Satilla Riverkeeper, based in Waycross, Georgia, works to protect and restore the Satilla River Watershed – a vital 4,000-square-mile network of blackwater streams, wetlands, and forests that sustains rural communities, wildlife, and cultural heritage across 15 rural and low-income counties in southeastern Georgia. With development pressures rising and pollution from industrial sites threatening the water’s health – especially in majority Black communities like Brunswick and Waycross – the Riverkeeper patrols the river, monitors pollution permits, and conducts regular water quality testing. Recently, a massive poultry facility with 60 chicken houses has been proposed on the river’s banks, posing serious risks: contaminated runoff, destroyed habitat, air and water degradation, and irreversible harm to the quiet beauty of the landscape. For the children who learn to fish here, for the elders who remember a cleaner river, and for the wildlife that calls it home, Satilla Riverkeeper stands watch because the Satilla is more than water; it’s life, history, and home.
Chris Bertrand, Satilla Riverkeeper and Executive Director – During law school at the University of Georgia, he interned with Georgia Sea Grant, the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and EPA Region 4.
A trusted defender of one of Georgia’s most biologically and culturally important river systems, the nonprofit is led by Georgia native Shannon Gregory, the Satilla Riverkeeper, and supported by a dedicated staff, board of directors, and a strong network of volunteers.The “eyes and ears” of the watershed began in 2004 amid growing threats from pollution and unregulated development, and since then has helped stop an illegal landfill permit, restore natural tidal flow through the Noyes Cut project, and monitor water quality near schools and homes. Working with partners like the Southern Environmental Law Center and Georgia Water Coalition, they combine legal action, scientific data, and local knowledge to protect the river. From answering citizen pollution reports to organizing cleanups and tracking permit violations, their work directly benefits the people who live, work, and play along the Satilla. With deep ties to the communities they serve, Satilla Riverkeeper remains a powerful advocate for the river’s health and the region’s future.
Hannah and Earth Inspired Kids leading a trash cleanup at the 121 Landing on the Satilla River