Swamp Song: A Natural History of Florida's Swamps

I moved to Tampa from PaloAlto twenty years ago. For recreation, I bought USGS maps of Florida. Eliminate the beaches and its mostly swamp, especially from Tampa on down to the Everglades; but I'm an amateur naturalist so that's good. Over the years, I've found the plant and animal life, and the ecology, of Florida's interior more-and-more fascinating. Larson's little book is the book that I've often dreamed of writing, only better. If you are fortunate enough to live in Florida, get to know your nearest public-access swamps, then buy a copy of this book to begin to understand the amazing things that you have seen.

Larson presents a grand introduction to forested freshwater wetlands in Florida, where water and trees dominate. He presents a skillful blend of scientific background (including technical references) and personal experiences, particularly in Highland Hammocks State Park and Fakahatchee Strand. He starts with a description and formation of the major areas including depression marshes in Okefenokee and Pinhook swamp basin swamps, and the nearby (to me) Shrub bogs in the prosaically named "Tate's Hell" and flooded river areas as along the Apalachicola, and Strands in South Florida.The majority of the book goes through different plant and animal classes, and the book shines by its broad coverage. There is sure to be an introduction to something new to each reader. For example, I did not know that the weight of fungi per acre is about equal to a small car or that up to 50 species of river fish may feed in an adjacent flooded swamp. For bird watchers, the tales of the Ivory Bill are most exciting, in light of current searches. Larson closes this section with tales of the enigmatic black bear and Florida panther. He closes the book with the call for education and advocacy for the wetland, and I would add basic care of oil after an oil change and safe storage of pesticides and chemicals. May you never be depressed in a depression marsh.

Ron Larson's "Swamp Song" is an intriguing trip through Florida's back-wood ecosystems. His writing style is descriptive and captivating. He illustrates - both through words and photographs - the unique plants and animals of Florida's swamps and rivers, and demystifies the often bleak outlook of these natural habitats.