The Ogeechee River Basin provides resources to 5,540 square miles of wildlife, wetlands and farms, many of which are located in the Bulloch County area. In an attempt to show off the basin, while educating participants about preservation at the same time, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper just announced its annual series of paddle tours for the summer.
      The tours allow participants the opportunity to explore the Ogeechee River Basin with experienced river guides, said Dianna Wedincamp, program director for the Riverkeeper.
      The paddle tours are scheduled for June 12, July 10 and Aug. 7. The Saturday tours will cost $25 each for Ogeechee Riverkeeper members and $35 for nonmembers. Canoe rentals are available for an additional $25 per boat.
      A fourth paddle tour will take place on Sept. 11 for $15 in conjunction with a book signing for "Bartram's Living Legacy: the Travels and the Nature of the South and The Flower Seeker."
      During each tour through the Ogeechee, paddlers can expect to see alligators, otters and different birds indigenous to the area, Wedincamp said.
      "The experience is much like a hike on your favorite trail, but you will use your hands to guide you, not your feet," Wedincamp said.
      Chandra Brown, executive director for the Riverkeeper, believes taking a paddle tour is a way of exploring the "jewel" in Statesboro's backyard.
      "If [participants] haven't ever seen the Ogeechee, Canoochee or these coastal areas, we want to give them an appreciation for what's right here in our backyard," Brown said. "And if they have seen it we want to deepen that appreciation."
      The Ogeechee Riverkeeper was formed as a non-profit group in 2005 to ensure members have a voice in protecting and preserving rivers for future generations. Paddle tours aid in the effort by giving participants a social network to discuss issues facing the rivers, Wedincamp said.
      "But this type of social networking requires no phones and no computers and plenty of time to socialize," Wedincamp said.
      Serving as an advocate for citizens of the basin, Brown said the Riverkeeper responds to concerns about increasing pollution. Part of the group's mission includes training people to monitor waterways for pollution.
      "They call us when they see a problem and need help getting the government to act," Brown said.
      According to their website, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper educates more than 5,000 children yearly about protecting waterways. It also holds river cleanups and works to strengthen permits to keep pollution out of waterways, all in an effort to "protect, preserve and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin."
      "Every time I go out I'm humbled by the river. It's just gorgeous and it's amazing that it's right here," Brown said.
      For more information about paddle tours or the Ogeechee Riverkeeper call 866-942-6222 for Chandra Brown at Ext.1 or Dianna Wedincamp at Ext. 3 or visit www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.