The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 13 - January 27, 2016

reel time

The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Reel time

rusty chinnis | sun

One of the old growth cypress trees in the
sanctuary stands in all it’s majesty

 

The stand of bald cypress trees pierced the cloud studded blue sky, creaking in the stiff, cool, morning breeze. At their base, cordgrass swayed in a sea of motion on the wet prairie bordering the Corkscrew Swamp. Ahead, the sinuous boardwalk, beckoned us to the giants in the ancient cypress sanctuary. Walking into the forest of trees, we paused to contemplate a riot of various ferns that festooned the forest floor, their roots hidden by two feet of tannin stained water. In the distance, a woodpecker created a rhythmic staccato beat, while a beautiful green heron sat motionless on a nearby cypress knee, its reflection mirrored in the tannin stained water.

A closer look revealed a tapestry of foliage and fauna not apparent to the casual observer. Alligator flag thrust its giant leaves above the water’s surface as tiny finches darted among the trees and bushes, harvesting seed. Purple blue spirals of tiny pickerel weed flowers disregarded the cold winter morning, as did the shoots of the broad leaved arrowhead with delicate three petaled white flowers. Slowly, as the morning unfolded and the breezes began to warm, the air became alive with the sounds of songbirds.

Today I had the pleasure of visiting the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, located in southwest Florida near Naples with my friend and conservationist Captain Rodney Smith. Managed by the National Audubon Society, these wetlands provide a vital habitat for birds and animals, but also function as the earth’s kidneys, filtering toxins from waters that eventually flow to the Gulf of Mexico.

Officially opened as a park in March 1954, with only 2880 acres of prime cypress swamp, it was called corkscrew by early settlers because of the twisting, turning path of these coastal waters. The Sanctuary is home to the largest remaining virgin (old growth) bald cypress forest in North America. Bald cypress, which can live 500 to 600 years, and grow to heights of 130 feet, and 12 feet in diameter, have no taproot. Their buttressed knees and bases give them the support required to weather hurricanes and provide habitat for many species of plants and animals. Cypress prefer moving water and deep, rich peat soils, thus making them ideally suited for this fresh water swamp

The story of the park’s development began long before 1954, evolving from a series of near tragedies, one of which almost caused the obliteration of egrets and herons in southwest Florida, the other coming from the logging industry.

In 1886, when large plumed hats were the fashion of the day, hunters came to southwest Florida and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of egrets and herons to obtain the feathers, which, at the time, sold for $32 per ounce, more than twice the price of gold. The plight of these birds came to the notice of Boston society matron Harriet Hemenway and her cousin Mirna Hall, who, in 1896, with help of the newly formed Audubon Society, boycotted feathered hats and were successful in lobbying for legislation to protect wading birds

The late 1800s also marked the beginning of logging in Florida’s swamps, which continued through the 1950s. In March 1954, the National Audubon Society, together with 14 different conservation organizations, created the Corkscrew Cypress Rookery and brought the park to realization, thus preserving this habitat and saving the last remaining stand of virgin cypress. The following year, they began the development of the walkways through the park so that the public could come and see the beauty of this pristine wilderness. In 1964, the sanctuary was designated a National Natural Landmark, and today boasts 13,000 acres of protected land.

Designed to afford public access to this rare wilderness gem, the 2.25 miles of walkway have many beautiful places for visitors to sit and enjoy the serene and ever changing landscape. Along the way, small signs help visitors to understand the complexity and the interrelationships between the wetlands, the life they support and their role in maintaining the health of the environment. One of the more sobering signs reminds visitors that 98 percent of America’s ancient forests are gone, making Corkscrew’s role more vital than ever.

This sanctuary is aptly named and can provide a wonderful day of adventure for both young and old. The broad walkways allow access for wheelchairs, as well as strollers, and many well trained volunteers, spotting scopes and current information placards are available throughout the park.

Its hours of operation are daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. In addition to self guided tours, it also offers bird watching tours with naturalists, a wildflower program, photography seminars and night walks. Admission is $14 per adult, with discounts for students and Audubon society members. Children under 6 are admitted free. For information call 239-348-9151 or go to the Website at http://corkscrew.audubon.org


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