The Altamaha River drains the southern part of Georgia ending in the salt marshes around the Golden Isles near Brunswick on the Atlantic. It is sometimes known as the Little Amazon. Undammed, it still retains a wildness and a relatively unblemished ecology that most “tamed” rivers have lost. There are no major population centers on its banks. There are very few bridges that span it. Of course, there are industrial intrusions, and it is a constant battle to keep development at bay and preserve its unspoiled beauty for future generations. Janisse Ray, the author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood , describes it so lovingly that it almost seems like paradise on Earth. To her it is, but she succeeds in imparting its uniqueness to the reader—its nature, its mystery, its allure. A few factoids I found on Wikipedia that quantify the Altamaha’s extraordinary status: At least 120 Franklin tree species of rare plants and animals live in its watershed, includi...