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Our Conservation Legacy

1997 Fought to Stop Proposed Mining Near Okefenokee Swamp

In 1997, Du Pont De Nemours & Company (Du Pont) proposed to develop a strip mine on 38,000 acres of the Trail Ridge that runs along the eastern border of the Okefenokee Swamp and adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The mining operation would have included the clearing of vegetation in approximately one-square-mile sections, dredging the cleared area to 50 feet below ground level with a sand dredge, extracting the minerals, and back-filling the mined area.

Knowing that the mining process could pose serious threats to the swamp, GWF stepped in and played a key role in stopping the mining proposal in order to research the options in detail. A 28-member collaborative group was formed, including a representative from GWF and Du Pont. After two years of discussions, the group decided that the “no mine” option was the only responsible decision.

GWF continues working on this issue, and hopes to eventually retire the mineral rights on the land, place additional acres in the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, and develop a world-class Education & Research Center in Folkston, Georgia.