Okefenokee Swamp
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The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow, 400,000 acre (1600 km²), peat-filled marsh straddling the Georgia-Florida border in the United States. It is the site of Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
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Location and history
It is the largest freshwater swamp in North America and is believed to have been a prehistoric salt marsh. The name means "trembling earth" in a Native American language, and the swamp is bordered by the Trail Ridge, a strip of elevated land, east of the marsh. The swamp was formed by water being "caught" behind the Trail Ridge. That water contributes to the St. Marys River, flowing south before heading back north. The St. Marys River and the Suwannee River both originate in the swamp. The Suwannee River originates at the Suwannee River sill on the West side of the swamp. Most of the Georgia portion of the swamp is included in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The swamp was heavily logged on in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Because of the need to get further into the swamp, the Suwanee Canal was dug across the swamp in an attempt to drain the water. Several logging companies ran train tracks into the swamp, remnants of which can still be seen. On several of the islands in the swamp are the remnants of cities that sprang up in support of the logging activities. Billy's Island, on the West side of the swamp, still has building foundations and pieces of logging equipment on it.
There are four public entrances or landings to the swamp:
- The Suwannee Canal Recreation Area at Folkston, Georgia
- Stephen C. Foster State Park at Fargo, Georgia
- Kingfisher's Landing at Race Pond, Georgia
- The Okefenokee Swamp Park at Waycross, Georgia
In addition, Florida State Road 2 passes through the Florida portion between the Georgia cities of Council and Moniac.
Tourism
Many visitors enter the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge each year. The swamp has become a source of tourism for both Florida and Georgia. Guests are drawn routinely from such distant locations as Mexico, Germany, and France. Attractions offered include several forms of guided tours. Visitors can choose to experience Okefenokee by Guided Motor Boat Tours, Guided Paddling Tours, or Night Paddle Tours, to name a few.
Dupont titanium mining operation
A 50-year titanium mining operation by DuPont was set to begin in 1997, but protests and public/government opposition over the possibly disastrous environmental effects throughout 1996-2000 caused the company to abandon the project in 2000 and retire their mineral rights forever.
Wildlife
The Okefenokee Swamp is home to many wading birds, such as herons, egrets, ibises, cranes and bitterns, as well as many alligators and insects.
Trivia
- In Walt Kelly's comic strip Pogo, the characters made their home in the Okefenokee Swamp.
- In Piers Anthony's Xanth novels, the fantasy realm of Xanth is a parallel universe of Earth's Florida, and includes a mirror of the Okefenokee, called the Ogre-fen-ogre Swamp.
- The Okefenokee Swamp is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.