The Sunken Forest Tour: Freshwater Bog

Freshwater wetlands feature an assortment of different plant species.

NPS/Sucena

You might imagine that, for many wild animals living on Fire Island, water can be a scarce commodity. While there is plenty of water to the south in the Atlantic Ocean, that water is too salty to drink. The same is true of the brackish water north in the Great South Bay. In light of this, the location in front of you is a critical site for wild animals, as this is part of Fire Island where the island itself dips low enough for fresh rain water to collect. Because of this, this site is an excellent place to observe wild animals such as birds, butterflies, turtles and other creatures.You may also see an interesting assortment of plants such as blueberry and cranberry. 

 

While these small wetlands are critical to the ecosystem of the Sunken Forest, there are some indications of trouble ahead. Over the last sixty years many of these small bogs have appeared to be growing, spreading throughout the forest as the “vadose zone”, the dry space between the water table and the surface of the ground, appears to thin. This thinning has already impacted the ecology of the Sunken Forest, killing some trees and spreading species that were once uncommon here. The tall bushes of groundsel in front of you were once much less prevalent then they are today. Now, as more water appears throughout the forest, groundsel is a more common sight. 

 

Fire Island is always changing, and this dynamic nature is part of what makes it so unique. The Sunken Forest, however, is among Fire Island’s more stable systems. It exists within a delicate state of balance that has persisted for centuries, allowing for the growth of an assortment of trees and other plants that make this such a rare habitat. Today, however, there is evidence of various forces that are actively upsetting this balance.