Great Dismal Swamp
- Ornithological Summary. Great Dismal Swamp is a very important site for nesting Neotropical migrant birds (Criteria 4g). ...
- Conservation Issues. Succession and fire suppression, hydrology. ...
- Ownership. ...
- Habitat. ...
- Land Use. ...
What was the Great Dismal Swamp used for?
In 1763, George Washington visited the area, and he and others founded the Dismal Swamp Company in a venture to drain the swamp and clear it for settlement. The company later turned to the more profitable goal of timber harvesting. Several African-American maroon societies lived in the Great Dismal Swamp during early American history.
What is the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge was officially established through the Dismal Swamp Act of 1974, and today consists of over 112,000 acres (450 km 2) of forested wetlands.
Can I participate in activities at Great Dismal Swamp?
Please check with the refuge management before participating in an activity that could harm the environment or yourself. There are plenty of activities at Great Dismal Swamp for you to enjoy. Be safe and have fun!
What are the coordinates of the Great Dismal Swamp?
Coordinates: 36°38′27″N 76°27′06″W / 36.640876°N 76.451797°W / 36.640876; -76.451797. Bald cypress in Lake Drummond, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia.
What are three facts about the Great Dismal Swamp?
The swamp was once the habitat of many rare birds, including the ivory-billed woodpecker. The cottonmouth and other poisonous snakes are numerous. The area is noted for fishing and hunting; deer, bears, raccoons, and opossums are plentiful, especially in the nearly inaccessible Coldwater Ditch area.
Why was the Great Dismal Swamp a good area to hide?
The Dismal Swamp became a safe place for escaped slaves and free persons of color. They could hide there and seek safety. Some hid in the swamp on their journey to the north to freedom. Others stayed and lived in the swamp area and established their own communities.
What are two things that can be found in the Great Dismal Swamp?
You will find over 70 species of reptiles and amphibians at the Great Dismal Swamp. As you walk along the boardwalk and wamp, one of the most common creatures you will see are terrapins that float on the surface or sun themselves on rocks.
What was the significance of the Dismal Swamp Canal?
The Dismal Swamp Canal, hand dug by hired enslaved labor, opened to navigation in 1805 after twelve years of backbreaking work under highly unfavorable conditions. This 22 mile long canal allowed trade between the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina.
Did slaves live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
The swamp, said Marcus P. Nevius, author of “City of Refuge: Slavery and Petit Marronage in the Great Dismal Swamp, 1763-1856,″ was “both a place of slave labor's exploitation and a place of Black resistance to that exploitation.”
Who lives in the Great Dismal Swamp?
The Tuscarora tribe resided in the swamp in the early 1700's. Some maroons were born to those who escaped slavery and lived in the swamp for their entire lives despite the hardships of swamp life: dense underbrush, insects, venomous snakes, and bears.
Who owns the Dismal Swamp?
In 1973, the Union Camp Corporation, a paper company based in Franklin, Virginia, with large land holdings in the area, donated just over 49,000 acres (200 km2) of land to The Nature Conservancy, which the following year transferred the property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Are there alligators in Dismal Swamp?
It turns out that they do not. Alligators can be found in Merchants Millpond State Park, North Carolina, just south of the Dismal Swamp, and at Kitty Hawk. None live naturally in Virginia – yet. However, a warming climate may yet result in a natural range expansion northward across the border into the Dismal Swamp.
How deep is the Dismal Swamp Canal?
6 feetAIWW-Dismal Swamp Canal currently has a controlling depth of 6 feet at centerline and 50 feet wide except at The Big Entry Ditch (MM #13) and the Feeder Ditch (MM #22) where the width narrows to approximately 25 feet wide.
When was the Great Dismal Swamp drained?
In 1763, Washington and several partners formed a company called Adventurers for Draining the Dismal Swamp, and the General Assembly of Virginia empowered them to construct canals and causeways through private land without being subject to suits for damages.
Is the Dismal Swamp on fire?
Nearly four months after it started, the South One Fire, which ignited on the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on June 9, has been declared fully extinguished by fire officials. The fire was originally started when logging equipment being used in fallen Atlantic White Cedar logging slash caught fire.
How many locks are on the Dismal Swamp?
These locks were built of square juniper timbers and cost $300 each. Prior to major improvements, the canal included five raised levels and as many as nine locks, some privately built. The following locks were listed as operational prior to 1826: Deep Creek, Wilkins, North West, Culpepper, Spences and South Mills.
What are the benefits of a swamp?
Consider the following:Improved Water Quality. Wetlands can intercept runoff from surfaces prior to reaching open water and remove pollutants through physical, chemical, and biological processes. ... Erosion Control. ... Flood Abatement. ... Habitat Enhancement. ... Water Supply. ... Recreation. ... Partnerships. ... Education.More items...•
Does the Great Dismal Swamp have alligators?
It turns out that they do not. Alligators can be found in Merchants Millpond State Park, North Carolina, just south of the Dismal Swamp, and at Kitty Hawk. None live naturally in Virginia – yet. However, a warming climate may yet result in a natural range expansion northward across the border into the Dismal Swamp.
Is the Great Dismal Swamp on fire?
Nearly four months after it started, the South One Fire, which ignited on the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on June 9, has been declared fully extinguished by fire officials. The fire was originally started when logging equipment being used in fallen Atlantic White Cedar logging slash caught fire.
Who owns the Dismal Swamp?
In 1973, the Union Camp Corporation, a paper company based in Franklin, Virginia, with large land holdings in the area, donated just over 49,000 acres (200 km2) of land to The Nature Conservancy, which the following year transferred the property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Where is the Great Dismal Swamp?
The Great Dismal Swamp is a large swamp in the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It is located in parts of the southern Virginia independent cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk and northern North Carolina counties ...
How long have people lived in the Great Dismal Swamp?
The origin of Lake Drummond is not entirely clear as there is no apparent network of natural streams emptying into the lake. Archaeological evidence suggests varying cultures of humans have inhabited the swamp for 13,000 years.
How big is the Dismal Swamp State Park?
The park protects 22 square miles (57 km 2) of forested wetland.
What are the animals that live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
The swamp harbors a wide range of plant and animal species. Bald cypress, tupelo, maple, Atlantic white cypress, and pine, among other tree species found on the refuge, support the fauna within. (In a survey undertaken from 1973 to 1976, some 334 plants from 100 plant families were found.) The swamp is home to many mammals, including black bears, bobcats , otters, and weasels, as well as over 70 species of reptile and amphibian. More than 200 bird species can be seen within the swamp throughout the year, including 96 nesting species.
How big is the swamp in Virginia?
Some estimates place the size of the original swamp at over one million acres (4,000 km 2 ). Lake Drummond, a 3,100-acre (13 km 2) natural lake, is located in the heart of the swamp.
What were the maroons in the swamp?
These Great Dismal Swamp maroons consisted of escaped Black refugee slaves. Excavations reveal island communities existing until the Civil War. Charlie, a maroon who worked illegally in a lumber camp in the swamp, later recalled that there were whole families of maroons living in the Dismal Swamp, some of whom had never seen a white man. The Underground Railroad Education Pavilion, an exhibit set up to educate visitors about the fugitive slaves who lived in the swamp, was opened February 24, 2012.
What are the animals that live in the swamp?
The swamp is home to many mammals, including black bears, bobcats, otters, and weasels, as well as over 70 species of reptile and amphibian. More than 200 bird species can be seen within the swamp throughout the year, including 96 nesting species.
What birds nest in Great Dismal Swamp?
Great Dismal Swamp is a very important site for nesting Neotropical migrant birds (Criteria 4g). It contains among the largest populations of Swainsons Warblers and Black - throated Green Warblers for any site in the mid - Atlantic Coastal Plain. It also has large numbers of other warblers uncommon near the coast, such as American Redstart and Louisiana Waterthrush. Abundant species include Prothonotary Warbler, Ovenbird and Prairie Warbler. Large raptors such as Red - shouldered Hawk and Barred Owl are common. The federally Endangered Red - cockaded Woodpecker formerly nested in the swamp.
What are the trees in the Suffolk Scarp?
Nonriverine Swamp Forest . Mature stands, dominated by red maple, with swamp tupelo, sweetgum, tuliptree and others. Bald - cypress and water tupelo are scarce and are most numerous in the wettest areas just east of the Suffolk Scarp. Cane and sweet pepperbush are abundant shrubs.#N#Pond Pine Woodland - A portion of the eastern section contains old - growth pond pine stands which are now being invaded by red maple. Some areas contain dense stands of pocosin shrubs, such as inkberry, generally under the pine canopy (i.e., very little low or high pocosin.)#N#White Cedar - Several thousand acres of Atlantic White Cedar. These dense stands have been fire - suppressed and some invasion by red maple is taking place.
Is the Great Dismal Swamp public land?
Most of the Great Dismal Swamp is in public ownership and under the jurisdiction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. However, there are significant private tracts adjoining the public lands that support significant habitat and birds.
What to do in Great Dismal Swamp?
For everything you need to know about exploring this massive area, check out the Great Dismal Swamp Welcome Center! There you can find information about trails, events, hunting, birding, and much more. Be sure to visit the Great Dismal State Park as well, a key attraction of the swamp that offers additional activities, like hiking and kayaking. Don’t forget to stop in the gift shop on your way out for a souvenir!
When was the Great Dismal Swamp made a national refuge?
This expansive area wasn’t made a National Refuge until the 1970s.
What animals live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
Other creatures found in the Great Dismal Swamp include black bears, river otters, white-tailed deer, hogs, red foxes, bobcats, bats, and squirrels; just make sure to watch out for the Great Dismal Swamp alligators! A 6,300 acre marsh, in addition to Lake Drummond, creates the perfect habitat for this multitude of diverse species.
Who first encountered the Great Dismal Swamp?
This magnificent area is truly a natural phenomenon. The first recorded encounter with this swamp occurred in 1728 by Colonel William Byrd II. George Washington himself heard of this area and visited in 1763; he had high hopes of draining the water and transforming the region into farmland.
How many species of birds are there in the Great Dismal Swamp?
You’re bound to see an abundance of flora and fauna in the Great Dismal Swamp! If you keep your eyes peeled, you can see over 96 species of birds, 96 species of butterflies, 47 species of mammals, and countless species of plants.
When was the Great Dismal Swamp donated?
The Great Dismal Swamp originated with a donation from the Union Camp Corporation to the Nature Conservancy in 1973. The Nature Conservancy then conveyed the property to the Department of the Interior in 1974.
What are the two states that are part of the Great Dismal Swamp?
The Great Dismal Swamp straddles the two states of Virginia and North Carolina. The majority of the IBA is composed of the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, which consists of over 111,000 acres of forested wetlands and contains a 3,100 acre natural lake - Lake Drummond - at its heart. Five major forest types make up the majority of the swamp - pine, Atlantic white-cedar, maple-blackgum, tupelo-baldcypress, and sweetgum-oak poplar. The remainder of the swamp consists of remnant marsh, sphagnum bog, and an evergreen shrub community.
What birds live in the swamp?
Over 200 species of birds are known to use the swamp or the surrounding habitat at some point during their annual cycle. Of these, 96 are reported to breed on the refuge, many of which are of conservation concern. Two vulnerable southern species, the Swainson's Warbler and the Wayne's Warbler (a race of the Black-throated Green Warbler) are more common in the swamp than in any other coastal location. The Watchlisted Prothonotary Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Wood Thrush are also common on the site. During migration, the refuge is used heavily as a stopover point for Neotropical migratory birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. In the winter months, large populations of Rusty Blackbirds, robins as well as wintering waterfowl use the swamp.
How are swamps managed?
The vast majority of the swamp is managed to preserve or restore the natural biodiversity of the swamp prior to human disturbance. Water levels are controlled through water control structures placed in ditches and plant communities are being restored through fire management regimes. Hunting is being used to manage wildlife populations to maintain a balance between wildlife and food resources. The portions of the swamp that are open to the public allow low-impact recreation such as hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, and wildlife observation.
What is the threat to the Red Maple swamp?
The primary threat to the refuge is the expansion of Red Maple forest communities into other forested communities within the swamp. Tupelo-baldcypress and Atlantic White-cedar were historically the predominant forest community types within the swamp but now make up less than 20 percent of the total cover. This is a result of past forest clearcutting, extensive drainage and fire suppression within the swamp before it was acquired by the Nature Conservancy and then by the Department of the Interior in 1973 and 1974 respectively. These threats are being ameliorated by controlling water drainage from the swamp and by managing the plant communities through activities that stimulate the effects of wildfires. Hunting is occassionally used to balance overabundant species with available food resources.
What is the cover type of the Tupelo swamp?
The site is predominantly forested wetlands of Red Maple and Black Gum. Tupelo/Cypress and Atlantic White Cedar comprise less than 20% of this cover type, although historically they were the dominant cover type. Pine forest and remnant marsh, sphagnum bog, and evergreen shrub comprise a small portion of the bog. Smaller portions of the swamp are loblolly and planted pine forest.
