WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What do you think about the fight over a potential titanium mine near the Okefenokee Swamp?
Photo courtesy of USFWS/Larry Woodward and Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge The Okefenokee Swamp has long served as a home to thousands of animals and a popular tourist spot for people. Leaders of the Muskogee Creek Nation, whose ancestors populated the swamp, have called it “the most blissful spot of the earth.” The name “Okefenokee” means “land of the trembling earth” in the Muskogean language.
Photo courtesy of St. Marys Riverkeeper and Dr. Rhett Jackson “Groundwater pumping during the mining process can exacerbate water depletion and impact wetland ecosystems,” St. Marys Riverkeeper said. “The top image depicts how groundwater flow on Trail Ridge (flows) prior to mining. The bottom image depicts how pumping affects surface water levels and flowing streams.”
Photo courtesy of Georgia River Network This map shows how Trail Ridge acts as a barrier for the Okefenokee Swamp. Any mining done on the Ridge could potentially affect the flow of the St. Marys River.
Local experts have shared how they believe a titanium surface mine near the Okefenokee Swamp would impact the St. Marys River, a staple of Nassau County.
Emily Floore, executive director of St. Marys R…