Resource
Management
The primary purpose of the refuge's resource management programs is to
restore and maintain the natural biological diversity that exisited prior
to the human-caused alterations. Essential to the swamp ecosystem are
its water resources, native vegetative 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 stimulate 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.
For available species listings click here. (Information from refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Appendix B).
Plant Communities
Five major forest types and three non-forested types of plant communities comprise the swamp vegetation. The forested types include pine, Atlantic white-cedar, maple-blackgum, tupelo-baldcypress, and sweetgum-oak poplar. The non-forested types include a remnant marsh, a sphagnum bog, and an evergreen shrub community. Currently red maple is the most abundant and widely distributed plant community, as it expands into other communities due to the lingering effects of past forest cutting, extensive draining, and the exclusion of forest fires. Tupelo-baldcypress and Atlantic white-cedar, formerly predominant forest types in the swamp, today account for less than 20 percent of the total cover. Three species of plants deserving special mention are the dwarf trillium, silky camellia, and log fern. The dwarf trillium is located in the northwestern section of the swamp and blooms briefly each year for a two-week period in March. Silky camellia is found on the hardwood ridges and in the northwestern corner of the refuge. The log fern, one of the rarest American ferns, is more common in the Great Dismal Swamp than anywhere else.
Birds
Over two hundred species of birds have been identified on the
refuge since its establishment; ninety-six of these species have been reported
as nesting on or near the refuge. Birding is best during spring migration
from April to June when the greatest diversity of species (particularly warblers)
occurs. Winter brings massive movements of blackbirds and robins to
the swamp. Two southern species, the Swainson's warbler and Wayne's
warbler (a race of the Black-throated Green warbler), are more common in the
Great Dismal Swamp than in other coastal locations. Other birds of interest
are the wood duck, barred owl, pileated woodpecker, and prothonotary warbler.
Click here for Refuge Bird List.
For 2007 Christmas Bird Count Summary Report click here.
Mammals
The swamp supports a variety of mammals including otter, bats, raccoon, mink, grey and red foxes, and grey squirrels. White-tailed deer are common throughout the refuge and, although rarely observed, black bear and bobcat inhabit the area.
