"Books like this one contribute much to the public understanding and appreciation of this magnificent subtropical ecosystem and the unique native plants and animals it supports. . . The Big Cypress Watershed must be regarded as a natural trust from the past and a bequest to future generations. All of us have the responsibility to understand and conserve this natural treasure, and Southwest Florida's Wetland Wilderness shows us good reasons to do so." -- from the Foreword by John H. Fitch, president, The Conservancy, Naples
Guiding visitors and nature lovers through a subtropical paradise, this book celebrates the natural history of one of the most diverse, endangered, and beautiful ecosystems in the world, Florida's Big Cypress Swamp watershed.
Jeff Ripple examines the inner workings of this watershed, including its swamps, hardwood hammocks, pinelands, freshwater marshes and wet prairies, mangroves, and the Ten Thousand Islands estuarine system. He describes the region's geology, climate, human use (and abuse), and its urgent conservation issues. In addition, he discussed the history, management philosophies, and recreational opportunities of the area's national, state, and private conservation areas (such as Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, and Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve).
His account is enhanced by 24 magnificent black-and-white photographs by Clyde Butcher, one of Florida's most acclaimed landscape photographers.
A rare union of talent and vision, this book combines the work of two individuals devoted to discovering and recording places in Florida that still are wild and natural.
112 pages, 24 black-and-white photographs, plant and wildlife species list, University Presses of Florida, 1996
Softcover $18.25
"Royalties benefit the Ripple/Butcher Boardwalk Fund, Big Cypress National Preserve"