Guest Blogger--Vanessa Aparicio

To keep you all updated on the Summer Intern Program, we have asked the interns to serve as guest bloggers from time to time. Here is a rundown of recent events from Vanessa Aparicio:

On July 27th, the Summer Interns and crew left bright and early to see a true treasure of Florida, Barley Barber Swamp. This old growth cypress swamp is owned and maintained by FPL and is located in Indiantown. We were all really excited because most of the cypress trees we had seen this summer were not very old and the trees in this Barley Barber Swamp were several hundred years old, with the oldest being around 900 to 1000 years!

It was a real treat that we were even able to go on this tour because tours normally only run from September through April, but Charles Barrowclough of Treasured Lands Foundation, made a special exception for us. It was also a special treat because the Swamp had been closed to the public since September 9, 2001 for security reasons. The Swamp had only recently reopened to the public after an Eagle Scout had restored the boardwalk to its original glory.

The Swamp had just experienced a rain storm the night before and had quite a bit of water, even though our guides said the day before had been very dry. We got to see a lot of insects, apple snail eggs, a variety of birds, pond apple trees, and of course plenty of cypress trees. We also saw a lot of flowers and Dr. Tom saw his first ever Ball Bromeliad in bloom, which has a beautiful purple flower! When we came to the clearing where the oldest cypress trees were, the oldest known as big grandpa or the Champion, took center stage, it was huge!

We also learned an interesting history as to where Barley Barber Swamp got its name. It was named after a man who came down here and laid claim to land. He was a bit of a loner and needed to make some money, but had no family or friends he could call upon to work with. As a result he decided to hire a Seminole Indian to help him open a logging business. One day people around town noticed Barley Barber and the Seminole Indian did not show up for work and they went looking for them. At Barley Barber’s house they found the Seminole Indian dead and his bride, along with Barley Barber, were missing never be seen again.

We also learned a great deal of the cultural history of Barley Barber Swamp. It is classified as an Indian trading or aquaculture mound by the State. There are many Indian artifacts located on the grounds and this mound likely took many generations to build. The mound faces due west towards the lake and was built with materials brought back from the coast. The highest elevation of the mound sits at 16 feet and is thought to be where the high chiefs resided.

Towards the end of the day, while we were at lunch, we received a fascinating history of Florida Ranching and Indiantown from the owner of the Seminole Inn. She told us of her family roots and how her mother’s best friend, Betsy, helped the Seminole Tribe gain recognition by the government. It was fascinating to hear about her heritage and a little bit about old Florida. I would really recommend to anyone who has a chance to get out there and see Barley Barber Swamp for themselves! It will not disappoint!