TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Page 



LIST OF FIGURES ii 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii 



INTRODUCTION 1 



NATURAL AREA INVENTORIES 



Dismal Swamp Shield Fern Natural Area 9 



Dismal Swamp Mesic Islands Natural Area 27 



Corapeake Marsh Natural Area 45 



Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge 67 



Merchants Mill Pond State Park Natural Area 90 



Chowan Swamp Natural Area 163 



Sand Banks Natural Area 203 



REFERENCES 227 



GLOSSARY 233 



