Conservationists are celebrating a win in southern Georgia. On June 20, The Conservation Fund (TCF) announced that it had purchased the land and mineral rights of 7,765 acres adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge—a pristine 396,000-acre swamp and the largest National Wildlife Refuge east of the Mississippi.
The announcement brings a years-long saga over a controversial effort by Twin Pines Minerals LLC to develop a strip mine for titanium dioxide right next to the wildlife area to an end. Conservation groups including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) fought the proposed mine because of the potential negative impacts it could have on the famed wetlands.
Experts say that if developed, it could have dewatered the Okefenokee wetlands, damaged the structural integrity of the area, and more. The proposed mine stood to impact wildlife habitat, including nursery and breeding grounds for sport fish, three different hunting units for small and big game, and one of Georgia’s last strongholds for black bears—not to mention diverse species of birds, alligators, and other wildlife.
The proposal gained increased exposure last spring after the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GEPD) released draft permits for the 584-acre strip mine, causing conservation groups to step up efforts against it.
According to reporting by the Florida Times-Union, TCF has officially closed on one of two deals to buy the land and mineral rights from Twin Pines following extended negotiations. A handful of funders helped the conservation group come up with $60.1 million to close the deal. Twin Peaks cashed out and avoided lawsuits and other regulatory challenges over its proposal.
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“Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a special place and one of the most important natural treasures in Georgia. It’s the kind of place that sticks with us and sustains us,” said Stacy Funderburke, vice president of the central Southeast region at TCF. “By purchasing this land from Twin Pines, TCF will ensure that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge remains wild and unspoiled for all Americans.”
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