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Forested Hardwood Swamp

A swamp is a type of wetland that is characterized by the presence of tress and shrubs. Conversely, a marsh lacks trees and shrubs and is characterized by plants such as cattails and other grass-like plants. The amount of standing water in a swamp can range from pockets of deep water to areas that are only seasonally flooded. The water source for swamps varies, but many are associated with streams or area where groundwater emerges (e.g., seeps at the base of steep slopes).

Forested swamps are the most common wetland type at Teatown. Our largest swamps are the 10-acre Griffin Swamp, an 8-acre swamp in Hidden Valley, and an 11-acre piece of a large swamp in the Back 40 that extends off of the property. At Teatown, the dominant tree species in our swamps include red maple and elms. The shrub layer in these swamps is well-developed and consists of species such as spicebush, winterberry, highbush blueberry, and alders. The groundlayer vegetation is also fairly diverse and consists of plants such as skunk cabbage, tussock sedge, false nettle, clearweed, and cinnamon fern.

Animals that are common in Teatown's swamps include raccoon, barred owls, box turtles, four-toed salamanders, green frogs, pickerel frogs, and garter snakes.

Conservation of Swamps

Many swamps are protected by federal, state, or local wetland regulations. However, the activities in the watershed upstream of swamps can introduce pollutants and excess sediment into swamps, degrading this habitat. Furthermore, protecting a buffer of forested habitat surrounding swamps is critical to maintaining their health. The federal government does not require a buffer around wetlands and the state only requires a 100-foot buffer (adjacent area) around wetlands 12.4 acres or larger. The good news is that many local regulations require 100 foot buffers around smaller swamps. While this is encouraging, 100 foot buffers only help to maintain water quality in the swamp, they do little in terms of providing habitat for wildlife. Therefore, protecting as much habitat around a swamp as possible will significantly help maintain the health of this habitat.