Last month in Busan, South Korea, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization took just seconds to finalize what had been more than 44 years in the making: designating the Okefenokee Swamp as a World Heritage site.
In doing so, they affirmed what so many of us in Georgia, across the Southeast and throughout the United States have long known — that the Okefenokee is one of the most extraordinary natural places on Earth, possessing what UNESCO calls “outstanding universal value to humanity.”
This designation is far more than a symbolic honor.
It provides the Okefenokee with a global platform to showcase its unparalleled beauty, attract visitors from around the world and create new investments and opportunities for an often-overlooked corner of our state. Just as importantly, it reminds us that conservation and economic growth are not competing priorities.
Here in Georgia, we’ve demonstrated that protecting our natural treasures can also strengthen our economy, support local communities and create lasting opportunities for future generations.
The Okefenokee Swamp is the largest blackwater wetland in North America and the largest National Wildlife Refuge east of the Mississippi River, spanning more than 400,000 acres across Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida.
It is home to more than 1,000 species of plants and animals, creating one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the country and providing a habitat unlike any other in the world. The swamp also contains one of the planet’s largest intact peat beds, making it an important natural carbon sink that stores vast amounts of carbon while helping keep our air clean.
Simply put, there is nowhere else quite like the Okefenokee.
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World Heritage designation ensures that this remarkable place will now receive the international recognition it deserves. But perhaps more importantly for Georgia, it will serve as a powerful economic engine for the surrounding region.
According to an independent analysis by The Conservation Fund, annual visitation could grow to between 1.4 and 1.6 million visitors by 2035, supporting approximately 700 new long-term jobs, generating more than $140 million in annual regional economic activity and increasing regional GDP by as much as 2%. Tourism growth is expected to accelerate from roughly 4% annually today to between 6% and 8% following inscription. Those are transformative numbers for the communities surrounding the swamp.
The great news is that Georgia has already been preparing for that future.
Through the state’s investment in the Okefenokee Experience and the collaborative work of nonprofit organizations and private-sector partners, the Okefenokee Swamp Park has been building the infrastructure needed to welcome more visitors while protecting the resource that makes the region so special. New visitor amenities, expanded recreational opportunities and strategic investments in nearby communities will help ensure that the economic benefits of this designation are shared across Southeast Georgia for decades to come.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from this achievement extends well beyond the Okefenokee itself. Conservation is not simply about preserving the past — it is an investment in our future. When we protect Georgia’s forests, wetlands, rivers, coastlines, and other natural resources, we strengthen our quality of life, make our communities more attractive places to live and work, support thriving local economies, and preserve the landscapes that define our state.
The World Heritage designation is ultimately a testament to what can be accomplished when government, nonprofit organizations, private industry, local communities, and conservation advocates work toward a common purpose. It proves that economic development and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. As Georgia continues to grow, the Okefenokee offers a model worth following: protect what makes us unique, invest thoughtfully in our communities, and create opportunities that will endure for generations.
Forty-four years after this journey began, the world has officially recognized what Georgians have always known. The Okefenokee is one of our state’s greatest treasures. Now it has the global stage it deserves, and with it, an opportunity to inspire visitors, strengthen local communities, and remind us that some of our greatest economic assets are the natural wonders we choose to protect.
Stephen Lawson is a principal in Dentons Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs Practice based in Atlanta. He advises Fortune 500 companies, executives, candidates and campaigns.
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