Forest Type
SAF 102: Baldcypress-Tupelo, 1,620 acres
SAF 82: Overcup Oak-Water Hickory
SAF 88: Willow Oak-Water Oak-Laurel Oak
SAF 96: Loblolly Pine-Hardwood
Total acres: 1,783
Description
This forest tract is situated entirely within
the floodplain of four Holes Swamp. Baldcypress-Tupelo
is by far the dominant forest type throughout,
complete with all the normally recognized associates
and variants. On small islands and ridges of
slightly higher ground in various parts of the
forest, the Baldcypress-Tupelo type grades into
communities dominated by elements of the following
forest types: Overcup Oak-Water Hickory (SAF
96), Willow Oak-Water Oak-Laurel Oak (SAF **)m
and Loblolly Pine-Hardwood (SAF 82). There is
no good estimate of the acreage covered by these
other forest types, but it is small in comparison
to the Baldcypress-Tupelo forest; and both baldcypress
and tupelo trees are found in some numbers throughout
the tract. The dominant tupelo is water tupelo,
but occasionally swamp tupelo are also found.
This entire tract is essentially first-growth
forest. Although there are no known record-sized
trees here, the development of baldcypress knees
is impressive in both size and numbers. On patches
of higher ground are found some unusually well-developed
stands of large spruce pines. At middle elevations
dwarf palmettos sometimes cover extensive area
of the forest floor.
There is no discernible main channel through
most of this portion of Four Holes Swamp, but
rather numerous creeks and sloughs. One of the
most unusual features of the swamp are the so-called
"lakes," occasional deep depressions in the
floodplain which retain water even when the
rest of the swamp is dry and which are too deep
for any woody vegetation to have become established
in them. They do noe appear to have originated
in the usual ways as either oxbows or sinkholes.
In fact, their precise geological cause remains
a mystery. They are, however, the only significant
break in the continuous canopy of large trees
covering this entire tract.
Location
Berkeley and Dorchester Counties, South Carolina.
Access
For information contact
The
Francis Beidler Forest, N.A.S. Sanctuary
336 Sanctuary Road
Harleyville, South Carolina 29448 |
