The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Great Dismal Swamp is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Location Location in Pasquotank and Camden counties in the state of North Carolina Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States North Carolina Pasquotank County, NC Camden County, NC Mayor Rev. ...

The Great Dismal Swamp is a southern swamp, the one most north of many along the Atlantic Ocean's coast that includes the Everglades and the Big Cypress in Florida, the Okefenokee, the Congress and Four Holes swamps of South Carolina, and some of the Carolina Bays. A freshwater swamp This article is about the wetland type (a landform). ... An Anhinga perched on the boardwalk railing Everglades is also the name of a city in Collier County, Florida. ...

Essential to the swamp ecosystem are its water resources, native vegetative communities, and varied wildlife species. The Great Dismal Swamp's ecological significance and its wealth of history and lore make it a unique wilderness. It is one of the last large wild areas remaining in the Eastern United States. Various species of deer are commonly seen wildlife across the Americas and Eurasia. ... The Great Dismal Swamp is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ...

After centuries of logging and other human activities which were devastating the swamp's ecosystems, in 1973, the Union Camp Corporation donated 49,100 acres (199 km²) of land; the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was officially established by the U.S. Congress through The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Union camp corporation had a bag production facility in New Hope PA until the late nineteen eighties. ... Congress in Joint Session. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

The refuge consists of over 111,000 acres (449 km²) of forested wetlands. Lake Drummond, a 3,100 acre (13 km²) natural lake, is located in the heart of the swamp. Outside the boundaries of the National Refuge, the state of North Carolina has preserved and protected additional portions of the swamp. Lake Drummond is one of only two natural lakes in Virginia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ...

The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located not only between two states, but also between two eco-regions, allowing for a wide range of plant and animal species. Cypress, black gum, maple, Atlantic white cedar, and pine are the predominant tree species found on the refuge and support the wildlife within. Many mammal species, including black bear, bobcat, otter, and weasel along with over 70 species of reptiles and amphibians call the swamp home. More than 200 bird species can be seen at the swamp throughout the year, while 96 of those are known to nest on the refuge. Binomial name Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780 The American black bear (Ursus americanus), also known as the cinnamon bear, is the most common bear species native to North America. ... Binomial name Lynx rufus Schreber, 1777 The Bobcat (Lynx rufus, or commonly felis rufus) is a wild cat native to North America. ... Genera Amblonyx Aonyx Enhydra Lontra Lutra Lutrogale Pteronura The aquatic (sometimes marine) carnivorous mammals known as otters form part of the large and diverse family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, and others. ... Species Mustela africana Mustela altaica Mustela erminea Mustela eversmannii Mustela felipei Mustela frenata Mustela kathiah Mustela lutreola Mustela lutreolina Mustela nigripes Mustela nivalis Mustela nudipes Mustela putorius Mustela sibirica Mustela strigidorsa Mustela vison Weasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. ... Orders Procolophonia (extinct) Testudines Araeoscelidia (extinct) Avicephala (extinct) Younginiformes (extinct) Sauropterygia Ichthyosauria (extinct) Placodontia (extinct) Nothosauria (extinct) Plesiosauria (extinct) Sphenodontia Squamata Prolacertiformes (extinct) Archosauria Crurotarsi Order Aetosauria Order Phytosauria Order Rauisuchia Order Crocodilia Ornithodira Pterosauria (extinct) Marasuchus (extinct) Dinosauria (extinct) Order Saurischia Order Ornithischia Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals... Orders Many - see section below. ...

Lake Drummond is the middle of activity in the swamp today, though, with many fishermen, sightseers, and boaters. Boat tours are given from the Dismal Swamp Canal, to Lake Drummond.

The refuge is open daily during daylight hours. There is no entrance fee. The refuge headquarters, at the western edge of the refuge, is open on weekdays, except national holidays.

Visitor activities include birdwatching, photography, hiking, bicycling, boating and canoing (a boat-launching ramp, offering access to Lake Drummond, is provided onto the Feeder Ditch, at the eastern edge of the refuge), fishing, and deer hunting on parts of the refuge during the designated season. Although camping is not permitted on the refuge, campground facilities are available in the general vicinity.

Hiking opportunities include the nearly 0.75-mile (wheelchair-accessible) Dismal Town Boardwalk Trail, located on Washington Ditch Road, that winds through part of the swamp habitat; a number of the refuge’s unpaved roads that are also open to bicycling; and the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, an 8.5 mile former section of Route 17 converted into a multi-use trail. The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail follows the eastern side of the swamp from a trailhead near Dominion Blvd south to within 1.5 miles of the North Carolina border. The peak influx of neotropical migratory songbirds, such as numerous species of warblers, is from late April to mid-May.

In 1805, the Dismal Swamp Canal began serving as a commercial highway for timber coming out of the swamp. Today, the canal continues to serve recreational boaters as part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, administered by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. ... Categories: Stub ... United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. ...

See also

• swamps
• Great Dismal Swamp

A freshwater swamp This article is about the wetland type (a landform). ... The Great Dismal Swamp is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ...

External links

• Official site Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
• GORP's guide to The Great Dismal Swamp
• Defenders of Wildlife Organization - Great Dismal Swamp page
• City of Chesapeake's Dismal Swamp Canal Trail