In honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week, watch Christian Hunt’s acceptance speech on behalf of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance.
Defenders recently took the stage in Washington, DC to receive the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s Refuge of the Year award on behalf of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance, which combines the efforts of more than 40 organizations against mining in and around Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
“Over the last six years, our partners have shared one goal: Safeguarding the refuge and the wildlife that call it home,” said Christian Hunt, senior policy analyst at Defenders of Wildlife. “Overwhelming opposition to the mine makes it clear that we’re not alone. We are grateful for the recognition, as well as the energy and passion the public has devoted to shielding the refuge.”
Video Transcript:
Yeah, thanks.
Thanks to Bill for, so eloquently describing the Okefenokee.
I actually, despite having worked on this issue for six years, kind of struggled to succinctly describe the refuge.
For those of you that haven’t been and I, I think that’s just because it has this bigness and grandeur that’s really hard to, to capture with words.
You know, how do you describe the redwoods to somebody that hasn’t seen them?
How do you describe the Grand Canyon to somebody that hasn’t looked down into it?
The Okefenokee is that way in that it has very elusive qualities that are not easily captured by language.
And you really almost need to get into its vast depths to, to understand it
and deeply appreciate it.
But what I can say, you know, is there’s just nothing like the wilderness of this refuge.
There’s nothing like the blackwater channels, the islands, the cypress forests of this incredible place.
And it really, to me, embodies everything that is so good and wild about the Refuge System.
Which is why I am just so proud of the way that so many partners have fought for so long for this place.
It’s been a dog fight, to be frank.
But I really do believe, notwithstanding the posture of the state of Georgia right now, that we are collectively stronger than we’ve ever been, and that, without question, is due in no small part to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Michael Lusk, the refuge manager, is here tonight. He’s a dear friend
and ally – without question to me, the best person the agency could have found to defend this landscape.
Regional director Mike Oetker has also been an incredible champion.
Our hats go off to Emery Hoyle, Brett Hunter, Chief Martinez, Will Meeks, he used to be in the region. Of course Director Williams, the leadership
at Interior, Senators Ossoff and Warnock.
We really could not do this without you all.
And you know, we haven’t won this fight yet, to be sure.
But please keep moving forward with us.
Keep moving the ball forward.
We really do believe that we are closer than ever to prevailing.
And I do believe, as does Bill and all of our partners, that we will defeat this mine.
We will defeat future mines, and we will make the refuge whole.
Thank you very much.
Defenders Of Wildlife works on the ground, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill to protect and restore imperiled wildlife and habitats across North America.
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