Georgia Conservancy Inc

THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY IS A STATEWIDE, MEMBER-SUPPORTED ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION. GEORGIA CONSERVANCY RECOGNIZES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ECONOMY AND EQUITY. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1967, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE WORKED TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE SOME OF OUR STATE'S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL PLACES. THIS VITAL WORK CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND EVOLVE.

THRIVING COMMUNITIES GOAL: POSITION GEORGIA'S COMMUNITIES TO BE MORE RESILIENT TO ECOLOGICAL, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND ECONOMIC STRESSES.ACCOMPLISHMENTS: - PARTNERING WITH ATLANTA HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE PROVIDED CONSULTATION AND PLANNING SERVICES ON AN INNOVATIVE REVITALIZATION PROJECT- FOCUSED ON WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, WALKABILITY AND HOUSING DIVERSITY- IN NORTHWEST ATLANTA, THE FORMER BOWEN HOMES SITE. THE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS TRANSFORMATION PLAN WILL INFORM THE SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES THAT COMBINES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND THOUGHTFUL, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT.- WE REACHED 30 GEORGIA COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE LOW-IMPACT DESIGN OR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE METHODS.- IN ORDER TO INCREASE HOUSING DIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WE COMPLETED 5 HOUSING STUDIES. - THROUGH ALL OF OUR WORK, WE SUPPORTED 35 COMMUNITIES IN 24 COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE.

ADVOCACY - THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY CONTINUES OUTREACH REGARDING PROPOSED MINING ALONG TRAIL RIDGE NEAR THE OKEFENOKEE, WHICH THREATENS THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF THIS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. - THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY REMAINS PART OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE GEORGIA OUTDOOR STEWARDSHIP COALITION WHICH LED ADVOCACY EFFORTS FOR THE GEORGIA OUTDOOR STEWARDSHIP AMENDMENT WHICH WON 83% OF THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER 2018. WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO GUIDE THE RULEMAKING PROCESS COMPLETED BY THE STATE IN 2019, AND WE SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO APPLY FOR GRANTS SINCE THEN. COASTAL GEORGIA - OUR COASTAL PROGRAM REMAINS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE THREAT OF MINING NEAR THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP, DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY UNDER OUR LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM. GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR ALTERATIONS TO THE SWAMP'S HYDROLOGY TO IMPACT THE ST. MARYS RIVER, THE CONCERN IS SIGNIFICANT FOR GEORGIA'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES, HUMAN AND NATURAL. - FOR OVER FORTY YEARS THE SHORE PROTECTION ACT (SPA) HAS SERVED AS LANDMARK LEGISLATION, ENSURING PROTECTION OF THE SAND-SHARING SYSTEM (DUNES, BEACHES, SHOALS, AND SANDBARS) IN GEORGIA FROM ADVERSE IMPACTS FROM HUMAN ACTIVITY. IN THE 2019 GEORGIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HOUSE BILL (HB) 445 AMENDED THE SHORE PROTECTION ACT TO REDEFINE AND CLARIFY THE SHORE'S JURISDICTIONAL LINE. THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS CHANGE AND SUPPORT RIGOROUS APPLICATION OF SPA TO PRESERVE THE COAST'S ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY.

ENGAGED GEORGIANS GOAL: CREATE STEWARDS AND FOSTER APPRECIATION BY CONNECTING ALL GEORGIANS TO OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.ACCOMPLISHMENTS: - CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO OFFER A GREATER DIVERSITY OF ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY HOSTED SEVERAL VIRTUAL EDUCATION OPTIONS INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE AND SPACEPORT CAMDEN. OUR ESTIMATED VIEWING AUDIENCE FOR THESE AND OTHER CONSERVATION TOPICS WAS A TOTAL OF 4,000 INDIVIDUALS.- AS PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS EASED, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY INCREASED OFFERINGS OF THE STEWARDSHIP TRIPS PROGRAM'S EDUCATIONAL OUTINGS, HOSTING 12 DAY HIKES, PADDLE TRIPS, AND SERVICE PROJECTS AROUND THE STATE DURING FY22. WE REACHED AN ESTIMATED 450 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THESE EVENTS.- TO INCREASE DIVERSE ENGAGEMENT IN THE OUTDOORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, WE LAUNCHED A PILOT MONTHLY HIKING GROUP FOR 15 REFUGEE WOMEN. GUIDED HIKES FACILITATED ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND PROMOTED WELL-BEING STRATEGIES FOR A TYPICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATION. FROM MARCH THROUGH JUNE, WE LED 5 HIKES AROUND METRO ATLANTA TO LOCATIONS SUCH AS SWEET WATER CREEK, ARABIA MOUNTAIN, AND KENNESAW MOUNTAIN.- 21 SCOUTS FROM EAST POINT BOY SCOUT TROOP 1906 PARTICIPATED IN 2 SERVICE PROJECTS THAT MAINTAINED THE EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF TRAILS AT ARABIA MOUNTAIN NATURE PRESERVE AND ALSO PLANTED A FOOD FOREST.

HEALTHY NATURAL SYSTEMS GOAL: PROTECT AND RESTORE GEORGIA'S NATURAL SYSTEMS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: - WE COMPLETED OUR ANALYSIS OF LAND COVER TRENDS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS TO HELP ASSESS FUTURE NEEDS FOR RESOURCE PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY, A PROJECT KNOWN AS GEORGIA NOW AND FOREVER. OUR WORK IDENTIFIED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SPECIFIC LAND COVER TYPES, THEIR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND CARBON BANKING POTENTIAL, AND THE GEOGRAPHIES EXPERIENCING THE MOST DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE. THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS, GEORGIA CONSERVANCY PROPOSED TANGIBLE, PRACTICAL, LOCALIZED LAND USE POLICIES AND TOOLS THAT PROTECT AND CONSERVE THE MOST ECOLOGICALLY VALUABLE LANDSCAPES IN GEORGIA. - WE FORMED TWO NEW ALLIANCES ACROSS THE STATE TO PROTECT ECOLOGICALLY VALUABLE LANDSCAPES FROM EMERGING DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES IN THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP & CUMBERLAND ISLAND. THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WE ARE CURRENTLY SUPPORTING A TOTAL OF FIVE COALITIONS THAT ARE PROTECTING SOME OF OUR STATE'S MOST PRECIOUS PLACES.- THANKS TO OUR ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP, A 50-MILE STRETCH OF LAND ALONG THE OCMULGEE RIVER IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR ADDITIONAL PROTECTION. CONSERVING THIS LAND WOULD CONNECT SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES TO THE ALREADY FEDERALLY PROTECTED OCMULGEE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.- WE ADOPTED NEW TECHNIQUES FOR INCENTIVIZING LAND CONSERVATION BY EXPLORING CARBON SEQUESTRATION WITH PRIVATE LAND TRUSTS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE EDUCATED APPROXIMATELY 1,000 INDIVIDUALS AND WORKED WITH 30 STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, LAND TRUSTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND FOUNDATIONS TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS ON THE FINANCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION. - OUR 2022 LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY INCLUDED MEASURES TO PROTECT GEORGIA'S LAND, WATER, AND COMMUNITIES SUCH AS PURSUING REAUTHORIZATION OF GEORGIA'S CONSERVATION TAX CREDIT PROGRAM AND MONITORING BILLS THAT WOULD WEAKEN PROTECTION FOR GEORGIA'S MARSH AS WELL AS A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE PROTECTIONS FOR THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP.