Zekiah Swamp
Zekiah Swamp Natural Environment Area | |
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Location | Charles County, Maryland, United States |
Coordinates | 38°25′05″N 76°56′10″W / 38.41806°N 76.93611°W[1] |
Area | 450 acres (180 ha) |
Elevation | 3 ft (0.91 m)[1] |
Named for | Zekiah Swamp |
Governing body | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
Website | Charles County Greenways |
Zekiah Swamp is part of the Potomac River basin in
History
Maryland was formed as an English colony in 1634. One of the original
The courthouse was built in 1674 atAfter
Ecology
Zekiah Swamp is a
Maryland is home to a wide array of ecological habitats, ranging from barrier islands and beaches, to saltwater estuaries, coastal plains and the Appalachian Mountains. It is estimated that prior to European settlement that the state was 95% forested with the remaining 5% being tidal marshlands.[9] Most of the forests and marshes have since been destroyed by development. Zekiah Swamp Natural Environment Area is one of the few places in Charles County to be undisturbed.[3] Moves to protect all of the swamp have been taken by the Maryland state government and the Charles County government.[2][10]
Zekiah Swamp is the largest hardwood swamp in Maryland.[10] It is considered to be one of the "most important ecological areas on the East Coast" by the Smithsonian Institution.[10] Sediment buildup in the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay will be slowed or prevented by the protection of plant life in the swamps. The plants work to absorb much of the runoff that would otherwise pollute the waters.[10]
Recreational use
Although the Zekiah Swamp Natural Environment Area is primarily owned by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, it isn't managed for recreation. As a result, there are no paved public access roads, parking areas, or scenic overlooks. Nor are there marked or developed trails, picnic areas, campsites, or visitor's centers. Nonetheless, a limited level of recreational use is still possible. In connection with its Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail system, the U.S. National Park Service notes that access is possible by way of the intersection of U.S. Highway 301 and SR 234 (Budds Creek Road). Traveling east from that point on SR 234, one comes to Penn's Hill Road/Allen’s Fresh Road. Following Allen's Fresh Road south at mile 23.2, there is a dirt road on the west side that leads through the swamp and woods to Allen's Fresh Run of the Wicomico River. This is suitable for driving or walking.[11] Other sight-seeing or photo opportunities are possible with brief stops along the shoulder of SR 234 where it passes through the Natural Environment Area. Similar possibilities exist to the north on SR 6 (Charles Street) that runs between La Plata and Charlotte Hall.
References
- ^ a b c "Zekiah Swamp Natural Environment Area". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. March 20, 1996. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Maryland Greenways". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ a b "Charles County Greenways". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ "Reflections by a Former Keeper of the Records for Maryland (1973-2013): Follow the Yellow Brick". 27 November 2010.
- ISBN 9780722290279.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Roylance, Frank (June 17, 2009). "Md. Archaeologists Dig In Zekiah Swamp For Clues To Colonial Era". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ a b c Roylance, Frank (September 14, 2011). "Long-sought Zekiah Fort likely found". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
- ^ a b c "The Death of John Wilkes Booth, 1865". eyewitnesstohistory.com. 1997. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
- ^ "Maryland's Green Infrastructure". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ^ Potomac Heritage: National Scenic Trail DC, MD, PA, VA, "Southern Maryland Hike 3."