What is a bottomland hardwood forest?

A Hardwood Bottomland Forest is made up of Oak, Elm, Hickory, Maple, Hackberry, Cypress, and Sweetgum; situated in organic peat soils, usually deposited through rise and fall of rivers. The Mississippi River has deposited thousands of layers of organic soil creating the substrate for Louisiana Hardwood Bottomland Forest. A bottomland is an area which floods on a regular bases and holds a percentage of that water, creating a saturated environment. This saturated environment is the limiting factor that affects the species capable of being present. Ecosystems of this nature are special for their diversity, tree density, foraging area for animals, and hurricane protection.

For 35 years, Joe and Lucianne Carmichael have stewarded 7.66 acres this bottomland hardwood forest directly adjoining 900 acres of government owned forest. These woods were clear-cut in the 1700's to make way for a sugar cane plantation, but since 1920 have lain fallow. If A Studio in the Woods' present land stewardship continues, ecologists expect that this forest will regain its primary state within 50-75 years.

Wildlife at A Studio In The Woods

Some of the Birds at A Studio in the Woods
The diversity of plant life, the pond, and the Studio's proximity to a larger forest make it an excellent spot for many types of birds.

• Pine Warbler - winter
  
• Northern Cardinals - year round
  
• Blue Jays - year round
  
• Catbird - winter
  
• Black Vulture - year round
  
• Turkey Vulture - year round
  
• Red Tailed Hawk - year round
  
• Green Heron - year round
  
• Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron - summer
  
• Downy Woodpecker - year round
  
• Cattle Egrets - year round
  
• Snowy Egrets - year round
  
• Carolina Chickadee - year round
  
• Barred Owl - year round, spring hatchlings
  
• Tufted Titmouse- year round
  
• Prothonotary Warblers- migratory
  

Some of the Trees and Plants at A Studio in the Woods

Canopy Layer
· Water oak (quercus nigra)
· Nutall oak
· Live oak
· Black cherry
· Coast live oak
· Sweet pecan
· Sycamore
· Sweetgum
· Southern Magnolia
· Hackberry (Celtis laevigata)
· American elm (Ulmus Americana)
· Red mulberry (Morus rubra)
· Box elder (Acer Negundo)
· Swamp red maple (Acer drummondii)
· American persimmon (Diospyros virginica
· Chinese tallow (Sapium seviferum)
· Camphor tree (Cinnamonum camphora)
· Persimmon

Sub-canopy
· Deciduous holly (Ilex deciduas)
· Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
· Wax-leaf ligustrum (Ligustrum lucidum)
· Black cherry (Prunus serotina)
· Elderberry (Sambucus Canadensis)
· Buttonbush (Cephalanthes occidentalis)
· Rough-leaf dogwood (Cornus drummmondii)
· Wax Myrtle
· Dwarf Palmetto

Vine Species
· Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)
· Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
· Greenbriar (Smilax spp.)
· Cross vine (Bignonia capreolata)
· Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
· Dewberry and blackberry (Rubus spp.)
· Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia)
· Woodland passion vine (Passiflora lutea)
· Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) toxic
· Japanese climbing-fern (Lygodium spp.) toxic

Forest floor herbaceous species
· Southern shield fern (Thyleptris kunthii)
· Curl flower (Clematis crispa)
· White snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum)
· Elephant's foot (Elephantopus caroliniana)
· Aster species (Aster spp.)
· Mist Flower (Eupatorium coelestinum)
· Spider wort (Tradescanthia spp.)
· Lizard's tail (Saurus cernua)
· Wild lettuce (Lactuca spp.)
· Wild petunia (Ruellia cilliata)
· Ironweed (vernonia giganteum)
· Virginia crownbeard (Vevesenia spp.)
· Horseherb (Calyptocarpus spp.)
· Bayou violet (viola langloisii)
· Copper iris (Iris fulva)
· Ladies' tresses orchid (Spiranthes spp.)
· Jack-in-the-pulpit

Download a Checklist of Plants, Fungi, and Animals in the area of A Studio In the Woods