
The serenity and seclusion of the Green Swamp allows for quiet observation and study of a variety of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, invertebrates and amphibians within the natural landscape.
The 870-square-mile Green Swamp is a large expanse of poorly drained flat terrain, where the groundwater is close to the surface. Much of the area is a mosaic of wetlands, mesic flatlands and uplands, subject to seasonal flooding. Flood and fire largely govern the composition and distribution of vegetation, creating a distinctive mosaic of natural communities.
Natural plant communities in the area include:
- Upland hardwoods (xeric hammock, sandhills and oak scrub)
- Herbaceous wetlands (wet prairies, marshes)
- Pine flatwoods (mesic and xeric)
- Cypress swamps (domes and strands)
- Floodplain swamps (bottomland forest, hydric hammock, bayhead, riverine)