Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks
Press Release
November 18, 2019
Volunteers needed to help clear vegetation and remove debris from the Timucuan Indian Grand Site shell ring on Big Talbot Island
Volunteers are needed on Saturday, Nov. 23 to help Timucuan Parks Foundation and the Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks with clean up at the Timucuan Indian Grand Site on Big Talbot Island. The Grand Site is a shell ring and sand burial mound that dates back to AD 950-1200. Volunteers will be working to clear encroaching vegetation, treat palmetto stumps and remove debris from the site of this one-of-a-kind piece of history.
Pre-registration is required and can be done by searching Grand Site Cleanup Volunteer Day at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grand-site-cleanup-volunteer-day-nov-23-2019-tickets-79591304735?aff=ebdssbeac). Volunteers must be 18 years or older, and space is limited. Participants will meet at 9 a.m. on the south end of Big Talbot Island at the Wayside parking area along State Rd. A1A, north of the Simpson’s Creek bridge. They are asked to wear long pants, long sleeves and sturdy shoes and to bring a reusable water bottle, insect repellent and sunscreen. Volunteers are also asked to bring loppers, clippers and work gloves, if they have them. Timucuan Parks Foundation will provide water and Nature Valley granola bars.
Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks will provide lunch at 12 p.m. and rangers will be on hand to provide an update on the plans to open an interpretive trail that will allow the public to view and learn about this historic site. The Timucuan Indian Grand Site is the only ring mound built in the Southeast during the Mississippian period. All others of this type were built in the Archaic period, thousands of years before this one. It is believed the construction of the Grand Shell Ring was an attempt by local St. Johns II groups to connect to an ancestral tradition that had not been practiced along the Atlantic coast for at least 2,000 years.
About Timucuan Parks Foundation
Timucuan Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that preserves, promotes and enhances Jacksonville’s natural areas through community engagement, education and enjoyment. The foundation originated in 1999 with the Preservation Project Jacksonville, Inc. to identify and assist in acquiring the most vulnerable and environmentally sensitive lands in Duval County. The acquisition of lands created the largest urban park system in the United States. Timucuan Parks Foundation works with park partners, including the National Park Service, Florida State Parks and the City of Jacksonville, to promote environmental stewardship, the health benefits of the parks and preserves, and an appreciation for Jacksonville’s special outdoor spaces. For more information, visit timucuanparks.org.
About Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks
The Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks is a nonprofit organization that serves as the community service organization for Talbot Islands State Parks. Created in 1997, The Friends have been providing funds for a variety of projects that might not otherwise be possible, such as interpretive signs and kiosks, support for the turtle and bird nesting programs, and other projects that enhance park operations. For more information, visit www.talbotislands.com.