Over 6,000 Acres Along Altamaha River Now Permanently Protected
SAVANNAH, GA (July 30, 2025) — Today, the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (GALT), The Conservation Fund (TCF), and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the protection of an additional 2,335 acres along the Altamaha River, the largest free-flowing river on the Eastern coast. The newly protected property, known as Beard’s Bluff, adjoins another 3,800 acres previously protected in 2022 by GALT, TCF, and Fort Stewart’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. After both phases of this project, a continuous conservation corridor of over 6,000 acres now exists.
GALT, in partnership with the Georgia Conservancy, secured funding through NRCS’s Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) to acquire a perpetual conservation easement on the 2,335-acre portion and engage in habitat restoration. Support for this phase of the project was also contributed by Fort Stewart’s REPI program, GALT, TCF, the Longleaf Alliance, Georgia Ornithological Society, and other groups dedicated to conserving and restoring Georgia’s diverse landscapes.
Beard’s Bluff, a biologically rich tract that includes wetlands, historic fire-dependent sandhill habitat, and vital wildlife corridors, has long been a target for local conservation efforts amid threats to the region’s natural landscape. This ecologically important property supports a host of high-priority species identified by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ State Wildlife Action Plan, including the federally threatened gopher tortoise and the Eastern indigo snake. As explained by Drew Ruttinger, GALT’s Conservation Planner, “we will now turn to restoring native longleaf pine sandhill habitat on approximately 424 acres of xeric aeolian dune, then establishing management protocols to promote the continued habitat improvement for imperiled species, such as the state threatened Georgia plume (Elliottia racemosa), state threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), and federally threatened Eastern indigo snake (drymarchon couperi). We will also seek to restore hydrology within the alluvial floodplain and replant native hardwood tree species, thereby improving water quality while also providing habitat for the federally threatened wood stork (Mycteria americana) and state rare swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus)." This will have a profound impact on wildlife and water quality in the Altamaha River Basin.
Hal Robinson, GALT’s Operating Officer, described how the 6,000-acre project developed. “Beard’s Bluff has been on the ‘conservation radar’ for decades. But, general awareness and desire to protect it was not enough. This landscape-level project resulted from strong and lasting partnerships between numerous nonprofits (The Conservation Fund, the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Ornithological Society, the Longleaf Alliance, and others), multiple federal agencies/programs (NRCS-WREP and the Department of Defense/Fort Stewart’s REPI Program), and private individuals and organizations. From planning and strategy discussions in 2021, to writing grant proposals, to securing acquisition funding, to complying with the complex transactional requirements of six separate grants, the nearly five-year project would not have succeeded without the continued backing and devotion of these groups and individuals. This project exemplifies how partnership between individuals, nonprofits, NGOs, and government can achieve amazing results, and the Altamaha River Basin is forever better because of it.”
"Beard’s Bluff is a crown jewel in the 44,000 acres of working forestland The Conservation Fund has helped protect along the Altamaha River, and a perfect reminder that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand,” said Stacy Funderburke, vice president for the Southeast at The Conservation Fund. “Along with our partners at Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, USDA NRCS, and Fort Stewart’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program, we’re thrilled to safeguard invaluable wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and Georgia's forest products economy.”
"We are pleased to see the culmination of all our great conservation partners' efforts on this easement," said Terrance O. Rudolph, state conservationist for the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia. "This easement will ensure our natural resource management efforts will create wildlife corridors and protect military readiness, for generations to come."
In addition to its ecological impact, the project will also involve community engagement and education. GALT, in coordination with a local nonprofit that provides community members with work-education and skills-training (McIntosh S.E.E.D.), plans to host an educational workshop to demonstrate sustainable land management practices and give local individuals a firsthand look at the restoration underway.
About the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust
The Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (GALT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and stewarding land for future generations. With around 500,000 acres protected across the Southeast, GALT works with landowners, communities, and partners to conserve the natural, agricultural, scenic, and historic resources of the region. Learn more at www.galandtrust.org.
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund (TCF), we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than eight million acres of land, including more than 168,000 acres in Georgia. Learn more at www.conservationfund.org and www.workingforestfund.org.
About The Natural Resource Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides technical and financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and landowners to conserve, maintain, and restore natural resources on private lands. Established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service in response to the Dust Bowl, NRCS offers voluntary conservation programs aimed at improving soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat, thereby enhancing the sustainability of America's agricultural landscapes. Learn more at www.nrcs.usda.gov.
