Okefenokee Swamp Near UNESCO World Heritage Designation

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in Busan, South Korea, to decide whether to add Georgia’s 400,000‑acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the World Heritage List. If approved, the swamp would become the United States’ 27th World Heritage site, joining locations such as the Grand Canyon, Everglades and Great Smoky Mountains. Supporters say the designation would recognize the Okefenokee’s unique freshwater ecosystem and boost conservation and tourism.

Local officials and residents in Ware, Charlton and Clinch counties express opposition, fearing federal or UN oversight could threaten land rights. County Commissioner Barry Cox cited constituent concerns about “keeping the UN out of the Okefenokee.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service clarified that UNESCO would only monitor conditions and would not assume ownership or management. The controversy occurs amid President Trump’s announced plan to withdraw the United States from UNESCO by the end of 2025, adding a political dimension to the heritage debate.