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 The
Savannah River, a large river whose watershed extends from the Appalachians to
the Atlantic coast, forms the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia.
Human activity in the past decades has transformed much of this area. As a
result the surrounding riparian vegetation including wetlands has greatly
decreased. The Central Savannah Land Trust based in Augusta, Georgia does
conservation work along local waterways. Many of these areas are important
corridors connecting protected areas creating a continuous buffer zone that
improves water quality and habitat for endangered species in the area. For example
the 262 acre Graystone site is home to mature hardwood forests and the Relict Trillium, a endangered wildflower. Butler Creek is
another 400 acre protected site of pines and hardwood forests, vital wetlands
and wildlife refuges. ( The pic to the left shows the freely flowing Savannah River)
Also
located along the central Savannah River is a large International Paper mill
specializing in coated paperboard production used in paper packaging. Located
in Augusta, GA, the mill receives over 3,000 tons of wood daily. It employs
rigorous bleaching processes and uses water from the Savannah River, where 5
million Georgia inhabitants obtain their drinking water. This paper mill
sources from areas along the river and beyond, an area of rich and diverse
ecological value worthy of protection.
The
vast range of endangered and endemic species along the Savannah is phenomenal. 13
out of the 18 federally listed species in the river basin are endangered, as
are 21 of the 55 states listed species. 10 of the state listed are considered
rare. The Lower Savannah River, which begins near Thurmond Lake by Augusta harbors
over 110 species of fish. In the area are also vital wetland ecosystems such as
the Carolina Bays and cypress domes.
Unique
and amazing communities beyond the river basin are also within the sourcing
footprint of the Augusta paper mill. In South Carolina, the Congaree National
Park near Columbia is home to the largest old-growth floodplain forest in North
America. The Francis Beidler Forest in the Four Holes Swamp is the world's
largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest. The forest spans 12,500 acres and
has over 1,800 ancient trees, some of which date to over 1,000 years back. At
Heggie's Rock, a granite outcrop in Eastern Georgia, 12 out of 18 species
endemic to grantie flack rock can be found. The endangered sweet pitcher plant,
red-cockaded woodpecker and state-threatened gopher tortoise are among the many
listed species in the area.
One
area of special interest is the Fort Stewart part which falls into the sourcing
footprint of Augusta Mill. The 280,000 acres across 5 Georgia counties hold the
state's largest remaining stand of longleaf pine forest, which once spanned 90
million acres from Virginia to Florida. Today there are only 3 million acres
remaining. The Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Comprehensive Wildlife
Protection Strategy identifies this as a high priority conservation area. There
are 38 plant and 26 animal species listed as threatened, endangered or rare
thus making this a very fascinating region of the world.
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