By Laura Early, SouthWings Eastern Program Director
North America’s largest blackwater wetland, the Okefenokee Swamp, covers more than 400,000 acres in Southeast Georgia. It is truly a unique freshwater ecosystem — home to more than 600 species of plants, 40 mammals, 60 reptiles, and 30 amphibian species, and visited by more than 200 bird species. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 to protect this important wetland.
An ancient string of barrier islands, known as Trail Ridge, forms the eastern boundary of the Okefenokee, and there has been interest in mining titanium here for decades.
Mining here could impact the hydrology of the Okefenokee, damage important habitat, and increase the risk of wildfires.
The Okefenokee Swamp serves as the headwaters of both the Suwannee River, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico, and the St. Marys River, flowing to the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these blackwater rivers is also home to protected species, and the water quantity and quality in each of these rivers is linked to the Okefenokee Swamp.
The Okefenokee Swamp is a multifaceted asset to the region, providing important ecological services, habitat, and recreational and economic opportunities, and harboring much history and culture. As such, the initiatives to protect the swamp are multifaceted as well. Since 2019, SouthWings has provided 13 flights to support initiatives to protect this invaluable resource.
Many of the SouthWings flights have helped to spread awareness about the importance of the Okefenokee and protecting it from mining threats. In 2021, volunteer pilot Tim Moran flew videographers for a PBS EcoSense for Living episode titled “Okefenokee Destiny.” SouthWings flights also help community leaders, elected officials, artists and activists better understand the landscape and how the Okefenokee is a vital part of it. In 2019, volunteer pilot Allen Nodorft worked with the Suwannee Riverkeeper to fly a community historian, an artist, a congressional staffer, elected officials, journalists, and other community leaders around the swamp.
In 2024, two SouthWings flights helped gain media attention on the issue. In February 2024, volunteer pilot John Steward flew a reporter and videographer from WSBTV in Atlanta over the Okefenokee and surrounding areas with St. Marys Riverkeeper, Emily Floore. The flight was featured in two television segments, as well as an online article.
In March 2024, volunteer pilot Rick Welch flew photographer Hyosub Shin to gather photos for a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The story was published in the Sunday paper, as well as online, and features a photo of the St. Marys River, which could experience a decrease in water levels and exacerbated droughts due to proposed mining activities. Photos will continue to be used to illustrate stories and op-eds related to the Okefenokee Swamp.
The flights offered by volunteer pilots have helped raise awareness across the state about this dangerous proposal. “Thank you so much for making this flight work for our story,” said Leah Dunn, senior producer, WSBTV. “This is going to give our viewers such a unique perspective and understanding of what is happening,”