ATLANTA, May 1, 2006 – Ducks Unlimited (DU) and partners purchased 4,583 acres of forested wetlands and associated uplands in Wayne County, Ga. The wetlands and wildlife habitat on this property, known as Penholoway Swamp, are now protected forever.
“The protection of Penholoway Swamp is part of a larger cooperative effort to conserve wetlands throughout the Altamaha watershed,” said Dale James, DU regional biologist. “This watershed drains more than 25 percent of the state of Georgia and the wetlands here are important to maintaining water quality in the Altamaha River.”
Funds for acquisition of Penholoway Swamp were provided by DU, the National Wild Turkey Federation, The Nature Conservancy, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant, a North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grant and funds from Georgia’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Habitat Acquisition fund.
“Penholoway Swamp is located in a portion of the Atlantic Flyway that is important to many migratory waterfowl species including northern pintail, American black ducks and mallards,” said Georgia State Waterfowl Biologist Greg Balkcom. “The forested wetlands of the swamp are also extremely important to resident wood ducks. In addition, the swamp helps protect the Altamaha delta, which is vital to the conservation of our mottled duck population.”
“Several bird conservation cooperatives have highlighted the Altamaha Watershed as a high priority for conservation,” said James. “By working with our partners to protect Penholoway Swamp, we are closer to reaching our collective goals.”
Georgia recently approved the Wildlife Action Plan, which identifies the lower Altamaha River as one of the most important areas for wildlife habitat conservation in the state. Species of conservation concern inhabiting this area include the swallow-tailed kite, gopher tortoise, Bachman’s sparrow and many other species.
This property will be managed as the Penholoway Swamp Wildlife Management Area and open for public recreation. The Georgia DNR will manage the property to maintain high quality wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and neotropical migratory birds.
With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands - nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.
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