23-03-2025
Okefenokee water trails and Panola Mountain score funding
Georgia nature lovers are getting better paddling options in the Okefenokee Swamp and new areas to explore near Panola Mountain.
Why it matters: Georgia is ever-growing and our natural places are disappearing.
An innovative state fund called the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP) helps scoop up land before it disappears and makes existing parks better.
How it works: Every time you buy outdoor equipment in Georgia, a portion of the tax revenue goes into the GOSP.
Since its overwhelming approval by Georgia voters in 2018, the fund has awarded well over $117 million to more than 60 projects across the state.
Zoom in: This year's slate of 12 projects, covering all corners of the state, totals $24.6 million. They include:
🛶 Waterway Trail Improvements at Stephen C. Foster State Park
Paddling trails lined with cypress trees and sunbathing alligators in the state's gateway to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge are getting a $1.3 million update.
🌳 Expansion of Campbellton Park in Chattahoochee Hills
The south Fulton County city is spending $1.9 million to acquire land and expand the park along the Chattahoochee River.
Earlier this month, city officials cut the ribbon on new toilets, campsites and other amenities funded by the Trust for Public Land.
🚴 Ocmulgee Trail and Rose Hill Cemetery Connection in Macon
Macon-Bibb County will spend $1 million developing the Ocmulgee Trail to Rose Hill Cemetery, a historic riverside rural cemetery and final resting place of Duane Allman.
