Where Georgia state legislators and aides could not miss us, half a dozen groups presented Okefenokee Day in the hallways of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.

Okefenokee Day, Georgia state Capitol 2025-02-06, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

This was the flyer for organizers. I’m one, since Suwannee Riverkeeper is part of the Okefenokee Partnership which was the principal organizing body for this event.

Okefenokee Day Flyer

Special thanks to Kim Bednarek, Executive Director of Okefenokee Swamp Park, and other OSP personnel, for many things.

Okefenokee Swamp Park E.D. Kim Bednarek and OSP personnel

Here is everybody lined up before the event officially started, as in before noon when lunch was handed out to legislators who wanted to eat.

Presenters, Okefenokee Day

I won’t attempt to name all the presenters, because I will forget someone. But that’s my cousin Charles McMillan on the left, formerly of the Nature Conservancy.

As soon as I set down a few WhirlPaks on the Suwannee Riverkeeper table, this man came up and started talking about water quality testing. He turned out to be University of Georgia Professor Emeritus Todd Rasmussen, whom we have cited many times in letters opposing the titanium dioxide mining application far too close to the Okefenokee Swamp.

I spoke to a number of people involved in the potential legislative action about mining. Remember, four counties and a city already passed resolutions asking for a moratorium on mining around the Okefenokee Swamp. Stay tuned.

UGA Prof. Emeritus Todd Rasmussen

Here is Todd Rasmussen at his table.

Todd Rasmussen presenting

Todd Rasmussen explains

Around the corner was the biggest display.

Around the corner

Of course by Okefenokee Swamp Park.

Okefenokee Swamp Park

The alligator suit was a hit with people from teenagers to venerable legislators who wanted a picture with it.

Pictures with an alligator

St. Marys Riverkeeper recently hired their Sturgeon Intern Lucas Miley, who needed some table space, so I let him use one end of our table.

St. Marys Riverkeeper Sturgeon Intern Lucas Muley

The Suwannee Riverkeeper table had water trail rack cards and z-fold brochures, water trail signs, and newsletters. Plus a few WhirlPaks.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman

Here’s our table, plus Todd Rasmussen for respectability.

St. Marys Riverkeeper intern, Suwannee Riverkeeper, Todd Rasmussen

Here is the princiapal custodian of the reason for the event, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Michael Lusk is the manager of both the Okefenokee and the Banks Lake NWRs. I discussed the relevant water trail signs with him and Veronica Kelly. They are mulling a few edits.

Michael Lusk, Manager, ONWR

I picked up a copy of the UNESCO World Heritage Site bid book. It’s very professional. Also great throw-weight.

ONWR books: comprehensive plan and UNESCO World Heritage Site bid

On the ONWR entrance road is The Farm at Okefenokee.

Judy Parnitzke of The Farm at Okefenokee

School groups often visit the Capitol.

Crowd of teenagers

And if there’s one of these in the Capitol building, why not more elsewhere?

Recyle here

And don’t worry, Floridians. Week after next is three days straight in Gainesville.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Short Link: