By Brady Dennis, Washington Post
A contentious, years-long fight over a proposed mine next to one of the South’s last truly wild places ended abruptly Friday, when a nonprofit group announced it would spend nearly $60 million to acquire thousands of acres of land near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in rural Georgia.
The Conservation Fund, which works around the country to acquire and protect threatened landscapes, said it had agreed to purchase roughly 7,800 acres from Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals, as well as the underlying mineral rights.
The landmark deal halted a proposed titanium mine on the site, which has been the subject of legal and political fights, as well as sustained criticism from advocacy groups, scientists, lawmakers, and other citizens. The opponents argued that mining the mineral-rich area known as Trail Ridge would not only be risky but also environmentally reckless, given its proximity to the largest blackwater swamp in North America.
“This is the most important deal we’ve worked on,” said Stacy Funderburke, vice president of the central Southeast region for the Conservation Fund, who said the group felt compelled to end the prospect of mining near the Okefenokee. “It’s just a unique place.”
Funderburke said the purchase came after about a year of negotiations and was possible in part because of significant support from a number of individuals and philanthropic groups, including the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental protection and funded by the outdoor gear company Patagonia.
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