Moody AFB Environmental Office

04/25/2025

Today is Arbor Day! To celebrate, Moody AFB planted two Eastern Redbuds with assistance from the CDC. How will you observe Arbor Day?

04/10/2025

Peak spring migration is almost here! At Moody, we've been enjoying the arrival of many warblers and vireos. As thousands of birds begin to pass through south Georgia, you can help them out by turning off non-essential lights at night.

More information about the effects of light pollution on migrating birds can be found on CSU's website: https://warnercnr.source.colostate.edu/light-pollution-luring-birds-to-cities/ and BirdCast's : https://birdcast.info/science-to-action/lights-out/

02/06/2025

A big thank you to everyone who donated Christmas trees to support habitat management on the base! With some help from volunteers, we were able to sink all the donated trees into Mission Lake.

02/03/2025

This February 14 - 17 marks the 27th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The GBBC is an easy and fun event for everyone, regardless of their birding experience!

To contribute, you'll spend 15 minutes (or longer if you want!) each of these days identifying birds in your backyard. When you're done, just submit your location and bird checklist.

For more information on how to participate, visit
https://www.birdcount.org/

01/30/2025

01/27/2025

As many of you have probably already seen, the Georgia DNR has confirmed that a hunter-harvested deer in Lanier County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). With this finding, this places Moody AFB within the Chronic Wasting Disease – Management Area boundaries.

The Georgia DNR has implemented a CWD Response plan and will be collecting additional samples from the immediate surrounding areas. It is likely that there will be state-mandated changes in the future regarding harvest procedures and disposal of harvested deer. More information on this evolving issue will be forthcoming over the next few weeks and months.

Chronic Wasting Disease is spread through prions, a misfolded protein that is passed from deer to deer through infected saliva, urine, and f***s or indirectly through contaminated soil, food, or water.

It should be noted CWD infects only white-tailed deer and similar cervids, and is not considered a human health risk. Since the first documented case of CWD in North America in 1960, there have been no cases of prion disease in a person linked to the consumption of venison.

As information on the implementation of the state’s CWD response plan are made available, and as we become aware of potential changes to regulations for the next deer season, we will pass that information on to the Moody AFB hunters.

More information about CWD can be found on the Georgia DNR's website: https://georgiawildlife.com/cwd

12/04/2024

After the holidays this year, instead of throwing out your “live” Christmas trees, we are asking those with installation access to donate them to Mission Lake to enhance fish habitat.

Sunken trees will help improve aquatic habitat by creating a place for fish to hide, forage, and eventually be caught by you!

To Donate:
1. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations.
2. Drop them off in the designated area by the shed on the northside of Mission Lake.

Thank you for supporting our natural resources program!

09/06/2024

Today, we welcomed a new member to one of our gopher tortoise colonies! Juniper was sent to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island for rehab after suffering trauma to her shell by a dog. Following a successful recovery, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources sent her to Moody to hopefully live a long and happy life!

07/22/2024

ATTENTION MAFB HUNTERS:

The 2024/2025 hunting season is fast approaching! Moody has a great program open to Active Duty, Retired, Dependent, and DOD Civilian personnel. All hunters on MAFB, must attend one of the annual Base Hunter Safety Briefs. These briefings will cover all three hunting seasons (deer, small game and turkey). Please note you will be assigned a number at the briefing that you will need, to obtain your MAFB hunting permit.

The Base Hunter Safety Briefs will be offered on August 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, September 4th and 11th. We will also hold two briefings in October and two in November for people returning from deployments or newly assigned personnel to Moody AFB. Those dates will be determined as needed. The briefings will be held at Building 622, located in Airfield Management conference room. Next to the Fire Station and across from the Blue Track. Start time will be at 1700. Please arrive there NLT 1645 hrs.

If you have any questions, please contact Dale Dauphinais at (229) 630-8179 or Tim Oropeza at (229) 300-0279.

07/02/2024

The Fourth of July is coming up, and we know many of you are planning some outdoor adventures to celebrate! With this in mind, let’s do a quick overview of the three tick species in Georgia that you need to be wary of. They are the Lone Star, American dog, and the Blacklegged/Deer tick.

Here are some tips and tricks for the summer season to keep you safe:
- If possible, avoid areas of vegetation that are not maintained or are above ankle height.
- When hiking, wear long pants with the legs tucked into your socks. It is also a good idea to tuck your shirt into your pants. Yes, you will look like Urkel but it’s worth it!
- After being outside, check yourself and your pets for ticks. There is evidence that removing the tick as quickly as possible minimizes the chance of disease transmission.
- When removing ticks, pull the tick out with forceps as close to the site of attachment as possible.

06/21/2024

With Pollinator Week 2024 drawing to a close, we wanted to highlight the importance of pollinators in our everyday lives. In total, there are around 200,000 species of pollinators worldwide composed of animals like birds, bees, butterflies, and bats. There are around 1,000 plants grown for food, beverage, fibers, spices, and medicines that need to be pollinated to be able to produce goods we depend on. This summer while you are enjoying your favorite local fruits and veggies, be sure to thank the pollinators!

05/23/2024

It's National Turtle Day! As our days are becoming warmer, we are seeing a lot more turtles on the road. This time of year, turtles are looking for new territory, food sources, and breeding opportunities. Please keep an eye out for these guys when you are on the roads.