Sen. Ossoff Statement on Designation of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as Georgia’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site

In February 2023, Sen. Ossoff led a bipartisan group urging National Park Service to nominate the Okefenokee refuge for UNESCO's World Heritage Site list

Sen. Ossoff has worked for years to protect the Okefenokee

Okefenokee becomes Georgia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site

Washington, D.C. - After years of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff's advocacy, UNESCO has designated the Okefenokee as Georgia's first World Heritage Site.

Following Sen. Ossoff's bipartisan push over the last few years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced today that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has been designated as Georgia's first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This announcement follows a bipartisan effort by Sen. Ossoff, who led a group of Georgia's Congressional delegation in 2023 urging the Department of the Interior to pursue this prestigious designation. Following the group's urging, in September 2023, the National Park Service announced it intended to nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO's World Heritage Site list, and then in December 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it would nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In response to today's historic announcement, Sen. Ossoff released the following statement.

"For years I've worked to protect Georgia's beloved Okefenokee Swamp from dangerous strip mining, and now, following our bipartisan push, it's been named Georgia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site," Sen. Ossoff said. "The Okefenokee is an irreplaceable natural treasure in our state, and this significant designation will help protect this renowned natural treasure for generations to come, promote tourism, and support Southeast Georgia's economic growth."

The World Heritage designation places the Okefenokee alongside global landmarks such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. With its inscription, the Okefenokee becomes Georgia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first National Wildlife Refuge in the United States to receive the prestigious designation.

This recognition is expected to boost environmental protection efforts and promote economic prosperity through increased tourism and international recognition. According to a 2024 study, the World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO could double visitation at the Okefenokee Swamp Park, create about 750 long-term jobs, and deliver $60 million in annual economic impact.

Sen. Ossoff has worked for years to protect the Okefenokee.

In February 2023, Sen. Ossoff led a bipartisan coalition urging the U.S. Interior Department to nominate the Okefenokee Refuge for the honor, a crucial step in getting considered by UNESCO.

Following his urging, in September 2023, the National Park Service announced it intended to nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO's World Heritage Site list, and then in December 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it would nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In April 2024, Sen. Ossoff submitted formal public comments to Georgia's Environmental Protection Division opposing mining permits near the Okefenokee, citing the threat of "irreversible damage" to the swamp and surrounding ecosystem.

In January 2025, following Sen. Ossoff's push, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would expand the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge's acquisition boundary by 22,000 acres.

In May 2025, Sen. Ossoff pressed the Trump Administration's Department of the Interior in a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, securing a public commitment from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that no part of the Okefenokee would be sold.

In June 2025, Sen. Ossoff welcomed the announcement of a land acquisition deal in which The Conservation Fund will purchase roughly 8,000 acres from Twin Pines Minerals, as well as the underlying mineral rights - effectively halting the proposed titanium mine near the swamp.

In August 2025, Sen. Ossoff passed an amendment through the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee to encourage greater expanded protection of the Okefenokee Swamp.

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