Canoeists travel the Okefenokee.
Famous places – The Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos Islands, The Giza Pyramids, Venice and its Lagoon. These locations sound exotic and people travel across the globe to visit some of 1,273 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Now you don’t need to leave our state to visit one of the newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
In late July, the World Heritage Convention added Georgia’s 402,000-acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to this prestigious list, making it the first UNESCO site in Georgia. The U.S. now has 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
It was a long time coming, and state organizations including Okefenokee Swamp Park and Georgia Conservancy began campaigning in earnest several decades ago. Listed as tentative on the UNESCO list as tentative in 1982, the Okefenokee Swamp proposal had been submitted to the UNESCO committee several times.
“After all this time, we were simply over the moon when the vote was announced in Korea at the UNESCO Convention in July,” said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, an environmental organization that has been involved in supporting the UNESCO bid. “Now even more visitors from around the world will know about this wonderful natural treasure and all it has to offer.”
The benefits of being on the UNESCO list are many: increased tourism and positive economic impact, protection for cultural, heritage and natural features, assistance with funding for certain projects and potential for global partnerships.
The 700-square-mile Okefenokee has more than 120 water trails, nearly .8 miles of boardwalk trails, more than 230 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, and is documented to have more than 15,000 alligators. Approximately 800 American black bears live there.
The Okefenokee straddles the borders of both Georgia and Florida. The East Entrance is the most popular entryway to the Refuge; it’s near Folkston at the Suwanee Canal Recreation Area.
The West Entrance near Fargo through Georgia’s Stephen C. Foster State Park leads to a certified Dark Sky Park, ideal for stargazing.
The North Entrance is heavily developed and has an independent interpretive center that provides animal encounters, boat rides and boardwalks. It’s located near Waycross.
Two secondary access points – Kingfisher Landing on the northeast side, and Suwannee River Sill on the southwest/southside offers boat launch and fishing access.
Established in 1937, the refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information about the Okefenokee National Wildlife refuge, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee.
Photo: by Joe Cook, GA Rivers.
