| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 112 3627 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Resolution 929 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Burchett of the 176 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | and Corbett of the 174 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 9 | 9 | | Congratulating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge upon the 88th anniversary of its |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1 |
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| 11 | 11 | | establishment; and for other purposes.2 |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, officially established on March 30, 1937, as a refuge and breeding ground for3 |
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| 13 | 13 | | migratory birds and other wildlife, this year represents the Okefenokee National Wildlife4 |
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| 14 | 14 | | Refuge's 88th birthday; and5 |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, with more than 407,000 acres of land and water, the refuge is the largest6 |
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| 16 | 16 | | national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River, serving as the headwaters for both the7 |
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| 17 | 17 | | Suwannee and St. Marys rivers; and8 |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, the Okefenokee represents the largest and best-preserved precipitation-based9 |
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| 19 | 19 | | freshwater wetland ecosystem in the United States, 353,000 acres of which have been10 |
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| 20 | 20 | | designated as a Wilderness Area; and11 |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, the swamp's undisturbed peat beds preserve thousands of years of land history12 |
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| 22 | 22 | | and store carbon, contributing to both ecological and historical conservation; and13 |
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| 23 | 23 | | H. R. 929 |
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| 24 | 24 | | - 1 - 25 LC 112 3627 |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, the refuge is a vital habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species, including |
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| 26 | 26 | | 14 |
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| 27 | 27 | | several that are threatened or endangered, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker, wood stork,15 |
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| 28 | 28 | | and eastern indigo snake; and16 |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, the refuge further supports the restoration of longleaf pine, a native species in17 |
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| 30 | 30 | | steep decline across the southeastern United States; and18 |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, the Okefenokee is home to over 850 plant species, including 18 species of19 |
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| 32 | 32 | | carnivorous plants, as well as more than 120 miles of land and water trails for walking,20 |
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| 33 | 33 | | biking, or paddling; and21 |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkable refuge be appropriately22 |
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| 35 | 35 | | honored during this special time.23 |
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| 36 | 36 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that24 |
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| 37 | 37 | | the members of this body congratulate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge upon the25 |
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| 38 | 38 | | 88th anniversary of its establishment as well as extend best wishes for its continued26 |
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| 39 | 39 | | conservation and success.27 |
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| 40 | 40 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized28 |
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| 41 | 41 | | and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the29 |
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| 42 | 42 | | public and the press.30 |
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| 43 | 43 | | H. R. 929 |
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| 44 | 44 | | - 2 - |
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