Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act designating some federally owned lands as wilderness areas. These large tracts of land had few roads or buildings, offered opportunities for outdoor recreation, and were important because of their educational, scientific or historical value. One such pristine area is the Okefenokee Swamp, a 180-thousand hectare wilderness located in the southeastern part of the United States in the state of Georgia.
Wilderness Awaits in the Okefenokee Swamp
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Floating islands of peat support grasses and trees.
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An egret flies over the Okefenokee ‘prairie,’ the dominant habitat of the swamp.
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Snapping turtles are one of the dozens of reptiles found in the Okefenokee.
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The 19-kilometer long Suwanee Canal runs through the center of the swamp.