Georgia Rivers

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a proposal to add approximately 22,000 acres to the acquisition boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. This proposed expansion could preserve the integrity of Okefenokee Trail Ridge from mining, conserve wetlands and wildlife habitats and protect neighboring properties from wildfires. “Scientists say that to protect what’s inside the swamp, you have to protect what’s on the outside- and that’s Trail Ridge, the hydrogeologic dam holding water in the swamp,” said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers. Take action to protect Trail Ridge and the Okefenokee by telling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service they have your support on a proposal to expand the acquisition boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting public input on the proposal until November 18. Take action: https://lnkd.in/erc3tQ6s

EXPLORE Georgia Rivers! With over 70,000 miles of rivers and streams across the state, you are never more than a few miles from a waterway ready for exploration. Georgia Rivers is dedicated to providing everything you need to explore the rivers near you. 🛶 Georgia Rivers is the state’s nonprofit partner running the Georgia Water Trail Network. This network of water trails, similar to hiking trails, includes nearly 40 waterways and 2,350 paddling miles. These water trails promote outdoor recreation tourism for rural economic development and improve quality of life for all Georgians. 📱Paddlers can discover and explore all water trails on our free Georgia River Guide mobile app. 📚️ Dive deeper into the rich cultural and natural history of Georgia rivers in our Georgia River User’s Guidebook series. Visit garivers.org/explore for more resources to explore Georgia rivers. Visit https://lnkd.in/exN8EiH8 to learn more about our new look to continue our mission. #GeorgiaRivers #WeareGeorgiaRivers #PaddleGeorgia #riverprotection #riverrecreation

PADDLE Georgia Rivers! Georgia rivers are a place of transformation for those picking up a paddle for the first time and avid paddlers alike. No one is the same after a wild experience on a river, stream, lake or swamp. We believe Georgia rivers have the power to reunite us with nature and with each other. Georgia rivers are gathering places for healing, empowerment, and community. Georgia Rivers offers paddle trips and paddlesports training to welcome everyone out on our rivers. 🛶 We host paddle trips and weekend adventures on rivers in every part of the state. Our annual Paddle Georgia trip includes up to 400 participants and is the largest week-long canoe and kayaking camping adventure of its kind in the nation. 🛶 Georgia Rivers offers paddle training through water safety classes, kayak skills classes, and kayak instructor certification courses. In 2023, the American Canoe Association recognized us as the top paddling club in the nation for training beginner paddlers. Our paddlesports training pathway bridges the knowledge gap for paddlers looking to increase their skills and maximize their fun on Georgia rivers. Visit garivers.org/paddle for more details on our paddle trips and paddlesports training. Visit https://lnkd.in/exN8EiH8 to learn more about our new look to continue our mission. #GeorgiaRivers #WeareGeorgiaRivers #PaddleGeorgia #riverprotection #riverrecreation

PROTECT Georgia Rivers! Georgia rivers are the source of life in our state. Clean flowing rivers provide drinking water, powerful rivers provide energy, and healthy waterways sustain our ecosystems and draw us to connect with nature. 💧Georgia Rivers protects rivers through science and advocacy to ensure all rivers are clean, healthy and safe to swim. Our mission is to keep rivers open for public recreation, ensure the responsible use of water resources, and provide a clean water legacy for future generations. 💧We unite river protectors and provide leadership for the Georgia Water Coalition, Okefenokee Protection Alliance, and Georgia Outdoor Recreation Coalition as the fiscal sponsor. Visit garivers.org/protect to learn more about our advocacy efforts and take action. Visit https://lnkd.in/exN8EiH8 to learn more about our new look to continue our mission. #GeorgiaRivers #WeareGeorgiaRivers #PaddleGeorgia #riverprotection #riverrecreation

Introducing...Georgia Rivers! After our 25th anniversary, we saw an opportunity to reimagine our brand to reflect the rivers and streams that flow through Georgia. That’s why we’re reintroducing ourselves with a new name and look that emphasizes our commitment to protect and connect people with Georgia rivers. We are Georgia Rivers! Georgia rivers start in humble headwaters, gather momentum, confluence with other streams and form mighty rivers. Thanks to you, Georgia Rivers is one mighty movement for river protection throughout our state. Our new logo features a single flowing river to represent our growing river protection community united on a single goal: protect our rivers for generations to come. Visit https://lnkd.in/exN8EiH8 to learn more about our mission and our programs to protect, paddle and explore Georgia rivers. #GeorgiaRivers #WeareGeorgiaRivers #PaddleGeorgia #riverprotection #riverrecreation

Explore Georgia Water Trails! 🛶 Georgia River Network is promoting our outdoor recreation economy and public access to float Georgia rivers at the Governor's Tourism Conference. River recreation is a huge draw for tourism. In 2022, outdoor recreation accounted for 2.1 percent of the Georgia’s gross domestic product; boating and fishing alone generated $1.1 billion in economic activity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Explore nearly 40 water trails and over 2,350 paddling miles in Georgia on our Georgia River Guide app: https://lnkd.in/dppPaSss 📷️: Rena Ann Peck with Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail’s Kim Bednarek and Georgia Convention & Visitors Bureaus’ Amanda Dyson-Thompson

Learn how Georgia's rivers and streams bring a flow of tourism and recreation that boosts the state's economy in the September issue of Georgia Trend magazine! https://lnkd.in/eNdRPiYe Thank you for spotlighting Georgia's amazing rivers, Georgia Trend! #GeorgiaRivers #ProtectTheFreedomtoFloat #RiverRecreation #ProtectTheOkefenokee

STAND UP FOR GEORGIA RIVERS! We are honored to be featured in the September issue of Georgia Trend magazine! Read LeeAnn Dance's article to learn more about how Georgia's rivers and streams also bring a flow of tourism and recreation that boosts the state's economy. https://lnkd.in/eNdRPiYe Thank you for spotlighting Georgia's amazing rivers, Georgia Trend! #GeorgiaRivers #ProtectTheFreedomtoFloat #RiverRecreation #ProtectTheOkefenokee

We are ONE WEEK AWAY from hosting the Georgia Rivers Gala on August 22 at the Atlanta History Center! The gala will honor a number of individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to both river conservation and river recreation across Georgia: 🛶 President Jimmy Carter will receive the Georgia River Hero award for his enduring environmental legacy for Georgia’s rivers. Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, will accept the Georgia River Hero award on his behalf. 🐊 Michael Lusk, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Manager, will be honored for his work to protect the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail, a vital water trail that allows everyone to access and explore the vast Okefenokee. 🚣♀️ Georgia Canoeing Association will be honored for their continued partnership to increase the paddlesports community and protect paddlers’ access to Georgia’s waterways. 💧The Freedom to Float Coalition, including Rep. David Jenkins and Sen Shawn Still, will be recognized for their efforts to advocate for legislation that will keep Georgia's rivers accessible for river recreation. 🐟️ Patagonia will receive the Corporate River Champion award for their exemplary philanthropic leadership, and with gratitude for their significant contributions to Georgia River Network. Learn more about the Georgia Rivers Gala and our advocacy work to protect the freedom to float Georgia's rivers and streams on our event website: https://lnkd.in/epnqUaKp

Georgia River Network would like to congratulate our neighbors in Tennessee on their brand new Office of Outdoor Recreation and the $15 million investment the state is making into supporting Tennessee Blueways! We are super excited to see what our neighbors can accomplish in river recreation and glad to see our own Andrea White at the table helping the Tennessee Blueways initiative with all of her knowledge about the paddling community and water trails. Our hope is to launch an Office of Outdoor Recreation here in Georgia to expand river recreation and our water trails program. We hope to learn a lot from our neighbors! Read more about the Office of Outdoor Recreation in Tennessee here: https://lnkd.in/e3VWunjS 📷 : Andrea White recently paddled the Duck River in Tennessee with the steering committee of the Tennessee Blueways project.