Our Stories

While monitoring a 194-acre ORLT conservation easement in Pickens County recently in some steamy weather, our Land Steward Hadrien observed salamanders (likely in the Desmognathus genus) and crayfish in a stream, native ferns and mountain laurel in the bottomland, and a beautiful population of Pink Lady's Slippers on a ridge. The property boasts a spring that flows into a tributary of Shoal Creek, supporting low-elevation seepy thickets and wetlands, alongside mixed pine-hard

As National Make-A-Will Month comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the lasting impact we can make for the places we love. For longtime conservationists Ken Cordell and Babs McDonald, that legacy means protecting the forests, streams, and wildlife habitat that have meant so much to them. By including the Oconee River Land Trust in their estate plans, they are helping ensure that more than 75 acres in Madison and Jackson Counties will remain protected for generations to come.

Join Oconee River Land Trust for our annual Hike & Happy Hour on Sunday, October 11, from 2–5 p.m. Enjoy a short hike through a beautiful Oconee County property recently protected by Craig Greene and Jeanne Barsanti, followed by refreshments and the presentation of ORLT’s Annual Awards. This free event is a chance to get outside, celebrate the people who help make land conservation possible, and connect with the ORLT community. Sunday, October 11 | 2–5 p.m .1170 Oliver Bridg

Our friends at Oconee Rivers Audubon Society are hosting their annual kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 3rd from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at UGA's Odum School of Ecology Building (140 East Green St.) Dr. Abby Sterling, Manomet Conservation Sciences’s Senior Director of Shorebird Conservation in North America, will present “Shorebird Connections Across the Hemisphere: How Conservation at Sites Supports Migration.” The Georgia Bight supports nearly 400,000 shorebirds annually, but

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Photo by Laura Hall. Few snakes command attention quite like the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Georgia’s largest rattlesnake (and the largest venomous snake in North America!) is recognizable by the distinctive dark diamonds bordered in yellow or cream along its back. Native to the Coastal Plain, Eastern Diamondbacks use a variety of open, fire-maintained habitats, including pine flatwoods, sandhi

by Graham Williams, rising high school senior and Volunteer-in-Chief at Shoal Creek Sanctuary photo by David Tilson, President of the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society Clasping Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) is a perennial wildflower native throughout Georgia, and its presence usually indicates undisturbed, high quality native ecosystems since it takes years to establish and mature before flowering. It has a single thick taproot that can plunge multiple feet underground that

Luna Moth (Actias luna) International Moth Week is a reminder that some of our most important pollinators only come out after dark! While butterflies often get the spotlight, moths play a vital role in pollinating native plants, providing food for birds and bats, and supporting healthy ecosystems throughout Georgia. More than 11,000 species of moths are found in North America, each contributing to the intricate web of life that healthy forests, meadows, farms, and wetlands de

"I’ve lived most of my life in the Oconee River Watershed in Athens. Early on, most residents treated the Middle and North Oconee as an afterthought—just a place for waste and trash. That has changed dramatically, thanks to visionary environmental and political leaders who, over the past 50-plus years, have recognized the immense value of these treasures and worked tirelessly to change the public perception and take direct action to improve water quality and habitat. This mov

by Erin Gorman, ORLT Stewardship Director Two tall, steep hillsides slope down towards one another, meeting at the banks of a clear stream. They are studded with huge, sentinel-like boulders, looming over the earth that falls away beneath them. Moss covered and stoic, their ancient presence deepens the forest’s silence. The awe they demand is natural, not due to consequence or title, but because I am a baby beside them and they, it seems in my smallness, are guardians. They a

We're grateful to celebrate the permanent protection of approximately 275 acres in the Broad River watershed through two new Madison County conservation easements with Louisa and Michael Barnsley. Their property includes an extraordinary diversity of habitats: from mesic hardwood forest and bottomland hardwood forest to native grass meadow, canebrake, freshwater marsh, and streams, including frontage along the Broad River itself. Together, these landscapes provide clean water

As we mark Independence Day and America's 250th year, we're reminded that while 250 years is a remarkable milestone, the work of conservation is measured in perpetuity. Every conservation easement and protected property represents a commitment to care for Georgia's land and waterways forever. Through voluntary partnerships with landowners, we're helping ensure that forests, farms, wetlands, and rivers continue to provide clean water, wildlife habitat, and natural beauty for g

Thank you for being a member of Oconee River Land Trust. Your support helps protect forests, farms, wetlands, rivers, and other important lands across Georgia while ensuring conserved properties are cared for generations to come. As development pressures grow, your membership provides the foundation for our work: conserving critical landscapes, stewarding more than 45,000 acres of protected land, and connecting people with the natural places that enrich our communities. If yo

by Lauren Gingerella, Certified Wildlife Biologist of Chickadee Conservation Consulting Tricolored bat captured during summer netting survey (photo via GADNR on Georgia Biodiversity Portal). One of the bat species documented on ORLT’s Coenen conservation easement is the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). Formally known as the eastern pipistrelle, tricolored bats range throughout eastern North America. Tricolored bats are the smallest species of bat found in Georgia, and t

by Lauren Gingerella, Certified Wildlife Biologist of Chickadee Conservation Consulting Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata). Photo by Lauren Gingerlla. A little rain couldn’t stop field work. Alright, it was downpouring, but I would rather work in May showers than in the heat. I was conducting a baseline documentation survey for a new ORLT conservation easement along the Middle Oconee River, located right in the heart of Athens. The property protects nearly 2,000 feet of th

Last year, ORLT worked with several landowners to conserve land across Georgia. This includes wetlands, waterways, forests, and mountains that are home to numerous noteworthy species. In many places, property was conserved where development threats are high. These snapshots represent some of these conservation accomplishments. We are so grateful to the landowners who have protected their land with a conservation easement.

by Theresa Pippin The Middle Oconee River flows through Athens, creating a corridor for wildlife along its banks. Photo by Jason Thrasher. ORLT’s Middle Oconee River Conservation Corridor (MOCC) initiative is moving into a new and exciting phase. Since the start of the year, several landowners have begun the process of protecting their land with a conservation easement. Together, their easements would protect 20 acres in the Corridor. Dan Coenen, who, with his wife Sally, a

As we begin planning our fall hike schedule, we'd love to hear from you! What topics would you like to explore on a future hike? Are you interested in learning about edible plants and mushrooms, joining another frog walk, or diving into a different aspect of the natural world? We also welcome your feedback on our hike program. What do you enjoy most, and what could we do better? To share your ideas, please email theresa@oconeeriverlandtrust.org. Your input helps us create me

For the final spring hike of 2026, ORLT members and friends gathered this past Saturday for a hike and picnic at the recently protected property of Patricia and Kenny Copes. Hikers walked along a tributary of Clouds Creek, a meandering, clear-flowing stream with ferns and rivercane on its banks. Patricia explained she was motivated to protect her beautiful land when 100s of acres on a neighboring property were recently clearcut. We are grateful for landowners like Patricia an

"As has largely been the theme for my monitor visits this year, the weather truly couldn’t have been better visiting five ORLT conservation easements last week in Meriwether, Coweta and Spalding counties. Between meeting a new landowner, hiking a very sweaty 7 miles on a sprawling 700-acre property, and falling into a stream on two separate occasions, I observed many beautiful sights and species on these permanently stewarded lands. Summer is on the way!" -Hadrien Turner, ORL

by H. Ken Cordell, PhD, Senior Scientist Retired, USDA Forest Service Research Ken Cordell and Babs McDonald, wanting to ensure their land remains protected, have decided ORLT will be the beneficiary of some of their forested land. Undeveloped land and water resources contribute greatly to sustaining local economies and the environment. Citizens must actively participate in protecting undeveloped land by taking on activities that contribute to land stewardship goals. These go