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Georgia

Policy

Join The Nature Conservancy in Shaping Conservation Policy for Georgia

An old oak tree at Little St. Simon Island off the coast of Georgia.
Georgia Coast An old oak tree at Little St. Simon Island off the coast of Georgia. © Parlee Chambers

A Flourishing Georgia: Where Nature and People Thrive

For more than 60 years, The Nature Conservancy has worked to protect nature through smart conservation policy. Georgia is a state renowned for its stunning natural beauty, from the majestic North Georgia Mountains to the pristine coastal marshes of the Golden Isles. Let’s partner to conserve our natural resources and improve the quality of life for all Georgians.

Our Policy Positions

We advance policy solutions that strengthen the connection between nature and people.

Explore Our Legislative Priorities

  • We will continue collaborating with allies to secure remedies to protect the Okefenokee Swamp and National Wildlife Refuge from mining operations that could cause irreversible damage to this unique ecosystem and to the communities that rely on it for jobs and economic vitality.

    • Furthering our ongoing work with partners to conserve the Lower Flint River basin, we will assess policy measures that may facilitate implementation of a new Habitat Conservation Plan to enhance sustainability in the basin. 
    • We will also explore remedies to stem the ecological damage being caused in streams and rivers by the ill-advised removal of fallen trees and other large woody debris that are critical to aquatic habitats.

  • We will work with partners to ensure robust funding for conservation. This includes opportunities to build on the success of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program and to ensure continuation of other key programs. 

  • As Georgia launches its updated State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) in 2025, we will explore mechanisms to support its implementation. Many aspects of the SWAP align with TNC's priorities, including the development of wildlife corridors that provide multiple conservation benefits.

  • Mindful of attempts in recent legislative sessions to weaken the state’s ability to safeguard the coastal marshlands that support Georgia’s fisheries, we will closely monitor any bills related to coastal marshland and seashore use.

  • We will support projects and policies that reduce impacts to green spaces and water resources, improve urban resilience and enhance sustainable growth. 

    • We support the recommendation from the House Study Committee on Disaster Mitigation and Resilience to establish a state Office of Resilience and a Chief Resilience Officer for Georgia that is modeled on similar approaches undertaken in South Carolina and Florida. 
    • The Nature Conservancy met with committee members during their meetings this fall and provided them with background information, including examples of our work to strengthen the capacity of coastal communities to prepare for and manage climate events.
    • We will support state and local policy measures to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and expand the use of clean energy in ways that minimize adverse impacts on natural lands and habitats. 
    • We support measures to expand the use of rooftop and community solar and other distributed generation, facilitate low-impact siting of large-scale solar facilities, and establish/implement clean energy goals and climate action plans. We will defend against measures that would impede progress in these areas.
    • We are closely monitoring developments related to the growing number of data centers being built in Georgia, which have significant impacts on energy demand, land use decisions and water resources.

  • We will support opportunities to incentivize practices like reforestation and improved forest management that provide dual benefits for climate and conservation.

Download a Copy

  • Download a copy to support your discussions, committee work and budget planning. Contact information for our Government Relations Manager is included.

How We Can Work Together

to Make a Difference

  • Partner

    Invite us to the table to collaboratively address nature impacts alongside landowners, organizations, communities, and local & state government agencies.

  • Policy

    Develop conservation policies that reflect our shared values and goals, ensuring the protection of nature while enabling effective natural resource management strategies.

  • Fund

    Invest in our future by funding initiatives that encourage conservation of our lands and waters and balance development with ecological integrity.

A woman inspects a plant growing in a sparse forest.
Forest Restoration Claire observes a young long leaf pine tree at Fort Benning in Georgia. © Erika Nortemann/TNC

Decades of Hands-on Expertise Working with Communities & Government at All Levels

Since 1951, we have shared policy recommendations and fostered a world where both people and nature thrive. As a non-partisan, evidence-based organization, we strive to advance policy solutions that support land and water conservation.

Our U.S. Policy Efforts

Policy + People + Nature Share a Connection

Policy makes conservation possible. Without it, we cannot preserve land. Land is the foundation of our existence, providing us with food, energy and space where we build our cities and communities. Our culture and way of life are deeply connected to the natural world, reminding us that we depend on healthy lands, waters and ecosystems. Our land flows with natural springs and rivers that produce water, support vital wildlife corridors for endangered species and provide ecosystems for marine life. It protects vulnerable coastlines and adds beauty to developed areas. Recognizing this fundamental connection, we must conserve our land in order to safeguard all we cherish for generations.

A hummingbird takes a quick break from feeding at West Point Lake in Georgia.

Georgia's Living Landscape

Georgia’s natural landscapes are critical and filled with incredible diversity, from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Blue Ridge Mountains, supporting species like the loggerhead sea turtle, the brown thrasher and more.

A sparse forest stands in sunlight.
Georgia woodlands Healthy longleaf pine forest showing natural regeneration with in the Fort Benning military reservation outside Columbus, Georgia. © Mark Godfrey/TNC

How TNC Uses Land Acquisitions & Conservation Easements to Conserve Georgia

These powerful and effective tools allow us to protect open space lands from intensive development. TNC uses land acquisition to purchase land to preserve it for conservation, agriculture and outdoor recreation. Conservation easements offer a unique solution, allowing landowners to protect their land while continuing to live on and use their land, at the same time potentially providing them with tax benefits.

  • Georgia residents cherish their natural heritage and are committed to safeguarding it. Land conservation helps improve water quality and supply, boosts resiliency against storms and provides habitat for diverse species. Protecting land also has economic benefits such as support for agricultural productivity and creating more opportunities for people to get outdoors and connect with nature. Investing in land conservation today ensures a healthier, more resilient environment and quality of life for all who call our state home.

  • Our mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

    We see an exciting future for nature. A future filled with opportunities and possibilities. A future where nature beats the odds. Where a better tomorrow exists thanks to forests, grasslands and streams. Coral reefs and mountain ranges. Animals great and small. Our human communities. By collaborating across boundaries, borders and divides, we can manifest this reality because together, we find a way.

Conservation policy helps maintain the delicate balance of ecosystems, which in turn supports human well-being.

Advance Meaningful Policy for Georgia

Thoughtful conservation policies drive meaningful statewide progress. Let’s unite to conserve nature, empower communities and ensure lasting solutions for wildlife and biodiversity today.

Aeria view of the many snaking branches of the Altamaha River at sunset.
Closeup of long, thin green tendrils of an anemone that curl into spirals at their ends.
Spanish moss hangs from tree branches in a coastal maritime forest on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Closeup of the face of a green treefrog.
Wildflowers snake along a stone surface at sunset.
Aeria view of the many snaking branches of the Altamaha River at sunset.

Altamaha RIver: The Altamaha River, formed by the confluence of the Ocmulgee and Oconee Rivers, is the largest free-flowing river on the East Coast. © Blake Gordon

Closeup of long, thin green tendrils of an anemone that curl into spirals at their ends.

North American tube anemone: Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the largest near-shore "live-bottom" reefs of the southeastern United States which contains a high level of diversity. © Greg McFall

Spanish moss hangs from tree branches in a coastal maritime forest on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Coastal Maritime Forest: Maritime forests are shoreline estuaries along coastal barrier islands that support a great diversity of plants and animals. Little St. Simons Island, Georgia. © Blake Gordon

Closeup of the face of a green treefrog.

Green Treefrog: Found and photographed at Okefenokee Swamp Park. © Annie Esbenshade/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Wildflowers snake along a stone surface at sunset.

Sunsets on Stone Mountain: Stone Mountain is a gateway to Stone Mountain Park, named for the vast monolith at its center. © Amanda Blackburn/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Take Action for Georgia

Every acre we preserve, every river mile restored, every habitat we save for wildlife is because of you.

Download Policy Positions

Real Stories, Real Impact

A look up the trunk of a tall pine tree at Georgia's Moody Forest Natural Area.

Longleaf Pine Forests—A Southern Treasure

Longleaf pine forests once spanned 90 million acres in the south. TNC aims to restore 8 million acres of this important habitat by 2025.

Spanish moss glows pink as it hangs near a waterway in the Okefenokee.

Uncertain Waters

For decades the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has protected America's largest blackwater swamp. Now a proposed mine puts Georgia's "Land of the Trembling Earth" at risk.

A view over the salt marshes of coastal Georgia.

Coastal Nature Fights Climate Change

The protection and restoration of natural habitats can help communities adapt to rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms.

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