Big Cypress Swamp/Everglades By: Kaydee Oliver

Location Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve 1923 729,000 acres 1/3 of Big Cypress Swamp is Preserved Everglades National Park 1974 - 1,506,539 acres - Third Largest Park in the United States

Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve Ponds, Sloughs, & Deep Woods are all components of the Swamp 50 inches of rain per year on average Epiphytes- common plant bromeliads Cypress Trees Deciduous Conifer Most of the great cypress trees were logged in between 1930-1950’s Known for being able to live in water logged soil

Plant and Wildlife Big Cypress National Preserve Florida Panther- Only 80 are believed to be living in the wild. Other common animals: Black Bear, River Otter, Alligators Plants Birds 200 species of birds year round Bromeliads-”Air Plants” Palmettos Common Loon Reddish Egret Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Everglades National Park Sawgrass Marshes Estuaries, Lakes, Park also includes the Florida Bay Settlers called it the “River of Grass” Mangrove swamps Hardwood Hammocks

Plant and Wildlife Everglades National Park Animals Plants Ferns, Orchids, some Small Cypress Trees, Sawgrasses The Everglades are known Wading Birds there are 16 species that live in the area. A few of the species are: White Heron, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, the White Ibis being the most common.

Environmental Problems/Threats to Big Cypress National Preserve & Everglades National Park Problems for Both Parks: #1 Problem HUMANS!!!! -Water Pollution - Changing Hydraulic Cycle ex. Building dams - Development - Invasive Species (Plant & Animal) - Endangered Species Big Cypress National Preserve - Preserve permits oil exploration and extraction, cattle grazing, hunting - Past logging Everglades National Park -Pythons - Everglades Restoration

Work Cited http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Everglades/Everglades.html http://www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/everglades-national-park http://www.nps.gov/bicy/index.htm http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/florida_panther.asp