The Conservation Fund Halts Okefenokee Mining Threat

ATLANTA — Today, The Conservation Fund announced its purchase of the proposed site of a deep earth mine on Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, ending the imminent threat of mining at this location. The purchase ends a six-year effort by Georgians and folks across the South to protect North America’s largest blackwater swamp from mining. 

“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 — a destination for nature lovers and home to unique plants and wildlife like alligators, wood storks and bald eagles,” said Stacy Funderburke, vice president of the central Southeast region at TCF. “By purchasing this land from Twin Pines, The Conservation Fund will ensure that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge remains wild and unspoiled for all Americans.” 

The purchase is critical to protect the nearly half-million-acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which includes over 350,000 acres of designated wilderness. Mining along trail ridge, the eastern edge of the blackwater swamp, would have threatened the water table of the larger refuge and severely impacted the St. Mary’s River watershed, which drains the eastern side of the refuge. Polling from the Southern Environmental Law Center found that 92% of voters believe it is important to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. 

“The work to permanently protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is an all-hands-on-deck effort, and everyone in the conservation community has a role to play,” said Funderburke. “After some of our most dedicated partners exhausted every other avenue to save the swamp, The Conservation Fund stepped in to buy this site from Twin Pines and prevent the biggest threat to the refuge in the last 30 years.” 

A 2024 report commissioned by TCF underscored how the swamp drives economic development in the region. It found that over 800,000 people currently visit the Okefenokee each year, spending $91.5 million in Ware, Charlton, and Clinch Counties. Thanks to efforts by Okefenokee Swamp Park and local partners, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge could soon receive UNESCO World Heritage Site status in recognition of its natural significance and biodiversity, more than doubling visitation. Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue recently penned a letter to the Trump administration urging the president to support the UNESCO designation. Activating this precious resource to accommodate these new visitors will support additional jobs and economic opportunities in the region.  

The effort to protect the Okefenokee has been a top priority for organizations across Georgia and the southeast. The Georgia-based organization One Hundred Miles has been a key supporter in the efforts leading to this outcome.  

“Twin Pines’ decision to sell their land to a conservation buyer instead of to a mining company is a respectable response to the hundreds of thousands of voices who have spoken out against the mining proposal,” said Megan Desrosiers, President and CEO of One Hundred Miles. “One Hundred Miles is grateful and proud to have been part of the effort to bring together funders, environmental organizations, and citizens from across the country together to protect the swamp.” 

TCF has a long history of working to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. A deal the organization forged with DuPont in the early 2000s stopped a different titanium dioxide mine in its tracks and helped grow the refuge. 

In 2019, Twin Pines sought permission to mine near the Okefenokee Swamp, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers required an environmental impact statement. In response, Twin Pines withdrew and resubmitted a smaller project proposal. Three years later, the Army Corps shifted permitting authority back to Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division. EPD still has not approved Twin Pines’ permit. 

About The Conservation Fund
The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms. To learn more, visit www.conservationfund.org.

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