B is for Big Cypress

Tim Iverson
Naturalist

(4/2021) E Pluribus Unum, the motto of the United States, means "out of many, one." The south Florida ecosystem is comprised of many different state, tribal, federal, and private partnerships that come together to form the greater Everglades ecosystem. Commonly called the West Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve is a first of its kind national park that honors the E Pluribus Unum idea by bringing together the interests of multiple aspects of land management, recreational activities, and cultural heritage.

Protecting nearly 730,000 acres, Big Cypress Swamp is critical to the health of neighboring Everglades National Park and Ten Thousand Island National Wildlife Refuge. Big Cypress National Preserve contains a diverse mixture of habitats that are home to tropical and temperate plants and an array of wildlife, serving as the primary home to the endangered Florida Panther.

The water cycle reigns supreme here. Fed by the torrential rains throughout the spring, summer, and fall freshwater makes its way through four different ecosystems starting at the high point in hardwood forests flowing downhill to the ocean.

Known as a "hammock," these elevated hardwood forests generally stand at 17 feet above sea level, which is the highest point around. Tall and stately southern Live Oak trees with branches arching across the sky alongside Sabal Palm trees sporting broad palm crowns shield the forest floor from direct sunlight and rain keeping them cooler and drier than the surrounding landscape. This is where all the large mammals, like the Florida Panther make their homes as they move throughout their range. Because of the dense canopy, a lack of sunlight keeps the forest floor free and clear of vegetation making the hammocks easy to explore.

The Florida panther is the only known population of cougars in eastern North America, and it is regarded as critically endangered. By 1995 it was estimated that only a total of 20 to 30 remained in the wild. As a result, eight cougars from west Texas were introduced to Big Cypress National Preserve. By bolstering the population and introducing genetic diversity a much healthier panther population has rebounded and continues to grow. Today there are an estimated 130 panthers in southern Florida. While still critically low, the population remains stable. The Florida Panther still faces threats mainly from habitat loss via land development and vehicular strikes. Big Cypress National Preserve is the largest intact habitat for the panther and within the park is the best place to see a Florida Panther in the wild.

As the elevation descends slightly the habitat transitions to pine forest. Here the canopy opens up allowing for light and wind to penetrate through the canopy. The forest floor is dense with grasses and shrubs. Throughout the rainy season the ground here may be covered by shallow pools of water that recede as the seasons change. Regular naturally occurring wildfires help keep this habitat renewed and clear. Black scorch marks along tree trunks are like scars, evidence of past fires. These pine trees are highly resistant to flame and come through unscated. As wildfires, typically started by lightning strikes, move through the forests, they clear the grasses and shrubs. Pinecones produced by the trees can only open with the high heat created by fires, releasing their seeds into the clear and nutrient rich soil. This fire cycle paves the way for the next generation of the forest.

As the elevation drops a little lower, the pine forests give way to the open prairie. These prairies are generally wet, as they are submerged under water for about half the year. Despite the fact they are wet most of the time, the water is not very deep - rarely exceeding eight inches. Periphyton, an amazing and integral thick green mat of vegetation, blankets the ground here. Periphyton is a mixture of algae, microbes, and plant debris. It provides a valuable food and nesting source for animals at the base of the food chain. Flies, snails, tadpoles, fish, and more utilize this mat as both nursery and farm. Larger reptiles, amphibians, and wading birds search through the periphyton while on the hunt. During the dry season, fires clear these prairies of woody debris and other plants ensuring these productive ecosystems can continue. The last stop before passing into the ocean is the cypress swamp, called a dome or strand.

These strands have an elevation lower than the surrounding communities, which creates a creek that flows south. Venturing into the swamps of Big Cypress feels like stepping back into a prehistoric time or a remote jungle in some far off land. Towering verdant cypress trees shroud a dense canopy. In the forest understory, closer to ground level a slow moving flow of water covers the forest floor. Here you can watch an alligator effortlessly glide through the crystal clear water. Their stealthy tail serpentines silently back and forth propelling them forward. Growing on branches, knots, and the trunks of the cypress trees are epiphytes or air plants. Instead of growing in soil these plants attach themselves to other plants wrapping their roots around to secure themselves in place. Epiphytes like the flashy red Cardinal Flower bromeliads, ethereal white Ghost Orchids, and the wiry tangle of Spanish moss pull their nutrients from the moisture in the air like humidity, fog, and rain.

Over thousands of years Big Cypress has been home to the native Calusa, Miccosukee, and Seminole people. By the 16th century, European explorers found their way to North America and began to settle the coastal areas nearby. As the centuries marched on, more and more of the wilderness was lost to growth and urbanization. Then, in the 1960s plans for the largest airport in the world were unveiled. In anticipation of the growth of Miami and south Florida, this airport was planned for what is now the eastern side of the national preserve to meet the needs of the booming population. With the exception of land developers, this plan was met with great derision and opposition.

When Everglades National Park was established in December 1947, Big Cypress was originally slated to be part of it. At the time many people were opposed to the idea because of the restrictions that come with a national park so the land was not included. However, when the rush of progress and urbanization threatened encroachment and destruction of this place, various parties and stakeholders came together for the unified purpose of preserving the land. A new idea in federal land management was born to meet and balance the needs of those involved. Big Cypress became the very first national preserve. Differing from a national park in that it still protects the land, plants, animals, and environmental processes; however also allowing for hunting, private land ownership, traditional usage by indigenous people, some mineral and resource extraction, cattle grazing, and expanded recreational use and opportunities. Big Cypress National Preserve found a way to strike a successful balance of environmental preservation and sustainably managed land use, while protecting neighboring Everglades National Park and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Established in October 1974 Big Cypress National preserve protects 730,000 acres, an area larger than Rhode Island. In that space is the largest contiguous habitat for the endangered Florida Panther. The efforts of conservationists, sportsmen, local descendants of European and indigenous people who have lived there for generations came together to form a new unified national park unit that protects the rich cultural history and diverse communities of tropical and temperate plants and animals that form the greater Everglades ecosystem.