Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge preserves most of the Okefenokee Swamp, one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems, across southeastern Georgia and a small part of Florida. Established in 1937 after failed drainage and heavy logging schemes, it protects a vast peat-filled wetland whose habitats include wet prairies, cypress forest, lakes, and upland islands, and whose waters feed both the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers. The area also holds a long human history, from Native American occupation thousands of years ago to later preservation efforts that led to federal protection, wilderness designation, international recognition, and its continued importance for wildlife, science, and tourism.