UNESCO designation is one piece of a larger strategy for saving the Okefenokee

Now more than ever, local officials, community members, nonprofits and state and federal elected officials must work together to ensure this irreplaceable resource continues to be a healthy natural asset well into the future.

Prepare locals for new job opportunities

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

The 2025 purchase of the Twin Pines property was an important step.

However, tens of thousands of acres of unprotected private land in proximity to the National Wildlife Refuge remain available to the highest bidder, including interested mining companies.

That’s why increased private and public investment in continued land conservation along Trail Ridge is critical.

The swamp’s future also depends on education.

To be prepared for the increased visitation that will likely result from a UNESCO designation, local and state officials must prioritize the development of programs that teach students about everything from forestry, natural resource management and wildlife conservation to hospitality and ecotourism business development.

This investment could be modeled off power provider Southwire’s 12 for Life program, which combines classroom work with job training to prepare students for careers within the company.

Communities around the swamp can use the UNESCO designation as a catalyst for this type of innovative model to grow the economy and ensure residents benefit from the new business opportunities it brings.

Balance tourism and preservation

As our appreciation for Okefenokee increases, so must our understanding of its limits. State and federal agencies, as well as research institutions, must establish a carrying capacity for the swamp.

For example, Cumberland Island’s Visitor Use Management Plan limits the total daily visitors to 300 people per day. This limit is intended to balance the protection of wilderness with the need for people to experience it.

Similar limits should be considered for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. If the swamp’s ecosystem shows signs of decline, ongoing scientific monitoring and data collection should help identify the reason behind it and a remedy. This will require local and state leaders to be willing to establish protections, set limits and adjust existing circumstances as needed.

The keystone for successful long-term protection is continued community advocacy. As the Twin Pines mining threat demonstrated once again, people who love the Okefenokee are willing to stand up for it, but organizing these efforts in response to emerging threats takes time.

Local nonprofit organizations and citizen groups are needed to ensure legal and communication tools can be deployed if the health of the swamp is threatened. The community must have resources available to prevent it from being loved to death. Therefore, private funders should prioritize funding for organizations and citizen groups that can serve as watchdogs and advocates for community-driven investment in the swamp.

Sustainable, long-term conservation of the Okefenokee Swamp — or any natural asset -requires intentional political, community, institutional and nonprofit collaboration toward a holistic approach to conservation and economic development.

The UNESCO designation offers an unprecedented opportunity for the communities surrounding the swamp, and it is incumbent on all of us to assist in the implementation of this strategy — for the benefit of the Okefenokee Swamp and for the preservation of biodiversity across the Southeast.

Megan Desrosiers is the president and CEO of One Hundred Miles, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Georgia’s 100-mile coast through advocacy, education and community engagement.