The Unique Dwarf Cypress Forest of Tate’s Hell

By Doug Alderson

In 1875, did Cebe Tate ever witness the wonders of the dwarf cypress forest when he wandered for seven days through the huge swamp that now bears his name?  If he did, was he able to appreciate it at all while being lost and snake-bit? I rather doubt it. At least today we can access the dwarf forest by driving into the forest on gravel roads from either State Road 65 or U.S. 98 and following the signs. We don’t have to wade into the swamp at all, either. We can walk the Ralph G. Kendrick Boardwalk and climb a viewing tower to witness the incredible phenomena of centuries-old cypress trees that are only 6 to 15 feet tall. It is a remote and quiet place where cell service is limited and the night sky is clear and free of light pollution.  

These dwarf pond cypress trees may have become stunted due to a hard layer of clay that prevents roots from growing deeper, similar to planting a tree in a bonsai pot. Also, the soil is low in nutrients as evidenced by the carnivorous plants in the area. You can also find dwarf cypress trees near the pitcher plant bogs north of Sumatra, so there may be some correlation.

I first visited the dwarf forest on a Sierra Club field trip in the late 1970s. At the time, a paper company was clearcutting and ditching Tate’s Hell and planting even rows of pine trees, impacting Apalachicola Bay with the increased runoff. The company had enough foresight to protect the dwarf forest, however, recognizing its uniqueness. Since then, the state of Florida purchased Tate’s Hell and began managing the property as a state forest. Numerous ditches were filled in and a slow restoration process was begun. Tate’s Hell will likely never look quite like it did in 1875, a vast roadless area of more than 200,000 acres, but the dwarf cypress forest has changed little since Cebe Tate wandered through and we can easily appreciate it.

 

 

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