Home to some of the oldest living trees in the state, a designated National Natural Landmark and Georgia Scenic Waterway, Ebenezer Creek in Effingham County is arguably the most biologically resplendent jewel in the Savannah River basin. Towering bald cypresses, many of which are more than a thousand years old, line the banks of the 13-mile tributary, while old-growth tupelos provide habitat for bees making some of the world’s most cherished honey.
The slow moving blackwater holds sights and secrets few learn or ever get to experience.
On Saturday, July 27, the majesty and mystery of this primordial waterway are revealed, when Savannah Tree Foundation and Wilderness Southeast team up to host “Tree Paddle,” a three-hour kayaking exploration of Ebenezer Creek. The expedition sets out at 9 a.m. and wraps up at noon, with kayaks provided. Naturalist Garrett Jones and arborist Kristopher Johnston guide the venture, teaching about the area’s natural and human history. Cost to attend is $50.
Jones, outdoor educator with Wilderness Southeast, has paddled the creek more than 250 times. He knows Ebenezer and understands its interconnected ecology.
“When I take people out, mostly what I’m doing is telling people where they are,” explained Jones. “I’m filling in information by informing them about a specific place, getting them connected so that they understand the connections within that place. Connection, I find, helps form in their mind a feeling of stewardship.”
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Honored, but not protected
And greater stewardship is something Ebenezer Creek needs. Though recognized nationally and at the state level for its relatively unmarred beauty, the honors come without protections.
Private property owners along the creek can do as they please, which is what happened during winter of 2007 when one owner logged 100 acres along Ebenezer. Though legally required to leave a 40-foot buffer between the cut and the creek, the operation clearcut the swath of forest to the bank’s edge taking numerous old cypresses with it.
Brian Cohen, owner of Backwater Expeditions, leads kayaking tours on Ebenezer and occasionally partners with Wilderness Southeast providing additional kayaks. He’s lived near the creek for close to 25 years, experiencing firsthand many of the environmental challenges it faces. Cohen regularly leads trash clean ups on the waterway and considers Effingham County’s growing industry a serious threat facing the creek.
“DRT, a French-owned company, was permitted to build a turpentine plant in Springfield near the creek. That plant was completed in 2017,” said Cohen. “But the company never secured a wastewater treatment agreement with the city to discharge water back into the creek, which is good for Ebenezer. But now, that industrial waste sits in tanks that have to be trucked out. One tank was reported leaking to Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division.”
That reported leak was September 2023 when 500 gallons of pretreated sulfate turpentine spilled on the ground. So far, onsite containment measures have prevented the chemical from entering the creek, and according to Cohen, the most recent water tests on October 31, 2023, indicate the waterway remains free of industrial chemicals.
Which means, for now, Ebenezer Creek flows unpolluted and endures as veritable paradise for kayakers and tree enthusiasts.
'Something more people really should experience'
Kristopher Johnston, arborist and field manager with Savannah Tree Foundation, is eager to share his knowledge of cypress and tupelo on the Tree Paddle. Trained as an urban forester, Johnston worked with nonprofit Trees Upstate in Greenville, South Carolina, before taking the position with STF earlier this year.
“Trees in this environment have special adaptations for thriving in the swamp,” said Johnston. “Tupelo and cypress have wide bases, like a pyramid, for greater stability. Tupelos have buttress roots that become massive as the trees age, and it is incredible to see such old trees like the ones on Ebenezer Creek with these enormous, above water root systems. Trees here are several millennia old, some even older, and that’s something more people really should experience.”
Since January, Johnston has been with STF evaluating trees, finding places to plant new ones, and managing those already planted. He also runs soil testing and makes sure trees are watered weekly during the hot summer months. Johnston considers how kayaking on Ebenezer Creek will help link people to trees and environments beyond their backdoors.
“You’re in Savannah and seeing live oak trees all the time, but this area is more than live oaks,” considered Johnston. “Being able to connect with trees beyond our urban spaces, parks, and backyards is so important. The tupelo and cypress on Ebenezer Creek, because of their age, also help connect us to our human history, reminding us that trees and people are community.”
Johnston also points out proceeds from the Tree Paddle help rebuild Savannah’s urban canopy while also supporting the Fish Gotta Swim program with Wilderness Southeast.
If You Go >>
What: “Tree Paddle” with Savannah Trees Foundation and Wilderness Southeast
When: 9 a.m. to noon, July 27
Where: Ebenezer Creek, Tommy Long Boat Ramp, 1 Tommy Long Road, Rincon, Georgia
Cost: $50, kayaks available onsite
Registration: savannahtree.org/event/tree-paddle/
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