Dendron Swamp Natural Area Preserve is a Natural Area Preserve in

Sussex County, Virginia Sussex County is a rural county (United States), county located in the southeast of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 10,829. Its county seat is Sussex, ...

, USA. Located along the

Blackwater River A blackwater river is a type of River#Classification, river with a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon Basin and the Southern United States. The term is used in fluvial ...

, the preserve supports a

bald cypress ''Taxodium distichum'' (baldcypress, bald-cypress, bald cypress, swamp cypress; ; ''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a w ...

and

tupelo Tupelo commonly refers to: * Tupelo (tree), a small genus of deciduous trees with alternate, simple leaves * Tupelo, Mississippi, the county seat and the largest city of Lee County, Mississippi Tupelo may also refer to: Places * Tupelo, Arka ...

swamp. Canopy trees over tall line the river for and the swamp shows only occasional signs of logging. Some of the larger cypresses are believed to be over 600 years old. Within the preserve is a nesting site for the

great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbea ...

. The preserve contains the Charles C. Steirly Natural Area, a swamp containing an essentially

virgin forest An old-growth forest or primary forest is a forest that has developed over a long period of time without Disturbance (ecology), disturbance. Due to this, old-growth forests exhibit unique ecological features. The Food and Agriculture Organizati ...

of bald cypress and water tupelo that was designated as a

National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only national natural areas program that identifies and recognizes the best e ...

in 1974. The preserve does not have facilities for public access and visitors must make arrangements with the

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is a Ministry (government department), department of the government of Virginia, United States; it oversees all List of Virginia state parks, Virginia state parks and Virginia Natural Area Pre ...

before visiting.

References

External links

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: Dendron Swamp Natural Area Preserve
Virginia Natural Area Preserves National Natural Landmarks in Virginia Protected areas of Sussex County, Virginia Landforms of Sussex County, Virginia Swamps of Virginia {{SussexCountyVA-geo-stub

See also

References

External links