NOW'S THE TIME TO ACT!

Your engagement is crucial to protecting our St. Marys River! We are grateful for you and your advocacy to #ProtectWhatWeLove

GEORGIA

Support HB 561

Okefenokee Protection Act

Support HB 562

5-year Mining Moratorium on Trail Ridge

The next 10 days of the Georgia legislative session are critical in our fight to protect the Okefenokee Swamp—and we need your help to get good bills across the finish line before Crossover Day!

H.B 561 is the renewed Okefenokee Protection Act which would prohibit future permit applications and amendments to conduct surface mining on Trail Ridge. This bill would permanently protect Trail Ridge from all mining operations to ensure our headwaters and our river are protected from degradation for generations.

H.B 562 introduces a clean five-year moratorium on all applications and requests for modifications on existing permits related to surface mining operations on Trail Ridge. It would give scientists, landowners, and legislators much-needed time to develop a vision for the Okefenokee Swamp.

If passed, HB 562 would finally grant the Okefenokee the legislative protection it deserves. But first, it must pass out of the House Natural Resources Committee and then pass a full vote in the House of Representatives by midnight on Crossover Day (Thursday, March 6th).

The fight to protect the Okefenokee Swamp has been a long and grueling one—and we can't let up now. Thank you for standing strong and continuing to make your voice heard every step of the way.

Coastal legislators Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) and Stephen Sainz (R-St. Marys) are the second and third co-sponsors on both bills, respectively.

Tell your Representatives: Support HB 561 and HB 562

Taking the St. Marys River all the way to the Georgia Capital!

Meeting with local GA Legislators on Capital Conservation Day in 2023.From left to right: Rep Corbett (R-174th), Satilla Riverkeeper (former), St. Marys Riverkeeper, and Rep. Sainz (R-180th)

YOUR St. Marys Riverkeeper will be at the Georgia Capital on Monday March 3 to speak for our River in support of HB 561 and 562 and will be meeting with our local representatives on March 4 for Capital Conservation Day.

HB 561/562 will be heard in the House Natural Resources and Environment Resource Management Subcommittee. The hearing is on Monday, March 3 starting at 1:00p. You can watch the live stream HERE.

Want to be part of the movement? Come spend the day with us and other conservation friends during Capitol Conservation Day March 4! Meet with your legislators and advocate for clean water in Georgia. Register through Georgia Water Coalition

As the VOICE for the St. Marys River, St. Marys Riverkeeper must engage with local, state, and federal elected leaders to create positive change for our river community. During legislative session, this requires trips to our state capitals.

Please consider donating to our advocacy work to ensure that the St. Marys River is present under the gold dome when legislation is being considered that could impact our river.

We are raising funds to cover our expenses to go to the Capital next week! We need to raise $1,500 for this important advocacy work. Every dollar makes a difference!

Support our advocacy work. Donate TODAY!

FLORIDA

Support SB 80/HB 209

State Park Preservation Act

Last summer, thousands of Floridians rallied together to oppose a ridiculous proposal to build hotels, golf courses, and pickleball courts in State Parks across Florida. In response to that outcry, legislators have filed Senate Bill 80, the "State Park Preservation Act" to prevent similar threats in the future. While this bill is a step in the right direction, It needs stronger language to adequately protect our parks.

St. Marys Riverkeeper, along with 70 other organizations and businesses, signed onto the State Park Protection Act Letter to express our concerns that the proposed language in the bills fail to prevent future proposals from being eligible for consideration to develop on our state public lands.

The first day of Florida legislative session begins March 4, 2025, but our work begins now to protect our state lands and public parks!

Tell your Legislators to Strengthen SB80/HB209

Community action leads to watershed wide change!

Water Quality Training March 15th

Become a Citizen Scientist! Get certified to monitor your local waterways by attending one of Adopt-A-Stream’s QA/QC workshops! QA/QC stands for Quality Assurance/Quality Control, meaning volunteers must all be trained to use the same techniques to ensure that the data they submit are accurate, precise, and credible.

27th Annual

St. Marys River Clean Up April 19th

Join us for the 27th Annual St. Marys River Cleanup from 9:00a-11:00a. This is a watershed wide cleanup with participation in all four counties. Our 2024 cleanup resulted in 400 Volunteers pulling 6 tons of trash and debris from the river and surrounding areas.

Registration Coming Soon!

Visit our Events Page to see all we have going on...

Barred Owl watching over St. Marys River

Top Five Ways to Enjoy the St. Marys River

The St. Marys River offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to connect with nature. The river provides the ideal backdrop no matter what activity you’re enjoying on it.

However, as we enjoy these activities, it’s important to keep a conservation mindset to protect the St. Marys River for future generations. Learn the top five ways to enjoy the St. Marys River while ensuring its health and sustainability for years to come!

Tail of Two Rivers Short Film Movie Poster

'Tail of Two Rivers' nominated for South Georgia Film Festival

Exciting News! Our short film, A Tail of Two Rivers, has been officially nominated for the South Georgia Film Festival!

This powerful film showcases the beauty of the St. Marys River and the threats it faces, highlighting why conservation matters now more than ever. Being selected for this festival is a huge honor and an opportunity to share our mission with an even wider audience.

Join us in celebrating this achievement at the South Georgia Film Festival, held at Valdosta State University from March 7-9.

To learn more and get tickets, click here.

Would you like to schedule a showing of 'Tail of Two Rivers' at your next event or meeting? Please contact Lucas@stmarysriverkeeper.org. Public showings are coming soon. Keep an eye out for dates and locations!

Stay tuned for updates on the full documentary release!

Vote Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for USA Today's Top National Wildlife Refuge!

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is currently ranked #1 in USA Today’s Best National Wildlife Refuge competition - let's keep it that way!

Click HERE to vote daily through March 10th!

Vote Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge top National Wildlife Refuge

Okefenokee Swamp Day at Georgia Capital

On February 6th, we proudly stood alongside conservation partners at the Georgia Capitol for Okefenokee Swamp Day, advocating for the protection of this natural treasure!

Our Sturgeon Intern, Lucas, joined the movement to ensure the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge remains protected for future generations.

Sturgeon Intern, Lucas, advocating at the Georgia Capital for Okefenokee Swamp Day on February 6th 2025.

Photo Credit: Fernandina Observer

City Rejects RYAM Bioethanol Plant Project

The City of Fernandina Beach has rejected the RYAM Bioethanol Plant project—a huge win for environmental advocacy and community action! While St. Marys Riverkeeper did not publicly engage on this issue because RYAM did not apply for any discharge permits into the Amelia River, we have been following it closely.

We are incredibly proud of our conservation partners and community members who stayed vigilant and made their voices heard. This decision reflects the power of grassroots advocacy in protecting our waterways, air quality and ensuring sustainable development for a safe and healthy community.

Our science-based water monitoring program is a critical resource when addressing local stakeholders and when advocating on behalf of clean water to state and local enforcement agencies.

Clean water is vital to the health of all living things, vibrant communities, and strong economies.

Legend: Units are CFU/100mL Good (0 – 235) | Fair (235-536) | Poor (>536).

Designated Swimming: (0-235)
Moderate Swimming: (235-298)
Less Swim / Contact: (298-410)
Infrequent Contact: (410-600)
Avoid Swimming: (>600)

February 2025 Report

January 2025 Report

Welcome Ryan!

We’re beyond excited to welcome Ryan Leavy to our St. Marys Riverkeeper Communications Team!

With extensive experience in marketing & communications, Ryan is ready to help amplify our mission to protect, preserve & celebrate the St. Marys River.

But let’s be real—Ryan clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously, considering he chose this picture to introduce himself! When he’s not on the river with his family, you might find him throwing axes or fully embracing his love for Renaissance Festivals…clearly.

Join us in giving Ryan a warm (and slightly medieval) welcome!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This Valentine's Day, show some love to the heart of our community—the St. Marys River! Our river gives us so much. Let’s give back!

Ways to Love Your River:

Pick up litter and keep our waters clean
Explore the river and appreciate its beauty
Support conservation efforts with a donation
Volunteer to protect our shared treasure

Share your River Moments with us by tagging us on social media and use #StMarysRiverkeeper

Did You Know? The river gets its dark, tea-colored water from tannins released by decaying vegetation in the Okefenokee Swamp. This "blackwater" is naturally acidic and home to unique ecosystems!

Your support allows us to continue vital programs!

Donate Today!