The National Park Service has taken the first step toward a bid to have the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The NPS is asking officials at the refuge to prepare a draft nomination for Okefenokee to become the 25th World Heritage Site in the United States.
The Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America. The refuge covers more than 400,000 pristine acres that support hundreds of species of plants and animals. The Okefenokee has been caught up in controversy for the last several years.
An Alabama-based mining company is seeking state permits to mine titanium along Trail Ridge near the swamp. While officials with Twin Pines Minerals say the project would not harm the Okefenokee, environmental groups opposing the mine say it would devastate the swamp by reducing water levels.
