Not far from Miami, this (swamp)land of muck boots and chest waders is the nation’s first national preserve. Preservation has a long litigious history here; instead of a Jetport, local Miccosukee, Calusa, Seminoles, and conservationists and environmentalists teamed together to preserve a swamp where elusive Florida panthers roam, (alli)gators dawdle, and exotic bromeliads and rare orchids thrive among namesake Cypress giants. In comparison to the neighboring pancake-prairie land of the renowned Everglades national park, this preservation is explored by fewer visitors and more by oil and grazing enthusiasts.
We visited the preserve more in despair than due to a proper plan. Initially dejected by long car lines at the nearby Shark valley entrance of the Everglades, we kept driving to our plan B... this preserve. The visitor center was remarkable in seemingly having fewer human beings in the parking lot than gators on the bank of the stream across it. It also had some of the most knowledgeable and kind rangers, one of whom invited Rishabh to work with them for the rest of the day. Out in the unpaved loop road, the rugged and watery wilderness was holistic and harmonious to the eye. However, it was a sting to photograph. In the swamp, one is left to find beauty, colors, and textures in the dimly lit flora and fauna itself. There is no sky or fast-moving water to rescue the frame. Foolishly, I spent a lot of time trying to find a ‘sunset’ spot in the jungle! Can you believe it? Hah! It is indeed a quirky place to photograph.
For the above photo, I capered in ankle-deep swamp water –which is not static and thus not dirty– in my flip-flops. I was supposed to be aware of alligators and water moccasins, but my attention was arrested by colorful punctuation in the forest –– the bromeliads (air plants). They sprung out from cypress trunks everywhere like hope. Air plants are so called because their roots never reach the ground; they obtain moisture and nutrient tactfully from the air. They are epiphytes not parasites, or in other words, they live rent-free on cypress trunks without causing their host any damage or distress. Cardinal air plants –the protagonist above displaying red floral bracts– are the most common bromeliad in the preserve but are an endangered species in Florida due to recent Mexican bromeliad weevil attacks, illegal collecting, and of course, habitat destruction. The preserve preserves them for now.
