September, 2011: HURRICANE CREEK WILDLIFE PRESERVE APPEARS TO BE OUT OF DANGER. THE PROFESSOR WHO WANTED TO LOG IT HAS LEFT NORTH GEORGIA COLLEGE. We recommend permanent protections be put on Hurricane Creek Wildlife Preserve to prevent future attempts to log it. Who would want to log a nature preserve someone may ask? It may seem counter intuitive, but another 'Dr. Nelson' could come along some day, and decide to put his (or her) 'stamp' on this beautiful tract,.. August 11, 2011 From North Georgia Today website: Dr. Nancy Dalman has been appointed as the new head for the Department of Biology for the 2011-2012 academic year. She accepted the position officially in July. From Southern Polytechnic State University website: Marietta, Ga. (May 17, 2011) – Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) has selected Dr. Thomas Nelson, professor and department head of biology at North Georgia College & State University (NGCSU), to serve as the next dean of the School of Arts and Sciences beginning July 1. December, 2010: Plans to Severely Alter The Hurricane Creek Preserve are Disputed and Controversial
Dr. Nelson's original plan was to log the forest at Hurricane Creek for his replanting project. Because the cutting circles overlapped the wetlands we got the two wetlands certified. The communtiy did not want any logging done at Hurricane Creek for several good reasons. We were not aware of a pond project at that time because Tom Nelson's Executive Summary (see site) did not mention it. This wetland removal was done without obtaining the necessary permits in advance and to the complete surprise of anyone associated with Hurricane Creek. The USACE issued a permit after the fact, for the removal of wetlands (See Ponds Concerns). Many in the community were dismayed by this wanton, and irresponsible destruction of a wetlands...
In spite of the wetlands certification, and auction to pay for it, which was widely publicized (12 days of sales to pay the $2500 bill, advertised in the newspaper and by flyer, May, 2010) and a petition presented to the College President and Board of Regents(500 signatures) to protect Hurricane Creek and its wetlands Dr. Nelson removed the wetlands and logged it. This removal came as a complete surprise to the community, which supported protecting Hurricane Creek.
Our goal after wetlands removal was to continue to stop Nelson's original plan to log the forest at Hurricane Creek for his planting project. We are not opposed to his planting project per se; it could easily be done elsewhere without cutting any trees (see sidebar Alternate Site for Planting Project). WHY DID NELSON INSIST ON ALTERING THE HURRICANE CREEK TRACT SO COMPLETELY, WHEN HE COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER LOCATION FOR HIS PLANTING PROJECT (See sidebar, Environmental Leadership?)? |
Hurricane Creek Recap of Events |