BIG CYPRESS GALLERY 14
Visitors to my gallery often ask where a good place to photograph is in the Everglades. When I reply, “My parking lot,” some folks are flabbergasted and don’t seem to believe me. This image was taken from the parking lot in front of our gallery. It is a good reminder that beauty is everywhere; sometimes, we just need to slow down to see it.
Bald Cypress
The bald cypress of these endangered wetlands stands as a monument to endurance and fortitude. This lumber, prized in the mid-twentieth century for rot-resistant wood, was harvested by loggers who removed almost all of the old-growth bald cypress trees. With a loss of its protective canopy, swamp regions struggled to support the once-abundant variety of tropical ferns, orchids, and bromeliads. Under today’s protections of state and national preserves, the cypress giants are making a comeback. Their positive effect on the Everglades’ environment is evident by the returning wildlife and plants drawn to the refuge the trees offer.