The Big Thicket - America's Ark

BirdNote^®   

The Big Thicket, America’s Ark

Written by Bob Sundstrom

This is BirdNote.

[Sounds of a wetland forest bayou]  

Tucked away in Southeast Texas is one of the most remarkable enclaves of nature. Known as The Big Thicket, this natural region is home to ten different ecosystems ranging from cypress bayous and arid sandylands to palmetto thickets, pine forests, marshes, and grasslands.  

Such a wide variety of natural landscapes provides homes for a broad array of birds and other wildlife. More than 1,300 species of plants – including 30 wild orchids – have been tallied in The Big Thicket. Small wonder the region has been called “America’s Ark.” This spectacular diversity of plants is made possible by the dozens of soil types deposited by the outflow from melting glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age.

Since the 1970s, the National Park Service has set aside nearly 100,000 acres (or about 3%) of this biogeographic region.  Called the Big Thicket Natural Preserve, a valuable piece of this utterly unique natural world has been conserved. 

Let’s listen again to “America’s Ark,” as Bullfrogs sing alongside Northern Cardinals and Prothonotary Warblers.

[Sounds of the wetland forest bayou, bullfrogs, Northern Cardinal, Prothonotary Warblers]

Today’s show is brought to you by The Bobolink Foundation.  The soundscape featured was recorded by Gordon Hempton and provided courtesy of QuietPlanet.com.

[Wetland forest bayou continued]

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1992.05.16b Wetland forest bayou day bird activity and 1992.05.18a 18A Wetland forest Bayou frogs and birds recorded by Gordon Hempton, of QuietPlanet.com 

BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.

Producer: John Kessler

Executive Producer: Chris Peterson

© 2013 Tune In to Nature.org    July 2018   Narrator: Mary McCann

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