Conserving the Altamaha River Ecosystem: The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy Georgia Chapter has identified the Altamaha River ecosystem as an important wild area to preserve. The Conservancy has been working on the preservation of this area since 1969. In 1991, The Nature Conservancy recognized the Altamaha River as a top conservation priority, and officially designated it the Altamaha River Bioreserve. The purchase of the Moody Forest Natural Area was a great contribution to the larger goal of preserving the whole ecosystem.

In addition to purchasing land around the Altamaha River, the Conservancy uses other approaches to preserve the whole ecosystem. They assist landowners in managing their property for endangered species, provide assistance to others interested in purchasing or managing land in an "earth-friendly" way, and work with the public on conservation planning.

Ms. Christine Griffiths, Outreach Coordinator for the Altamaha River Bioreserve, helps people in the community learn more about the ecosystem. Through newsletters and meetings with community members, Ms. Griffiths educates people about the value of their local resources. It is important to communicate that natural resources are both environmental and economic treasures.

The Nature Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization that has been working to preserve natural areas in the United States and around the world for 50 years. The Nature Conservancy's leading method of conserving land is to purchase a piece of land and establish it as a nature preserve. To date, The Nature Conservancy has purchased 92 million (92,000,000) acres - this is almost two and a half (2.5) times the size of the state of Georgia! Once the Conservancy purchases land, it appoints people who are skilled in ecology and land management to care for the land.

Land purchases are made possible by donations of money from individuals such as yourself, companies, and state and national agencies. Besides donating money, individuals can help support the Conservancy by offering their time and energy to work on conservation projects.

In addition to purchasing land, The Nature Conservancy organizes conservation projects, assists private, business, and government landowners in managing natural areas, and provides education to the public about conservation issues.

You can learn more about The Nature Conservancy at their website, http://nature.org