The Okefenokee Swamp has an estimated 200 million tons of peat. When exposed, it emits carbon dioxide.
Tag: Okefenokee Swamp
Posted inLatest News
Former city arborist continues environmental efforts with “Save the Okefenokee” fundraiser
The exhibit features 20 photographs that capture the beauty and ruggedness of the landscape.
Posted inHannah Jones
Okefenokee Swamp named among top 10 most-endangered waterways in America
Home to the headwaters to the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers, the southeastern swamp was ranked due to concerns over a nearby proposed mining site.
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Speakers at public comment session overwhelmingly oppose mining plans near Okefenokee Swamp
In addition to its ecological value, the Okefenokee Swamp attracts over 600,000 visitors a year, generating $64.7 million in the four surrounding counties.
Posted inLatest News
Sixty-day comment period opens for controversial mining plans near Okefenokee
Twin Pines seeks to mine 582 acres along Trail Ridge, a hydrological divide between the swamp and St. Marys River.
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From appreciation to conservation: Nine families’ first-ever camping trip in the Okefenokee
For two days and nights, the parents and children engaged with nature in ways they never had before.
Posted inLatest News
Federal government gets involved with mining proposals near Okefenokee Swamp, making approval less likely
South Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp — the largest blackwater swamp in North America — is one of the last true wildernesses left in the country. That wilderness has been at-risk for quite some time due to mining, but a recent federal decision might help preserve the swamp for generations to come. The swamp lost federal protections […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: Okefenokee Swamp recognized as place of “unrivaled beauty”
Happy April Fools! With the day almost upon us, let’s take a look at the history of this somewhat strange tradition. And don’t worry, this isn’t an April Fools joke. The day of trickery may be tied to the spring equinox, according to HISTORY, a period where Mother Nature fools us with unpredictable weather. The […]
Posted inColumns
Okefenokee Swamp mining proposal could be affected by Supreme Court ruling
The proposal to mine sand near the Okefenokee Swamp could be affected by a groundbreaking ruling on water rights issued by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Reporter’s Notebook: ATL mayor secures legacy cabinet office, despite concerns over timing
If you’re a music lover who’s been missing live shows, or you just want to take a stroll around the neighborhood, consider checking out Oakhurt’s Porchfest this weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 9, local musicians will perform on the front porches of homes in Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood. Click here to find out more about the annual […]
Posted inColumns
Earth Day 2021: Hope springs eternal, even with threat to Okefenokee Swamp,
By GUEST COLUMNIST JOE COOK, Paddle Georgia coordinator and guidebook series author
In the spring of 1970, Georgia’s then comptroller general and Republican gubernatorial hopeful, Jimmy Bentley, dispatched 65 telegrams to state and national leaders – including President Richard Nixon – all in an attempt to have the date of the country’s first Earth Day celebration changed.
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Quarry proposed alongside Chattahoochee River slowed by Carroll County moratorium
Residents’ opposition to a proposed rock quarry that’s to be located across the Chattahoochee River from South Fulton County has prompted Carroll County to issue a moratorium on new quarries and to start revising regulations on mining sites.
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Okefenokee Swamp: More than 60,000 public comments in period ending Thursday
May 28, Thursday, is the deadline for public comments on the proposed sand mine at the Okefenokee Swamp, a proposal that has garnered attention from environmental advocates nationwide. More than 60,000 public comments have been submitted, the Georgia River Network announced in a morning email.
Posted inLatest News
Okefenokee Swamp: Valuable sands prompt new attempt to mine along Trail Ridge
A test case for mining a valuable sand from the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp is the centerpiece of the new proposal for digging up an 898-acre stretch along the famed Trail Ridge, on a site located in Georgia about 40 miles northwest of Jacksonville.
Posted inColumns
Swamp of Dreams: Okefenokee has been plied for riches for over 100 years
The latest plan to extract profits out of sand near the Okefenokee Swamp fits a pattern that started in the late 1800s and has ties to historic names in Atlanta’s growth – including Inman Park developer Joel Hurt, and an owner of the ‘Atlanta Journal’ who parleyed presidential endorsement editorials into a post as U.S. Secretary of Interior.
Posted inColumns
Okefenokee Swamp: Proposed sand mine may have national security implications
The proposal to mine sand near the Okefenokee Swamp could involve matters of national security. Products created with components in the sand are used in military aircraft, satellites, missiles and munitions, and naval vessels. The U.S. now imports almost 100 percent of the material and the top two sources are Japan and Russia; the Commerce Department is conducting a security analysis.
