LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
This region is safeguarded by a number of environmental organizations dedicated to addressing water pollution and conservation, as well as wildlife protection. Each of these organizations is run by dedicated and passionate individuals who could use your help.
Please follow the links to their sites for more information.
RIVERKEEPER
Savannah Riverkeeper is a 501c(3) non-profit organization who's mission is to serve as the "primary guardian of the Savannah River striving to respect, protect, and improve the entire river basin through education, advocacy, and action." In 2017, Savannah Riverkeeper held 47 cleanups, from which they collected 15,283.50 lbs of litter with the help of 634 volunteers.
If you would like to join their ranks please visit here.
Slide Show: Executive Director Tonya Bonitatibus, volunteers at various cleanup sights.
SAVANNAH
CLEAN COAST
SAVANNAH
Clean Coast is a Savannah based 501c(3) non-profit volunteer organization focused on monthly cleanups of Georgia's local barrier island beaches, marshes, and waterways. Clean Coast holds at least one cleanup per month and removes an average of 800 - 1000 lbs of debris per cleanup.
For more information please click here.
Slide Show: cleanups at Blackbeard Island, Wassaw Island, and Little Tybee Island.
RIVERKEEPER
OGEECHEE
Ogeechee Riverkeeper was founded in 2004-2005, and works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River watershed by building bridges between people and their local waterways. The watershed includes the Canoochee River and coastal rivers in southeast Georgia from Tybee Island to Sapelo Sound. Ogeechee Riverkeeper works with local communities to share and collect information on the ecological and cultural importance of rivers and streams throughout the watershed, and use that information to amplify the voices of those who speak for the watershed.
To learn more about Ogeechee Riverkeeper please visit their website.
Slide Show: with the help of Georgia Southern University students, locals, and other volunteers, Ogeechee Riverkeeper was able to remove nearly 700 lbs of trash from the Steel Bridge site in Guyton, GA.
Glynn Environmental Coalition is a community non-profit organization aimed at assuring a clean environment and healthy economy for citizens of coastal Georgia. They accomplish these goals through a variety of activities such as: Community Organizing; Technical Assistance; Water Quality and Safe Seafood; Air Quality; Education; Public Hearings; Lobbying Efforts; Clean-Ups; and Superfund Work.
To learn more about the Glynn Enviromental Coalition please visit here.
Slide Show: Georgia-Pacific Pulp and Pager mill discharge into Turtle River (From GEC website).
COALITION
GLYNN ENVIRONMENTAL
FIGHT DIRTY
TYBEE
Fight Dirty Tybee is Tybee Island's grassroots anti-litter campaign. Their primary goal is to keep Tybee Island clean through public awareness and beach clean-ups.
To follow Fight Dirty Tybee on Facebook please visit here.
Slide Show: collected cigarette butts on Tybee Island. Collection buckets and volunteers.
VOLUNTEERS
TYBEE CLEAN BEACH
Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers is a grass-roots organization operated solely by volunteers. They are unique in that they don't produce any waste from their weekly cleanups - all is recycled! TCBV also counts, sorts, and tracks every item so they know what has been recovered and where it came from.
To learn more about Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers please see their website
.
Slide Show: collection from one hour of clean-up. 23,000 cigarette butts, single-use plastic bags, and volunteers.
ENVIRONMENT
YOUTH FOR A CLEANER
YFACE is a nonprofit organization for children, teens, and young adults dedicated to increasing environmental awareness. Through YFACE, participants are provided with learning opportunities aimed at teaching them how to protect their environment along with ways to improve their community through education, networking, and volunteering.
For more information about YFACE please visit their website.
Slideshow: YFACE members, YFACE Youth Recyclable Art Workshop.
100 MILES
One Hundred Miles is a 501(c)3 coastal advocacy organization aimed at "protecting, preserving, and enhancing the 100-mile Georgia coast."
Please visit 100 Miles here for more information.
Slide Show: from 100 Miles website - Jekyll and Cumberland islands.
RIVERKEEPER
ALTAMAHA
The Altamaha Riverkeeper is a grassroots organization dedicated to the protection, defense and restoration of Georgia’s biggest river – the Altamaha – including its tributaries the Ocmulgee, the Oconee and the Ohoopee.
To learn more about Altamaha Riverkeeper please visit their website.
Slide Show: from Altamaha Riverkeeper website - the Altamaha.
CARETTA
RESEARCH PROJECT
The Caretta Research Project is a hands-on research, conservation and education program that has been protecting loggerhead sea turtles on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge since 1973 with the help of 3,000+ participants from all over the world.
For more information on the Caretta Research Project please visit their website.
Slide Show: from Caretta's website - loggerhead sea turtles.
CONSERVANCY
GEORGIA
The Georgia Conservancy is a state-wide, member supported conservation organization whose mission is to "protect and conserve Georgia's natural resources through advocacy, engagement and collaboration."
For more information on the Georgia Conservancy please visit their website.
Slide Show: from Georgia Conservancy's website - the Dungeness Trail, the Table Point Trail, the Terrapin Point Trail on Cumberland Island.
GRAY'S REEF
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
National marine sanctuaries are special areas that protect important marine ecosystems around the nation. The goal of the sanctuary system is to safeguard these important natural and cultural places, while still allowing people to enjoy and use the ocean. Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Sapelo Island, Georgia, is designated as a sanctuary due to the immense diversity and abundance of marine life found there. More than 200 species of fish live at Gray's Reef, along with sea stars, octopuses, whales, turtles, dolphins, sharks, sponges, crabs and many other sea creatures. Fish, dive and take pride in Georgia's amazing underwater park!
For more information on Gray's Reef please visit their website.
Slide Show:
Diver, sponges, gorgonians and fishes. Photo Credit: Greg McFalll for NOAA
Black Sea Bass. Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Photo. Photo Credit: Greg McFalll for NOAA
Marine Debris. GRNMS FishSurvey Photos 07IN
Gray's Reef VR gallery 1 Atlantic Spadefish. Photo Credit: Bill Goodwin for NOAA in collaboration with The Ocean Agency.