Conversations and engaging activities will flow throughout the weekend at the Melvin L. Newman Wetlands Center in Clayton County, which hosts its inaugural We Are Water gathering Saturday and Sunday.
The two-day event, timed to celebrate Newman Wetlands Center’s 30th anniversary and World Wetlands Day Feb. 2, aims to raise awareness around conserving and restoring wetlands, as well as the importance of including more diversity in the community of outdoor enthusiasts.
The weekend will feature workshops, tours, discussions and a film screening led by environmental leaders and experts of color, sharing the benefits wetlands have on humans and the natural world.
Danielle Bunch, Newman Wetlands Center’s conservation specialist since 2015, told UATL We Are Water was specifically created to expose youth and families to local water resources and the great outdoors.
“The goal is to ignite passion for going outside,” Bunch told UATL, “so it starts with creating positive and accessible nature experiences. The wetlands help filter water, mitigate drought and floods, provide recreation spaces and places for food to grow, so it’s a great way to introduce our communities and guests to water recreation,” she added.
“We’re celebrating wetlands, but we’re also going to have a really good time.”
The weekend will begin with Bernard Franks, CEO of Clayton County Water Authority, leading a tour of Huie Nature Preserve.
Melissa Ellis, CEO of Life Beyond Water Global Outreach, a Stockbridge-based nonprofit that provides solutions and education around clean water, will speak about being one of few Black women leading efforts in water sustainability.
“I want to show young girls that you can do other things,” Ellis said. “Water is not just something we drink … people have to find their connection to the most fundamental element that we have.”
The afternoon continues with a screening of “Blackwaters: Brotherhood in the Wild,” a short 2023 documentary which profiles five Black men discussing their experiences as outdoorsmen while they’re backpacking together in Alaska.
Nicholas Brooks, a Decatur native featured in “Blackwaters,” is the founder of Outdoor Gear and Beer, an online company that reviews nature equipment and hosts hands-on outdoor experiences with craft beer. He organizes camping trips and backpacking lessons engineered to be inclusive and welcoming to the Black community.
“After our people started moving to cities during the Great Migration, it removed our culture from outdoor spaces because our ancestors were running for their lives and didn’t feel safe in those sundown towns, so I’m trying to change that,” Brooks said.
Credit: Dudley Edmondson
Credit: Dudley Edmondson
Sunday has activities for beginners, starting with a 6 a.m. hike on Newman’s treatment wetlands, where participants will watch as approximately one million blackbirds leave their roost for the day.
Dudley Edmondson, wildlife photographer and author of the recently published book “People the Planet Needs Now: Voices for Justice, Science and a Future of Promise,” is demonstrating how to use cameras and binoculars on the trails.
Edmondson said Black people should reject stereotypes about their existence in wildlife, and instead appreciate the psychological and health benefits that come from embracing greenspaces, fresh air and public land.
“This is not the domain of white men in white coats with pocket protectors. Our African ancestry has always tied us to the land, and it’s not just for Black folks in overalls and bare feet, so we need to convince our own people that we have a place in science, nature and the environment,” Edmonson said.
“You can shed that persona that comes with living in the city and urban environments. It’s a space where you can witness natural beauty, be and discover who you really are. It’s getting some of that therapy and respice we need as some of the most highly stressed people in the country.”
Sunday’s events will also include a fly-fishing class and kayaking on Blalock Reservoir with free gear provided. Food is provided by Southern Fusion Bistro, a Black-owned brunch restaurant in Jonesboro.
Credit: Clayton County Water Authority
Credit: Clayton County Water Authority
Brooks hopes the weekend reveals a strong Black presence in environment-related spaces.
“We have an opportunity to preserve the outdoors and be part of the change in bringing more inclusion into wildlife,” he said.
Saturday and Sunday. Newman Wetlands Center, 2755 Freeman Road, Hampton. 770-603-5606. newmanwetlandscenter.com
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