Suwannee Riverkeeper is supposed to speak for five minutes to a Georgia Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism. It’s a public meeting, so y’all come.

That will be at 9 AM, Wednesday, October 15, 2025,
at the Rainwater Conference Center, 1 Meeting Place Valdosta GA 31601-7710.
That’s between I-75 Exits 16 and 18.

Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism, Rainwater Conference Center, Valdosta, GA, 2025-10-15

There doesn’t seem to be any facebook event by the state, county, or city, so here’s one by WWALS:
https://www.facebook.com/events/796397306306784/

I’m listed under Arts & Education Tourism, so I might as well mention the WWALS River Revue and Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, as well as the education component of the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp.

This committee was completed by Senate Resolution 323, which includes:

WHEREAS, Georgia has beautiful vistas and natural resources meant to be seen and savored, including mountains, canyons, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, and beaches; and

Well, let’s talk about the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle and the Alapahoochee River chainsaw cleanup with the surprise dead gator. Plus the Banks Lake Full Moon paddles, and the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp campouts and paddles in November and December.

Also:

WHEREAS, Georgia hosts an amazing collection of local celebrations and festivals for both locals and visitors to enjoy, such as the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Oktoberfest in Helen, the International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, and the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah; and

More reason to talk about all three of the above events.

And I must wedge in a note about paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating are the real economic uses of rivers these days, not shipping bales of cotton down the river to market. So Georgia’s antique 1863 navigability law needs to be updated.

Is that enough to cram into five minutes?

This Studay Committee has previously met in Gainesville.

Gainesville 2025-08-14

And in Savannah.

Savannah 2025-09-24

 -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/

Agenda

Breakfast 8:15 AM; Meeting Begins 9:00 AM
PDF

Suwannee Riverkeeper
PDF

WLRWT

Map: Future Troupville River Camp, Center of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT)

SR323

Local celebrations and festivals
PDF

Lakes and rivers
PDF

Logistics
PDF

Report and minutes
PDF

 -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/

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