Big Cypress

https://www.nps.gov/bicy/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Cypress_National_Preserve Big Cypress National Preserve is located in southern Florida, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Miami. The 720,000-acre (2,900 km2) Big Cypress, along with Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas, became the first national preserves in the United States National Park System when they were established on October 11, 1974. The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, support the rich marine estuaries along Florida's southwest coast. Conserving over 729,000 acres of this vast swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve contains a mixture of tropical and temperate plant communities that are home to diverse wildlife, including the Endangered Florida panther. Big Cypress National Preserve is located along Tamiami Trail East (US 41) and I-75 in southern Florida. The preserve can be accessed by driving from the cities of Miami and Naples. The preserve's two visitor centers are located along Tamiami Trail East. Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center is a facility that was designed with energy conservation in mind, making maximum use of renewable resources. The visitor center offers indoor and outdoor exhibits related to the history of the Big Cypress Swamp, as well as printed materials and an introductory film to the Preserve, its resources and recreational opportunities. The auditorium is available to reserve. From Naples: Heading east on US41, just a few miles east of SR29. Heading south on I-75, exit SR-29 south (toll), then turn left to head east on US41, OR exit onto N Collier Blvd (toll free) heading south, then turn left onto US41. From Miami: Head west on US41. The Welcome Center is on the left shortly after MM 74. Oasis Visitor Center The Oasis Visitor Center contains exhibits related to the natural and cultural history of the preserve, educational materials, sales items, and an introductory film. Staff are available to assist visitors with information about available activities. If driving from Miami, visitors will find it fastest to find US-41 / Tamiami Trail northbound (called SW 8th Street in Miami itself) and proceed northbound (techinically, you are travelling west) all the way out. From the Keys or Homestead, Florida, we recommend taking 997 Krome Avenue, North to reach US-41. Once you leave the edge of Miami (at the intersection of US-41 / 997) you will drive about 40 miles. Oasis Visitor Center is located on the right, on the north side of US-41. Bear Island Campground Primitive campground with no water. Vault toilets available. Forty designated sites. Access to the Bear Island Campground is at the end of a 20-mile secondary gravel road All Sites 10.00 This is for one night of camping for RV or tent Bear Island Campground Entrance two dirt paths diverge with palm trees in the background The entrance to Bear Island Campground Campsite in Bear Island Campground campsite with a picnic table and fire ring one of the campsites in the Bear Island Campground Burns Lake Primitive camping with no water. Vault toilets available. This site provides day use picnic area and backcountry access parking. The campground accommodates 15 designated RV/tent sites. all sites 24.00 tent and RV sites are the same cost. campsite at Burns Lake campsite with picnic table and fire ring campsite with picnic table and fire ring Gator Head This is a primitive campground, which contains nine campsites. No water. Vault toilets are available. This campground is accessible only by permitted off-road vehicles, biking or hiking. Tent Fee 10.00 Fee is for tent camping. An ORV permit is required to access the campground. A Campsite in Gator Head Campground A campsite in Gator Head Campground with a picnic table and fire ring A campsite in Gator Head Campground with a picnic table and fire ring Midway Campground This campground offers electric hookups for RV sites, dump station, flush toilets, and water. Each RV campsite has its own picnic table and hibachi style grill. Covered picnic areas are located around the lake for day use. RV site 30.00 RV sites have a picnic table, paved pad, and electric hookup tent site 24.00 Tent sites are on the grass with a picnic table. Campsite in Midway campground Campsite in Midway Campground with paved pad and picnic table Campsite in Midway Campground with paved pad and picnic table Mitchell's Landing Primitive camping with no water. Vault toilets are available. Eleven sites available. Access to the Mitchell Landing Campground is along a secondary gravel road. camping fee 24.00 This is the camping fee for tent and RV. Campsite in Mitchell's Landing Campground Campsite in Mitchell's Landing Campground Campsite in Mitchell's Landing Campground with picnic table and fire ring Monument Lake Monument Lake campground offers restrooms, drinking water and designated 26 RV and 10 tent sites. NO HOOKUPS for electricity, sewer or water are available at this campground. fee for RV site 28.00 This includes a picnic table, flush restrooms and access to drinking water. Tent Site at Monument Lake Campground 24.00 This includes a picnic table, fire ring, flush restrooms and access to drinking water. RV campsite at Monument Lake RV campsite at Monument Lake RV campsite at Monument Lake with picnic table Pinecrest This campground is for group camping only. Four sites available to accommodate eight tents at 15 people each.There is no water or restroom facilities. Access to the Pinecrest Campground is along a secondary gravel road. fee for Pinecrest 30.00 each site has a picnic table. No water or toilet facilities are provided. group campsite at Pinecrest group campsite at Pinecrest with picnic tables group campsite at Pinecrest with picnic tables Pink Jeep This is a primitive campground, containing nine campsites. No water. Vault toilets are available. Pink Jeep can be accessed by off-road vehicle, hiking or biking. Backcountry permits are required for all, off-road vehicle permits are required for off-road vehicles. tent site fee 10.00 sites have a picnic table and fire ring. campsite at Pink Jeep Campground campsite at Pink Jeep Campground with picnic table and fire ring campsite at Pink Jeep Campground with picnic table and fire ring Small Alligator A small alligator basking on top of dry vegetation. Alligators, big and small, call Big Cypress National Preserve home. Depths of the Swamp A water filled swamp filled with lush green ferns and trees. Cypress swamps while appearing mysterious, are peaceful and serene. Canoeing through mangrove tunnels two visitors in a canoe go through mangrove tunnels on the Turner River Canoeing is one of the many activities you can enjoy in Big Cypress Florida Panther a Florida Panther sits in a tree The Florida Panther is one of the most iconic animals of Big Cypress Sunrise in Big Cypress palm trees emerge out of the fog in an orange sunrise palm trees emerge out of the fog as an orange sunrise dots the landscape Prairies and Pine Lands in Big Cypress A prairie foreground with tall pine trees in the background. A large blue sky with white cloud large open expanses of prairie bordered by pine lands create stunning landscapes Alligators of Big Cypress Two Alligators rest on a river bank Two Alligators rest on a river bank Partnerships add a Charge to your Travel Plans The National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, BMW of North America, the U.S. Department of Energy, concessioners, and gateway communities have collaborated to provide new technologies for travel options to and around national parks. As part of this public-private partnership, BMW of North America, working through the National Park Foundation, donated and arranged for the installation of 100 electric vehicle (EV) charging ports in and around national parks. Aviation Supports Environmental Protection Agency Research in South Florida The National Park Service continues to extend its aviation support beyond the traditional fire realm. Everglades and Big Cypress National Parks’ Aviation programs are working together with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support a complex aviation-dependent research project called the Everglades Ecosystem Assessment Program (EEAP). Two helicopters at Everglades National Park Listening to the Eclipse: National Park Service scientists join Smithsonian, NASA in nationwide project A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA. An NPS scientist installs audio recording equipment in a lush valley at Valles Caldera NP. Mud Lake Complex Facilitated Learning Analysis at Big Cypress, a Learning-Focused Organization After the Mud Lake Complex wildfires, Big Cypress leaders requested an independent interagency team of fire management professionals was asked to oversee a Facilitated Learning Analysis. The willingness on the part of Big Cypress demonstrated that they are a learning-focused organization that continually looks for ways to improve. Big Cypress National Preserve Wildland Fire & Aviation Program logo NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. park wetlands Sea-level rise and inundation scenarios for national parks in South Florida A review of the science leads researchers to project sea level rise and inundation, trends in the frequency of nuisance flooding, recurrence intervals of storm surge, and impacts on infrastructure intended to provide useful information for managers and planners. Median RCP8.5 mean sea-level elevation projections for Everglades and Biscayne; NPS/Everglades NP Fire Communication and Education Grants Enhance Fire Interpretation and Outreach in the National Parks in 2015 and Beyond The 2015 National Park Service Fire Communication and Education Grant Program provided funding for projects, programs, or tasks in twelve parks around the country. A woman studies a small coniferous tree while a younger woman looks on. National Park Getaway: Big Cypress National Preserve Just one hour west of Miami along the Tamiami Trail, the opportunity to experience something magnificent is waiting in each of the 729,000 acres of pristine swamplands, prairies, and hammocks that make up Big Cypress National Preserve. Paddler going through mangroves Interagency Collaboration in Protecting Communities and Managing Public Lands Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) of the National Park Service (NPS) and Florida Panther (Panther) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) have one of the most successful examples of just what interagency cooperation and collaboration looks like. BICY and Panther are partners in the joint Southwest Florida and Caribbean Wildland Fire and Aviation Program, or SWFLCAR (pronounced “Swiffle Car”). SWFLCAR Logo Big Cypress National Preserve Firefighters Develop Successful Plan for Prioritizing and Treating Hazardous Fuels Prioritizing fuels treatments that benefit the park and community can be difficult, because these goals may conflict in Big Cypress NP. Areas were defined as high priority if they have not burned for more than 5 years, lie less than 0.5 mile to the nearest structure or road, and are located within or adjacent to pinelands or prairies. Areas meeting these criteria were identified as requiring immediate treatment. In early 2012, approximately 45,000 acres had been treated. Small flames consume grass. Park Hosts Water Ditching and Survival Training Course NPS and USFWS students began the process of becoming certified instructors for the A-312 water ditching and survival course, which is designed to provide the skills needed to safely exit an aircraft that has made an emergency landing in water. Two people wearing helmets sit in a cage with their arms crossed across their chests 2002 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2002 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Huckabee Fire Response Initial attack operations for the Huckabee Fire focused on Highway 29 and I-75 as the major concerns to firefighter and public safety. Widespread media interest and the extensive wildland urban interface made a public information officer an essential part of the team. Big Cypress and its partners have used prescribed fire and managed wildfire for several decades to reduce hazardous fuels and diminish the risk of wildfire to life, property, and resources in South Florida. Wildland Fire and Aviation Excellence Award Presented to James Sullivan James Sullivan, South Florida Parks and Preserve Chief of Wildland Fire and Aviation, receives the 2019 NPS Interior Region 2 Wildland Fire and Aviation Excellence Award. Department of the Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt presented the award alongside Pedro Ramon, the Superintendent of Everglades National Park. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in leadership development, operational leadership, and cooperation and collaboration. Three men stand on asphalt in front of wooded area. The man in the center is holding an award. NPS Aviation Programs Support Environmental Protection Agency Research Everglades and Big Cypress National Parks’ aviation programs are working together with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support a complex aviation-dependent research project called the Everglades Ecosystem Assessment Program (EEAP). An A-Star helicopter and a Bell 206 helicopter. The Frontline Over the course of the last few months we have watched our way of life change dramatically as COVID-19 has forced people to learn to live much more cautiously. And yet, with all that is happening, some things continue on as they always have. Firefighters suppressing wildfire at night Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Data Manager Profile: Judd Patterson Meet Judd Patterson, Data Manager for the South Florida Caribbean Network. As a data manager, helps wrangle all the information that we collect on the health of our park resources. Judd is excited about the stories data can tell through time, whether that's looking back at park records from over a hundred years ago, or making sure the science we do in our parks today become time capsules for future generations to learn about how things were back in 2021. Data manager Judd Patterson smiles at the camera while holding camera equiment. Connecting Fire, Connecting Conservation Fire burns across south Florida in a landscape level prescribed fire operation. Fire burns and smoke billows across south Florida landscape Demonstrated Successes in 2021 for South Florida’s Exclusive Use Contract Helicopter In February 2021, South Florida Fire and Aviation transitioned to an Exclusive Use (EU) Contract helicopter while continuing to operate a DOI fleet aircraft as well. Acquisition of this EU helicopter brought substantial improvement through its ability to perform fire suppression and prescribed fire missions. Aerial view of helicopter flying above burning south Florida landscape. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Art in the South Florida Parks Learn about the significance of art in the National Park system and see three selections from the South Florida National Parks. A three-panel woodcut print showing the diversity of the Big Cypress swamp by artist Molly Doctrow. Rare Plant and High-tech Microscope: A Surprising Conservation Story Two closely related plants grow near one another in Big Cypress National Preserve. One type is federally threatened, and the other is not. In other areas they can be distinguished from one another by the fuzziness of their leaves, but in Big Cypress this does not hold true. So how do botanists tell them apart for monitoring and stewardship? Still by their leaves, but at a microscopic level. Read our story to learn more. Plant stem with green leaves. Undersides of the leaves have a fuzzy/hairy appearance. Estuary Landforms Estuaries are buffer zones between river (freshwater) and ocean (saltwater) environments that are affected by tidal oscillations. sunset over wetlands Active fuels management leads to success for fire suppression South Florida Fire & Aviation (SFFA) has seen a significant decrease in the size and complexity of wildfires across south Florida over the past several years. The parks’ goal is to apply prescribed fire on each burn unit every five years. Approximately 50% of these burn unit acres have been treated with prescribed fire since fiscal year 2018. A helicopter flies over a burning forest. Partnerships assist in reaching prescribed fire goals in south Florida parks Crews from the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Seminole Tribe of Florida, Florida Forest Service, and the US Forest Service came together to complete two prescribed fire projects in June 2022. The fires, East Hinson prescribed fire and Northeast prescribed fire, were funded for $34,400.00. A portion of both fires used Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, which was instrumental in the success of these projects. Two wildland firefighters ride through the marsh in an airboat. Series: Beach and Coastal Landforms Our national parks contain diverse coastal landforms: high-energy rocky shorelines of Acadia National Park, quiet reef-lagoons within War in the Pacific National Historic Park, and the white sandy beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore. Coastal landforms are, or have been, affected to some degree by the direct or indirect effects of waves, tides, and currents, and may extend inland for many miles. aerial view of island and reef