Swamp

North of Marco Island is the charming city of Naples, Florida and 30 miles Northeast of Naples is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a 14,000 acre preserve maintained by the National Audubon Society.  A two mile elevated boardwalk winds through swamps, marshes and cypress groves, which represent Florida's natural habitat as it would have existed before the state was developed into malls, hotels and retirement homes for New Yorkers.

The boardwalk trail begins in the pine flatwoods.  Pines, palmettos and wax myrtles press thickly along the broadwalk.  Tourists walk and talk noisily on this part of the trail, so no animals are visible.  

Beyond the pine flatwoods is the pond cypress forest, where spidery air plants called epiphytes grow on pond cypress trees that are over 100 years old.  Epiphytes grow on trees but, unlike parasitic plants, they do not obtain any nutrition from the tree.

Winter is the dry season in Florida.  These resurrection ferns grow on swamp trees and are limp and brown in dry weather.  After a rainfall, the leaves uncurl and turn a vibrant green.

Rich green Boston ferns, leather ferns and royal ferns grow thickly among the pond cypress.

In the marsh, the soil is rich and organic, created by a hundred years of dead plant material.  At the overlook, you could see for miles over the marsh.  A few birds flew overhead, but many called to each other in the vegetation.

Five small white ibis and an egret search for frogs and crayfish in the murky waters of the swamp. 

The preserve is home to the largest remaining stand of old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America, with trees over 500 years old.

These strange knobby protuberances near cypress trees are called knees and at one time it was thought that they provided oxygen to the roots.  That is no longer believed, but science has not settled on another theory.  Perhaps they stabilize the trees, preventing them from blowing over in a storm. 

Near the end of the boardwalk is the lettuce lakes, the wettest part of the swamp. Here a heron fishes in the murky water.  Turtles and a baby alligator, motionless and silent, were camoflaged by the water and plants.  Perhaps there were many animals there, hidden by the preserve.  

 

 

Walking through paradise, Florida as it existed 100 years ago.