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John,
It's the largest wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River.[1] And it's threatened by strip mining.
An alligator glides through still waters surrounded by cypress trees dripping with spanish moss. Huddled in the branches are scores of massive white wood storks. Baby black bears amble along the edge of the marsh.
This is the one-of-a-kind Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia. While a recent land deal stopped one mining proposal, the entire eastern boundary of the Okefenokee needs protection.
Tell Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: Permanently protect the Okefenokee from strip mining.
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The Okefenokee is one of the largest intact freshwater ecosystems in the world.[2] The water moves so slowly that the wild mossy trees are reflected nearly perfectly on its dark surface.
In the Okefenokee, threatened species are at home -- from wood storks to indigo snakes to red-cockaded woodpeckers.[3]
It's a place to slow down and appreciate nature. You can canoe to a campsite on a platform in the middle of the water, kick back and look up at the night sky. It's one of the only certified dark sky parks in the southeastern United States.[4]
Mining near the Okefenokee could pollute and permanently alter this ecosystem.
That's why we were thrilled when a land deal halted the proposed titanium dioxide mine near the Okefenokee. 8,000 acres will be conserved and protected -- for now. But this only protects part of the Okefenokee's eastern boundary, and we can't let future strip mining proposals threaten this special place.[5]
Add your name to defend the Okefenokee Swamp from mining.
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Mining would create constant noise and generate toxic pollution.
It could drain some of the water from the swamp -- already struggling with drought, the Okefenokee couldn't handle losing more of its water. Draining the water could trigger uncontrollable wildfires, burning up this critical habitat.[6]
And to make matters worse, titanium dioxide isn't some critically important mineral. It's used to make things like powdered donuts and toothpaste look "whiter."
We shouldn't destroy this incredible ecosystem just to make things look a little whiter. We need Gov. Kemp to do everything he can to stop mining from destroying the Okefenokee. We're calling on the governor to push for permanent protections for the entire eastern boundary of the Okefenokee and support a UNESCO world heritage designation.
Don't let mining devastate a place like nowhere else in the world. Add your name now.
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Thank you,
Lisa Frank
Executive Director
1. "Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: About Us," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
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2. "Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: About Us," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
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3. "Okefenokee Wildlife List," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
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4. "Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
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5. Drew Kann, "Historic land deal halts mine planned next to Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 20, 2025.
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6. Jennette Gayer, "Protect Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp," Environment Georgia, April 22, 2025.
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