News From Wild South – October 2016 E-Zine

Dear supporter,

As autumn broadcasts her splendor in the forests and public lands we hold dear, I hope that you will take the time to get outside and enjoy the beauty of this colorful season.  Look out over a mountain vista, hike to a waterfall, traverse a stream, track a migrating raptor, or simply breathe in the crisp air of fall.  Do all of this knowing that Wild South is not letting go of its commitment to protect and preserve the wilderness and wild creatures of our Southern landscape.

I love Wild South because we get people out to volunteer for programs like Volunteer Wilderness Rangers in Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina, and to appreciate wilderness through guided hikes in the Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness in Alabama.  We educate people about issues such as the red wolf in eastern North Carolina and the Cherokee Cultural Heritage trails being mapped in the western part of the state.

These are a few of the features in this month’s edition of the Wild South e-zine.  And for those of you who enjoy outdoor photography on our public lands, don’t forget to check out the Wild South photo contest which is open to submissions through October 31.

Thanks for your support and for helping to ensure that Wild South can continue to advocate for wild places and wild beings.

Enjoy this colorful season,

Terry Deal

President, Wild South Board of Directors

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The Fight for Red Wolf Survival Continues

In a recent development in the fight to continue recovery efforts of the red wolf in the wild, four of the five conservation scientists who drafted the Population Viability Analysis (PVA) have declared that their findings were misinterpreted by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as justification for the agency’s decision to remove most remaining red wolves from the wild.  Read more...

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Appalachian Indian Trails by Lamar Marshall

Three hundred years ago, the southern Appalachians were home to the sovereign Cherokee Nation.  Over 50 towns and settlements were connected by a sysem of well-worn foot trails, some of which later became wagon roads tunpiked by Cherokee turnpike companies.   Read more…

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Wild South’s First Annual Outdoor Photography Contest

With our photo contest, we celebrate our public lands through images captured by professional and amateur photographers.  There’s still time to enter!  Deadline:  Midnight, October 31.  Read more…

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We Welcome Our Newest Volunteer Wilderness Rangers!

The first weekend in October, 20 Wild South volunteers received their initial training preparing them to work as volunteer wilderness rangers in all three of Alabama’s federally-designated wilderness areas.  Read more…

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Hikes in Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness, October 29

In years such as this one in parts of the South, when long-term severe drought threatens to choke the life out of the land, peak fall color may be more subtle than spectacular.  Let’s be aware that autumn is more than visual landscape drama!  There are always countless wonders to explore on our public lands.  Get outside with Wild South!  Read more…