essential, if the armed forces are to continue to train and conduct weapons testing.

The Conservancy's Georgia Chapter maintains a presence on several of Georgia’s military installations. In fact, these military posts provide the Conservancy with some of its greatest research and conservation efforts. Because Department of Defense lands tend to be large and not subject to the same kinds of development pressures and intense land uses as other properties, they capture a disproportionately high level of biological diversity.

"Our partnership with the Department of Defense enables the military to continue to train its personnel at the highest standard of readiness, while we work to preserve Georgia's environment, including some of our best remaining examples of the longleaf pine forest ecosystem, which is home to so many of our rare plants and animals in Georgia," said Curt Soper, director of conservation for the Georgia Chapter.

The Conservancy is currently working on conservation projects at U.S. Army installations Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, and Fort Stewart.

"While we maintain staffed programs at Fort Gordon and Fort Benning, we are actively working with military personnel at each post to evaluate the conservation needs associated with the landscape of these installations and develop strategies to meet those needs," said Soper.

Partnerships between conservation groups and the Department of Defense are becoming more commonplace. Earlier this week, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced a landmark agreement between the Department of Defense and the Conservancy, creating the Northwest Florida Greenway. This project establishes a 750,000-acre corridor spanning six counties and follows the flight path of military aircraft on training and testing exercises. Recognizing a common interest in safeguarding critical lands and associated air space, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, military services, the Conservancy and Okaloosa County are partnering to establish the greenway.

Similar approaches to achieving conservation goals and military needs are being developed in Georgia.

Fort Benning
Located near Columbus, Ga., the 182,000-acre Fort Benning installation supports habitat for several rare and endangered species, including the federally listed red-cockaded woodpecker, wood stork and bald eagle, as well as the rare relict trillium. Together, the Conservancy and Fort Benning have developed management plans to ensure the conservation of these species by protecting the habitat they need to survive. Since Fort Benning is a vital Army training post, the plans also ensure the continuation of all necessary military operations while maintaining rare species and habitats.

Fort Stewart
Located near Hinesville, Ga., Fort Stewart is a 279,000-acre military post containing the last remaining contiguous block of longleaf pine forest and its associated natural communities in Georgia's South Atlantic Coastal Plain ecoregion, representing an invaluable center of biological diversity in the southeastern United States. Collectively, Fort Stewart and the surrounding counties harbor over 60 rare plant and animal species, including Georgia's largest populations of the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and the threatened flatwoods salamander, eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise and striped newt. Rare fish species found at Fort Stewart include the endangered short-nosed sturgeon and the Atlantic sturgeon.

The Conservancy conducted a biological inventory of the base and its surrounding land and developed a strategic plan for protecting its vital natural resources.

"Officials at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, in partnership with the Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, and the Georgia Land Trust, are also exploring opportunities to work with interested landowners, state and federal conservation agencies, and non-government organizations to develop a regional land use strategy that supports the military’s need for training space and provides conservation benefits as well," said Tim Beaty, installation endangered species manager.

Fort Gordon
Located on the Fall-line Sandhills, Fort Gordon encompasses 56,000 acres of longleaf pine and associated natural communities. The Conservancy has worked with several partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, to inventory the natural communities of the installation, develop an ecosystem-based management plan, and implement vegetation monitoring to determine how the longleaf pine forest responds to different management treatments, including prescribed burns.

"We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Department of Defense and furthering our conservation work at these important sites in Georgia," said Soper. "These places are jewels for conserving rare habitats as well as training our armed forces."