Field Trip Notes From Congaree National Park

This naturalistic forest reserve contains untouched floodplains and enormous trees

Thirty minutes from Columbia , South Carolina — and not that far out of the agency for anyone traveling to the beach on the Atlantic Coast — Congaree National Parkis await to be explore . Many mass have not heard of this national green , which did n’t receive its position until 2003 .

Congaree has a draw going for it : a 26,000 - Akka forest that ’s an International Biosphere Reserve , a Globally Important Bird Area , and a National Natural Landmark . to boot , approximately 17,000 acre of the park are designated as prescribed Wilderness Area .

Giants of the Southeast

For those who get it on big tree , this is one of the best position to see them in the South . Congaree apply the large entire area of erstwhile - increment bottomland hardwood forest continue in the Southeastern United States . Much of this habitat was lose to the axe after the Civil War . The geographics of this swamp paired with abortive attempts to release these flood plain into farming area led to its preservation .

There is no gravid assiduity of champion trees than those in Congaree . A champion tree is the largest - know example of a specie in the res publica . Some 25 maven trees are known to exist in the park . Included in this tilt is bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum , Zones 4–9 ) , laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia , Zones 7–9 ) , loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda , Zones 6–9 ) , and sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua , Zones 5–9 ) .

When to Visit

Congaree is located in a humid semitropical climate ; the commons experiences mostly meek winter and quick , wet summertime . Winter visits can be some of the most pleasant because of mild temperature . However , seasonal implosion therapy can qualify access to much of the Mungo Park . March through May , visitant will live soft temperatures with lower worm activeness , making this one of the best times of year to visit . High summer weather is about what you would look , with drier condition but more rut . This is when there are many more mosquito . If you enjoy canoeing , double-dyed water levels , modest temperature , and tip dip color , visit toward the end of October .

Bring Home What You Learn

The National Park Service has 62 sites that include “ National Park ” as part of their name . Congaree is one of the most unequaled . A 2.4 - mile boardwalk allow visitant of almost any fitness level or ability to plunge themselves in an ecosystem that would be toilsome to get at otherwise . Seasonality , the movement of pee , and the impact of sentence are all apparent during a sojourn . Many of the tree you will see in this vast timber are ones you may have institute in your own backyard . Careful observer will find in this landscape noesis that will avail them infer their own surroundings at a deeper degree .

— Andy Pulte is a staff extremity in the plant life sciences department at the University of Tennessee .

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