Saturday, May 22, 2010

National Audubon's Corkscrew Sanctuary



On May 19, 2010, I attended for the very first time ,The Corkscrew Sanctuary. I learned so many different things such as the sanctuary's wildlife, Eco systems and how the Sanctuary processes water.
The three ecosystems I learned about were there Pine Upland, Tall grass Perry, ans the Cypress Swamp. The first Eco system Pine Upland was amazing. I learned about the Slash Pine tree. This tree is a native to Florida. It grows in sandy, poorly drained flat woods soil. It has no branches at the bottom of the tree. What is really remarkable, is that the Slash Pine is protected against forest fires.
More Interesting Facts: I also learned that Pine Upland, doesn't have water, which means no elevation. It is also the fastest disappearing Eco system. Also at the Santuary every 5-7 years has a control burn. Why? It's important because, of the nutrients and its the prime habbitat for most mammals.
The second ecosytem I learned about was the Tallgrass Prairie. It is a native to Central North America. While walking through this eco systenm I discovered many plants and animals. Such as the apple snail. I also learned about the red sholder hawk. I also saw an alligator and alligator plants.
The last Eco system I went through was the Cypress Swamp. It is the most common stillwater swamps in Florida. I discovered in this swamp the plant call the pond apple. It is an evergreen tree. You can actually eat the fruit off the tree, but it has a bitter taste. I also learned about the cypress tress, it is the only plant that can survive.
The Corkscrew Sanctuary was an eye opener to me, I will always treasure the memory of attending this trip.

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