Oh, the Places You Will Go Georgia Report By: Shweta Vedanarayanan Are you a Georgia resident who

is looking for the perfect vacation spot, AND doesnt want to have a dent in your wallet? Well, look no further, for the adventures will begin right here in the state youre living in! I am a tourist agent working for the Georgia State Industry and Tourism board, and my job is to show you that a breathtaking vacation is not as far away, and impractical, as it seems. So shall we begin? Lets move down to the Coastal Plain in Southeast Georgia, where the flat ground is covered in sand, and gently rolling hills surround the land. We have arrived at an area that I believe is one of the most interesting regions in Georgia the Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain is so large that it has been divided into two sub-regions: the Upper Coastal Plain, and the Lower Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plains region of Georgia is best known for its flatlands, marshes, and swamps. At first glance, this swampy region of Georgia doesnt exactly appear to be the dream vacation hub, but there is more to this region than what meets the eye. The Coastal Plain is home to several interesting locations such as Radium Springs, Providence Canyon, and Okefenokee Swamp. It is also home to some very vital rivers: the Oconee River and the Ocmulgee River come together to form the Altamaha River in South Georgia, the St. Marys River, the Savannah River, and the Flint River. Lets go into depth about these wonders found in the Coastal Plain! Radium Springs is located on the east side if the Flint River at Albany. The spring is now preserved as an ecological and environmental park, but before that, it is was one of Georgias most popular resort areas. Radium Springs was very popular amongst the prehistoric, and Creek Indians, for they fished in the majestic waters. Also, an entry in Hernando de Sotos diary mentioned passing a

similar spring in South Georgia. Radium Springs is not only a haven for nature-lovers, but is also free! One of the most beautiful, naturally-created landforms can be found on Highway 39C, next to a small community called Lumpkin. Providence Canyon is known to many as Georgias Little Grand Canyon. Its formation was due to an erosion that occurred approximately 150 years ago. There are 16 canyons total, and all were created by the same eroding property: ancient oceans. The canyon takes its name from the historic Providence Methodist Church, for the church was an important component for people living in the area. The entire area surrounding Providence Canyon is saturated with history; its a dream-getaway for a history buff, or just anyone looking for an out-of-theordinary adventure that involves gaining knowledge of the great state of Georgia. Okefenokee Swamp is one of the largest, and most primitive swamps in America. The Okefenokee Swamp is located on Cowhouse Island about 15 miles from Waycross, GA. The Indian name Okefenokee, means land of the trembling earth. This name was given to the swamp because the solid base, or land portion, of the swamp rises and falls when it is walked upon. The water of the Okefenokee is dark, and murky; some compare the color of the water to strong tea! The discoloration of the water is caused by Tannic acid; an acid that comes from decayed vegetation. Since the water is so dark, it gives off a mirror-like reflection; which is perfect for many photographers who are interested in capturing such a beautiful scene. One part of the Coastal Plain that is not very recognized are the Sea Island Flatwoods. The Sea Island Flatwoods are poorly-drained flat plains that cause, and contain shoreline deposits. This type of soil is quite common in the Coastal Plain, for these contribute to the ecological diversity of the

region. The Sea island Flatwoods form the Trail Ridge, which forms the eastern boundary of the Okefenokee Swamp. The Coastal region supplies a generous amount of various industries. Some of the industries carried out in the Coastal region are processing, manufacturing, and marketing seafood and wood products; tourism and recreation; shipping due to ports, papermaking, commercial fishing, and forestry are some of the industries that make the Coastal region one of the most successful regions in Georgia; which certainly will impress tourists, and others who visit this absolutely marvelous region. The Coastal plain is a major producer of seafood; particularly shrimp. This is pretty obvious, considering it is a region located very close to a body of water. Shrimp are a delicious treat for humans, and birds alike. Shrimp is Georgias most important seafo od, considering it takes up an average of 80% of the seafood collected annually. Another great portion of the Coastal plains industry relies on agriculture. The Coastal plain is a major producer of peanuts, and cotton. Georgia is the number-one peanut producing state in the United States, in fact; 45% of the crops produced in Georgia are peanuts!

One of the Coastal Plains most important natural resources are Longleaf Pine trees. This type of tree has long been used to build houses, and has also been used for other purposes. The Longleaf Pine trees dependence on fire, and its unique growth strategy, sets it apart from most other trees. Every step of the Longleaf Pine trees life has a necessity for fire. The seeds of the tree require bare mineral soil; a type of soil that is usually found after leaf litter has been burned. After the Longleaf Pine grows from a tiny seedling, to a tree, it waits for a fire to occur so that it can clear a

path for it to further grow. Dense clusters found in the trees cells protect it from getting damaged by the fire. Most homes in the Coastal Plain are built with this remarkable tree, as it is practically fire-proof! Of course, the Longleaf Pine tree isnt the only natural resource in the Coastal Plain region! The Coastal Plains also has a variety of seafood, some including catfish and shrimp, and also a wide variety of other plants. As mentioned earlier in this report, the Coastal Plain is so large that it has been divided into two sub-regions: the Upper Coastal Plain, and the Lower Coastal Plain. Although the exact line of division between these two sub-regions is not accurately known, it is approximated to be located along a line from Echols County, in southwest Georgia, to Screven County, in east central Georgia. Although these sub-regions connect to make one big area, they are each unique in their own ways; further making the Coastal Plain the perfect place to visit. The Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia is located slightly north of the Fall Line, and extends south to Florida, and towards the Lower Coastal Plain. In this sub-region, the dominant activity is agriculture. Some animals found in the Upper Coastal Plain include whitetail deer, black bears, and gophers. The Lower Coastal Plain of Georgia contains the actual coastal area of Georgia and the Sea Islands, as well as Okefenokee Swamp. The Lower Coastal Plain is the region with the lowest elevation in Georgia, and also has the highest percentage of wetlands. Some animals found in the Lower Coastal Plain are the American alligator, snakes, turtles, lizards, birds, and fish. The marshes, tidal creeks, and especially the estuaries, are nursery areas for fish, crabs, shrimp, and other small aquatic animal species.

One of the most interesting things about the Coastal Plain that makes it so unique, is the maritime forest. At the bottom of the Coastal Plain, also known as the Lower Coastal Plain, something very odd occurs. Imagine that you are walking along the marshy areas of the region. All of a sudden, you are abruptly halted by a live oak tree! The maritime forest begins at the end of the marsh in the Lower Coastal Region; the transition from the marshy biome, to the oak forest is rather abrupt! This forest mostly consists of live Oak trees, but it also contains some other types of large canopy trees, such as Southern Magnolias, Pines, and Cabbage Palms. The best thing for vacationers going to the Coastal Plain, is the fabulous climate! The Coastal Plain typically has a moderate climate with hot, humid summers, and mild winters. This is great, so that people who want to visit, wont have to engage in indoor activities all the time, but can go outside during the winter. On average, there is about 51 inches of rain annually, most of which comes from thunderstorms during the summer and spring, and the occasional hurricane. Overall, I believe that the Coastal Plain is the best regional aspect of Georgia. After all, what is there that is not in this terrific region? From swamps, to canyons; from sunny weather to a unique plant species; from a hot spring that Hernando de Soto himself sailed on, to a marsh that magically turns into a forest and beyond, the Coastal Plain is really the best region to be in.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Here is a list of the great websites, books, and ebooks, that I used to gather my information to make this report. All links are in MLA format. 1. "Project WILD Teacher Resource Guide | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division."

Project WILD Teacher Resource Guide | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division. Georgia
Wildlife, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 2. "Coastalplain - Georgiaregions." Coastalplain - Georgiaregions. Coastalplain.com, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 3. "Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Lab." Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Lab RSS . University of Georgia Study, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 4. Unknown, Unknown, UU. "Coastal Plain - Georgia Habitats." Coastal Plain - Georgia Habitats. Lilburn Elementary School, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 5. Kirkman, Katherine L. "Upper Coastal Plain." New Georgia Encyclopedia. New Georgia Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 6. Seabrook, Charles. "Lower Coastal Plain and Coastal Islands." New Georgia Encyclopedia. New Georgia Encyclopedia, Oct.-Nov. 2006. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 7. Ganderton. "Hurricanes How Do They Affect the Coastal Plains Region?" WikiAnswers. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 8. "Coastalplain - Georgiaregions." Coastalplain - Georgiaregions. Georgia Regions, 5 Feb. 2005. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 9. Usery, Lynn E. "Geographic Regions of Georgia: Overview." New Georgia Encyclopedia. Geography and Environment: Geographic Regions, 18 July 2003. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 10. "Inner Coastal Plain." Upper Coastal Plain. Georgia Encyclopedia, Mar.-Apr. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 11. Heaney, Josh. "The Barrier Island Sequence Analysis: What Is It?" Word Document. PDF, 12 July 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. <www1.gadnr.org/cwcs/PDF/13_SouthernCoastalPlain.pdf>. 12. Herrick, Stephen M., and Robert C. Vorhis. Subsurface Geology of the Georgia Coastal Plain. 1st ed. Vol. 1. Atlanta: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries, 1963. Ser. 1. Archive

Internet. Archive Internet: Ebooks, 1963. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.

13. "Welcome to the Garden." Garden of the Coastal Plain. Georgia Southern University,

n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. 14. "Georgia's Coastal Plain Water Resources." Georgia's Coastal Plain Water Resources.
Nespal.org, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. 15. "The Five Regions Of Georgia." The Five Regions Of Georgia. SlideShare, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.