Former GA governor, USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue pushes for Okefenokee Swamp preservation
University System of Georgia Chancellor and former Gov. Sonny Perdue added his voice to a list of supporters working to preserve the Okefenokee Swamp.
On April 17, Perdue sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Sec. Doug Burgum urging him, and President Donald Trump, to preserve the 'national treasure' that is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
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"Since his first term, President Trump has been a champion for protecting our air, water and the environment, and as a successful businessperson, he also understands the need to support our local and rural economies," Perdue said in the letter. 'This designation truly is the best of both worlds and will support our environment and local economy in Southeast Georgia for generations to come.'
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Perdue's letter places him on a growing list of advocates and officials across the political spectrum working to preserve the Okefenokee Swamp, which sits just above the Georgia-Florida border.
The swamp is the largest blackwater wetland in North America and is home to more than 1,000 unique species, a status Perdue highlighted in the letter to Burgum.
The university system chancellor said he was supporting the nomination of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and said earning the designation would be a big boost to the local economy in the region.
"The economic benefits would be substantial. A recent impact study commissioned by The Conservation Fund found that this increased visitation would generate up to 750 long-term jobs and $60 million in additional annual economic output in Ware, Charlton, and Clinch Counties. Additionally, the planned Okefenokee Experience projects that would complement the World Heritage Site bid—a state-of-the-art nature center, a cultural history center, and a dark sky observatory—would create 362 construction jobs and $46 million in economic output during development," Perdue wrote. 'These projects would also sustain nearly 50 permanent jobs and generate over $430,000 annually in tax revenue."
If the site is approved for the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, it would be the first in the Southeast United States in decades, according to Perdue.
Responding to a request for comment from Channel 2 Action News, a Dept. of Interior spokesperson said they remained committed to Okefenokee being a World Heritage Site.
Their statement reads:
'While we do not comment on specific correspondence through the media, the Department of the Interior takes all correspondence seriously and carefully reviews each matter. The Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains committed to supporting the pursuit of World Heritage Site recognition for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. We continue to work closely with our partners to advance this effort and highlight the refuge's outstanding natural and cultural value on the global stage.'
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