Former Georgia governor urges Trump administration to support Okefenokee refuge's UNESCO bid

Drew Kann, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Apr 30, 2025

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ATLANTA — Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was chosen by President Joe Biden’s administration to be nominated for a spot on the United Nations’ World Heritage List, a honor reserved for the planet’s most iconic natural and cultural treasures.

Now, as President Donald Trump shakes up the federal government, his former agriculture secretary is urging the new administration to support the Okefenokee’s bid.

In a letter dated April 17, Sonny Perdue — the two term Georgia governor and now chancellor of the University System of Georgia — wrote Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to lay out his case for the Trump administration to support the nomination.

In the letter, written on Board of Regents letterhead, Perdue called Trump a “champion” of clean air and water, as well as a successful businessperson who “understands the need to support our local and rural economies.”

“This designation truly is the best of both worlds and will support our environment and local economy in Southeast Georgia for generations to come,” Perdue wrote.

There are 1,223 sites globally with World Heritage designation, including 26 in the U.S. If selected, the Okefenokee would join renowned sites like Yellowstone National Park, Peru’s Machu Picchu and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

At 407,000 acres, the Okefenokee is the largest National Wildlife Refuge east of the Mississippi River and provides critical habitat to threatened and endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake and wood stork. It also holds vast stores of carbon-rich peat, which keep an estimated 95 million tons of planet-warming gases from escaping into the atmosphere. The swamp is also the headwaters of two rivers: the Suwannee River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico, and the St. Marys, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean.

The refuge has also been at the center of an intense fight over a titanium mine planned near its southeastern edge. The mine, which has faced stiff opposition from environmental groups, is waiting on final approval from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

Perdue did not mention the mine in his letter.

The federal government took its first major step toward nominating the Okefenokee in 2023, when the Interior Department directed the National Park Service to prepare a case for the refuge’s inclusion on the prestigious list. Then, last December in the final full month of Biden’s presidency, the department confirmed that the Okefenokee would be nominated for World Heritage listing.

The Okefenokee has not been formally nominated for World Heritage for consideration yet. Once it is, the committee’s review process typically takes about 18 months.

Perdue stressed the ecological importance of the refuge, plus the economic jolt he said the designation could bring to rural areas around the swamp.

Some estimate the Okefenokee could see annual visitors double to 1.6 million if it adds the World Heritage label to its résumé. The chancellor also referenced a study commissioned by The Conservation Fund, which found the tourism influx could create 750 long-term jobs and add $60 million to the economies of nearby counties.

“This is a rare opportunity to celebrate our natural heritage and create meaningful economic opportunities for rural Southeast Georgia,” Perdue wrote.

The Department of the Interior and Burgum did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter or share updates on the status of the Okefenokee’s bid.

In his first 100 days, Trump has raced to erase many of Biden’s accomplishments. But Perdue tried to frame recognition of the Okefenokee as a rare area of bipartisan agreement. Georgia’s congressional leaders from both parties, including Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock and Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, have all backed the nomination.

“Leaders across the political spectrum — including many Republicans — recognize the economic and environmental opportunities it presents,” Perdue said. “By supporting this effort, we can ensure the Okefenokee’s legacy as a natural wonder while fostering growth and prosperity for the communities surrounding it.”