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< LA 7. Honey Island Swamp. Acreage: About 5760. 



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rz Location: St. Tammany Parish; Nicholson, La. -Miss. Quadrangle; 5 miles E of 



^ Slidell; about 2 miles E of I- 10; reached via U.S. 190 (turn north to Boy Scout 



O camp); boat or airplane required. 



Description: Excellent example of a cypress-tupelo swamp. Large cypress was 

 logged early in this century as it was everywhere in the Gulf-Coast area, but 

 other than that it has been relatively undisturbed. Several tributaries of the Pearl 

 River flow through the area. The swamp floods every spring when the river flow 

 increases. It is this flooding which maintains the cypress-tupelo type vegetation 

 by excluding upland trees. The rivers are fresh-water but because they empty 

 into the Gulf of Mexico they reflect a daily tidal influence, at least in times of 

 low water. Animals present include deer, black bear, mink, raccoon, feral pigs, 

 squirrels, owls, hawks. "Indian Village" is an old Indian campsite in the 

 southern part of Honey Island, an island of about 40 acres with an elevation of 

 about 30 ft above swamp level. It supports a fine stand of mixed forest. It is the 

 best stand Dr. Eggler knows of in southern Louisiana. 



References: Hall, T. F., and W. T. Penfound. 1939. A phyto- sociological 

 study of a cypress-gum swamp in southeastern Lousiana. Am. Midi. Nat. 21:378- 

 395. 



Encroachments: Interstate Highway 10 is now under construction across the 

 area (SW to NE), and this will open it to increased fishing and hunting. These 

 have been limited due to inaccessibility by most people. Pollution from the 

 Crown Zellerbach paper mill in Bogalusa, La., and the Crosby Chemical Corp. 

 in Picayune, Miss., and also sewage pollution from Bogalusa have been 

 problems. Indian Village is being used as a Boy Scout camp and the forest is 

 being literally hacked to pieces by little boys. It needs to be saved. 



Ownership: Poitevent and Favre Lumber Co. Contact Mr. Eads Poitevent, In- 

 ternational City Bank, New Orleans, La. 70100. 



Data source: Dr. Willis A. Eggler, Biology Department, Newcomb College, New 

 Orleans, La. 70100. 



Other knowledgeable persons: Dr. Daniel Stern, Department of Biology, Loui- 

 siana State University, New Orleans, La. 70100; Dr. Al Smalley, Department of 

 Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, La. 70100. 



