Okefenokee champions celebrate saving the swamp and call for full Okefenokee protection

The Georgia Rivers Gala was hosted by event chairs Blain and Ivan Allen at the Allen Family Meadow in Atlanta.

Key leaders in stopping a mine proposal near the Okefenokee gathered at the Georgia Rivers Gala to call for full protection of Okefenokee’s Trail Ridge

ATHENS, GA, September 23, 2025 – Georgia Rivers hosted the Georgia Rivers Gala at the Ivan Allen Family Meadow in Atlanta on September 18 to celebrate saving the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a proposed mineral mine. The benefit gathered conservationsists, advocates and leaders dedicated to protecting the Okefenokee from future mining threats.

Georgia Rivers used science and advocacy to fight a proposed mineral mine on the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that could have dewatered swamp canoe trails and the headwaters of the St. Marys River.  Georgia Rivers increased public awareness, lobbied  at the Capitol, led Okefenokee Wilderness canoe trips and connected nature philanthropists, including the James M. Cox Foundation and its Chairman James C. Kennedy and Patagonia’s Holdfast Collective, to The Conservation Fund who purchased the potential mine site property from Twin Pines Minerals. 

“Our gala celebrated the historic victory to protect the Okefenokee by stopping Twin Pines’ mine, and fueled our future work to protect over 25,000 acres of at-risk habitat along Okefenokee Trail Ridge from mining by Chemours or other companies,” said Rena Ann Peck, Georgia Rivers executive director. “Georgia Rivers is dedicated to fight mining misinformation with science and encourage protection of working lands along Trail Ridge to ensure this state priority wildlife habitat hub is protected.  If you care about Okefenokee, then you care about keeping Trail Ridge intact and keeping land in forestry. Forestry is the Refuge’s best neighbor, and to protect what’s on the inside, we must protect what’s on the outside.” 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Manager Michael Lusk, Stacy Funderburke and Andrew Schock  of The Conservation Fund and Georgia Rivers executive director Rena Ann Peck by Virginie Drujon-Kippelen

The Georgia Rivers Gala honored 2025 Okefenokee champions influential in raising awareness for the spirit of the swamp and protecting the Okefenokee from mining.

• Congressman Bill Stuckey was honored for designating the Okefenokee Wilderness in 1974. This designation first defined the swamp as an unique area unhabituated by humans and managed to preserve its natural conditions. 
• Rev. Antwon Nixon, founder and director of Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls, was honored for leading initiatives in Folkston to rally the swamp community to protect their natural heritage.
• Kim Bednarek, Okefenokee Swamp Park executive director, was honored for increasing visitation in the swamp as well as increasing international visibility of the natural treasure by nominating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
• Andrew Morse, president and publisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was honored on behalf of the AJC for providing tenacious media coverage to protect the Okefenokee from mining threats. Investigative journalism shined a light on science that shows mining would impact the ecology of the Okefenokee. 
• Andrew Schock and Stacy Funderburke of The Conservation Fund were honored for achieving the historic conservation buyout of the Okefenokee Trail Ridge mine site. 

The Georgia Rivers Gala was hosted by event chairs Blain and Ivan Allen at the Ivan Allen Family Meadow, a fitting backdrop for the Georgia Rivers Gala. The family estate near the Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta is steeped in history and surrounded by creeks that serve as a reminder that water connects us all.

Event Chair Blain Allen and Rhonda O’Gorman paddled the Okefenokee Wilderness Area Canoe Trails together on an 8th grade Pace Academy field trip. 

“I first paddled into the Okefenokee as an 8th grader at Pace Academy, wide-eyed and awe-struck by a world so different from my own,” said Blain Allen. “The stillness, the wildlife, the mystery—it was unforgettable. But what stayed with me just as much was the experience of paddling alongside classmates who became lifelong friends, learning together about the power and fragility of nature. That trip sparked my deep appreciation for Georgia’s wild places and showed me how rivers shape not just landscapes, but people too. Supporting Georgia Rivers and their mission to protect places like the Okefenokee is deeply personal for me. I am proud to chair this year’s Gala and help ensure future generations can fall in love with this swamp just like I did.”

The Georgia Rivers Gala also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Paddle Georgia and honored the canoe culture of the Muscogee Creek Nation.

Paddle Georgia is Georgia Rivers’ annual week-long paddle and camping adventure that has become the largest of its kind in the nation. The event has introduced thousands to Georgia rivers and invited participants to advocate for river recreation and conservation.

Georgia Rivers honored the Muscogee Creek Nation as the first people to paddle and protect Georgia rivers. Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative advocacy director Tracie Revis was honored for her work to create Georgia’s first national park at the ancient Muscogee mounds along the Ocmulgee River.

The presenting sponsors of the Georgia Rivers Gala were Butler Prather LLP, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Cox Enterprises. Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, old-fashioned fish fry, brief awards ceremony, and live music by Rob Jordan & Friends. Proceeds from the Georgia Rivers Gala will benefit the Georgia Water Trails program and Georgia Rivers’ work to promote and protect waterways across the state, including the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trails.

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Interview Contact:

• Rena Ann Peck, executive director Georgia Rivers, rena@garivers.org

About Georgia Rivers:

Georgia Rivers is a statewide 501c3 organization with the mission to protect and connect people with Georgia rivers. Georgia Rivers serves as Georgia DNR’s non-profit partner running the Georgia Water Trails Network,  maps rivers and provides  the free Georgia River Guide mobile app. Georgia Rivers connects people to Georgia rivers by hosting paddle trips across the state, including the signature week-long Paddle Georgia camping adventure hosted on a different Georgia river each year, and kayak training and safety classes. Georgia Rivers also serves as a leader in and the fiscal sponsor of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance, Georgia Outdoor Recreation Coalition and Georgia Water Coalition.

Visit garivers.org to learn more about paddle trips, water trails and ways you can protect Georgia rivers. 

Georgia Rivers hosted the Georgia Rivers Gala at the Ivan Allen Family Meadow in Atlanta on September 18 to celebrate saving the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a proposed mine and 20 years of leading river adventures with Paddle Georgia. 

“Georgia Rivers was grateful for the opportunity to gather so many conservationists, outdoor recreation enthusiasts and leaders dedicated to protecting Georgia rivers and wild spaces,” said Rena Ann Peck, Georgia Rivers executive director.

“Our gala celebrated the historic victory to protect the Okefenokee by stopping Twin Pines’ mine, and fueled our future work to protect over 25,000 acres of at-risk habitat along Okefenokee Trail Ridge from mining by Chemours or other companies,” said Rena Ann Peck, Georgia Rivers executive director. 

Guests experienced a dugout canoe handcrafted by Muscogee artists up close at the Georgia Rivers Gala. This dugout canoe created from a cypress log is on display at the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve in Macon.