A fog has been lifted from the Okefenokee Swamp! This week, The Conservation Fund finalized a deal to purchase approximately 8,000 acres near the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Those acres, located on nearby Trail Ridge, were under threat of heavy mineral mining by Alabama-based Twin Pines, LLC. With this critical conservation deal, advocates and local champions of the Swamp can celebrate the permanent protection of a critical area of Trail Ridge, a geologic feature that supports the ecological integrity of the Okefenokee. The Georgia Conservancy thanks and congratulates our partners at The Conservation Fund and the private funders who generously made this historic deal possible. Tremendous amounts of time and resources from various individuals and groups went into reaching this key moment. The 8,000 acres on Trail Ridge, which are home to upland pine forests and wetlands, will be permanently conserved and managed for public access, with the eventual addition to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a long-term goal. Throughout Georgia’s history, many of our greatest conservation successes have been won through a series of long-fought victories – from Cumberland Island National Seashore to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The establishment of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in the 1930s was no different, and this week’s protection of a critical area of Trail Ridge by The Conservation Fund and private donors continues to underscore the complexity of conservation deals, which require time, trust, funding, and a multitude of partners. Thank you to our supporters and donors who have helped to facilitate this incredible conservation opportunity, as well as our many partner organizations that have collaborated on public engagement and outreach to protect the Okefenokee. Your unwavering and vocal support of the Okefenokee Swamp led to this outcome! #georgia #okefenokee #conservation #okefenokeeswamp