Press Release St Marys Riverkeeper
Contact: Rick Frey
St. Marys Riverkeeper
Telephone: (912) 673-7150
Email: [email protected]
www.stmarysriverkeeper.org
November 27, 2016 1:00 a.m.
The St. Marys Riverkeeper held the first annual “Big Splash” event for 150 members and friends on Saturday November 19th. A sold-out crowd at White Oak Conservation’s riverside pavilion celebrated the occasion for the organization, which formed in 2016 to ensure a drinkable, fishable and swimmable St. Marys River, now and into the future.
Waterkeeper Alliance president Robert Kennedy, Jr. attended the event and addressed the group. “We have over 300 rivers protected by riverkeepers throughout the World, and I have seen just about all of them. I can tell you first hand that only a few have the wilderness, the majestic vistas and the water quality of the St. Marys River. It is a national treasure and its wilderness and water quality must be protected,” said Kennedy.
Riverkeeper Rick Frey spearheaded the effort to establish the organization. “The St. Marys river is one of the most undisturbed and most beautiful rivers on the east coast of the U.S. It is my privilege to serve as the first St. Marys Riverkeeper and lead efforts to protect this watershed for the benefit of our families and communities living along the river.” said Frey.
The St. Marys Riverkeeper joins over 300 waterkeeper organizations in 34 countries protecting waterways around the world. Riverkeeper is a program of the Waterkeeper Alliance (www.waterkeeper.org), the largest non-profit solely focused on clean water.
The St. Mary’s Riverkeeper programs will immediately focus on water quality working with local authorities to monitor and reduce pollution threats to the river. Education programs work with local schools and teachers to develop science curriculum to engage students in water quality monitoring and conservation. Outreach efforts will encourage local community involvement in river cleanup projects. The restoration of the oyster fishery in Cumberland Sound is another key St. Marys Riverkeeper objective in the coming year.
If you are interested in learning how you can help, including becoming a supporting member, visit www.stmarysriverkeeper.org website or contact Rick Frey, St. Marys Riverkeeper at (912) 673-7150.
Photo: Robert Kennedy, Jr. (left)/St. Marys Riverkeeper Rick Frey (right)
St. Marys River
Delineating the eastern border between the states of Florida and Georgia, the 130-mile long St. Marys River flows from the Okefenokee Swamp to Cumberland Sound. Bordered by Camden and Charlton counties in Georgia and Nassau and Baker counties in Florida, the river winds through bottom lands, swamps, tree plantations and salt marshes, passing a handful of small communities on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The tannin-rich black water river is an essential lifeline for the estuary and tidal coastal waters of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia and is an important natural resource for the region.
St. Marys Riverkeeper is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization based in St. Marys, Georgia. Key objectives for the St. Marys Riverkeeper include outreach programs to help the public understand and protect the river, identification and elimination of pollution threats, and collaboration with other groups to advance the health of the river and watershed. The St. Marys River is currently designated as an imperiled waterway by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to pollution and health safety threats from fecal coliform bacteria, sediments (nutrients) and mercury in fish.