Cypress Forest, Florida Everglades

by

Bald Cypress forest in Everglades National Park, Florida. (Jonathan Gewirtz)

 

10 thoughts on “Cypress Forest, Florida Everglades”

  1. I remember some years ago going to Everglades NP – what an interesting place – strolling by (hopefully) well-fed alligators – seeing the historic Rod & Gun Club – and taking the dour. One of the things the guide showed us in the boat was a crashed Cessna from some drug smuggler.

  2. Notice that the cypress trees are all rather small. Most of the first growth cypress trees in Florida were harvested long time ago. This is all second or third growth.

  6. In SW Florida I have “neighbors” who have bought acreage with stands of cypress trees, which are protected. For example, one person I know of bought 5 acres and was able to build on about 1 1/2 acres since the rest was in low lying cypress where no development, fill or clearing is allowed. Typically the cypress will be underwater in the summer and usually dry (or drier) in the winter months.

  7. The area where these trees are seems to have water during winter (the picture is from December) and the trees are relatively high. Nearby areas that are seasonally dry have dwarf trees (see this photo for example).

    I don’t know how old these trees are or whether they are new growth or are growing in an area where older trees were cut. There was a lot of cutting of cypress trees in the past but there are still areas that have old trees, for example the Big Cypress Forest on the northern side of the current park. Also, it may be that the cypress habitat is not as favorable as it was, because a lot of water that used to flow South through the Everglades now drains into canals.

Comments are closed.