Okefenokee

About this book

Whenever human or animal feet stepped upon the floating land of Okefenokee it trembled. This phenomenon gave the swamp its Native American name Okefenokee trembling earth. Okefenokees beginnings in what is now southern Georgia and northeastern Florida can be traced back seven thousand years when rivers veering toward the Atlantic Ocean created a massive ridge that held back a deep bowl of sand. Seeds and other organic matter drifting on its surface spawned floating islands. Over this fragile now sedentary terrain flow many streams that feed two riversthe Suwanee emptying into the Gulf of Mexico and St. Marys River into the Atlantic. This is Okefenokee one of Americas most spectacular wetlands a mosaic of plants and animals in an ecosystem unlike any other in the world. Cypresses draped in Spanish moss line the waterways. The floating islands harbor carnivorous plants and conceal the meanderings of alligators. From beds of sphagnum moss come the tack-hammering calls of carpenter frogs. Several hundred black bears still roam Okefenokee and the haunting calls of sandhill cranes echo through the morning fog. The fascinating images and the primeval spirit of Okefenokee are captured in this dazzling book of full-color photographs by the acclaimed photographer Lucian Niemeyer. Revealing the swamps amazing diversity of wildlife and plantsalligators cranes trees mosses flowers and both natural and man-made habitatsNiemeyers images cover the swamps length and breadth and make Okefenokee an invaluable overview of this wetlands treasure. George W. Folkertss accompanying text sheds light on the history of this lush natural marvel and of the impact made by the settlements of Native Americans European explorers and modern Americans. He details both its fragility and the human efforts to assure the swamps conservation. This is a sweeping comprehensive portrait that reveals the vibrant beauty of Okefenokees flora fauna and breathtaking landscapes.