Like most of the ecosystems in Florida,
the pine flatwoods in the Osceola National Forest Big Gum Swamp Wilderness needs
fire to maintain the plant and animal species that live there.
Even the interior swamp itself will burn in dry years.
As stewards of the land, we conduct prescribed burns to mimic the natural role that fire plays in maintaining these ecosystems.
Big Gum Swamp Wilderness
is one that's close to large urban areas.
Providing opportunities for solitude and primitive and unconfined recreation.
This massive swamp embodies one of the deeper values of wilderness.
Its inherent right to exist. To have value, in and of itself.
Instead of some value defined by humans.
As Wallace Stegner wrote,
"We simply need that wilderness country available to us,
even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in."
Juniper Prairie WIlderness is one of the jewels of the Ocala National Forest
in central Florida.
Its history, is the history of America settling of this country, captured so well in
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings book, "The Yearling"
and the 1946 film based on the book starring
Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman.
The Florida National Scenic Trail traverses the wilderness from north to south,
so you can experience the land as the first settlers did,
with its areas dry prairies and wet prairies.
Or, you can choose to paddle Juniper Creek seven miles through the wilderness.
There are no facilities or designated camp sites in the wilderness of course,
but there are lots of good sites especially on the prairies.
And we encourage you to use them instead of creating a new camp site.
Wilderness holds many values,
including clean air, clean water and critical habitat for endangered species
like the Florida Scrub Jay,
who's narrow habitat requirements include the young scrub ecosystem
endemic to Juniper Prairie Wilderness.
Clear Lake is one of two wilderness study areas on the National Forests in Florida.
While it's not technically a wilderness, we must manage it to protect the unique characteristics
that congress recognized when it set it aside as a wilderness area.
Unlike the seven areas on the forests, this one is not a swamp.
It's a mixture of pine flatwoods, upland pine and oaks,
and even has a small groundwater fed lake.
One of the great aspect of this area, is that it's close to urban areas.
So it offers a wonderful chance for us to escape the pressures of our busy lives
and renew our spirits. To satisfy that biological urge to connect with nature.
It was logged in the past and you can still the remnants of old woods roads,
but one day and perhaps in our lifetime, it will become an enduring resource of wilderness.
As Edward Abbey said,
"Wilderness needs no defense, it only needs more defenders."