WELCOME TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
FROM SWAMPS TO MANGROVE FORESTS, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S TERRAIN IS UNIQUE
DENNIS GOODMAN
NATIVE LANDSCAPES OPEN-WATER SLOUGH
BY CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
T
o newcomers, Southwest Florida’s topography might seem flat and unchanging, but don’t let its subtleties fool you. Changes in elevation coupled with rainfall create distinct habitats that are home to a web of life for native wildlife and a wondrous spectrum of flora. You are likely quite familiar with the beach and coastal areas, so here’s a primer on the other natural habitats you will encounter as you explore these sometimes hardy, and sometimes fragile, lands.
hardwood hammocks are found along both coasts of South Florida, and throughout the Everglades and Florida Keys. Hammocks are also called “tree islands” because they rise from wet, low-lying areas. Oaks, sweetgum, hickories—more than 120 species of tropical plants—provide cool and shady refuge for deer
HARDWOOD HAMMOCKS: Tropical
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S O U T H W E ST F LO R I DA R E LO C AT I O N G U I D E
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PINE UPLANDS
– SPRING
CYPRESS SWAMPS: These swamps experience seasonal changes in water levels that fluctuate during wet and dry months. Elevations determine hydroperiods—how long soils are saturated or flooded. Many species have adapted
LEIF JOHNSON
PINE UPLANDS: This habitat is high in elevation, at least for Southwest Florida. A few inches in elevation can make a big difference, and this elevation allows for pine forests, which are high and dry areas dominated by needle-leafed slash pine. The trees get their name from the early settlers who “slashed” the bark of the pines and collected their sap to make turpentine and rosin.
and other wildlife during hot summer months.
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SUMMER 2022
4/11/22 10:27 AM
