Swamp Love, Redux
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Area — a giant peat boggy swamp listed on the Ramsar Site of wetlands of particular ecological importance — is a swath of swamp approximately 438,000 acres in size and one of the largest intact freshwater ecosystems in the world. It is second only to the Atchafalaya Basin near Simmesport, Louisiana which, at almost one million acres, is the largest river swamp in the U.S.
Bald cypress, swamp tupelo, longleaf pine, bobcats, wild turkey and white-tailed deer and alligators galore inhabit this enormous drainage basin that straddles the divide between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico draining from headwaters of the Suwannee (Gulf of Mexico) and the St. Marys (Atlantic Ocean) Rivers. Threatened and endangered species include the red cockaded woodpecker, wood storks and indigo snakes.
The Okefenokee was added to the Ramsar list on December 18, 1986.
Back in 1997, the Okefenokee has been under threat from Dupont’s proposal to begin a 50-year titanium mining operation. The proposal caved under public pressure and Dupont gave in and donated the 16,000 acres it would have mined.
Yet the lure of lucrative minerals remained strong. In 2018, Twin Pines Minerals, LLC tried again but the company didn’t comprehend the size and strength of public opposition to its proposition in the form of 60,000 written comments.
Sadly, during the Trump administration, the Clean Water Act came under fire with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule which rolled back protections for wetlands generally outside of some stringent conditions like adjacency to waterways which meant the Army Corps of Engineers, the arm of the federal government tasked with issuing permits for wetlands development, would no longer make the decision, punting any permitting questions for the Okefenokee to Georgia regulators.
Enter the Georgia General Assembly and H.B. 1289.
Last week, this impossibly fertile and infinitely important landmark got a boost from state lawmakers in the form of H.B. 1289 — a bill introduced by five Republicans and one Democrat for those of us who think there is no bipartisanship left in the world — to protect the Okefenokee from mining.
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to surface mining, so as to prohibit the director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Natural Resources Department from issuing, modifying, or renewing any permit or accepting any bond to conduct surface mining operations on the geological feature known as Trail Ridge between the St. Marys and Satilla Rivers for future permit applications and amendments; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
The Okefenokee also makes bank. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service estimates that for every dollar the state appropriates, the Okefenokee brings in $1.38 and that doesn’t count the myriad ways the swamp improves society and the environment.
Fingers crossed the bill becomes law and the Okefenokee is protected in perpetuity.
Just when I was starting to lose faith in humanity, something like this happens — politicians from opposite sides of the aisle coming together to save a world-class ecological site.
Game not over yet. Just wow.
2.21.22 pam lazos
I really hope the legislation goes through. We’re destroying the planet for our greed. If only each of us would stay closer to our needs, and stop there. Thanks for sharing this ray of hope, Pam.
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Thanks 🙏 Damyanti. Hope does spring eternal, eh?♥️💕❤️ Ans what better place than in the swamp, the primordial soup of so much of life on this planet. 🌍
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Hi Pam – some parts of the world are in major turmoil … I remember watching a stinking Russian warship spewing black smoke as it went down the English Channel towards Syria – when that was going on – and now seeing the filth being created in Eastern Russia outside Ukraine, and as of today the red-blood of humanity … so so sad. However ,re the Louisiana Swamp – I sure hope the bill gets through asap. Not a good day – but I’m fine … all the best Hilary
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Hilary, I’m so sorry for you and the entire continent of Europe. This is inane behavior on Russia’s part and I can’t believe we’re in this mess. Keep thinking good thoughts and hoping for the highest possible outcome. What else can we do?♥️❤️💕
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I love seeing turtles lounging on a log – they always looks so peaceful. The frog looks apprehensive, but hopeful for that decision. Thankful for politicians understanding the importance of nature – fingers crossed.
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I do not what to say? Greed seems to be unstoppable, hopefully they will not get away with it.
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♥️🙏
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Not sure if you can play this. It’s a BBC podcast. If you can you may find it fascinating.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00081t7
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That was crazy, Geoff! I have often thought that the world wouldn’t be on the brink of disaster if Bush v. Gore would have gone the other way, but I never thought that his loss was precipitated by a specific event. And I do remember that event and feeling so sorry for everyone involved, esp the little boy who lost his mother and had to go back without her to who knows what kind of dad.
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It’s a great little series. The one about the US gun surge being linked to a 1960s Black Panthar protest is worth a listen esp as back then the NRA were pressing to limit the number of guns….!
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Constantly twisting and turning the narrative to suit their evil purposes. 😳
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Also not sure what happened but for some reason I haven’t been receiving your posts, Geoff. I know you took some time off to write but for some reason when you resumed posting I wasn’t getting them. Hopefully all resolved now. 💕
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WP has its funny little ways… nice to see you again…
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♥️♥️♥️
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I hope it goes through!!
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Me, too.🙏
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I have almost zero respect for Republicans. But I guess that once in a blue moon they act properly.
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It is a strange turn of events to say the least, Neil.
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me too — hard not to wonder what their agenda is even in this case — but thanks, Pam, for the good news. we must all continually work to keep the good things as well as make things better 🙂
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Yes, we must. ♥️
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They better not ruin this special place.
It always comes down to money, corporate greed and money.
Even if it gets to be protected in perpetuity, another trump could come along & change all that.
Love the frog shot, Pam!
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I know, right, Resa?! That’s why they need to lock that 💩 down while they can!😂😂😂
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LOL!
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🤪
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🤪
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I love swamp ecosystems…that’s what I grew up with. Fingers and toes crossed…
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Where oh where did you grow up? Do tell!
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Florida… 🙂
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Nice. I’ve never been to the Everglades although I’ve been to Florida a bunch of times. My loss, I know.
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Yeah, it’s heartbreaking what developers, aided and abetted by local politicians, are doing to the ecosystem there…but it’s an amazing place…I love Myakka State Park, Corkscrew, and more…
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Def have to visit someday!
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Say hi to the gators and the scarlet ibises and the roseate spoonbills and…okay I’ll quit. *laugh*
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♥️♥️♥️
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I HOPE So, Lady Pam. Truly. Agree with mari’s comment above. It is all greed.
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Why can such a small percentage of people ruin it for the rest of us, eh? 🤬
Enjoy the day, Lady Shey. ♥️💕😘
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It wa sever thus. I jsut think they show their hands now. xxxx
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Trump made that all okay, sadly.😞
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Pam, my fingers are crossed that the bill H.B. 1289 will be passed. So glad to know that our lawmakers on opposing sides can get together to pass vital legislation. The face of that resting frog says it all.
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😂😂😂 thanks, Rose. 🌹 🙏
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You know what? Thank goodness that there’s always a opposition excited! 🤪🥰❤️🙏
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🙏👍👏
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Lovely place… I see from your remarks about the Trump administration that our Boris Johnson & his minsters are indeed following in the steps of Trump – axing or attempting to axe everything which matters from our National Health Service to precious sites for nature and wildlife. These guys are real wreckers and short-term thinkers – profit today and no tomorrow! And there are far too many of them leading countries all over the world now… glad something is being proposed to put right one tiny thing in Georgia! Let us hope…
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So true, Mari. It’s like the know the end is near and they are stockpiling all the money they can at the risk of everything else. 🤨
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