Dear Friends,

A cello is propped on its endpin, triple-metre music ringing through the mountains of West Virginia. The internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma is hundreds of miles away from any concert hall but is instead at one of the National Parks (in Maine, North Carolina, the Grand Canyon, Hawaii) where he has been conducting pop-up concerts in nature over the past year. Usually, it is only a handful of people, who come for a hike or to do some birding or sightseeing, who are among the lucky few who stumble across one of the world’s greatest living musicians as he raises his arms after a mini concert and says, pointing to the landscape, “Congratulations to you all. It’s yours. It’s yours.”

It's all part of Ma’s Our Common Nature program in which he celebrates the great outdoors, culture, and the strengthening of communities. As he said to one group of students in an after-school support program in coal mining country, “You know, every forest has a musician.” 

Laura Richards, who we honored as the Land Trust's Philanthropist of the Year, said, "We need each other now more than ever to listen and work together as good neighbors for the long-term benefit of these barrier islands!"

Emily Dickinson wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” May you have lots of both in the coming year. May you find peace and joy, moments of quiet and serenity, months of good work and good times with friends and family. May 2023 bring you less chatter and more music. You might not find a world-famous cellist on your next walk at Guale Preserve or Cannon’s Point or at the John Gilbert Nature Trail, but you will indeed find beauty and an antidote to world-weariness. We look forward to seeing you out there. Congratulations – it’s yours. It’s yours!

Be safe and well, and thank you.

Emily Ellison

Executive Director

Additional thanks for the outpouring of generosity you shared with us last month in support of Giving Tuesday. Your 80+ gifts and pledges we received totaled more than $100,000!

All funds will be used for land preservation and long-term land management of the nearly 1,200 acres in our Trust, as well as provide support for community outreach and environmental education in the Golden Isles. THANK YOU.

It was a pleasure to also thank our Live Oak members at the Live Oak Society Reception last month! Held at Frederica Golf Club, this event included experiential stations, a silent auction, updates about the Land Trust, and the honoring of the organization's Volunteer of the Year, Philanthropist of the Year, and Pennies for Preservation Partner of the Year.

It's coming soon -- better than ever -- with great entertainment, delicious coastal cuisine, sparkling libations, and time outdoors with friends and family under the majestic oaks and twinkling lights at Gascoigne Bluff Park. Don't miss it!

Please join us on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Gascoigne Bluff Park on St. Simons Island.

In November, one of the incredible members of the Cannon's Point Preserve Education Task Force, Lydia Thompson, passed away. Lydia was an incredible educator, artist, and bird enthusiast.

-- Stephanie Knox, Stewardship Director

When Tropical Storm Nicole came through coastal Georgia in November, its storm surge pushed water 145 feet from the top of the bank along the living shoreline at Cannon's Point Preserve. This surge left dense layers of saltmarsh wrack on the shoreline that were suffocating the native vegetation.

Note: Saltmarsh wrack, which is dead saltmarsh vegetation, plays an integral part in our coastal ecosystem by providing nutrients to our coast during decomposition. Wrack on the beaches catches sand, allowing for the growth of new dunes. These new dunes provide suitable habitat for native vegetation to root and stabilize the dunes which protect our barrier islands.

As of November 9, thirteen weeks of Butterflies of the Atlantic Flyway Alliance (BAFA) surveys have been completed at Cannon's Point Preserve. During those weeks, Stewardship Director Stephanie Knox, Land Steward Technician Rebecca Cushing, students from the College of Coastal Georgia, and other BAFA volunteers, counted six different species of butterflies (over 100 individuals) in research plots throughout the Preserve. Other butterflies were spotted outside of research plots but were not added to the data collected.

Learn more about BAFA surveys HERE.

The annual Coastal Science Symposium was held at the College of Coastal Georgia last weekend. This event brings together students, faculty, collaborators, and community members to explore coastal and marine science research and its applications to society. Several students presented research conducted at Cannon’s Point Preserve through the service-learning program. Their work focuses on the Butterflies of the Atlantic Flyway Alliance surveys as well as the efforts to monitor and manage invasive plant species.

From the Pennies for Preservation program's inception in 2017, to the more than 50 businesses who participate in P4P today, and the more than $600,000 the program has raised for land acquisitions, the credit and kudos go to Sara Baker. An extraordinary marketer, team player, and advocate for coastal conservation, Sara built and grew the Land Trust's voluntary giving program that has become a model for similar initiatives across the country.

After five years, though, it was time for Sara to pursue new challenges and opportunities. We wish her the very best as she moves to her exciting new position as Vice President of Sales at GAGE, and we thank her for being so dedicated to land conservation on St. Simons. Brava, Sara!

Join us in welcoming one of our newest Pennies for Preservation partners,

and those who brought us past the 50 partner mark,

Home2 Suites St. Simons Island and Hotel Simone

Home2 Suites St. Simons Island is part of one of the fastest growing brands in Hilton’s history. The hotel's award-winning extended-stay concept is designed to offer stylish accommodations for cost-conscious guests and their pets. With a commitment to environmentally friendly products and hotel operations, Home2 Suites by Hilton offers complimentary hot breakfast, innovative and customizable guestroom designs, laundry and fitness areas, free Wi-Fi, multiple outdoor spaces, 24-hour business centers, expansive community spaces and pet-friendly environments.

Hotel Simone is an adults-only, modern boutique hotel that offers a peaceful coastal escape from the hustle and bustle of island tourism. With 24 luxurious suites available, the environment is intimate and the quality of service and attention to detail are unmatched. Perfect for a romantic getaway or kid-free girls’ weekend, Hotel Simone offers guests numerous luxury amenities, including a rooftop pool area with picture-perfect sunset views, complimentary beach bicycles and access to perks at their sister property The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort.

Both of these MMI Hotel Group lodging partners will be participating in the program by including a voluntary donation of $1/night's stay that will be allocated directly to protecting important acreage creating a wilderness corridor for the unique ecosystems and native wildlife of the island.

Based in the Golden Isles, this full-service videography & photography company, owned by island native Parker Alexander, specializes in marketing, website, and media content. By offering ground and aerial perspectives, Parker delivers premium results to his partners through professional photography and cinematic videos. Empire Sky services include real estate media, economic development, website videos, lifestyle videos, and filmmaking.

and the Land Trust's dedicated Pennies for Preservation partners.

Pennies for Preservation businesses raise funds to preserve and protect St. Simons Island.

1) Collecting a voluntary 1% or specific dollar amount donation from

their customers' receipts/invoices.

2) Donating 1% of their companies' proceeds or services.

From Joshua Tree National Park to the Serengeti, Land Trust hats have had some incredible adventures recently! We're so grateful to our supporters for sharing their photos with us and inspiring others to take their Land Trust hats along on trips near and far.

While our online store is temporarily shut down, SSLT hats can be purchased in-person from our office at 1810 Frederica Road. We hope you'll come and see us!