The water table is at or very close to the surface year- 

 round. The position of the natural area within a floodplain 

 at or slightly above sea level is the primary reason for the 

 high water table. 



The natural area is the only one of six natural areas in 

 Washington County which is completely roadless. Several minor 

 ditches have been constructed into the margins of the swamp 

 but these have had little, if any, effect on the hydrology. 

 Apparently, all logging operations up to the present have 

 removed timber either by barge or by temporary skid-roads. 



Because of the inaccessibility of the swamp forest, little 

 is known concerning the wildlife values of the natural area. 

 White-tailed deer, river otter, and black bear are known to 

 occur; the latter species probably only as an occasional visitor. 



The large size of the tract, combined with continuous 

 riverbottom wetlands further upstream, comprises an extensive 

 woodland corridor which undoubtedly serves as important habitat 

 and refuge for many game and non-game mammals and birds. The 

 lack of roads and the dense vegetation render the tract virtually 

 inaccessible to man. This factor is significant because it pro- 

 vides many species, particularly large wide-roaming mammals such 

 as black bear, a safe refuge from hunting pressures. 



100 



