The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. Lake Drummond is located at the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States Elizabeth City is a City in Pasquotank and Camden counties in the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is located in parts of southern Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, as well as northern Gates, Pasquotank, and Camden Counties in North Carolina. Chesapeake is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads portion of the Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia in the Suffolk is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area of eastern Virginia. Gates County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. Pasquotank County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. Camden County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. It is a southern swamp, the northernmost of many along the Atlantic Ocean's coast which includes the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp in Florida, the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, the Congaree Swamp and Four Holes swamps of South Carolina, and some of the Carolina bays in the Carolinas. A swamp is a Wetland featuring temporary or permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water Everglades is also the name of a city in Collier County Florida Big Cypress redirects here For other meanings please see Big Cypress (disambiguation Big Cypress National Preserve is a United States Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow 438000 Acre (1770 km² Peat -filled wetland straddling the Georgia - Florida border in the United States The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Congaree National Park preserves the largest tract of Old growth bottomland Hardwood Forest left in the United States. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina Along the eastern edge runs the Dismal Swamp Canal, completed in 1805. Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States.
Essential to the swamp ecosystem are its water resources, native vegetative communities, and varied wildlife species. An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( Water resources are sources of Water that are useful or potentially useful to Humans Uses of water include Agricultural, industrial, Household Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms The Great Dismal Swamp's ecological significance and its wealth of history and lore make it a unique wilderness. Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Wilderness is generally defined as a Natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by Human activity It is one of the last large and wild areas remaining in the Eastern United States.
After centuries of logging and other human activities which were devastating the swamp's ecosystems, the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1973 when the Union Camp Corporation of Franklin, Virginia donated 49,100 acres (200 km²) of land; the refuge was officially established through The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974. Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of Union Camp Corporation was an American pulp and paper company and a private owner of Timberland in the United States Franklin is an Independent city in Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton county for statistical
The refuge consists of over 111,000 acres (500 km²) of forested wetlands. A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally-occurring sanctuary such as an Island, that provides protection for Species from Lake Drummond, a 3,100 acre (13 km²) natural lake, is located in the heart of the swamp. Lake Drummond is located at the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the Outside the boundaries of the National Refuge, the state of North Carolina has preserved and protected additional portions of the swamp, as the Great Dismal Swamp State Natural Area. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States
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History
Scientists believe the Great Dismal Swamp was created when the Continental shelf made its last big shift. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such The whole swamp has peat underneath. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter.
The origin of Lake Drummond, one of only two natural lakes in Virginia, is disputed. Lake Drummond is located at the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Scientists believe the lake could have been created by the impact of a meteoroid because it is oval shaped, looking like the impact of a meteoroid. In the broadest sense the term impact crater can be applied to any depression natural or manmade resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with larger body They think it was made by a big meteoroid like the ones that are thought to have made the Carolina Bays. Other people believe it was made by a large underground peat burn about 3,500 to 6,000 years ago. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter. Indian legend talks about "the fire bird" creating Lake Drummond. Lake Drummond is located at the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North
There is archaeological evidence which indicates human occupation began nearly 13,000 years ago.
By 1650, few American Indians remained in the area, and European settlers showed little interest in the swamp. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States In 1665, William Drummond, a future governor of North Carolina, was the first European to explore the lake which now bears his name. William Drummond or Bill Drummond is the name of William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585-1649 Scottish poet influenced by Spenser best known for North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States William Byrd II led a surveying party into the swamp to draw a dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina in 1728. William Byrd II ( 28 March 1674 &ndash 26 August 1744) was a planter and Author from Charles City County, Virginia Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space Position of points and the distances and angles between George Washington visited the swamp and then formed the Dismal Swamp Land Company in 1763, which proceeded to drain and harvest timber from part of the area. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or A five-mile (8 km) ditch on the west side of the current refuge there still bears his name. A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel Water. In 1805, the Dismal Swamp Canal began serving as a commercial highway for timber coming out of the swamp. Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States.
David Edward Cronin, 1888
Before and during the American Civil War, the Great Dismal Swamp was a hideout for runaway slaves from the surrounding area. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Some people believe there were at least a thousand slaves living in the swamp. This was the subject of Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp, Harriet Beecher Stowe's follow-on to Uncle Tom's Cabin. Dred A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp is the second Novel from American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14 1811 – July 1 1896 was an American Author and Abolitionist, whose Novel Uncle Tom's Cabin Uncle Tom's Cabin; or Life Among the Lowly is an anti- Slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe.
While all efforts to drain the swamp ultimately failed, logging of the swamp proved to be a successful commercial activity. Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Regular logging operations continued as late as 1976. The entire swamp has been logged at least once, and many areas have been burned by periodic wildfires. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, The Great Dismal Swamp has been drastically altered by humanity over the past two centuries. Agricultural, commercial, and residential development destroyed much of the swamp, so that the remaining portion within and around the refuge represents less than half of the original size of the swamp.
Before the refuge was established, over 140 miles (230 km) of roads were constructed to provide access to the timber. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or These roads severely disrupted the swamp's natural hydrology, as the ditches which were dug to provide soil for the road beds drained water from the swamp. Hydrology (from Greek Yδωρ hudōr, "water" and λόγος logos, "study" is the study of the movement distribution and quality of The roads also blocked the flow of water across the swamp's surface, flooding some areas of the swamp with stagnant water. Water stagnation occurs when Water stops flowing Stagnant water can be a major Environmental hazard. The logging operations removed natural stands of bald cypress and Atlantic white cypress that were replaced by other forest types, particularly red maple. Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Taxodium distichum ( Baldcypress, Bald Cypress, or Swamp Cypress) is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United Chamaecyparis thyoides ( Atlantic White Cypress or Atlantic Whitecedar) is a species of Chamaecyparis, native to the Atlantic Acer rubrum ( Red Maple, also known as Swamp or Soft Maple) is one of the most common and widespread deciduous Trees of eastern A drier swamp and the suppression of wildfires, which once cleared the land for seed germination, created ecological conditions that were less favorable to the survival of cypress stands. Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy As a result, plant and animal variety decreased.
In the late 1990s, Prince Corporation heir Erik Prince spent part of his inherited wealth to purchase about 6,000 acres (24 km²) of the GDS to create a "state-of-the-art private training ground for shooters and security operators". Erik D Prince (b June 6 1969, Holland Michigan) is the founder and sole owner of the Private military company Blackwater Worldwide [1] His private military contracting company—Blackwater Worldwide—is named for the peat-colored water of the swamp. Blackwater Worldwide, formerly Blackwater USA, is a Private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark Also nearby are SEAL and Delta Force bases and the Blackwater facilities are rented out to various government agencies for SWAT team training. For the computer game see Delta Force (video game. For the movie see The Delta Force (film. SWAT ( Special Weapons And Tactics) is an elite special operations tactical unit in American Police departments similar to the Taiwan Thunder Squad
Preservation
In the mid 20th century, conservation groups from all over America began demanding that something be done to preserve what was left of the Great Dismal Swamp. Lake Drummond is located at the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state In 1973, the Union Camp Corporation, a paper company based in Franklin, Virginia which had had large land property in the area since the beginning of the 20th century, donated just over 49,000 acres (198 km²) of its land to The Nature Conservancy, which transferred the property the following year to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Union Camp Corporation was an American pulp and paper company and a private owner of Timberland in the United States Franklin is an Independent city in Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton county for statistical The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable Environmental organization working to preserve the Plants, Animals, and natural communities
The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was officially established by the U.S. Congress through The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The refuge consists of almost 107,000 acres (433 km²) of forested wetlands.
The primary purpose of the refuge's resource management programs is to restore and maintain the natural biological diversity that existed prior to the human-caused alterations. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Essential to the swamp ecosystem are its water resources, native vegetation communities, and varied wildlife species. Water is being conserved and managed by placing water control structures in the ditches. Plant community diversity is being restored and maintained through forest management activities which simulate the ecological effects of wildfires. Wildlife is managed by insuring the presence of required habitats, with hunting used to balance some wildlife populations with available food supplies. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade.
Today
The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located not only between two states, but also between two eco-regions, allowing for a wide range of plant and animal species. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of Ecological land classification is defined as being a cartographical delineation of distinct ecological areas identified by their Geology, Topography Baldcypress, tupelo, maple, Atlantic white cypress, and pine are the predominant tree species found on the refuge and support the wildlife within. The tupelos, or pepperidge tree, genus Nyssa, are a small Genus of about 9 to 11 species of Trees with alternate simple leaves Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Many mammal species, including black bear, bobcat, otter, and weasel, along with over 70 species of reptiles and amphibians call the swamp home. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. The Bobcat ( Lynx rufus) is a North American Mammal of the cat family Felidae. Otters are semi- aquatic (or in one case aquatic) fish-eating Mammals The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family Weasels are Mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and More than 200 bird species can be seen at the swamp throughout the year, while 96 of those are known to nest on the refuge. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs.
Lake Drummond is the middle of activity in the swamp today with many fishermen, sightseers, and boaters. Camping is not allowed on the refuge but is allowed on the Lake Drummond Reservation (Army Corp of Engineers site) which is located at the Feeder Ditch spillway. Access to this site is by boat only.
References
- ^ Newsweek, "The Man Behind Blackwater", 22 October 2007, pp 36-38. Newsweek is an American weekly Newsmagazine published in New York City.
External links
- official site Fish & Wildlife Service, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
- GORP's guide to The Great Dismal Swamp
- Defenders of Wildlife Organization - Great Dismal Swamp page
- Bonny Blue Dismal Swamp Canal Trip
- Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
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