Entry # 14: Field Trip # 4 Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Today I completed my field trip to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, which I used to frequently visit with my parents while I was growing up. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was established in order to protect the largest remaining area of ancient bald cyprus in North America from being leveled for their timber in the 1940's and 1950's. The actual boardwalk itself, which was built conforming to sustainability-out of a hardwood that requires no chemical treatment, was constructed in 1954. The natural system of this sanctuary is managed to maintain the native plants and animal species who reside in this habitat, as well as to preserve the natural processes of said environment.

Moreover, what I most enjoyed about my experience at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was the sense of serenity I felt while I was walking throughout the boardwalk. It truly is such a beautiful place. I, of course, enjoyed many other aspects of the experience as well-learning about the different species I was able to see in all of the different habitats I passed through was really interesting. Boardwalk habitats included: Pine Flatwoods, Wet Prairie, Pond Cypress, Bald Cypress, and Lettuce Lake.

Out of all the habitats, I think I prefer the Lettuce Lake, which is displayed below:

I was also fortunate enough to see several animal species during my stroll:

Short-Tailed Hawk

Anhinga

Blue Heron

Overall, I found my visit to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to be a rewarding experience. I enjoyed being outdoors, seeing all of the different plant species throughout the various habitats I was introduced to, and thought it was really cool that I actually ended up sighting some wildlife-I was not expecting it! This is a great pla, and I wish there were more places like it in Southwest Florida. The people were friendly and informative, the boardwalk and visitor's facility were both very well maintained-the only thing I can complain about is the weather! It was freezing, but I plan on returning on a sunny warm day in the future.