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Corkscrew Swamp Field Trip Report

The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary occupies over 13,000 acres in Southwest Florida and protects diverse ecosystems like pine flatwoods, cypress swamps, and wet prairies. It has historical significance as a site protected from logging in the 1940s and fashion industries that decimated bird populations in the 19th century. The Sanctuary offers educational nature programs and provides important ecosystem services like flood control and wildlife habitat.

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Karolina Terra
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130 views7 pages

Corkscrew Swamp Field Trip Report

The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary occupies over 13,000 acres in Southwest Florida and protects diverse ecosystems like pine flatwoods, cypress swamps, and wet prairies. It has historical significance as a site protected from logging in the 1940s and fashion industries that decimated bird populations in the 19th century. The Sanctuary offers educational nature programs and provides important ecosystem services like flood control and wildlife habitat.

Uploaded by

Karolina Terra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Corkscrew Swamp Field Trip Report

Karolina de Paula Terra


An overview of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, including its historical significance
(Logging/Women's Fashion):

With a mission to conserve and restore the natural ecological system, the Corkscrew Swamp
Sanctuary occupies approximately 13,450 acres in Southwest Florida, part of the Western
Everglades. "The Sanctuary is in a strategically important location, and the quality of the
natural resources here provides excellent habitat for wildlife" (The Sanctuary, 2021).
The Sanctuary has two known historical events that strengthened the mission to protect the
Sanctuary. First, in the 19th century, many women wore accessories made from animals. It
was pervasive to have the bird's body in hats and clothes. Millions of birds were slaughtered,
and many species were extinct for this practice. The National Audubon Society fought against
this practice, hiring guards for the nests, resulting in the death of two workers.
In 1944 the systematic felling of cypress forests in southern Florida began. The wood was used
in the reconstruction of Europe after the Second World War. All the cypresses in Fakahatchee
were deforested, extraction routes were created, and several trees more than half a millennium
old were removed, awakening attention to conservation for fear of losing more forest areas. As
a result, in 1954, the Sanctuary was created with 5,680 hectares.

A detailed description of all the different ecosystems found along the boardwalk,
including unique attributes of each such as canopy coverage, elevation, and hydrology:

The Sanctuary has diverse ecosystems, including Pine Flatwood, Pond Cypress, Bald Cypress,
and Wet Prairie.
The Pine Flatwood grows in flat, sandy soil, xeric, with little drainage and elevation around 4'.
Dependent on fire, burning helps the plants to germinate and flourish because it keeps the field
open.
Extremely wet areas for most of the year are known as Cypress with forests growing in long
flooded depressions dominated by bald cypresses (Taxodium distichum), and also isolated
depressions fed by nutrient-poor groundwater, Pod Cypress (Taxodium ascendants)
Both cypress species are known for their "knees" and buttressed trunks, which provide oxygen
to tree roots and support in muddy and unstable soils. Even being flooded most of the year,
Cypress needs a dry period for survival and seed germination.
Wet prairie is a flat or slightly sloping area with moist soil, which can be flooded for 3 to 7
months a year due to poor water drainage, which favors the formation of swamps. "Natural
fires penetrate the wetlands of the surrounding pine plains and help to prevent the
establishment of cypresses (Taxodium spp.) in the adjacent swamps" (O Santuário, 2021).
Plant Species
Species Common and Detailed Description Ecosystem Small Picture
Scientific Name
1. Florida Maple Tree, The leaves grow in springs, Pine
Acer floridanum turn reddish before fall and fall Flatwood
off in winter.

2. Alligator Flag It is a large plant that grows in Cypress


Thalia geniculata swamps and wet ditches. It
blooms from summer to fall.

3. Southeastern It is an annual yellow flower Pine


Sunflower that can be 3- 5 ft tall. Flatwood
Helianthus agrestis

4. Pond Cypress It reaches 49-59 ft in height Cypress


Taxodium distichum

5. Saw-grass Saw-grass stems typically grow swamps


Cladium jamaicense to 6 or 7 feet tall from stout, and
short runners. marshes
6. Strangler Fig It is known for "strangling" Cypress
Ficus aurea growth habit

7. Spanish Moss It grows upon large trees. It is Lowlands,


Tillandsia usneoides most common where the air is swamps,
pure. and
marshes

8. Water Lettuce Floating plant with very thick Cypress


Pistia strtiotes leaves

Wildlife Species
Species Common and Detailed Description Ecosystem Small Picture
Scientific Name
1. Grey Squirrel It is the most common Woodland
Sciurus carolinensis squirrel in Corkscrew. It
has a grey color and white
underside
2. Anhinga The male is black and the Shallow
Anhinga anhinga female more colorful, with waters
a gray-yellowish head,
neck, and chest.

3. Pileated It has the forest as a Swamp


Woodpecker habitat, eat insects, and has
Dryocopus pileatus a nest in the cavity

4. American alligator Adult male American Marsh


Alligator alligators measure up to
mississippiensis 15 ft in length, and Females
are smaller, measuring up
to 9.8 ft in length

5. Southeastern This type of grasshopper is


Lubber larger compared to more
Grasshopper common grasshoppers and
crickets.
Romalea microptera
6. Zebra Longwing Zebra longwings are
Heliconius charithonia medium-sized butterflies
with elongated wings.

7. Green Anole It can be green or brown.


Anolis carolinensis You can observe them
jumping from one plant to
another one.

7. Florida Redbelly It can be found in any


Turtle aquatic habitat. It has red-
Pseudemys melsoni tinged plastrno.

A description of the ecosystem services provided by Corkscrew Swamp:

"The Society of Wetland Scientists noted several of Corkscrew's exemplary ecosystem


services, including aquifer recharge, flood storage, carbon storage, and water quality
improvement, in addition to community services like recreation, education, and aesthetic
value" (The Sanctuary, 2021).

A description of the nature-based programs that Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary offers to


the public:
The Sanctuary provides a night walk and family night walk, sunset stroll, and early bird walk.
The night walk is an experience when the animals are out and vocal. The sunset is observed
from the observation tower, where you listen to the changes in sounds as the day changes to
night. And the bird walk, you will experience the sights and sounds of the awakening swamp.
A Minimum of 4 Small Pictures that you Took Yourself (One must be a Selfie of you with a
plant):
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

Florida Maple Tree Alligator Flag Cypress Knees Pond Cypress Area
with the Alligator
Flag
Reference Page

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: A Companion Field Guide. Artype, 1990.

“The Sanctuary.” Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 26 July 2021,


https://corkscrew.audubon.org/about/sanctuary.

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