Author: Ogeechee Riverkeeper

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RELEASE: ORK to host oyster roast fundraiser at Love’s Seafood

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper October 13, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/13/2025
Contact: Meaghan Walsh Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER HOSTS OYSTER ROAST FUNDRAISER AT LOVE’S SEAFOOD
The event features a silent auction, raffle, and plenty of fun

Ogeechee Riverkeeper’s (ORK) annual oyster roast returns to the banks of the river at Love’s Seafood on Wednesday, November 12, 6-9 p.m. A ticket includes all-you-can-eat freshly steamed oysters, plus chicken fingers and sides prepared by Love’s as well as beer from Service Brewing. 

Event details and tickets: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/oyster-roast/

Music will be provided by Savannah’s favorite outlaw country band, Damon & the Sh*tkickers. The riverside party will also include a fabulous silent auction and the return of the popular Mystery ORCA Cooler raffle prize package. 

Most importantly, the annual oyster roast supports the crucial work of ORK. It will also act at ORK’s annual meeting by sharing updates from the past year and highlighting future priorities. 

The silent auction will be held online this year, meaning anyone can bid from anywhere. The items are available to preview now at https://bit.ly/ORKauction. Bidding starts November 5. Items include a one-night stay at the Ford Field & River Club, tickets and swag from Savannah Ghost Pirates, an Atlanta getaway with zoo and botanical garden admission, a chartered fishing trip, MountainFilm Festival passes, a two-night stay at The Lodge at Little Saint Simons Island, and more!

Corporate sponsorships offer perks all year long. Depending on the level of sponsorship, benefits can include tickets to the Oyster Roast. Current annual corporate sponsors of ORK are: Academy Lock and Key, Stack and Associates, Green Truck Pub, Queensborough National Bank and Trust, Claxton Chicken, Citizens Bank of the South, and Great Dane. View levels and benefits here.

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 21 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

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PDF of release: 10.2025 – Press Release – Oysters for the Ogeechee 2025

Flyer for event

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RELEASE: Ogeechee Riverkeeper wins Smith W. Bagley Award

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper August 29, 2025

08/29/25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER WINS SMITH W. BAGLEY AWARD
The Sapelo Foundation chooses a recipient annually

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) has been named the 2025 recipient of the Smith W. Bagley Advocacy Award. The Sapelo Foundation Board of Trustees annually selects an outstanding nonprofit organization or network to receive the honor. The award is a special grant to memorialize The Sapelo Foundation’s late President and Trustee and his vision for a more just and equitable society. The Sapelo Foundation presented the award on August 28, 2025, at a reception in Savannah. 

ORK was chosen for, “Work defending the Ogeechee watershed against harm in a critical year, and securing essential concessions and remediations” related to development and industry in Bryan County. 

Bill Broker, Sapelo Foundation Trustee, added, “The Ogeechee Riverkeeper is the quintessential ‘David’ taking on ‘Goliath.’  In the rush to turn a blind eye to the challenges being faced by our water resources, the Riverkeeper has stood up for the preservation of this precious resource. Its effective advocacy cannot be ignored.”

“We are truly honored to receive this award,” said Damon Mullis, riverkeeper and executive director. “The Sapelo Foundation has long supported ORK’s efforts, and we are grateful for all that they have done to protect our state’s water resources. This recognition is particularly meaningful to us and ORK looks forward to continuing our collaboration to safeguard the waters of our basin for all its inhabitants.” 

During his more than 30 years as a leader of The Sapelo Foundation, Bagley worked to advance the civil and human rights of Georgia’s disenfranchised populations. Each year, he visited small nonprofit organizations in rural Georgia communities, supporting their work to advance social justice and progressive change. His focus inspired the grantmaking decisions of The Sapelo Foundation. 

“My father, Smith Bagley, believed deeply in the power of people to drive change—especially those who challenged injustice head-on. He admired organizations that weren’t afraid to speak hard truths or take bold risks in pursuit of a more just world,” noted Nicole Bagley, Immediate Past President of The Sapelo Foundation. “Ogeechee Riverkeeper reflects the courage, creativity, and conviction that defined his life’s work. I know he would be proud to see this award go to a group so deeply rooted in protecting people and a place they love—with unwavering integrity and fearlessness.” 

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 20 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

About The Sapelo Foundation: The Sapelo Foundation strives for a just Georgia, through partnerships and solutions that increase environmental protection, social prosperity, and civic power. With their grants, they support grantee partners that pursue power-building strategies, such as policy advocacy, civic engagement, and grassroots community organizing. More at sapelofoundation.org.

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View images from the reception

08.2025 – Press Release – Smith Bagley Award

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RELEASE: ORK marks World Photography Day with opening annual contest

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper August 19, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
08/19/2025
Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

Yearly event is a favorite among supporters

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) invites photographers to submit their best work for its annual photo contest, showcasing the phenomenal range of views and wildlife in the 5,500 square mile Ogeechee and Canoochee Rivers watershed. 

The 2025 guest judge is Angela Hopper. She is a successful photographer and also owns The Bull Street Light Room, a professional studio space available for rental. As part of the prize package for the overall winner, Hopper is donating a 3-hour block at the studio, lighting and props included.

Photographers can enter in several categories: Landscape, Portrait, Wildlife, Plant Life, Underwater, Aerial, Black and White, and Funny Wildlife. To qualify, all submitted images must be taken within the current calendar year. The photographs should highlight the area’s rich ecological features that provide vital habitats for over 160 rare plant and animal species. ORK encourages entries from all 20 counties within the watershed.

“We’re always excited to see what people submit,” said Meaghan Walsh Gerard, communications and administrative director. “I think my personal favorite, though, is funny wildlife. Those always make us chuckle.”

All submissions must be received by November 17, 2025, with winners announced in December 2025. For complete rules and submission guidelines, visit ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/annual-photography-contest. View past years’ entries: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ogeecheeriverkeeper/albums/

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 20 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

About Angela Hopper Photography: Angela Hopper Photography specializes in photography of engagements, elopements, portraits, families, pets, food, and editorial subjects to cherish all of life’s precious moments. With award-winning services and genuine passion, she provides a wide range of professional and high-quality images that will last a lifetime. angelahopperphotography.com

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PDF of release – 08.2025 – Press Release – photography contest

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Flora: Gratiola amphiantha

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper July 30, 2025

Gratiola amphiantha
Pool-sprite (snorkelwort)

Gratiola amphiantha, specimen K006380009. Collected in Greene County, Georgia © copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Aside from the very specific common name of snorkelwort, this tiny plant requires a very specific set of circumstances to even exist–and those ingredients are increasingly hard to come by. Firstly, the plant needs vernal (spring) pools on granite outcroppings. These are essentially shallow puddles that appear with spring rains and snow melts, remaining for a few weeks before drying up until the next year.

In addition to collecting water, the dents and divots need to have a thin layer of soil and nutrients for the seeds to take root. But the water can’t be too deep or the seedlings won’t get enough sunlight or be able to send leaves up to the water surface. It’s entire annual life cycle is about a month, meaning conditions have to be just right during its lifespan. Some years, it may lie dormant if water is scarce. It’s a miniature Goldilocks Zone for this disappearing plant.

Photo by Will Stuart

It is considered an “aquatic annual herb” with leaves about a quarter of an inch. The flowers might be white or yellow, and are even smaller at about a tenth of an inch. Seedlings will begin to grow in winter, a chilly but not frozen environment in the southeast. Blossoms could be seen as soon as February and March, and all visible traces of the plant are gone by May.

The Georgia DNR has included snorkelwort in its 2025 Statewide Action Plan (SWAP) and lists it as imperiled, calling it both state and federally threatened. In Georgia, there are about 50 known populations, including in the upper reaches of ORK’s watershed. Their environment is rare enough in the most pristine conditions. The delicate balance is easily tipped by the effects of mining and quarrying (common in areas with the granite it requires). Hikers can also unwittingly disturb their dried beds, not to mention the introduction of any elements like litter or vehicle oils that will upset the chemical needs of the vernal pools.

Photo by James Henderson
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RELEASE: ORK offers Georgia Master Naturalist Program

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper July 15, 2025

07/15/25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER OFFERS GEORGIA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM
Courses are in partnership with Chatham County UGA Extension Office 

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) and the Chatham County UGA Extension Office (UGA Ext.) are partnering to offer a Georgia Master Naturalist program. The ten weekly classes will include engaging field trips and hands-on activities with topic experts, including Damon Mullis, ORK’s riverkeeper and executive director. Successful participation in the required 48 hours of coursework will earn participants an official certification from UGA. 

Planned locations include Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Savannah-Ogeechee Canal, Tybee Island Marine Science Center, George L. Smith State Park, Canoochee Sandhills WMA, SkIO UGA Marine Science Research Center, and more. Planned topics include dendrology, macroinvertebrates, medicinal herbs, aquaculture, and more. There will also be an optional session that will train participants to become certified Adopt-A-Stream volunteers. Field trips will generally take place at locations no more than about an hour away from the Savannah area. 

“This extended program will allow the participants to gain hands-on learning experiences in multiple ecosystems,” said Damon Mullis, executive director and riverkeeper. “I hope it will allow people to see just how interconnected everything is and why it’s so important we protect the systems that sustain healthy environments.”

Registration fee includes all entry costs to locations, all instruction, and a notebook for the program. The fee also includes one ticket to ORK’s annual oyster roast, which will also serve at the graduation celebration, with certificate, for all participants who successfully complete the course.

The program begins September 3, with the certificate ceremony taking place at ORK’s annual oyster roast on November 12. Group transportation may be available for certain outings. Classes will be held on Wednesdays, usually 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The fee is $425 per person, or $395 for ORK members.

The minimum age is 14; the class is limited to 20 participants. Application and additional information is available at: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/naturalist/

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 20 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

About Georgia Master Naturalist program: The Georgia Master Naturalist program is an adult environmental education course developed by the UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources and UGA Cooperative Extension for people who wish to be more informed about habitats, natural resources and the natural environments of our state.

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PDF of press release