Silver Lake to open in August to public
by MCL staff writer

Sen. John Bullock and Gov. Sonny Perdue discuss what a bargain this property is for all the citizens of Georgia and especially in deep Southwest Georgia.

Governor Sonny Perdue joined conservation leaders, other state leaders and Decatur County elected officials, for his third stop of the day to highlight Conserve Georgia, on the banks of Silver Lake in Decatur County.

The governor announced funding for the second phase of acquisition at Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Decatur County near Bainbridge and just 25 minutes from downtown Colquitt.

"As good stewards of our natural resources, it is vital that we seek to conserve the natural beauty of our state and the recreational opportunities it affords to all of our citizens and visitors," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "This is possible because of generous partners who have joined with us in recognizing that conservation is a worthy and necessary cause, and I thank them for their support." The second phase of acquisition will include approximately 2,594 acres at a cost of $10.8 million. He also announced that the property would be open to the public on August 1, 2008, with public hunting opening with the start of small game season on August 15, 2008.

Gov. Sonny Perdue announces Silver Lake property to be open to the public.

In December 2007, Governor Perdue announced the state's plans to purchase the 8,430-acre property from The Conservation Fund in phases for a cost of approximately $38.6 million. The first phase of acquisition included 3,790 acres at a cost of $19.8 million and included $15 million from the Georgia Land Conservation Program.

The second phase of acquisition funding includes $3.75 million from the Woodruff Foundation, $3 million from Decatur County, $2 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and $1 million from a partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Longleaf Legacy Program. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) expects to have the remaining funding needed to complete the second phase later this spring.

"The combined efforts of the multiple levels of public and private partners made this a success and is an example for other local governments to follow," said Rex Boner, vice president and southeast representative for The Conservation Fund. "Because of the governor's leadership, IP's patience and cooperation and Decatur County's recognition of this property as an important resource to their community, this historic property will be open to local residents and to all citizens of Georgia for the first time and for generations to come."

The Conservation Fund purchased this property from International Paper (IP), which had managed it as part of a private forestry research site for more than 50 years. Only a handful of these types of research sites exist across the country. It features numerous critical habitats identified in Georgia's State Wildlife Action Plan. Most prominently, Silver Lake contains one of the finest examples of a mature longleaf pine forest. This highly imperiled habitat type supports a host of threatened and endangered wildlife including red-cockaded woodpecker and gopher tortoise. It also provides valuable habitat for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, waterfowl, and the declining northern bobwhite quail.

DNR expects to complete the acquisition of the Silver Lake WMA by early 2009. The final phase will include additional funds from the Woodruff Foundation. It was announced at the well attended ceremony that the Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area will be open to the public on August 1, 2008, for fishing and hiking and to other WMA by the middle of August.

All agreed that the new state property would be a valuable and enjoyed asset for the state and the general public to enjoy for generations to come.