Intimidatingly heavy fog greeted all of us as we made our way to the Refuge for Friends' Annual Meeting on Saturday February 8. It hung with us through the 8:00 Bird Walk led by Deputy Refuge Manager John Stark. It hovered over us as almost 100 signed in and shopped for new Friends' merchandise. We bought almost $750 worth of items, with the new butterfly shirts and visors being the most popular items and some of our legacy paddling maps still calling to new Refuge kayak enthusiasts.

Friends' finances and membership continue to be strong.

Denise and Ron provided updates on outcomes of Friends' 2024 actions and expectations for 2025. Andrew presented a Refuge update.

For many of us, a highlight of the event was Andrew's heartfelt words about the commitment that he and his fellow federal employees have to their work and how it enables them to make the world a better place for all of us. The staff members applauded in agreement and it touched us all, especially at a time when our federal workers and what they do for us are being so undervalued.

This year's featured speaker, Desirée Sorenson-Groves, is president and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association.  Her dynamic presentation gave us information about the history, present, and future of the refuges nationwide,

John Thalacker led a group of 13 on a nature walk on the Cypress Wetland  trail near the hurricane-destroyed River Trail.  They discussed the history of the property that makes up the current Refuge, key characteristics of some of the plants (including a little taste of the tender tips of the "green briar" and  how "sweet gum" got its name), and that there is a standing invitation for more plants to be identified and marked.

And with that, another wonderful Annual Meeting at our Refuge is in the books.

If you’ve visited Shell Mound recently, you have likely seen the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton which left behind piles of redeposited shell along the northern road and south ridge of the mound. Hurricanes are one of the greatest threats for archaeological sites in Florida, especially for coastal sites like Shell Mound. With climate change likely to increase the frequency and severity of hurricanes in the coming years, archaeologists are challenged with developing new ways to protect and manage these sites before they are destroyed forever.

In early January, a team of archaeologists from the University of Florida led by Dr. Ken Sassaman began rescue operations on Shell Mound. This first stage focuses on the south ridge, along an escarpment where some of the most severe storm impacts were found. Here, storm surge from Hurricane Helene undercut the top of the mound, resulting in a collapse of the mound’s surface and redepositing shell all along the slope. Wrack from the storm surge was deposited nearly ten feet in elevation along the slope, and the remaining surface is highly unstable and likely to collapse in future storm events.

Their first task involved excavating into the escarpment to create a flat vertical profile and remove shell which had been redeposited over the original surface. The excavated profile reached 180 centimeters in height. Based on the orientation of shells in the profile and changes in soil, the research team identified two possible pit features which may have been dug into the mound. Pit features such as these are valuable sources of archaeological information, and samples taken from one of the pits are pending analysis in UF’s Laboratory of Southeastern Archaeology.

Sifting through the excavated materials, the archaeologists found indigenous pottery, the remains of fish, and tools constructed out of gastropod shells. Laboratory analysis of artifacts recovered from the damaged portion of Shell Mound has not been conducted yet, however analysis may provide additional information about the practice of oyster mariculture at Shell Mound and use of the site during winter months. Oysters harvested in the winter months are generally higher quality than those harvested in other parts of the year. In addition, the relative absence of oyster “lids”, the flat half of the shell, compared to “cups”, the rounded half of the shell, may indicate that oyster lids were returned to the neighboring reefs to sustain long-term oyster harvesting, while the cups were primarily used as a building material for the mound.

In the spring, UF archaeologists will continue excavations from the original surface identified in this first stage of rescue operations. These excavations are likely to reach an additional two meters in depth, providing the deepest and most intact profile of Shell Mound to date which may reveal information about the origins and construction of Shell Mound. Following this second stage of excavations, the loose shell will be redeposited over the damaged areas in an attempt to stabilize the slope of the mound and mitigate the effects of future hurricanes.

In addition to on-the-ground research and stabilization, researchers from the GatorEye Unmanned Flying Laboratory have used drones to collect LiDAR data on the surface of Shell Mound following the 2024 hurricanes. LiDAR is a technology which uses laser scans to create three-dimensional models of the earth’s surface. Comparing this recent LiDAR data to data collected prior to the 2024 hurricane season will allow researchers to identify the extent of impacts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, prioritize rescue work on areas showing the most severe impacts, and predict areas most likely to be impacted by future storms.

Hurricanes aren’t the only threat to Shell Mound, and human interventions can make the effects of storms worse. It is no coincidence that some of the most severe damage was along the northern road and south ridge, where the original slope of the mound was destroyed to make room for the road in the 1970s. If you visit Shell Mound, avoid walking on or near undercut surfaces, and be mindful around areas of exposed shell.

Thanks to tireless efforts by Dusty and Kathy Dusterwinkle, the Salt Creek Trail is once again open for exploration. In the wake of the 2024 hurricanes, the trail was buried under more than two feet of marsh grass, debris, and fallen trees. But thanks to the determination and hard work of our dedicated volunteers, this delightful 1/3 mile loop is walkable again.

Our Dixie County camper volunteers tackled the overwhelming task of clearing the trail by hand, tirelessly pitchforking and raking away the layers of marsh grass. Additionally, Dusty and Kathy took on the challenge of removing five fallen trees that obstructed the path, as well as four more that blocked Salt Creek Road.

Beyond simply restoring the trail, Dusty and Kathy added their own special touches to enhance the experience for all who visit. Handcrafted signs mark the way, and thoughtfully placed seating invites hikers to pause and appreciate the views—views that are more expansive than before the storms reshaped the landscape.

Come out and enjoy the trail.

​If you can, please help us remove the litter that was deposited by the storms.