Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, home to the largest intact blackwater swamp in North America and thousands of plant and animal species, will be nominated to join the United Nations’ World Heritage List.
The move is a significant step to bring global recognition to the swamp, just as a plan for a titanium mine on its doorstep inches closer to becoming reality.
The Okefenokee’s nomination had been expected since 2023, when the U.S. Department of the Interior directed the National Park Service to prepare a case for the refuge’s inclusion on the prestigious list. It made the announcement Friday.
To make the list, the World Heritage Committee — which includes representatives from 21 nations — must find that a site possesses natural and cultural assets of global significance. There are currently 1,223 World Heritage sites in 168 countries, including 26 in the U.S. If chosen, the Okefenokee would join globally renowned sites like the Great Barrier Reef, Machu Picchu and Yellowstone National Park.