Victory for Creation: A Historic Win for the Okefenokee

Yesterday, Georgia witnessed a remarkable victory for our environment and for all those who believe in the moral call to care for creation. In a historic agreement, Twin Pines Minerals has agreed to sell more than 8,000 acres of land near the Okefenokee Swamp for conservation—effectively halting the proposed mining project that posed serious risks to one of the most ecologically and spiritually significant wetlands in North America.

An alligator swimming in Okefenokee swamp on a misty fall morning.

For years, Catholics and other people of faith raised their voices in defense of the swamp. And they were heard.

We congratulate the many environmental and other adocacy groups who played a role in raising awareness about this issue.

We thank the work of the Conservation Fund, and in particular the James M. Cox Foundation and the Holdfast Collective (funded by Patagonia), for providing financial support to secure the land for conservation.

And we thank our Encounter GA members who advocated for the Okefenokee with state legislators and at the State Capitol during Conservation Day in 2024 and 2025.

A great blue heron in the Okefenokee swamp

As Catholics, we recognize this as more than just a policy win. It is a sign of what Pope Francis calls us to in Laudato Deum’: a “cultural revolution” that reawakens our sense of mutual responsibility with the earth and with one another. The Okefenokee, sometimes referred to as Georgia’s Yellowstone, is not just land—it is sacred ground, home to extraordinary biodiversity, Indigenous heritage, and generations of stories tied to water, soil, and spirit.

Pope Francis reminds us in Laudate Deum that our actions—or inaction—toward the environment are not neutral. They are moral choices. The advocacy that led to this conservation victory is an example of what faithful citizenship looks like in practice: speaking out with love, standing with the vulnerable (human and non-human alike), and choosing the common good over short-term gain.

This win reminds us that advocacy works. Public voices matter. And when we come together to honor our shared responsibility as stewards of creation, change is possible.

There is still more work to be done. Additional sections of trail ridge still need protection. And the Okefenokee will be up for consideration in 2026 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stay tuned as we share any advocacy opportunities to continue protecting this sacred land.

But for now, let us rejoice in this incredible victory for the swamp — and let us continue this important work.